must endeavour to give her as little trouble as possible; it is not every one who either could or would take charge of a child."

When Gilbert was eating his supper, he examined his milk, and began to talk about the cows and the milking that he expected to see; and the churning the butter, and feeding the pigs, and all the farmhouse matters, of which he had so often heard from Esther; and when he went to bed, it was some time before he dropped asleep, his head was so full of his anticipated visit.

The weather next morning was very fine; and when he looked at the sunshine and the sparrows, he no longer wished for wings. There lay his slate, and he remembered his determination to improve his writing, that he might be of service to his mother. "And now," said he, "I will practise, that I may write a letter to papa and mamma when I am in the country." He found it rather difficult to fix his attention, and his hand shook more than usual; however, he persevered, and wrote a little every day,

copying sentences from a book, thus learning to spell as well as write. He had often a little conversation with Esther, who was greatly pleased he should go into the country; though, she said, she should miss him very much, and the house would be sadly lonesome when he was away.

Day after day passed, and Monday the 14th of March came, and Gilbert saw his mother pack his clothes into a little trunk, with his few books and his slate. She asked him if he wished to take any of his toys. "I shall not want them in the country," he replied; "there will be plenty of amusement in the garden and the fields."

"You cannot be abroad all day," his mother observed; " and it will sometimes rain; and in the evenings you will want something to occupy you."

"Has not Mrs. Duncan some toys?" he said; "she once had children."

"She may not like their toys to be played with; perpaps she keeps them as remembrances, which she would regret to have lost or injured.”

Gilbert said: "I had not thought of that. Well, then, let me see; I will take my humming-top, and my map of England and Wales, and my box of bricks; that will do; but there is not room for them in the trunk."

"I will make a separate parcel of them, and Esther will tie them up in a sheet of stout brown paper."

Gilbert looked upon his "luggage," as Esther called it, with great satisfaction; and began to think himself of some little consequence in the world, now that he had luggage, and was about to become a traveller. In the evening his father wrote the directions, which Gilbert read over and over again, "Master Harland, Passenger by North-Western Railway."

On going to bed, Gilbert remembered that he should not wish his father and mother good night again for some time, and he felt very much inclined

to cry.

"Why do you look so sad?" said his father, as Gilbert held up his face to be kissed.

"I forgot," Gilbert sobbed out, "that I should not see you again for a long, long time, and it makes me very, very sorry."

"Are you sorry you are going?" asked his father.

"I am not sorry that I am going into the country, but sorry that I am going away from you and

mamma."

"You want to be in two places at once, then," said his father. "You must make up your mind to take the rough and the smooth: you will never find that you have every thing you wish. I hope you will be happy with Mrs. Duncan; and if not, you must let us know, and then you can come home again. Good night, my dear boy."

CHAPTER III.

PACKING-UP-TAKING LEAVE-NO

TEARS-IMPATIENCE-THE

RAIL

WAY STATION -NEEDLESS ALARMS THE JOURNEY - PRACTICAL
JOKES.

GILBERT awoke very early next morning, and looked out of the window; it was very foggy and dark and dull; he listened to the various sounds which are heard in the early morning in London, and in London only. He thought he had never heard so many Jews calling Clo! clo! clo! as on this morning; and then he wondered whether Jews bought old clothes in the country. He was glad when he heard Esther's step at the door, and saw her kind face looking in upon him.

"Ah! I thought I should find you awake," she said. "Here is your clean linen, and I have blacked your little boots till they look so bright, and brushed