gooseberries in grandfather's garden are called 'roaring lions.""

"Yes; but now we will not speak about that fruit, and that name. I wish to say something else that is of more importance.

66 Do you know that, in the Bible, men are spoken of as being like wild fruit-trees, which bear no good fruit, and are fit for nothing but burning. In the same holy book, God is spoken of as a gardener, who transplants these wild fruit-trees into his own garden, and grafts them, and prunes them, and digs about them, and manures them, so that they may bear good fruit. Now, the meaning of this is that all men, by nature, are unworthy, sinful creatures, not profitable to God, or to the world, but very unprofitable; so that they are fit only to be destroyed by the burning anger of God. This, my dear boy, is our sad state by nature. But God is not willing that we should perish; he does not wish to destroy us; and, therefore, he has prepared a garden into which we may be put. That is, He has a church in the world-a multitude of people in different lands, who have been saved from sin, and from danger, by the death of his dear Son; and who bring forth the fruit of holiness, by the Holy Spirit which God gives to them. When, therefore, we are brought really to believe on Jesus Christ, and to love him, and to turn from sin, it is like the wild useless fruit-tree being transplanted

into a good garden, and being taken under the care of a skilful gardener. And then, when we are brought into this garden of God, he watches over us, and takes care of us, so as to make us bear good fruit. That is, we love to obey God, and do all his commandments, which before we did not, and would not, and indeed could not do."

Then George's father knelt down, and prayed that his little boy might be a tree in the garden of God-a tree of God's own "right hand planting," and that he might live to bear good fruit to the praise of God his Saviour. And having done this, he bade him good night.

CHAPTER VI.

A WALK.

A FEW days after George had been at his grandfather's, his father told him that he was going to take a walk with uncle William, and that, if he liked, he might walk with them. George was quite willing to do this, and ran directly to get his hat. But his hat was not in the proper place, and he could not find it. He asked his grandmother if she had seen it; but she had not; neither had his grandfather, nor his aunt. Then his father bade him try to remember where he had last worn it. But George could not tell. To say the truth, George was, like many other little boys, very careless in such matters. He was too much in the habit of leaving his hat and gloves and coat just where he had taken them off, and leaving other persons to take care of them for him, instead of putting them in their proper place himself.

"Come, George," his father said; "we are quite ready to go: have you not found your hat yet?"

"No, father, I have not: I have looked everywhere I can think of; and I really, really cannot find it."

"Then I am afraid we must go without

you; and this would be a proper punishment for your carelessness. Why will you not learn to be more careful of your clothes?"

Poor little George felt the reproof, for he knew that he had often been told of this fault; and he was conscious that he had not often hung up his hat on the peg in the hall, which his grandmother had told him he might use, but had left it on a chair, or table, almost every time he had taken it off. He had thought that this was less trouble than hanging it up; but now he found the old saying to be a true one, that "Lazy folks take the most pains."

"I really cannot find my hat, father; and I have been trying to find it. Will you not help me look for it?”

"I do not know that I ought to help you," his father replied; "but for once more I will have pity upon you. Now, will you try to think when and where you last wore your hat. Have you had it on your head this morning?"

"No, father, I am sure I have not; for I could not find it before breakfast, and I went out into the garden to grandfather without it; and I have not been out of doors since."

“Then, where did you have it last evening?” "Oh, I remember now," said George, eagerly. And, without waiting to explain, he ran into the yard, and soon returned with the hat upon his head. He had been in his

favourite loft over the stable; and there he had left his hat.

"I am glad you have found it at last," said his father; "but now remember that you have kept us waiting for you; and that is what little boys should never do. Indeed, we might not have been able to wait for you, and then you must have been left behind. I hope, therefore, that I shall not have again to tell you of this fault while we are away from home."

George promised that he would be more careful; and, we may as well say, he kept his word.

Let us just say a few words to the young reader. George's fault is a very common fault with children-especially with boys. Many little boys think it can be no trouble to their parents, or servants, or sisters, to be continually hanging up hats and coats, and putting gloves into drawers, although they think it a very great trouble to do the same things for themselves. How is this? Surely if it be a trouble to one person, it is also a trouble to another. Think of this, little boy, and when you come in from play, or from a walk, or from school, and are just about to throw down your hat on the floor, or on a chair, or table, remember that some other person will have to pick it up and put it in its place, and then ask yourself whether this is doing to others as you would like others