his holidays, the cunning fellow knew so cleverly how to behave himself that his father found little occasion to punish him; but when he returned to school he began his pranks again with fresh zest.

Under such circumstances the boy made scarcely any progress at school. He rose very slowly from one class to another, after he had sat in each for long over the usual time. At last he went to college, and the father hoped that he would now conduct himself better; but his hope was vain. The youth gave himself up to gaming and dancing, drunkenness and riot. All that his faithful parents sent him out of their hard savings was quickly squandered in the circle of his bad friends. And what they denied him he managed to get by borrowing, by cheating, and by lying.

One morning this undutiful son suddenly vanished, after he had stolen all the money of a fellow-student, who lived in the same house with him. After a time, the news came that he had entered the Imperial Austrian army as a recruit, and had gone to Prague, where the regiment in which he was to serve had its head-quarters. The poor parents sacrificed the last remnant of their little property in order to pay the debts their graceless son had made, and thereby to preserve their own good name; but the grief weighed upon their hearts. Their house had become silent and desolate. The father wandered about afflicted and heart-broken, while the mother wept bitter tears for her graceless son.

Wilhelm Segbert did not at all like the severe discipline which then prevailed in the army, and so he drew upon himself one punishment after another. At last he committed a crime which was always punished by the terrible running through the rods. Before, however, the court-martial pronounced sentence upon him, he broke out of prison

and escaped. For a long time he wandered about the Bohemian and Saxon frontiers, in the ravines of the mountains, where he met several like-minded comrades, who had fled from the same fate. These fellows had no money; they were too lazy to work, so they began to steal, The pastor's son had already often cheated and stolen at college, and he soon became the chief of this robber-band, which spread terror in the towns and villages far and near. police to capture the away, were in vain. how to choose his hiding-places, and so often changed them, that the police could never catch him or his men. The band extended their plundering expeditions from Dresden to the neighbourhood of Prague. Thus they went on for several years, with increasing boldness. Louder and louder became the lamentations of the country at these robberies, which destroyed the peace and security of the inhabitants.

All the efforts of the band, or to drive it Segbert knew so well

At last, Segbert thought it better to leave those districts where he was so narrowly watched, and to seek a new field for his evil deeds. The band dispersed, in order that they might more safely meet again at an appointed spot. This time they had chosen the lands on the Rhine, and here they soon began their plunderings. Of his parents, in whose neighbourhood he had now established himself, Segbert scarcely ever thought. Thus the unhappy man sank deeper and deeper in wickedness. Soon a cry of dismay at the murderous band arose throughout the lands on the banks of the Rhine. The most horrible stories of their deeds were related; but it was especially of their captain, whose name was a terror to all who had anything to lose, and was used even to quiet naughty children. (To be continued.)

THAT shall I render to Thee, Lord,

WHA For all Thy gifts so kind?

My heart has comfort in each word
Which in Thy truths I find.

I am so poor, possessing nought
But what's already Thine,

My soul, which Thy dear Blood has bought,
To Thee I now resign.

Each thought, each word, my ev'ry deed,
From morning unto eve,

Heart's thankfulness shall e'er proceed
For blessings I receive.

Thy threefold love Thou didst bestow
In forming me from clay,
Preserving me from sin and woe
Throughout each livelong day,

Redeeming me with such a price,
Which ne'er was understood:
What love contained that sacrifice
Which shed my Saviour's Blood!
Thy praises I'll for ever sing
In canticles of love,
My heart's a tribute now I bring
To Thee who reigns above.
At early dawn I'll quickly rise,

Each grateful note to swell,
The chord of all my melodies
Is-Christ did all things well.
Praise to the Father, to the Son,
Throughout all ages be,

And Holy Spirit, three in one,
Adored Trinity.

TIMOTHEUS AND PHILEMON.

(Continued from p. 307.)

CHAP. XVII.

A CHRISTIAN SERVICE. BDALLAH soon declared his resolve to become a Christian to his two dear friends. Both were delighted at it, and thanked God.

'Only for the present,' said Abdallah,' the thing must remain a secret. I

have weighty reasons for this. Meanwhile, I should wish to have erected secretly here, in my palace, a Christian chapel. I think that the room in which I have hitherto kept my treasures, and to which I have allowed no one admittance, is best fitted for this purpose; but you, my friends, must help me to carry out my plan. I will at once give you as much money as you require for this; only let everything be of the best and most beautiful. Consult together about it. Take care that everything is packed in chests, and sent safely, under my address, to the frontiers. I shall give orders that the chests are not to be touched or openedby the Custom-house authorities; but to be sent here as quickly as possible. But my wife is to know nothing about it at present; I wish to surprise her.'

To Abdallah's great joy the chests arrived before he expected them; he would gladly have been present when Lucius and Antonius arranged the room for a chapel, but important business just then called him away to a distant city. His two friends were not sorry for this; they wished to surprise him, too.

When Abdallah returned from his journey, and went at once to his chapel, he was really surprised. He summoned Elmine, and led her in.

The day appointed for Abdallah's baptism arrived. Antonius had been instructing him for several days previously as to the Sacrament of Baptism. Abdallah now, accompanied by his wife and his friend Lucius, entered the chapel. Antonius soon after entered. Abdallah repeated the Creed in a firm voice. Then Antonius baptized him. At his desire, Abdallah received in baptism the name of Paul.

'Hitherto,' said he, I was a Saul; God grant that I may become a Paul!'

Lucius was his witness. Elmine burst into tears; she thought of the time when she had been baptized, and how happy she had been since then.

Afterwards Antonius celebrated the Holy Communion, of which Abdallah and his wife partook for the first time; both prayed with deepest fervency. Antonius then said, My son, my daughter, may God bless these Holy Sacraments to you; may they help you on the way to eternal life!'

Each then went in silence to their chambers, in order to pray there and to meditate alone with God.

CHAP. XVIII.—THE DEPARTURE.

LUCIUS now longed more than ever to return with his sons to their own country.

I cannot reproach you for this,' said Abdallah; neither is it my intention to remain always in this land: but immediately I cannot depart. I have to atone for much injustice which I have done. I will lay before the Sultan an account of my stewardship, and request his permission to resign my post. If he should hear of me that I am no longer a Turk, still he must say that I have not only remained an honest man, but have become a still more honest one. He shall find no cause against the faith which I have adopted. The large property, too, which

my wife brought me I will place in security; I will do no wrong to her nor to the poor. She is sure to know how to use her wealth better, for the benefit of the poor, than any stranger into whose plundering hands it might fall. In everything I will act as a man and a Christian.'

Elmine, meanwhile, had been thinking of having Lucius and his sons dressed in new and much better clothes. Among the Christian slaves in the town was a young man from Hungary, who was a clever tailor, and had brought his master much gain by his excellent work. Elmine sent for him, and asked him to make Hungarian clothes for Lucius and his sons.

'Oh, with greatest pleasure!' he exclaimed. I understand much better how to make Hungarian than Turkish clothes. They will please you so well, and everybody else, too, that they shall be considered my masterpiece.'

He asked for permission to take the measure, and Elmine sent for Timotheus and Philemon.

"That is curious!' he said, as he looked at them. 'I need only take the measure of one of the young gentlemen to make the clothes for both.'

Then Elmine told the two brothers to take him to Lucius. After a few days he brought the suits, which fitted perfectly. Elmine praised the work, and besides the price he asked, gave him a present, saying, The Pacha will, I doubt not, at my request, buy you from your master, and then give you your freedom.'

The young man kissed her hand, and much delighted, left the palace.

But more than a year passed away before Lucius could depart with his sons. Abdallah wished to accompany them to a frontier-town where he had some business, but was always hindered through other

affairs. Elmine, with motherly tenderness, sought to postpone the journey as long as was possible; then Lucius became seriously ill, and it was a long time before he was so far recovered as to travel.

At last the morning came for the departure. All stood ready for the journey; then both boys began to weep.

"What is the matter, dear children?' said Elmine.

'Alas! alas!' cried both; alas that we must leave you!"

6

'Oh, is it that?' said Elmine. Well, well, my dear children, be comforted; we shall meet again very soon.'

Both now sobbing, approached, to take leave of their beloved teacher.

Abdallah said, 'You are weeping as if you were about to leave the world; you are only going into another country, to your beloved fatherland, and we are coming after you soon,-soon we shall be all together again!'

'Yes, so it is,' said Antonius; and so it is also when one of our beloved ones, whether father or mother, brother or sister, must enter on the journey to eternity; it is only for a little while we have to part. There, there is Heaven, our real fatherland; we all hope to come together again: therefore be comforted, my dear children. At every parting this is the best consolation for Christians-We shall see each other again, in this or in yonder world!'

The boys dried up their tears and became calmer. The carriage drove up; a company of soldiers had been long sitting on their horses, ready to escort it. Abdallah entered the carriage with Lucius, Timotheus and Philemon followed; all waved their hands to Elmine and Antonius from the carriage; the boys, too, waved their handkerchiefs for a long time.

(To be continued.)