"In

Pray have you any hens, Mrs. Nesbitt?" deed I have, ma'am, and plenty of chickens-I have a great many, and send them to market, and they are a great help to my poor family."

"How do you bring them together, when you want to feed them?"

The woman smiled.

"Indeed ma'am, it is easy enough to do that ;" and she took a wooden platter from the shelf, with some crumbs of bread and meal on it, and scattering a little with her hand before the door, she used a peculiar call of encouragement, and immediately a dozen or two of fine fowls flocked about her and began to feed.

"If they did not come readily," remarked Miss Percy, "I suppose you would try to frighten them and drive them together with stones."

Mrs. Nesbitt laughed, and looked incredulously at Miss Percy, not knowing whether she spoke in jest or earnest. "Indeed, ma'am," she replied, "that would be of little use. If I frightened them much, they would go away from me altogether, and I should lose them-no body would think of rearing birds without treating them kindly, and coaxing them by feeding them plentifully, and taking care not to annoy or disturb them."

"Well Mrs. Nesbitt," replied Miss Percy, "I fear you have never tried the same method with your little boys, or your management would have succeeded better; the hens come at your call, because they know you have something they like to receive, and they are not afraid of your hurting them; but your children are expected to do what is disagreeable

to them, without the least inducement, but rather with the menace of renewed punishment. Let me

see if we can prevail upon them by gentler means. Call them hither."

The mother went forward, and called Jemmy, and Johnny, and Tom, out of the pool, with rather a harsh tone of voice. Most reluctantly and slowly did they obey, and perhaps would not have done so at all, if they had not perceived the gentle conciliating countenance of Miss Percy at the cottage door, who repeated the call in the soft inviting manner, which never fails to inspire children with confidence. They rushed past their mother, and came up to her.

"My dear little boys," said she, "I am sorry to find you are so foolishly employed, when you know you ought to be at school. If you go on spending your time in idleness, you will never be wise, or good, or respectable."

"But we don't like to learn," said Johnny; "and then mother bids the master beat us; and sometimes when we are inclined to go, we are afraid."

"Well, Johnny," said Miss Percy, "I hope, when you are older, you will have sense enough to see the advantage of learning, even though it should give you a little trouble at first; but, in the mean time, suppose I should go to the master, and ask him to pass over your fault this time, and promise that you will try and be more regular in attendance in future, you think you would go to school to-morrow." "Yes ma'am."

do

"Can you read, Johnny?"

The little boy hung down his head. "Can Jemmy read?"

"A very little," was the reply, "and Tom does not even know his letters."

Miss Percy now took some little books out of Jessie's basket, and showed one or two that had very nice coloured pictures. "I have these to give away to good little boys who attend school, and obey their mother," said she. "Now, if you will try and be obedient, and are regularly at school every day for a month, I will give you one a-piece for a reward."

The boys looked up good humouredly in her face, and promised they would do as she wished; but Johnny said, "I have often promised mother to be a good boy, and have tried very much, but I can't keep my word. I don't know how to be good. I grow naughty the minute after I have determined to do right. So, ma'am, may be I shall not be able now."

Miss Percy answered, "Johnny, dear, you have found out that your heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked-a fact which is true of every body's heart, whether they know it or not. You cannot trust your own good resolutions, and you know not, therefore, what to do, or how to amend. My little boy, there is but one way for you, and for me, and for us all, to be made good. It is by coming to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to get a new heart and a new spirit; to kneel to him in prayer, beseeching him to pardon our past sins, for his dear son's sake, and give us grace and strength to overcome evil in the time to come. Nor be afraid to

pray, Johnny; nor think he will not condescend to hear and bless a little child: for when He was upon the earth, walking up and down among men, and doing good to every one, he took notice of little children, and commanded them to be brought to him, that he might embrace them in his arms of mercy, and bless them." Seeing all the children very attentive, Miss Percy went on to say many kind and encouraging things to them on the same subject; their mother standing by, and apparently much interested. She then took a few little cakes out of her basket, and gave them to the little ones"Not," she added, "because you deserve them; but because I love you, and wish to see you happy." And then they all promised they would go to school in time the next morning, provided she would call on the master to intercede for their pardon.

The next visit was to an old blind woman, in a cottage, who lived with her daughter, and was allowed two shillings a week by the parish towards her support. The daughter had a large family, but was very attentive to her mother, and, by Miss Percy's assistance, kept her comfortably clothed. The poor woman's countenance brightened when she heard Miss Percy's voice. She said she had been longing for her visit. She was bedridden, as

well as blind; and the lady immediately sat down beside her with the air of one who felt much at home. After a little conversation, she said, "Molly, I have a young friend here who will, perhaps, read to you in my place today, and she offered Henry Villeroi a Bible.

He bowed and declined receiving it, on the plea of disqualification to speak in an instructive manner upon its contents. "But," said Miss Percy, smiling, "I know you intend to be a missionary abroad, and therefore must surely have studied this holy book already with sufficient interest, to be able to speak upon its simple truths without embarrassment. It requires no skill; we speak only of that which fills our thoughts and our affections; we study no expressions; and therefore I should hope, my young friend, you will not feel reluctant to assist me." Henry, however, with heightened colour, persisted in his refusal, and Miss Percy entreated no more, but she turned to the blind woman's daughter, and asked her if there was any little work she could give to Jessie to do while the reading was going on. "I see," said she, " you are ironing your mother's cap for Sunday; but the border is ripped, and it wants new strings, and that handkerchief has been torn by a pin on the line. Here, Jessie, take your needle and thread, and mend these little articles. I think she wants new caps."

66

Oh, aunt," said Jessie, "let me make one; Jane made the last for her."

"Very well," replied the aunt, "I think I may indulge you with this pleasure. Now let all be quiet while I read a little from the word of God."

Miss Percy now opened the First Epistle General of St. Peter, and offering up a short prayer for divine assistance, to understand and learn from the sacred book, she read the two first chapters, making an ob