rule the girls kept all their little commissions for the occasional drives to the bright seaside town. A few days after Mrs. Carew's departure, Mrs. Elliot announced at breakfast that she intended driving to W- that afternoon, and could take any or all of the children with her. A joyful assent was given, and directly breakfast was over Lily ran for pencil and paper to make a list of her wants and her wishes.

This included a present for her mamma, whose birthday was near, a book for Katie, to replace one which she had accidentally injured, and some crewels to work a set of toilet mats for grand

mamma.

"That's all right-three and tenpence exactly," she exclaimed in a satisfied tone. "What are you going to get, Katie?"

"Nothing," said Katie. "I can't think why people are in such a hurry to spend their money!

"I shall get mine changed, at any rate," announced Florence, decidedly; "and if I see anything I like, I'll buy it."

When they reached the town Lily asked leave to go quite alone to a fancy shop where they were well known; and while Mrs. Elliot was engaged at a stationer's, Florence ran in to the grocer's for change of her half-sovereign.

"Why not wait here for it, dear?" asked her

aunt.

"Oh, Aunt Mary! I like to see all the things at the grocer's," said Florence, and ran off.

Her purse certainly looked bulky when she came out, and so did her pocket, but this no one noticed, as she got into the carriage at once, before the others came back from shopping.

Lily's faced beamed as she carried her mysterious parcel from the fancy shop.

"Promise not to notice the shape of the parcel, won't you, mother?" she begged, and Mrs. Elliot laughingly promised.

Katie had looked at everything and bought nothing.

A few days later a message reached Mrs. Elliot that an old servant who lived in one of her cottages had lost her husband in a very sad manner. The man was a bricklayer, and had fallen from a high scaffolding, and been instantly killed.

"How dreadful for poor Susan and those five little children!" cried Mrs. Elliot, sympathisingly. "I must go at once to see her."

Lily was watching in the garden for her mother's return, and eagerly entered into the plans which that lady unfolded for giving temporary help to the widow and orphans.

"Those black clothes that have lain by since we were last in mourning will help to clothe the little

ones," she said; "but they all seem to need boots, and those we have not got."

Florence and Katie had drawn near, with tennis rackets in their hands, and Lily eagerly appealed to them.

"We could help, couldn't we? Between us we could get some little boots."

No ready response met her. Florence coloured, and muttered something indistinct about "seeing if she could;" and Katie calmly replied

I have nothing at present to give.”

"But, Katie, there is grandmamma's halfsovereign!" earnestly exclaimed Lily.

"That is in my money-box," said Katie; and she looked annoyed when her aunt said, in a tone of surprise

"I thought grandmamma desired the money to be used?"

Katie pouted, gave the slightest possible toss to her head, and moved sullenly away, knowing well that she had only popped her half-sovereign into her money-box to secure it from any demands that it might be awkward to refuse.

Lily gave three shillings of her money towards the boot-fund for the poor children, and this sum purchased a pair that fitted her favourite, little Tommy, whose brown cheek reddened with surprise and pleasure when the present reached him.

Not a word more did Florence say of her wish to help in a good work, nor did any one ask her again; but as days went by, she was observed to be looking so heavy-eyed and ill that her aunt became uneasy, and as she found Florence very fretful when questioned, and altogether out of sorts, the doctor was sent for.

"Looks very much as if she had indulged in too many tarts and sweets," said the old gentle

man.

"Oh, no, indeed!" answered Mrs. Elliot; "she has only had our usual wholesome fare," and Florence here complained of headache, and was allowed to leave the room, the doctor saying he would send over some medicine in the evening.

Mrs. Elliot thought a cup of tea would refresh Florence, and carried one up to her, softly opening the door lest she should be asleep; and this was indeed the case. So the cup and saucer were laid gently down, and Mrs. Elliot was about to withdraw, when her attention was attracted by an open drawer in which were a number of paper bags. With shocked surprise the kind aunt found that sweets and tarts filled these papers, and that the bags bore the name of the pastrycook in the next village.

She turned towards the bed, and found Florence had now started up, and was gazing at her in terror.

"I will remove the contents of this drawer," Florence," said Mrs. Elliot, sternly, "and to-morrow shall require from you a full explanation of your conduct."

Florence tried to speak, but only burst into a paroxysm of weeping, and her aunt left her noisily sobbing on the bed.

On being questioned next day, it was discovered that the unhappy child had first bought a number of forbidden sweets when she changed her halfsovereign, and that from day to day she had bribed the gardener's boy to purchase things for her, and to bring them to her at a time when he saw no one else near. Greed had so completely mastered her that she seemed to fear nothing but detection, and to have no feeling of shame for her deceit.

"And how much money have you left?" inquired Mrs. Elliot.

"Eightpence!" mumbled Florence.

**

It is Christmas Day, and in the afternoon the family party are gathered round the drawing-room fire, and grandmamma has the large arm-chair in the centre. She has just asked the three girls to come and sit down beside her; and then she asks a question all have been dreading—even Lily, who feels ashamed to listen to answers that must be given.

"Now, my three grandchildren, I shall be glad to hear how you spent the money I left with you. Katie, begin, as you are the eldest."

"Mine is not spent at all, grandma; it is in my money-box," said Katie quickly.

"Oh!" said grandmamma; " but I thought you understood me when I said I wished the money to be used."

"I thought it nicer to save it, for I always save what papa sends me."

"Then," said Mrs. Carew gravely, "have there been no occasions for deeds of kindness or charity in the four months I have been away?"

Katie coloured, and hung her head in silence. "Now, Florence," said the old lady; and she awaited the answer, while Lily nervously twisted her handkerchief into a rope.

"I didn't keep an account," murmured Florence, uneasily.

"I did not desire you to write everything; but is your money spent?"

"Ye-es, on things I wanted," began Florence, and burst into tears.

"Florence," said her aunt, "tears are, I trust, a sign of shame, but remember, you must tell your grandmamma what use you made of her money."

Then, between sobs, Florence told the melancholy truth, and there was a more terrible

punishment in this than any, for grandmamma never spoke a word to her during the recital, and when it was over, turned at once to Lily for her account, which she gave simply and gently, having made a kind and reasonable use of what had been entrusted to her, and having put away in her moneybox half a crown which remained after all her expenditure.

Mrs. Carew looked pleased, and kissed Lily in token of approval; and then she talked of many other things connected with the joyous season of Christmas-of deeds of mercy being our great privilege in remembrance of Him who came amongst us in poverty and lowliness-and of the watchful heavenly eyes that note our thoughts and works.

Katie had listened, and a light came to her, clearing away all the selfish thoughts which had made her hard and unfeeling. She whispered

“Grandmamma, may I get my money-box? I would like to be kind to some one."

Mrs. Carew nodded, and Katie slipped away, to reappear almost directly with a white, scared face.

"It's gone-my money-box is gone!

Every one got up and followed Katie to the schoolroom, where the box had always been kept in the bookcase. This last stood open, and so did the window, and there were footprints in the snow beneath, and clear evidences that some one had entered the room from without.

Poor Katie was crying silently, and grandmamma put her arm gently round her.

"I am truly sorry for you, my child-this is indeed a punishment;" for Katie had been adding up all the debts she owed to Justice, Charity, and Love and she had really meant to pay them all that night by planning out the money she had hoarded when she loved it for its own sake.

Lily had tears in her eyes as she looked at her cousin's sad face, and Florence was very grave. The servants were questioned, and cook said a tramp had been to the back door while the family were at church in the morning, and maybe he had prowled round to the schoolroom window.

"Oh!" exclaimed Florence, "when I threw out the robin's crumbs, perhaps I forgot to fasten the window."

"I fear that is the secret," said Mrs. Elliot; and then they all went back to the drawing-room fire, and they were heartily glad when a loud ring at the gate was followed by a pleasant surprise-the arrival of a sailor uncle, who came laden with foreign presents for his nieces, and to gladden the eyes of grandmamma, who had not seen him for three years.

"Merry Christmas to you all!" he gaily cried.

and a little spirit in a flask. I was glad to see he revived when he had taken something; and then, poor fellow! he told me that long starvation had to-day driven him to break into a house and steal, and he produced from his ragged pocket a money-box, on which was written the name of my niece, 'Miss Katie Carew.'"

"Oh, uncle!" cried the children breathlessly. "Well, I got the fellow on his legs, and took him to Wilber's Farm, where they promised to look after him till to-morrow. Here's the box."

With trembling hands Katie received back her lost treasure, and then she looked at grandmamma in so pleading a way that the kind old lady walked

ONLY A DOG! NLY a dog? Yes, only a dog!

But I grieve for him night and day. Should I be unfeeling as any log

That happens to lie in the way?

Just hear what he did, then say.

We had quarrelled in some way, my brother and I;
And the sun, too, had gone down!

And the snow fell fast from a cloudy sky,
And Harry must go to the town,

Harry must go to the town.

So he started, and I followed on behind-
(We two were not friends, you know)-
And the falling flakes seemed to make me blind,
And I lost my way in the snow,

I was lost that night in the snow.
And there where I lay in my snowy bed,
While the flakes fell swiftly down,
Old Neptune found me lying half-dead;
Then he hastened away to the town,
Away to the busy town.

He brought father and Harry back with him,
And I was safe once more;

And we, who were foes o'er some childish

Were friends as never before,

As we never had been before!

But for Nep, with my unkind words. unsaid,

I might have died in the snow!

Only a dog? alas, he is dead!

No wonder I grieve for him so!

Small wonder I grieve for him so!
NG. WEATHERLY.