tionately kissed his beloved friends, a feeling of unutterable anguish seemed to weigh down his feeble spirit.

aunt.

"Grieve not, my child," said his tender "Remember ever to wear the rose nearest your heart, and then you will very soon find comfort."

Tears were in every eye, as they watched him from the door.

66

Why must Albert leave us, mamma ?” said Isabel; "I am sure he looks better, and perhaps would soon have been quite well if he had remained with us."

"His parents wished him to return to them," said her mother.

"But they are not good to him, mamma; they make him cry, and look so wretched. I do not see why he should care about them."

"Do you not care for

Isabel ?"

your parents, then,

"Yes, because they are so good to me." "Then, if we were not what you consi

der good, you would not care to be obedient?"

Isabel blushed, and knew not what to say. She felt herself wrong, but did not like to acknowledge the fault.

"Fetch your Bible," said Mrs. Lorraine, “and let us see what St. Paul says."

She then bade the little girl read the sixth chapter of Ephesians :-"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right honour your father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise," &c.

"You see, Isabel, the Bible does not say, if your parents are kind: your obedience is required whether they are so or not."

"I was very wrong, dear mamma. Pray forgive me," said the now humbled child.

After receiving a kiss of reconciliation, she joined Louisa in the garden, to tell her how naughty she had been; but that, as she had confessed her fault, dear mamma

had forgiven her. The gentle Louisa put her arm round her sister, and they continued walking and talking until Edward joined them, and they then spoke of Albert. "Papa says I may ride over with him to W. next week," said their brother.

"That will be very nice," replied Isabel, "and then we can write to Henrietta. I wish William might take the donkey, for her to ride back with you; it would be so delightful! and we would be very industrious all this week, that we might have more time to amuse ourselves when she is here. We would have such fun! Let us run, Louisa, and ask mamma about it: I long to know, that we may begin to prepare.'

"I should very much like Henrietta to come," said Louisa, thoughtfully; "but do you think she will be pleased to leave her brother, now he is ill? Would she not rather stay and nurse him ?”

"Dear Albert!" said the thoughtless child, "how could I be so cruel as to for

get him! No, we will not ask my cousin now, because she might not like to refuse. What can we do to please her?"

"I will tell you," said Edward: "I know Henrietta has not a Bible of her own, let us all join in buying one."

The girls were much pleased at this proposal; and it was arranged for Edward to go and choose one the first opportunity.

Perhaps some of my young readers may be surprised at these children so highly esteeming a book they may always have considered as too serious to take pleasure in reading; but when I tell them they had been early taught, that by the Scriptures their Lord really speaks to them, and that consequently every word is sacred and precious, as proceeding from so great and holy a being, they will not wonder it should be considered the best gift they could bestow upon their beloved cousin.

And let me earnestly beg of you, my friends, no longer to lay aside the "Word

of God, as only proper to peruse one day in the week, and that from obligation. Think for one moment of your many blessings; you could not "live, nor move, nor have your being," without his constant care. Forget not, then, any longer this best of friends. You could not, I am sure, be so ungrateful to an earthly parent; and shall it be said that you are only so to your heavenly Father? O join your prayers with mine, that he may bless you, by enlightening your understandings with his divine wisdom, and warming your affections, or wills, by his divine love, that you may know and love him more and more.

The following week Mr. Lorraine and his son visited Albert, whom they were grieved to find in tears, looking much worse, and coughing incessantly. His parents had been disputing about the punishment of Henrietta for telling a falsehood; one excusing the sin, while the other was vehement in anger towards her; the child