ing of the other birds-loud, clear, and distinct

"Ganpa! Lily wants you."

An exclamation of surprise broke from Mr. Faversham's lips as he listened to this authoritative language, and he unconsciously turned to Lily for an explanation.

"Oh, ganpa! isn't it funny?" she cried, with a fresh peal of laughter; "I begged and begged him to say 'good morning, Lily,' and he wouldn't; and then I was just scolding him for being so naughty, and telling him I shouldn't care for him any more, and he 'mediately called out that as loud as ever he could! Now," she added, triumphantly, "I must go and tell Mary ;" and she hastened off as fast as her nimble little feet would carry her to impart the wonderful tidings to her confidential attendant, whilst Mr. Faversham, with a smile and a shrug, returned to his arm-chair and his newspaper.

CHAPTER XV.

"There are briars besetting every path

That call for patient care;
There is a cross in every lot,

And an earnest need for prayer;

But a lowly heart that leans on Thee
Is happy anywhere."

WARING.

WILL it greatly surprise my readers to be told that Mr. Faversham attended no place of worship? I think not; for when once a man has grown hard and sullen and rebellious, with a heart full of stubbornness and pride, and eyes wholly blinded by spiritual darkness, he naturally makes an effort to free himself from a yoke which has grown most galling and insupportable to him: the very externals of religion become in fact irksome and oppressive, and he feels that it would be mere mockery for him to profess that which he does not believe, or continue to engage in the outward forms of devotion, while the spirit, which alone could render these ser

vices acceptable to God, or profitable to himself, is lacking.

But Crossley was a regular church-goer. That is to say, she made a point of putting on her best black silk gown, and an imposing looking gray satin bonnet, ornamented with enormous bows of white ribbon, and occupying her accustomed seat exactly opposite the carved oak-pulpit in the old parish-church every Sunday morning.

When there, she conducted herself with great propriety; audibly repeating responses, and joining in the different parts of the service with much apparent fervour and grave decorum, though with an air which seemed to imply that whatever might be the case in respect to her fellow-worshippers, there could be no possible doubt that she at least was performing a decidedly meritorious action, by the edifying manner in which she united her confessions and supplications with others so much more wicked and undeserving than herself!

She was apt to allude with exceeding complacency to the punctuality which characterised her attendance at public worship, and

pass severe strictures upon those of her acquaintance who failed either from inability or inclination to follow her excellent example, although it is greatly to be feared that, as a rule, her own devotional exercises were entirely limited to this one morning service, the rest of the Sabbath being spent in any way which pleasure or convenience dictated.

Mary was permitted to go out in the afternoons, and during her absence Mr. Faversham assumed the charge of his young guest, always relinquishing her with such unfeigned reluctance that no one could fail to perceive how much satisfaction he derived from her society.

As for Lily, she enjoyed her evenings with Mary perhaps more than any other part of the day; for the conscientious servant exerted herself to the very utmost to prevent her active-minded little companion from feeling dull, or missing her toys and doll, which she invariably put away every Saturday night, and did not again look at until Monday morning. This habit Lily commenced quite of her own accord; from which Mary inferred, that she had been encouraged to do

so in her old home. She also concluded, from the sober, matter-of-fact air with which she listened to the Bible stories she read to her, and the artless pleasure she took in trying to learn some simple texts and verses of hymns suited to her childish understanding, that it was nothing new for her to be thus employed; and on more than one occasion the astonished nurse discovered that what she had been taking the greatest pains to explain, under the impression that Lily would be hearing it for the first time in her life, was really as well known to the child as to herself!

Often did Mary reflect upon the advantages of her present position to that which she had formerly occupied in the Faversham household, and congratulate herself upon the exchange she had made from the kitchen to the nursery-more particularly when obliged, as was sometimes the case, to become an eye or ear witness of scenes which painfully reminded her of what she had often gone through in her own experience; to say nothing of those perpetually recurring disputes which took place between Crossley and