for

An ill-natured answer was on Margrette's lip, but, the first time in her life, she suppressed it; she was really becoming ashamed of making sour speeches, when she never got anything but sweet ones in return.

"Very well; I'll go with you if you wish it.”

"I want to tell you what I was thinking of," said Marion. "Papa refuses to take any of this, for he says the expenses are not increased (she had too much cosideration for her sister to say they had decreased) since my coming -and suppose we put by fifteen pounds for contingencies, and spend the other ten on what we want now. If towards the end of the next half-year, we find the store has not been required, we can employ it in household expenses; and that will be sparing papa."

"You must arrange as you like, I have nothing to do with the money you know," said Margrette.

"Nay, don't say that, my dear sister," said Marion, kissing her affectionately, "the money is as much yours as mine-and I am sure in the disposal of it, we can have but one aim, namely, the general good."

"

"The best plan I think," said Margrette, will be for me to rise when you do to-morrow morning, and then we can walkto town with papa.' "That will be delightful indeed” -and they went down to tell their plans to their father. Marion seldom had an idle moment; she was either reading, or at work, or drawing, or practicing, (for her piano had been brought from France) or arranging something about the house; she was never unemployed; and this constant and silent example, had had a little effect upon Margrette already. She would take up some work, or play to her father and sister of a night: she had only studied music for the sake of shining before a host of visitors, she had no idea of its contributing to the delightful evening enjoyments of home-till Marion came. Indeed she had no idea of happiness, but a ball or a theatre.

This night Mr. Hinterton had brought home an amusing book, and while the girls were plying their needle he read to them.

The next day Margrette rose with Marion, and came down to breakfast. Every thing was prepared, the fire burning brightly in the grate, the table cloth without a wrinkle, and as white as snow, and the bright frosty sun gleaming in to the little apartment which was as neat as even Marion's neat ideas thought necessary. This was

her work, she always dusted and arranged the room, and laid the breakfast.

"Bravo Maggy," said Mr. Hinterton to his eldest daughter, as he entered the room, "I want to see you join us of a morning."

"Upon my word," said Margrette, "every thing looks so delightfully comfortable, it is a strong temptation to join you. Really, Marion, you have done much for our happiness, I must acknowledge." And she put her hand in that of her sister; Marion kissed her affectionately, and with a happier mind than she had known for some time, read their family prayer. Never had Mr. Hinterton, at the conclusion of his most brilliant speech at a city dinner-Margrette, in her most splendid ball dress,-nor Marion, at the most merited expression of approval from her aunt, felt so perfectly happy as at this breakfast.

The girls set off with their father, and when he left them proceeded to make their various purchases. Marion had shared the ten pounds with her sister, and having supplied their various wants, they returned home. Now Marion's habits of usefulness were of manifest use to Margrette, she made her bonnet, her gown, marked her stockings; in short, settled the arrangement of all her purchases for her. A stranger would have seen a vast difference in Margrette, from what she was when Marion first returned; there was more neatness, dissatisfaction

was less seldom expressed, she seemed happier, but she still felt the want of some of the useful knowledge her sister possessed; there was a vacuum wanted filling.

The seeds of mental information had not been sown; consequently, at the season one expected to see the fruits, there were none. What prevented Margrette improving her mind now-She would have had her affectionate sister's assistance? What I would affectionately bid all my readers to beware of the want of a humble and teachable spirit. She was too proud to seek instruction from a sister younger than herself, she fancied that would have exposed her ignorance; and as it was, nobody would know the real extent of her present knowledge, that she was too old now to learn.

This is an idea opposed to the growth of all improvement-people find the more they know, the more they have to know; and the wise will not be too proud to obtain knowledge even from an insignificant source. And if Cato did not think four score too late to begin studying the Greek tongue, why should we fancy one score too late to supply the deficiencies we may find in our information?

Marion perceived her sister's error of judgment, and kindly strove to find some means of rousing a spirit of exertion. She knew that reading, useful reading, was the point to which her attentions ought to be directed. She would take down some book she knew to possess useful information, and say:-" Margrette, have you read that-it is such a favorite book of mine—read it, and tell me what you think of it." And Margrette, thus adjured, would take it, and read it; and by these means became acquainted with many things she must otherwise have remained ignorant of.

It was always Marion's custom to devote a portion of the afternoon to reading. Margrette seeing her sister pursue this course, insensibly fell into it-her habit of late rising

was wearing off too, and thus she had much more time at her own disposal. But at twenty years of age it is no easy thing to break oneself of the early habits of error such an education as Margrette's invariably produces. And there was all the wavering and occasional falling back which attends the first effort of every one in reformation of character. A severe illness contributed more towards Margrette's than any thing else; for it taught her to seek higher power than her own exertions at amendment. It humbled and subdued her; directed her to the throne of grace, for pardon and future direction, in the ways of righteousness.

And that religion, the spirit of which was manifest in every action of Marion's life,-whose peace passeth all understanding-whose hope is pure and high beyond the conception of the children of this world-whose ambition is not the ambition of earth-shed its glorious light round the chastened Margrette.

Did Marion not feel in the altered character of Margrette-in the new channels of happiness their reciprocated feelings on religion had opened-a rich reward for all she had endured during four years? When she saw the father who had chosen the Lord's day for the settling his worldly accounts, or his excursions of pleasure? The sister who had murmured and repined in a rebellious spirit at his chastenings, enter with her on the sabbath into his house with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise? Did not she feel renewed gratitude to that God who had made her example the instrument in so dear a cause? And will she not point out to her children the value of example?

GEOFFREY JOHNSON.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before Kings. Prov. xxii. 29.

THIS is to be a chapter of adventures. Who does not love adventures? I remember when I was a child, how I used to doat on those of Jack and the Bean-stalk; Robinson Crusoe; Philip Quarle, and other heroes of the same kind, and still retain the taste in a little more exalted line, for there is no species of reading I delight in so much as biography Biography of the great and good who have nobly won, and nobly worn their laurels.

Geoffrey Johnson was not on the list of worldly fame, but he was one of those whom the Lord of Hosts will remember in that day when he maketh up his jewels.*

Of his parents he knew nothing, for they had died in his infancy, and their poverty may be judged by his having been conveyed to the parish workhouse after their decease. However well disciplined such a place may be, there must unavoidably be many within its precints whose example cannot be beneficial to the young who are sheltered 'neath its roof.

Geoffrey was as hardly treated here as Lycurgus himself

*"And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." Malachi iii. v. 17.