HIGH AND LOW.

(Concluded from p. 83.)

T is true she was somewhat cheered by the comfort Ida had suggested, so like a child who knows not the sad realities of the world. Most people can remember a time when they, too, believed that every one recovers, until death was first taught them by the loss of some loved member of their own family; and Jane tried to persuade herself as she sat down to perform her task, that, after all, things might not be as bad as she had feared. The dresses were hardly finished when the young ladies came to be dressed. The sight of gay colours and fine clothes is distasteful to a heavy heart, and though the poor girl did her best, she had never done a duty more painful to her feelings. At length it was over, and she lingered in the passage near the drawing-room door, in the hope that Miss Ida would obtain permission for her immediate departure. Long indeed she had to wait, for the thoughtless child, in the excitement of seeing so many of her young friends, and afterwards in the amusements of the evening, quite forgot her promise. Lucy had been presented in due form with her birthday gifts, and was engaged in a pleasant game, when a loud cry was heard. from the passage. It was unheeded by the children, so intent were they on their play: but their father, opening the door, inquired from a servant what was the matter.

Presently approaching his wife, he said in a low tone:-- That girl, Jane, has lost her mother; they told her suddenly, and she fainted in the passage, and has just been carried away.'

"Who told her?'

'Her brother was sent up with the news.' Don't tell the children at present, it might make them sad, the dear little ones have so much feeling. Better let them enjoy their evening.'

And so no further notice was taken, but poor Jane was sadly grieved at not having seen her dear mother for even a few moments before her death, and bitterly thought of the heartless selfishness which had denied her this last consolation. She was too ill to be moved that night, but next morning she left the house where she had been so unkindly treated, to return to her father and little Tom, and to the lonely home in which her presence was now so needful. Lucy and Ida regretted her services, and felt slightly uncomfortable when they heard of her mother's death; but their attention was easily attracted to other things; a new maid was procured, and Jane and her sorrows soon forgotten.

Time passed on. How many changes the lapse of a few years can bring! Jane's father was now in more prosperous circumstances. She had not ceased to mourn for her mother, but all bitterness of feeling had passed away; the gentle lessons learned in her childhood were remembered, and she sought, and was enabled to forgive, those by whom she had been injured.

Much more startling was the change which these few years had wrought in the fortunes of Lucy and Ida. Their father being engaged in large mercantile speculations, had suddenly failed, and was obliged to leave the country. Strange men paced through the familiar rooms of the grand house, making a valuation of their contents. The servants, lately so humble, departed grumbling; and no one remained to pity or assist the poor girls, who, with their heartbroken mother, were obliged to take refuge in an humble cottage near their

former stately home. Deprived not only of every luxury, but even of common comforts, they were now literally without the means of support for any length of time. Their mother was seriously ill, and requiring much care and attendance. Alas! Lucy and Ida could not attend to themselves.

Ida,' said her sister on the morning they were about to leave their home, I sometimes think these misfortunes have been sent upon us as a punishment for our pride and thoughtlessness towards others. Do you remember Jane? She has often

come into my mind lately. We are now as poor as she was, and our mother ill also. I wish we had felt more for her, and let her go and see her mother before she died.'

'Indeed I wish we had,' replied Ida; 'but I hear mother calling, we had better go to her.'

Soon all preparations for their departure were completed. A few necessary articles of furniture had been sent before, and on arriving at the cottage, great indeed was. their surprise to find everything placed in order; a bed carefully prepared for the invalid, a bright fire burning in the sittingroom, and all made as comfortable as circumstances would permit. The sisters had looked forward with dread to the performance of these household duties, and were now wondering who had given them. this kind assistance, when the figure of a young girl appeared at the door, who gently supported the invalid to her bed, and laid her down to take a rest after so much fatigue.

She

So Jane remained, and took kind care of her former mistress, who declined so rapidly that it soon became evident her time on earth was drawing to a close. was much comforted by passages of Holy Scripture which Jane read to her, and when her hour was come she left this world hopefully, being enabled with faith to trust her children to the care of their Heavenly Father. Her loss was most severely felt by the sisters, who were now truly humbled under the chastening rod, and saw the gracious purpose for which they had been afflicted. It was but a few days after this event that a letter arrived from their absent father, containing directions for them. to go to the nearest seaport town, where a friend of his had promised to take charge of them during the passage. Without loss of time they obeyed the summons, and were accompanied by Jane to the vessel, where with many tears and regrets they parted, she to return to her home and they to rejoin their father, by whom at the end of the journey they were met, and warmly received. And though these children of luxury were obliged henceforth to submit to many privations, yet they did so cheerfully, and proved through trials and difficulties a blessing and comfort to their remaining parent.

S. T. A. R.

ROSE NORMAN.

A SIMPLE SKETCH OF FAITH
AND LOVE.

OSE NORMAN was the only child of the Curate of Fieldham. When she was only thirteen years of age, and was just going to be confirmed, her father died somewhat suddenly from an attack of typhus fever, caught during his ministrations to a sick parishioner. Little, indeed, was the earthly wealth which the good clergyman had to leave his much-loved daughter; but he had from her earliest years led her to seek Christ, her loving Saviour, in the ordinances and services of that branch of Christ's Holy Church Universal of which he had been so faithful and zealous a minister.

Fieldham was a large country parish containing about 2000 inhabitants, and was pretty and picturesque. The church. was a fine old building, which had been recently restored and furnished with free sittings, instead of the old-fashioned squarebox pews in which our ancestors seem to have taken so great a delight; so that rich and poor might enter alike into the holy House, to hear the gospel of the grace of God. To supply the lack of pew-rents, the people gladly gave as they were able of their substance to the offertory every Lord's day. The service was conducted with a heartiness and warmth which might well awaken some feeling of devotion in the hearts of those who worshipped within its walls.

It was Rose's delight to join in the services. She was looking forward with eagerness to the fast-approaching time when she

would be allowed to join in the highest act of Christian worship in the Church below, and admitted to the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ.

After her husband's death, Mrs. Norman still continued to occupy the pretty little detached cottage where she had lived during the fifteen years of her married life. She now devoted herself more than ever to deeds of active love and charity, and in these Rose was ever a most useful assistant. Rose loved her mother, and to soothe and cheer her life was the thought ever uppermost in her mind: but besides the knowledge that she was aiding her mother, in accompanying her on her visits to the poor and the sorrowful, and the sick and the suffering of her neighbours, Rose felt constrained by the great love of her blessed Lord to strive to comfort the afflictions and bind the broken hearts of the weak and poor whom Christ has left as a sacred legacy to all His true disciples. And so she went about ministering to the bodily wants of the sick and the infirm, cheering the aged by showing them her living faith in all the precious promises of our Lord, and even pointing them to that blessed Land where the Lamb would wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Many were the blessings breathed on Rose, as in all the lightsome gladness of youth, and in all the joyousness of Christian faith and love, she went forth on her mission of mercy and charity.

Mrs. Norman, whose health had long been failing, was now quite an invalid, and confined to the house. Rose, therefore, devoted herself more and more to her work of visiting, and comforting the afflicted: this, with the time devoted to her studies, and what she gave up specially to her mother-although it was her greatest plea