perplexities, her brother was now heard loudly complaining at the dearth of shirts and stockings in his drawers, and that the few he found there, were minus one or two buttons. There was nothing to be done but to repair negligence as quickly, and good humouredly as possible! While doing this, time slipped away imperceptibly, till cook thinking her young mistress must have forgotten the kitchen department, mounted in search of her, to represent the empty state of the pantry, and the urgent need of some preparation for dinner. Jannette named in succession, several of her father's favorite dishes, the materials for which were not all in the house; the usual visits to the grocer, and other tradespeople, having been suspended during this fit of wax-flower manufacture. The dinner hour was near at hand, and Jannette justly dreaded the remarks her meagre fare might excite, for the house was too distant from any shops to supply the deficiency in a short interval.

Morning visitors were announced, and here new trials awaited the poor girl; for, in her haste to atone for past omissions, she had left all her wax flowers on a table too near the fire, and they were greatly injured by the heat, while a favourite spaniel had also aided the wreck, by upsetting a delicate spray of passion flower, which had been nearly completed, but which now lay entirely spoiled.

The instant Jannette recognized her visitor, she remembered what she had hitherto forgotten, that this was the day for attending the Bible District Committee, and paying in the quarterly monies! "We feared you were ill," said Mrs. S. gently; "you are generally so punctual; but as I must make up my annual accounts this week, I called for your book and collecting bag ere I returned home."

A crimson flush overspread Jannette's face at this announcement. Mrs. S. was an elderly lady who had brought up a large family very successfully, and glancing at the scattered articles on the table, she added in her kindest tone," perhaps you are not quite ready, my dear, I can manage my business if you send me your share to-morrow; but do not let it be delayed longer;-punctuality is so very important in all societies, the non-arrival of branch reports will greatly inconvenience the central secretary."

66 Thank you, dear Mrs. S., mamma is from home, and I am not such a good manager in her absence as I fain would be,” replied Jannette ingenuously.

"Young people often learn the wisdom of mamma's maxims best by experience, my dear, so we will hope any little mistakes may prove useful in the end;" answered Mrs. S. with an affectionate smile, as she took her leave.

“I am sure this has been a weary day,” thought Jannette, as she retired to rest that night," the first week I got on so comfortably, and now, little by little, everything seems out of order. What can be the reason? I must try and set all to rights again before mamma returns, or she will feel. I am not to be trusted." But here thought became indistinct, and sleep closed the troubled eye.

Mrs. Temple's lessons had not however been lost, and on renewing her meditations the next morning, Jannette came to the conclusion, that her mother's rule of "Duty first, and pleasure afterwards," was the mainspring of all her orderly arrangements, and leisure time for everything she undertook.

She therefore heroically put aside her pleasant relaxation of wax-flower making, and, to a young lady of Jannette's ardent temperament, this was an heroic moral effort; diligently persevered in the less agreeable, but more necessary duties of darning stockings, sewing on buttons, and weighing out the contents of the store-room; making tarts and puddings, reading or playing with her younger brothers and sisters, and fulfilling all those nameless claims of " kitchen, parlour, drawing-room," which distinguish so obviously between the homes of the slatternly, and the thrifty housewife. She no longer dreaded the consumption of the last cake of soap, or the ignition of the last candle! Jannette then discovered that her leisure hours reappeared, and by confining her recreative employments to the after part of the day she pursued them with double zest.

When Mrs. Temple returned, she praised her daughter for the perfect order, which pervaded the whole house, and greatly admired the ornaments to the alabaster vase, which by this time were successfully finished. Jannette related the history of her proceedings, and Mrs. Temple replied:

"This month's trial of yourself, my dear, may be more useful

than a volume of sage exhortations, as I can assure you from a very similar experience in my own early youth. The old fashioned maxim I have so often urged upon you, is equally applicable to every variety of human business. You have proved its efficacy in the ordinary routine of common life. On a larger scale, the merchant and the statesman prosper best in obeying this rule. Prosperity, reputation, and life have often been lost by reversing it. In our intellectual pursuits too it is valuable. If you would have your mind stored with knowledge, you must study solid learning first, perusing amusing works as recreation only, for short intervals. In religion also, there are duties to be performed, ere we think of enjoying the pleasures provided for the Christian. Not that we can by any of our own efforts earn heaven-that is the Saviour's purchased gift; but during the present life we have work to do, work in our own hearts and conduct, as well as for the benefit of those around us; and though we shall ever find in the regular prosecution of all our duties a degree of pleasure, we must not look forward to full enjoyment, even of spiritual delight, till we arrive at that paradise, where prayer and exertion will be exchanged for rest and praise. E. W. P.

THE PANACEA FOR EVIL.

(Concluded from page 64.)

WITH the destruction of the Bible, the wrath of the people and Cathleen seemed to subside; and they thought they had employed the surest means of bringing back the wanderer. They now began to reason and argue with him, but the seed sown in his heart had taken too deep root to be easily plucked up; truly he was "given a mouth and wisdom which all his adversaries were not able to gainsay or resist," and one subtle doctrine after another was exposed by the earnest faithful teacher. His wife was always present; sometimes she joined quietly in the discourse, sometimes she became violent; but he treated her with uniform gentleness and affection; he talked to her, prayed with and for her, he coaxed her, till at length the affection she used to feel for him returned, and she began to have her misgivings all was not right with her, and that after all, she might have been taught wrong. But then she had

always been told her's was the only true church, and that she had no business to read the Bible for herself; her priest had told her so many times, and convinced her she could not understand it. Still Dennis seemed to understand it, and to have more learning than the priest; and then again, he was so good, and so gentle, and so loving to her and the children—so different to what he used to be-that she began to think she must be wrong, and he in the right. Then she thought of her having destroyed the Bible, and how she stifled the voice of conscience, which told her how wicked she was, and at the thought of this she began to weep with all the violence natural to her.

At this juncture her husband came in; "Oh! Dennis," she exclaimed, "God is dreadfully angry with me for burning his book, I know he is, and I do not think he will forgive me if I do ever so much penance, and pay Father Murphy ever so much to absolve me. What shall I do ?"

"We will kneel together, dear Cathleen," replied the delighted Dennis, "and pray our God to forgive you; I know he will, if we ask him to do so for Jesus Christ's sake, for he never rejects the prayer of any one who comes to him through him." "How do you know?" she said quickly.

"The Bible says so," he replied.

"Could you get another Bible ?" she asked.

"Yes. But I dare not," answered he, "you will perhaps burn it again."

"Oh! never, never;" she exclaimed in an agony of tearsnever, never, Dennis, I should like to learn your way to heaven, I think it is better than mine. And if you will try to get another book, you shall read it to me; and if you convince me you are right, I will go with you, I will listen, I will try to learn, can you get another ?" she added.

"I will try Cathleen," he replied. Here was joy-an answer to many fervent prayers, a bright prospect for the future. Should his dear wife become a true disciple of Jesus, what happiness would then surround him, what a contrast would there be in the management of his children, the cleanliness of his cabin, and his daily comforts. "Truly godliness is profitable to all things, having the promise of the life that now is, as well as that which is to come."

With a light heart and cheerful step, Dennis Mahony, early the next morning was on his road to Dublin; he wended his way to the gaol, that place which opened to him a door of hope, a hope full of immortality; where he had first heard the way of salvation through a crucified Saviour, and learnt to cast away the superstitions wherein he had been brought up, and receive in their stead those bright and glorious truths which filled him with joy, and taught him meekly to endure the scoffs and trials which had come upon him.

In a

The governor was surprized to see him-" Why Dennis, my man, what brings you here? it is not often my old friends pay me a voluntary visit." "I believe not, your honor," replied Dennis with a smile, "but I have cause to bless the day I came under your honor's roof-I have much to say, and a great and bold request to make." He then related all that had befallen him since his return home, how the people had scoffed, and yet listened to him; how his wife was one of the most violent amongst his opponents, and how she at length destroyed his precious book, but which had seemed to be a circumstance which preyed on her mind, and filled her with horror, and that she now longed to hear it. The governor listened with earnest attention, and no sooner had the poor man stopped in the recital of his tale, than he rose and left the room. few minutes he returned, and placing a Bible in the hand of Dennis, said, “Take this my man, and may the blessing of God be with you; Oh, how wonderful are his ways! Who would have thought, when you were committed to my charge a poor misguided ignorant Whiteboy, that thus you would have been honored. Your steps have been led by Him, who has loved you and given himself for you. I see now the task he has prepared for you; go forth Dennis, and be faithful in your work, and the blessing of the most high God will be with you." With many kind and encouraging words did this good man address the poor humble Christian before him, and after giving him food, and a small sum of money, he dismissed him almost overwhelmed with the thanks and blessings of the grateful Dennis. Though he had not mentioned his intended journey to his wife, she guessed its purport, and was not uneasy at his absence. Much had passed in her mind; her whole life seemed to come