or twice reading very engrossing tales to myself while Lily did her sum or wrote her copy, I often forgetting to look up when the sum was ended or the copy complete, and she warned me that it was not right to fret the child by keeping her waiting. So, as I meant to try to do my duty, I promised never to read again in school-time; and Mrs. Bertram was pleased with me, and said I took her rebuke in a right spirit. And we were all friends again.

'But still I gave trouble in that way. Once I snatched up a most exciting book after dinner, and forgot to get ready to go out in the carriage with Mrs. Bertram and Lily; and there were the horses at the door champing and fidgeting, and Lily in her best frock, and Mrs. Bertram waiting to take us to spend the afternoon at Blair Hall, where Lily's great friend lived; and I had my brown-holland schoolroom dress on, all bespattered with ink. I was so ashamed, I ran off in a dreadful hurry, and came down so hot and untidy, having scrambled into my silk dress, and collected my gloves and handkerchief and cuffs into a bundle in my hand.'

'Like you scold me for doing,' said Marian. 'Go on, though, do; I like your being untidy.'

'Another time I had to write a note-a very particular one by the post-for Mrs. Bertram, and that was forgotten till it was too late, because of three new red volumes which lay on the writing-table, and which I took up for a minute, the minute becoming an hour as I read, and putting my duties quite out of my head. After that, I did make a resolution that I would never trust myself with a book till everything was done that I ought to do, for I was thoroughly disgusted with myself. And then things went a little better.

One day

Lily was feverish and ill, and Mrs. Bertram and I agreed she should go to bed and take some medicine which she had had prescribed for her once before, and of which a little was left in the bottle. James was to ride into the town and get more made up.'

"And order some of my drops, dear," said Mrs. Bertram; "and then I'll go and lie down, too, for my head is bad."

"Troubles never come singly," I said, "for Mrs. Jones is complaining again of her old sprain, and is obliged to keep on the sofa."

Mrs. Jones was the housekeeper, a petted old servant, but very kind to me; so I often paid her a visit in her snug

"No, let me do that," I said. "I am sure I should be quite as good a nurse as Gibbons."

'Mrs. Bertram hesitated.

"You might get reading, dear, and forget her medicine."

"No, indeed, I wouldn't," I protested. And then we settled that Gibbons should sit with the child till eleven o'clock; and then I should go to bed in the room, as my custom was, or sit up with her if the little girl seemed restless enough to require it.

""Be sure and give her the medicine again when James comes in," reminded Mrs. Bertram. "Good night, dear. I don't think it is anything serious with the child; but one feels anxious, with her parents so far off."

'James was late. It was nine o'clock when I heard his horse clattering in the

stableyard: ten minutes after I went downstairs. On the morning-room table were his parcels; white-covered bottles from the chemist, odds and ends for Mrs. Bertram, and a pile of books from the library.

It was not time yet for Lily's medicine, so I looked at the titles. Yes, there was the third volume of that delightful book which Mrs. Bertram and I had been reading and longing to finish. . I must see if the hero gets out of his troubles. The clock said a quarter past nine; at ten I must go to Lily. I sat at the table turning over the leaves, and I gave a great start when I saw "The End" at the bottom of the page, and the clock at the same moment chimed half-past ten. I tore off the paper cover of the larger bottle, ran upstairs, and went straight to Lily. My stupid habit had got the better of me again, but luckily without much harm, for Lily was sleeping quietly.

"Lift her up, Gibbons," I said, "for Mrs. Bertram wished her to take the medicine regularly."

So Gibbons roused the sleepy child, and we got her to take her dose. She made a very wry face, and lay down again.

"Put the cork in the bottle, Gibbons," I said, " and then you may go."

• Gibbons took the bottle, and I turned away; but flew back on hearing a terrible cry, that I hardly recognised as her voice, while her face was ashy pale.

"What have you done?" she said. "Look! look what you have given the poor child!"

I did look at the bottle. It was labelled "Poison !" I had taken Mrs. Jones' liniment for her sprain in place of the right medicine, and all because of my fatal hurry.

6 Oh, that dreadful red book! And oh, that dreadful night!

'I don't know who sent James for the doctor, or who proposed taking Lily up, shaking and rousing her to prevent the terrible poison settling her down into a deathly sleep; but some one did. I was almost wild with horror. I went every few minutes to the window to see if Dr. Green was in sight. On the toilette-table (to mock me, it seemed) they had placed the right bottle of medicine. The two bottles I had seen below were Mrs. Bertram's drops and the fatal liniment I had given to the poor child.

When the doctor came he would say nothing; but he continued the rousing treatment, and it was most sad to see my poor, little, heavy, weary child, teased and shaken, and almost worried into life again.'

'No, dear; they were very kind-every one was. The doctor and Mrs. Bertram both excused me on the score that Mrs. Jones' medicine ought never to have been placed where I found it; but in my heart I knew the fault lay in my becoming so engrossed in that book when I had a duty to perform, and so not leaving myself time to examine the medicine before giving it -a thing I was always told to do, for fear of accidents.

'I stayed two years longer with Lily, and then she was sent to school, as it was lonely for her at home without playfellows.'

H.A. F.

TIMOTHEUS AND PHILEMON.

2200

(Continued from p. 227.)

CHAP. VI.-ELMINE.

LMINE, the Pacha's wife, was a good and kind lady. She did her best to be a mother to the boys. She gave them a beautiful room to themselves, placed them in charge of a waiting-maid, and appointed a Christian slave to at

tend upon them. She very often called the boys to her. When she and her ladies sat over their embroidery she amused herself with them. She asked many questions as to what took place in Christian lands, and took pleasure in their childish stories. and lively descriptions.

When Elmine went into the garden, which was large and splendid, the boys used to accompany her. They saw many flowers there which they had already seen in their father's and in their teacher Antonius' garden; but many flowers of dazzling colours were quite strange to them.

The boys were also allowed, when Elmine was not present, to go into the garden and into the courtyard of the palace. Every one had begun to love these bright, good children. The workmen in the garden, and the servants in the courtyard, were fond of them. The swans which Elmine kept in a lake in the garden swam to the banks when the boys came near, for they often threw them bread. The splendid dogs also which the Pacha kept bounded to meet the boys, because they patted and caressed them.

words, and he warned the boy never to speak thus again. It might cost you your head,' he said; for Sultan is the name which the Turks give to their Emperor.'

When the boys had become used to their life in the palace, Elmine entrusted the Christian slave who had hitherto attended to the boys, and who was clever and had lived for a long time among the Turks, to teach them the Turkish language and to give them instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The slave was much pleased at this. pleased at this. But he did not content himself with merely teaching them these things, he often spoke with them about God and Jesus Christ our Lord.

One morning Elmine wished to see the children. The door of their room stood half open, both were kneeling in the middle of the apartment and praying aloud, 'Oh, Thou gracious God,' they said among other things, Thou dear Father in heaven, oh! bless, bless our second mother, the good Elmine, with Thy best blessing. She has been so good towards us; oh, grant that she may learn to know about Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and be saved by Him!'

These words touched Elmine to the heart. She had frequently inquired of the boys about the Christian religion. They told her some things, however, which were not clear to her. 'Oh!' she said once, how I wish that I could speak with a man who could give me further information!'