38 WIDOW BLUNT; OR, THE STORY OF A HALF-SOVEREIGN. farmer's wife was so well pleased with the way her orders had been executed that she told Widow Blunt to go home as soon as she had taken her tea in the kitchen, and gave her one shilling and sixpence for her day's work. The poor woman could think only of the half-sovereign, and how many comforts it would buy her poor boy. Then she felt it was not hers and it would not be honest to keep it. What was she to do? Then her poor child's pale face asking for something to eat haunted her, and she felt how much it would buy him-perhaps save his life. All that night the poor woman tried to think the half-sovereign was hers, and no one would miss it, and she might spend it for her child, and how much it would buy him. But she was really a good woman, who loved her Saviour, and a "still small voice" told her it was wrong. All along she had been resisting this monitor. From the first it had told her she was wrong; the money was not hers; she could not spend it. Thus one whole day and night was she troubled with alternate feelings-love for her sick child and a sense of wrong, of positive sin, to touch that half-sovereign. The second night it was the same, and she determined it was better to see her poor boy as he was, than touch that which was not her own, and she knew was given by mistake. She rose very early next morning, gave her children what breakfast she had for them, and started for the market town. She went direct to the grocer's shop, and asked for the young man who had given her the things for Mrs. Jackson the last market day. On hearing her inquiry for his assistant, the grocer himself came forward, and in a very excited manner said she must go to the police office if she wanted to see that ungrateful boy. He had been locked up for stealing half a sovereign, and was to be taken before the magistrates that morning. "You must go there, if you want him," said the man. “Oh, sir, he did not do it,” said Widow Blunt. Why, that's just what he says, and his widowed mother, too! But I'll prove he did," said the grocer. "Ungrateful fellow! Haven't I educated him as my own, and paid him well, that he might help his mother? And this is how he serves me. Takes half a sovereign from my till, and won't own he took it." Widow Blunt, overwhelmed with remorse as she was (feeling this was all her fault), roused herself to all the energy and strength she possessed, and told the grocer what had brought her to his shop at such an early hour. She told her story of the half-sovereign, and her struggle between right and wrong so simply, that the man's heart was melted (for he was really a kind-hearted man), and he listened to Widow Blunt's earnest pleading that the youth might be sent for and reinstated in his former position, and she would not leave until this was done, and she had cleared him from all suspicion. Then she fell upon her knees in humble thankfulness to Almighty God that she had been spared the terrible crime of this young man's ruin. Had she spent that half-sovereign, nothing would have been known about it; he would possibly have been sent to prison for months as the culprit who had taken it, his character gone, and his poor mother's only means of support taken from her, and her heart broken by her child's disgrace. "I don't think my own boys will ever hesitate between right and wrong," said Mrs. Selwyn, kissing each of them her good-night. "Will you tell us another story to-morrow, Auntie?" said Eric. "If you now go to bed and to sleep, and don't forget to ask God always to give you strength to resist all temptations, dear boys." A BIBLE READING, I. WAITING ON GOD. FOUNDATION text. "Wait on thy God continually" (Hos. xii. 6). The word wait, when used in the sense of waiting on God, does not in the Scripture imply an inactive or listless state of mind, but rather one of outstretched expectation (as a dog in begging, waits with eager attitude, till the food is thrown to him). The multitude, as they sat on the green grass, waited for Jesus to feed them; every eye doubtless directed to Him. 1. In this way we must wait for spiritual food. Wait to be fed. "Waiting on God is restful expectancy." 2. Wait for direction what to do. "As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters... So our eyes wait," &c. (Ps. cxxiii. 2). Answer. "I will guide thee with mine eye" (Ps. xxxii. 8). In the East, servants are directed by gesture; this necessitates eye meeting eye. Or, in case of a blind child, the mother sees for the child.. 3. The waiting of watchfulness and of expectancy. "Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when He shall return," &c. (Luke xii. 35-38). "Blessed is the man that... waiteth at the posts of my doors" (Prov. viii. 34). On the alert, ready for any concealed enemy; eager to welcome the master home. 4. Quietness and tranquillity of waiting. "If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" (Rom. viii. 25). "I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined," &c. (Ps. xxxvii. 7). A child waits in hope for the holiday; we wait in winter for spring; a workman waits for his wages; but it is a hopeful waiting which keeps the mind quiet. 5. No premature haste in Christ. He waited thirty years in retirement at Nazareth. "Mine hour is not yet come" (John ii. 4). 66 Your time always ready. My time is not yet full come" (John vii. 6, 8). TH Be sober, be vigilant (1 Pet. v. 1). TEXTS FOR THE MONTH. FEBRUARY-28 DAYS. Faithful is He that calleth you (1 Thess. 15 M They that are with Him are called, and chosen 16 M Yield yourselves unto the Lord (2 Chron. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever (Heb. xii. 8). My sheep hear My voice and follow Me (John If the Lord be God, follow him (1 Kings TU 18 W 19 TH F 7 S F He goeth before, and the sheep follow Him S Tu 25 W TH F S Let us follow things that make for peace Follow after charity (1 Cor. xiv. 1). Ever follow that which is good (1 Thess. v. 15). He that followeth Me shall not walk in dark- Follow not that which is evil (3 John 11). We shall know, if we follow on to know the THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY. NEW SERIES. WILLIE'S QUEST. CAN scarcely believe it, Richard, As steady a lad as can be! "She out of her mind! Ay, they say it, And at first I could scarce say 'no'; But, Sir, we were all mistaken, She's the sanest woman I know. I have lodged in her house, come Christmas, This good round dozen of years; And Margaret is brave and clever, She'll never go mad, no fears! But it's true, Sir, Willie is going, For I met him an hour ago. You'd better call in on Margaret; It must be a tèrrible blow." "Well, I will walk on with you, Richard, But I hardly know what to say; Of course, I have come so lately Just that, and the story the neighbours Of the fine girl they can remember, And how he was not all worthy Of the love she so freely gave, Though the lad had the heart of a sailor, But drink came in with its blight, Had he been at home, she had won him, The case is a great deal harder, Of the cosiest home in the world With thousands of miles between, How could the cheeriest light From the dear bright home be seen; Save as a pale, pale star, That shone upon sailor Ned With a sad, reproachfal gaze, For the wild bad life he led ? But it could not cheer and comfort, Like the living voice and the presence Of Margaret, his bonny wife." Ay, Sir, that is true," said Richard, How she followed her sailor husband D Was ever so wild a fellow So loved by a godly wife? And every time that the vessel Came home with a joyous crew, Why, Margaret stood on the quay, Sir, From ever it came in view. And Ned was the happiest husband, In spite of a touch of shame; For how could he help but love her, The woman that bore his name? And then, Sir, their little Nelly,— She clung to her father so; For Ned had no fault with Nelly,Ah! how could the darling know? And Ned was touched, and he promised To drink no more than was wise; But the load did not lift from Margaret, Nor the misery leave her eyes. For what was so frail a promise? It was only a rope of sand; So long as he tasted a drop, She knew he could never stand. Well, Ned went away on a voyage That took him half round a sphere, And Nelly sickened and died, Lo! just as the ship came near. Poor Margaret sat with the living Baby clasped to her breast, While her wee dead darling lay So still in the last long rest. And so it came that the father, Sailed in right home to the quay; But he saw no Margaret waiting To welcome him home from sea. Then some of the sailors, chaffing, Said, Ned, she has given you up!' And what could they offer for comfort? Ah! what but the tempter's cup? So he just turned in with the others, And then he would go on home; And so he did, but I shudder At the sorrowful tale to come. When he saw her, his wee dead Nelly, His grief must have made him mad; Or rather the demon within him, That roused him to all that was bad. We only can guess at the story, For Margaret would never tell How cruel the taunt and the blow Of the husband she loved so well. We saw to the laying of Nelly, 'Neath the little churchyard mound; And we kept the dear boy-baby, Till the Lord brought Margaret round. For my wife scarce thought as she nursed him, As tenderly as her own; That Margaret would rally, and she That dismal time from the quay, Was the "Leveret," bound out West, If Ned was among her men ; So now you may guess how Margaret Now while they talked adown the street, Some needful work for Will. And while the kindly pastor thought Her sorrow's storm could still. "If Ned is drowned, God's grace is great; And oh how we have prayed! "But if he still roams land and sea- "Yes, we have talked it o'er and o'er, And still my heart's unrest. “You see, Sir, since our hearts are one, "Ah! deem me mad, Sir, if you must, 'Tis happy madness with a gleam, "Nay, Margaret," was the kind reply, Young Will made a famous sailor, As the sea-bird takes to the wave. |