'You want me to help you to find out something to learn, Charlotte,' she said; and sitting down by her, they were busily employed for the next half-hour, and Charlotte during the following morning was occupied with a sheet of manuscript, reading it over and over. Towards the middle of the day Mrs. Johnston came to see her, and Charlotte greeted her with pleasure.

'I have nearly learnt them all,' she said. 'Lena found a good many for me,' and she displayed her paper. 'Will you hear me repeat them? "The wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience.”—Eph. v. 6. death."-Phil. ii. 8. Lord our God, that it obey the voice of the "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."—Eph. vi. 1. "In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel."--2 Thess. i. 8. That last verse,' said Charlotte, 'is a very dreadful one. I think it will prevent me from being disobedient more than any of the others.'

"Christ became obedient unto

"We will obey the voice of the

may be well with us when we Lord our God."-Jer. xlii. 6.

'More so, do you think, Charlotte,' replied Mrs. Johnston, 'than the verse from the prophet Jeremiah, which promises that it "shall be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God"? Is not this a great reward for simple obedience? I advise you to remember both these verses: the one that threatens punishment, and the one that holds out reward.' 'Yes,' replied Charlotte, 'I will try to think of them

L

both. Some of the other girls took the verses in the chapter about the virtuous woman, that corresponded with the dates of their birthdays, and that was very nice; but mine was not one that would do me any good. Do you know that this is my birthday?'

Indeed, Charlotte!' replied Mrs. Johnston. 'I was not aware of it. The 23d, is it not? What is the verse in the last chapter of Proverbs?'

'It is,' said Charlotte, ""Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land." You see, this would not help me about my disobedience, so Lena chose some others for me. And I will learn those two that we spoke of,—one, because it will make me so much afraid of being disobedient; and the other, because it will induce me to be obedient. Now I am going to draw all my texts nicely, and paint the first letters.'

'I am glad, my dear Charlotte,' said Mrs. Johnston, 'that you have fixed on so good an employment for your birthday; and I will not even say that I pity you for being shut up here on a day when you have usually enjoyed some excursion, or some treat at home. For this will be the best birthday you have ever spent, if you make a determination to-day that you will from this time try to guide your life by a verse from the Bible. Do you not think so, Charlotte? How old are you to-day?'

'I am eleven years old to-day,' replied Charlotte. 'Well, in eleven years more, I hope you will be able to look back with pleasure and gratitude on this

day, although you pass it imprisoned on a sofa, by a painful hurt.'

'Oh, I do not feel in the least dull,' said Charlotte; ' and very likely, after school-time, Annie will come and tell me about the poor people she goes among so much, and Margaret will help me with my drawing, and I shall be very happy.'

'Then I shall say, at any rate, that you are a contented girl,' said Mrs. Johnston as she left her. And her hopes about Charlotte were well realized, as that day became the turning-point in her life, and reckless disobedience ceased to be the great blot upon her character.

CHAPTER IX.

Phillis the Loiterer-Foolish Excuses-A Change for the Better -Promised Strength.

HILLIS MORLEY was generally the last to come into the schoolroom, and the last to

leave it, because she loitered over everything that she did; and not only loitered, but complained of having so much to do, of being hurried, and so on. This caused much amusement to Ellen, who was quick and energetic in all that she did; and one morning, when Phillis had gathered her books together and let them fall again three or four times, Ellen could not forbear saying:

'Really, Phillis, I never saw such a dawdle in my life! and you become slower and slower. Presently the other girls will be coming back to afternoon school, before you have left the room after morning lessons!'

'It is easy for you to talk so, Ellen,' replied Phillis, 'because you are clever and quick. Besides, people don't hurry you as they do me.' Ellen could not help laughing.

164

'Hurry you, Phillis! What do you mean by that? Every one has put away books and papers excepting you, and all went out certainly five minutes since, whilst here you are, still going on letting your books fall down, and picking them up again. There they go again, I declare!' she cried as Phillis stumbled over a footstool, letting fall her armful of books.

'It is very unkind of you to laugh at me,' said Phillis; 'I cannot help being slow!'

'Now that is nonsense,' exclaimed Ellen, 'you could be quick and active if you chose to try; and more than that, it is downright wickedness in you to time as you do.' Phillis stared.

waste your

'Yes,' continued Ellen, 'it is indeed. Just let us consider what you have done to-day so far. Did you get up in time for your bath, as you were ordered?'

'No, I was so very sleepy that I had scarcely time to dress before prayers.'

'That was one duty omitted,' said Ellen. 'Did you know your Gospel and Catechism after prayers?'

'No, I did not; but the reason was, that my books were mislaid last night, and before I could find them, the preparation hour was gone.'

'That makes two duties left undone. After breakfast, did you change your shoes before you went out?'

'No, Ellen, I was tired; and it is so wearisome to run up-stairs to change our shoes! So I went out in my house-shoes.'

'That makes three things undone,' pursued Ellen,