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wasting your time standing there; for I tell you, once for all, I won't take your son back.'

Come away, Tommy,' said the woman, raising a little boy in her arms, who had been quietly playing with some bundles of firewood while his mother spoke.

'Come home. When you grow up, my darling, I suppose they will turn you out of bread too, and accuse you of theft.'

Jamie was waiting for his mother at the corner of the street; and he saw at once, by her face, that the visit to his master had done no good.

'How came Mr. Benson to know you had that half-crown, Jamie?'

Jack, the other messenger-boy, saw me change it the day I bought the tea for you, mother.'

"There! he must have told his master. What business had he interfering in the matter?'

'I don't know, I'm sure,' replied Jamie ; but he had his own suspicions of Jack, and he determined to watch him, and wait patiently for further proof.

Winter passed away, and Jamie had not found another situation; however, he managed sometimes to procure odd jobs, which brought in a little money to help his mother.

One day, as he was returning with a shilling which he had just earned by running errands, he saw Jack, who was still Mr. Benson's messenger, sitting sadly on the roadside holding an empty basket.

Jamie passed by on the other side, just as a little sister of Jack's came up.

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Mary proposed going home to search, but already he had looked in every likely place, and he thought it must have slipped out of his pocket on the way. At all events, it was quite hopeless to try any

more.

Mary having no comfort to offer,

and remembering that she must be home before dark, ran off, crying as she went, until, overtaking Jamie, she stopped and told him the sad tale, entreating of him to help her to think what could be done to save Jack.

There was a struggle in Jamie's mind, for he had long had in his heart very bitter feelings against his old companion, believing that through his means he had lost both character and situation. Why, then, should he be called on to assist in this | difficulty? Soon came better thoughtsa chance was now open to him of doing a good turn to an enemy, for it brought to his remembrance a verse he had learned at Sunday School about not rendering evil for evil.'

Can you think of any plan?' repeated Mary, looking in his face with eyes full of tears.

'Yes,' replied Jamie, taking from his pocket his only shilling. Give him this to make up the loss, and he need not say anything about it.'

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Mary was delighted.

Oh! how happy he will be! and how thankful to you!'

'No, no; you must not tell him who it came from; if you do, he won't use it.'

But the little girl was already on the way back to her brother.

'Here, Jack, is a shilling in place of the one you lost. I can't tell you more about it, for I'm in such a hurry to get home; but 'tis all right.'

"Now, thought she, he's sure to use it; and when he comes home in the evening

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there can be no harm in my telling where it came from, if he asks.'

Next evening, as Jamie and his mother -with the little one asleep on her lapsat over a scanty fire, they were surprised by a visit from Mr. Benson, who had called for the purpose of asking Jamie to return to his situation as soon as possible; for he had now discovered his innocence concerning the half-crown, and felt sorry for having accused him in the wrong.

In reply to the mother's questions he told how Jack had come forward that morning and confessed, that seeing half-acrown on the counter, he had been tempted to take it, and then to lay the blame on his companion; ' and now,' added Mr. Benson, 'he is dismissed, and you are restored.'

'Oh! do not say so, sir!' cried Jamie; 'please try him once more: I am sure he will never do so again, now that he is sorry.'

And he never did; but he grew up an honest and respectable man: thus showing the influence of a kind action in melting a heart that might otherwise have remained hardened for life. S. T. A. R.

PROFANITY.

ÆSAR MALAN, of Geneva, began his career as an instructor of youth, and though, from his childhood up, he had been of a thoughtful nature, he fell into the bad habit common among his countrymen of using the Creator's Name both lightly and frequently. Without knowing it he used it in the school among his pupils, and, perhaps, might not have been aware of it, but

that the example was followed by the scholars. There the Name of the great God coming from their thoughtless lips struck him painfully. He was about to chide them, when conscience reproved him: I do this myself; how can I blame them?'

He instantly resolved on an amendment. Calling the boys around him, he told them that this way of speaking was wrong; and he made an agreement that they were to watch him, and he would watch them, so as to correct what he felt to be a sinful practice.

He was very guarded for two reasons: he wished to avoid the sin, and, as a schoolmaster, he wished not to give his pupils the chance of correcting him. At length, one day, when he was speaking with great liveliness to the school, he used the words, 'Mon Dieu' (My God). Instantly all the scholars rose, and respectfully remained standing. He inquired the cause, and the head boy replied by telling him of the Name he had used. The good master stood still for a moment, confronting his boys, and in a grave and sorrowful tone expressed his regret for his fault: afterwards kneeling down before them-they kneeling also-he offered up a prayer that God would pardon the past, and give His grace, that in the future His Name might be honoured among them, and His commands obeyed.

Doubtless that touching scene was never forgotten by those present; it never was by the master, for he must, long years after, have told about it to the son who has written his life. Happy the man who has the humility openly to own his faults to those whom his example may have injured, and the wisdom to go to the Strong for strength to overcome them. It is written, 'The Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh His Name in vain.'

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Published for the Proprietors by W. WELLS GARDNER, 2 Paternoster Buildings, London.

ICaspe Street. Leicester Square.

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MATTY'S BIBLE.

(Continued from p. 27.)

CHAPTER IV.

S the summer advanced Matty's life grew pleasanter; she had no longer to shelter for hours under door-ways or arches, but could wander out beyond the town, and spend happy days in the green fields plucking daisies and buttercups, and listening to the twittering of the birds in the hedges. And she loved to gaze up into the deep blue sky and wonder whereabouts God's throne could be, and whether the angels' harps made a sweeter sound than the organ in the old church, which she had heard once or twice when sitting down to rest in the porch. There were no regular week-day services in the Stockbrook churches, nor were the doors left open except during the time of cleaning; otherwise Matty might have found the comfort of worshipping in God's house: as it was, she had never been either to church or chapel since her mother died, though she often longed to go. But she still went on reading her Bible, growing daily to understand it better, and to prize it more. she had found a helper in her studies at last. Sarah Lane, seeing how the case stood with regard to the Sunday School and other matters, offered, if Matty liked, to read a little with her now and then, and help her to understand what she read. How willingly Matty accepted the kind offer my young readers will guess; how eagerly she listened and learned I could never tell. The child craved for knowledge of every kind; and the best of all knowledge was granted her the knowledge of the only true God, and of His Son Jesus Christ.

And

Do not suppose, however, that she only learnt about God and goodness; only read the pleasant Bible stories. This would have been a very imperfect way of striving after a knowledge of the truth. Remember, the Bible tells us that The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.' 'If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.' 'If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love.'

And so a change had come into little Matty's life. It was not alone that the light shone upon her path, but that she followed where the light led. She grew more patient under trouble, bearing many a hard word and blow with meekness for Christ's sake; she showed herself readier than in the old days to do any little service in her power for others, and she was now always careful to speak the exact truth.. Once or twice Jenny had been struck by her little sister's conduct, and had even spoken about it. 'Bless the chilt! why hoo niver answered a word agen, though mebbe aw were a bit too sharp wi' her.' Or, Why, Matty, thae seem'st as afeared on a lie as though they could eat thee!' Again, There's a good wench! why thae'st mended yon gownd o' mine iver so tidy, an' aw niver axed thee to.'

For Matty, I must explain, had got her friend Sarah Lane to teach her to sew, and put the accomplishment to good use in keeping her own clothes neat, and in doing such odd jobs as she could for Mrs. Gubbings and Jenny. At first she had been obliged to work with a thimble of her sister's stuffed with paper, but as her services became more valuable her step-mother permitted her to buy one for herself. And sometimes Mrs. Gubbings even left her at home to darn stockings and stitch on buttons: but this was not often; the family was improvident, and did not think much of mending. Mrs. Gubbings declared it

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