shall go to heaven, and dwell with Jesus, whom I love.

"Since I have been a man, I have had many blessings and mercies, so that I have been able to say, 'Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life' all these blessings have come to me from God, who is called the Father of mercies.' Ought I not, then, to love him in return?

"I have had some troubles, too; but they have been fewer, by far, than my sins, and they have all been intended for my good; so that I ought to be thankful for these troubles. The greatest of all troubles, to me, would be to lose my hope, that the Lord Jesus Christ my Saviour and Friend.

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"Once I was very ill, and I did not know that I should not then be called to die. Shall I tell you what I thought ? Oh, I thought, what a good thing it was—what a very good thing that I had not put off repenting of sin, and believing on Jesus, and loving him, until that moment.

"These, my dear little boy, are a few of my thoughts and recollections about myself. I could tell you more; but I will not burden your memory, for I wish you to remember these things of your grandfather. And now, my little grandson, my wish for you is, that you also may love the Lord Jesus Christ; that you may be happy in his love; that you may begin at once to love him, before the

troubles of life come- -before old age comes -before the evil days come, when you shall say, you have no pleasure in them.

""Twill save us from a thousand snares

To mind religion young;

Grace shall preserve our following years,
And make our virtue strong.

"Let the sweet work of prayer and praise
Employ my youngest breath;

Then I'm prepared for longer days,
Or fit for early death."

EMMA and her mother were sitting at work in the afternoon. Emma made but little progress, for she was thinking of her father and brother.

"Mother, mother! they are really coming now. Ruth, come and look; do come. Father and George are coming over the field; I am sure it is them this time. I can see them quite plain."

"Then put on your bonnets, and run and meet them."

The little girl was right this time; but she had been wrong a great many times in the course of that day. From the hour in the

morning that the letter arrived, to say that her father and brother would be at home that afternoon, Emma had done scarcely anything but look out of the window, to watch for their arrival. It was in vain that her mother told her, that her father could not reach home for many hours to come: the little impatient, ardent girl could not withdraw her thoughts and her eyes from the path which led to the house.

In front of the house was a flower-garden, surrounded by wooden palings; and beyond this were two wide fields, over which a path led from the road; and the road itself could be seen from the parlour window.

In less than an hour after the letter arrived, Emma exclaimed, "Oh, mother! there is a carriage coming down the road; do you not think father and George are in it?"

"No," said her mother; "I can assure you they are not. They have many miles to travel yet, before we shall see them."

The carriage passed along the road. It was a travelling-carriage, drawn by four horses; it was loaded with travelling-cases, with two servants on the seat behind.

"Ah," sighed the little girl, "you are right, mother; father will not come in such a carriage as that."

Presently, the rattling of wheels again reached Emma's sharp ears, and she was at the window.

"Here is another carriage, mother; I should not wonder."

But, before she could finish her sentence, she had ceased to wonder; for it was only the baker's cart.

"I think," said Mrs. Hardy, "you had better make yourself happy, and not think about your father's coming until after dinner, at least. I am almost certain that he will not reach home before four or five o'clock."

"What is it o'clock now, mother ?”

"It is now twelve o'clock; so it will be four or five hours before you will see your father and brother."

"Oh dear, oh dear! that is a long time! Well, I will not look out of the window again till after dinner. What shall I do, mother?”

Her mother told her what to do; and Emma kept to her promise; but she was very glad when dinner was over.

"Now I may look again, mother; and here comes

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No, it was a pedlar, with a pack upon his back.

The next person seen coming across the fields was an old woman in a red cloak; then a man with a load of fish; then the muffin man; then a gentleman with a little boy; and this time Emma thought she could not be mistaken: but she was-it was not father, but the doctor and his son.

"What o'clock is it now, mother?"