as a short passage-a little bit of rough road that must be passed in order to enter our real life. I cannot understand how any one can live as if the pleasures and successes of this life were the main object of our being, when, in fact, they are but the means, the few short steps into eternity.'

'Dear mamma, I will try to live with that idea more constantly present with me.'

'Do so, my dear child. I do not wish to render you gloomy or fearful, but that you should be able to realize that your trial is going on perpetually. You will still feel happy and cheerful in the enjoyment of life; much more so, believe me, than if leading an existence with no object but the amusement of the moment.'

CHAPTER II.

The Birthday Morning-A Good Beginning-Gifts from Annie -Her Young Friends-The Poor remembered-Blind Mary and her Daughter-Village Shops-The Use of Things—The Unexpected Treat-Self-denial-The Promise.

NNIE went to bed with a more distinct idea

of her own position and her own responsibility than she had ever before possessed; and she rose the next morning with a more sober face than usual. On her table she found a birthday prayer in her mother's handwriting; and after reading it carefully, she made it her own, and repeated it from her heart. It asked forgiveness for past thoughtlessness and loss of time, and grace and strength for more energy, with more unwearied effort to keep in mind that she was but a sojourner here on earth. With some little regret for her former birthdays, when all had been done in thoughtless indulgence and vain pomp, she ran down to her mother with her drawing in her hand.

'Now, dear mother,' she cried, 'I am going to make my beginning of your way of keeping birthdays, and this is my first present. You know that since

yesterday I have had no time to prepare anything expressly for you or any one else; so I give you the only thing that I had done entirely by myself. That is what I ran to Mrs. Johnston's for yesterday,' and she laid the drawing before her mother.

'Is this indeed your own drawing, Annie?' asked Mrs. Scott; 'I was not even aware that you had commenced water-colours. It is a very fair and hopeful attempt, and finished, which, I assure you, I do not consider its least merit.' The outlines of the drawing were very good, and the washing in of the shadows and colours less confused and spotty than might be expected from so young a hand. Mrs. Scott looked at it with much pleasure. Annie did not tell her what she had resigned by withdrawing the picture from Mrs. Johnston's hands.

'Well, dear mamma, you like it? That is all right; and I hope you will hang it up in your bedroom as a remembrance of my first right birthday,' and she ran off to the nursery. Here the three little sisters came to kiss her. Eva was nearly five, a quick little girl, who had learned to read with little teaching. 'Come here, Eva,' said Annie. 'Do you know that this is my birthday? and I wish you to love me and to remember my birthday as something pleasant; so I give you this book for your own, and I have written your name in it!'

'For my very own, Annie?' cried Eva. 'Oh, I shall like it very much; and there are pictures in it, too! May I read in it whenever I like?'

'Yes, Eva, as much and as often as you like; and when you know the stories, you shall tell them to me.'

So Eva threw her arm round her sister's neck, and after giving her a very energetic hug, she immediately settled herself on the floor, with the book on her knee, and commenced spelling it out. Nelly looked rather wistfully at Annie.

'Now, little Nell,' said Annie, 'what do not think I have for you?'

'Dolly?' asked Nell, whose thoughts always ran upon dolls, and whose greatest delight was a new one.

'No, dear Nelly. Why, you already have four dolls but this box has in it cups and saucers, and plates; and nurse will give you some tea in the cups, and bread and butter in the plates, and you can feed your dolls.'

The little thing clapped her hands. And here, Minny,' said Annie to the little fat two-year-old girl, who stooped with her dimpled hands clasped together, regarding the proceedings of her sisters. 'This mug

is for you to drink your milk out of; is it not pretty?' Minny hugged the cup in her fat arms, and going to her nurse, signified that she wanted some milk in it.

'Are you always so good-natured on your birthday, Annie?' asked Eva, looking up from her book.

'I hope I shall be good-natured every day, Eva; I mean to begin to-day. But surely I have not been cross to the children-have I, nurse?'

'No, Miss Annie,' replied nurse, 'I cannot say

that you have; but you have not taken much notice of them in any way; and I suppose you may interpret what Miss Eva said to mean, "Are you always kind, and thoughtful, and anxious to please us on your birthday?

'Well, nurse,' said Annie, 'I am going to begin a new way of living to-day; and you see I try to begin by giving a little pleasure to others, instead of expecting all sorts of luxuries for myself. And here is a hymn-book for you, nurse. It is not a new one, because I have no money to buy things, but it is my best bound one; and I give you this because you are very good in doing things for me, and I want you to be glad on my birthday, and to remember it.'

'So I will, Miss Annie,' said nurse, taking the little book. 'It is a very kind gift, and I shall think of you whenever I take it into church; and I thank you much for it.' Annie then returned to her mother, and they sat down to breakfast.

'I have been very happy so far, mamma,' said she. 'I like giving presents, and I think it is pleasanter than receiving them. I hope you don't forget that we have to buy the dinners for the two cottages. But I should like my friends to come with us; may they, mamma ?'

'They may, certainly, Annie,' said her mother; 'but do you think they will like such a method of spending their holiday?'

'I think they will; I told them that this was not