Before he

and some easy words. went away he was determined to buy a book, and for that purpose went to a shop and asked for one. The shopkeeper very naturally asked him what book he would have. He replied, he wished for a book such as the gentleman at the chapel read out of. Accordingly the man, who was a religious character, sold him a bible, and then made him a present of some little easy tracts. Kanousky went out of the shop very happy, thanking the proprietor; and it was not long before he was on his return home.

CHAP. VII.

THE CLUMP OF FIRS.

AFTER Kanousky's arrival at his master's house, he took every oppor tunity of improving himself in reading; and in no very long time he could read, without much difficulty, a chapter in the New Testament, and also the tracts which the bookseller had kindly given him. He read with an anxious desire to obtain all the knowledge he could from his little library; and as he was in earnest, God blessed his diligence, so that every month he grew “in

grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

By comparing himself with the description given by our blessed Lord, he found that his heart was full of sin, that it was also." deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." At the same time he experienced in himself that truth, "Without me ye can do nothing;" and found, that it is only by the assistance of God's spirit, we can overcome sin. He read and believed also, that this aid is granted to them only who have "repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ;" and that we must pray for grace according to the direction and promise of the Saviour: "Ask, and it shall be given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened."

Kanousky had prayed, as we before observed, but now, in his bible, he found a prayer suited to his wants, even that prayer which Christ taught his disciples, and this he used from his heart. He had learned too, from knowing what he found he needed, to pray; and many an evening, after he had concluded his work, would he retire into the midst of a large clump of fir trees, with his bible and tracts; there he would read, and after having read, he would, on his bended knees, offer up prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.

His retirement could not but be noticed by his fellow servants; and they would have derided him for it, but his master, who found Kanousky now the best servant he had, would not allow them to molest him, observing, that as long as he did not

force his religion upon them, they' had no right to interfere with him.

It was on a beautiful summer's evening, when Kanousky had withdrawn himself to his favourite clump of firs, that he read the account of the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unknown to him, there was a man, who was one of his master's household, and who, wandering that way, amusing himself by smoking a pipe, overheard him thus talking to himself, and to his God and Saviour: "Ah, Kanousky," said the poor boy, in his soliloquy, "You are great sinner, that dear Saviour should suffer so much. Heart, why do you not feel more sorrow for your wickedness? Break, strong heart, weep rivers of tears. O blessed God, soften my hard heart. My heart grieve, O