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the faces of the needy frightfully near the grind

stone.

Our merchant was a wholesale dealer in glass and china, and his profits from his able handling of these fragile commodities were large and rapid, yet they bore but a small proportion to the sums realized by outside operations. On this particular day, a venture in cotton (if that could be called a venture which was sure to accrue to his advantage) had netted him several thousands more than he had dared hope for, and this event conduced, with other gains, to enhance the complacency with which he took down his hat and drew on his gloves, preparatory to going home to dinner. Two of his clerks, who had watched for his appearance anxiously for some time past, met him as he emerged from his retreat.

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Certainly, gentlemen!" he responded, in his most polite manner. Step in here!" reopening the office door. "Pray, be seated!" he continued, when they were closeted with him. The men knew him well enough to feel sure that this lavishness of civility boded no good for their suit, but the spokesman proceeded, firmly :

"We find, Mr. Stickley, that the practice of the most rigid economy does not enable us to live upon the salaries we are now receiving. Family and personal expenses are double what they were three years ago, and the prices of labour in most departments of business have advanced proportionably. In view of these facts, we have resolved to ask you to consider the subject of an increase of our salaries. We speak in the name of all the clerks in your employ."

How much it had cost the poor fellow to make the plunge, no one knew; but supported by the thought of wife and little ones, he gained the climax of his address and stopped.

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Really, gentlemen, you take me by surprise!" responded Mr. Stickley, composedly. "I had expected a more just appreciation of my position from you, my fellow labourers. You forget that the very circumstances which cramp your expenditures must press with tenfold weight upon me. If I sell my wares at a higher price, it is because I am forced to do so by the terrible rise in their original cost. In addition to this, my taxes are trebled; the risks of trade quadrupled, and my family expenses have increased in the same ratio with yours. I am, in point of fact, less able to pay your present salaries than I was two years since. It is hope and prayer that these evil days may be shortened; but, while they last, it grieves me deeply to disappoint you, my dear young friends, but it is utterly out of my power to grant your petition. Let me recommend to each of you and to your families, what is now the rule in mine thrift, frugality; the most scrupulous re

my

trenchment in superfluities. A penny saved is a penny earned,' you know, and—”

How much longer he would have moralized to the foiled and racked listeners was not to be seen, for a knock at the door broke off the sentence in the middle.

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Are you engaged, sir?" asked his partner. "No," answered the senior, catching sight of the person behind the speaker. "These gentlemen have just finished their business."

"What success, boys?" inquired the junior, after ushering in the visitors, and shutting out himself and the crestfallen pair.

"A flat refusal, and a pious fatherly lecture upon the duties of Christian submission, and economy!" said one of them, savagely.

"I am very sorry!" returned the partner, sincerely. "But I hardly dared encourage you to make the application. A closer-fisted man does not live-as I have reason to know."

"He can spend money!" observed another of the clerks, all of whom had now collected around the committee of two. "The cost of his carriage, horses, and coachman would, if divided amongst us, enable each of us to put more decent clothes upon his children and better food into their mouths. But he knows as well as we do, that, just at this crisis, there is little chance of our getting situations elsewhere."

"You belong to the church in which he is a deacon-don't you?" inquired he who had acted as spokesman in the late interview, turning to a quiet young man, standing a little aloof from the excited group.

"I do!"

"Then you had better leave! Sooner than take the risk of going to Heaven in the same boat with him, I would jump overboard and swim all the way. Outsiders stand a better chance than such professors as he. He always reminds me of a story I once heard of an old quaker, who used to call to his shop-boy, in the morning- Bob! have you sanded the sugar and watered the whisky?' 'Yes, sir!' 'Then come in to prayers !'"

As we shall see, by and by, there was no one text of scripture which Mr. Stickley quoted more impressively than, "Avoid the appearance of evil."

The above is but another humiliating illustration of the common failure among men to make practice agree with precept.

The two visitors who had relieved the great man of his troublesome petitioners, were a distinguished politician, to whom Mr. Stickley had the honour of playing boot-lick and parasitegeneral, and a millionnaire, to whose moneybags the same discriminating personage made humble obeisance, in body and spirit.

"We won't detain you five minutes, Stickley!" said the former, to his fawning tool. "Mr. Townsend and I are getting up a subscription for presenting Hon. Boanerges Claptrap with a silver dinner-service, as a testimonial of the grateful appreciation, on the part of his fellowcitizens, of his recent efforts in our behalf. He is aristocratie in his tastes, you know, and has

money enough of his own not to care for the pecuniary value of any present; so whatever we do must be on a grand scale. We design calling upon ten or twelve men only-liberal wholesouled fellows, who will be glad to contribute to such a cause. Then, when the plate is ready, we will have a public presentation-dinner, speeches, etc. I must not omit to mention Mr. Townsend's proposition, which strikes me as being happy as it is novel; namely that each article shall bear, upon the reverse, the names of the donors in full. It will be a remembrance of each of us."

"Very chaste and felicitous!" assented Mr. Stickley.

read such pernicious literature. It is poison to
the mind and morals. I am more concerned
than I can express, to see this in your hands."
"But, Mr. Stickley, there is a great deal about
religion in it! Mamma read it aloud with us,
and said that it could harm no one.
She hoped
we would all be the better and happier for hav-
ing read it."

Emma was too kindhearted to divulge that she had supplied Mary, from time to time, with dozens of other works of a similar character, not having suspected until now that her friend read them without her father's knowledge, and in direct defiance of his prohibition.

"Nevertheless, my dear child, I cannot let Mary have this book. Religious novels are, according to my way of thinking, blasphemous. Such solemn themes are desecrated by being introduced upon the pages of a romance. I will discuss the question with your excellent mother at some future time. Meanwhile, my dear scholar, let me entreat you not to waste your precious time and vitiate your mind by reading this deleterious matter."

Sprung from the people, limited in education, and defective in breeding, he was, like all other purse-proud men, essentially snobbish. The wily politician had played adroitly upon his instrument. To see his name in print, beside those of his honourable friend, Mr. Townsend, and a select number of other leading citizens; to take a part in the proposed presentations, and to have "Ebenezer Stickley" engraved upon the under side of the aristocratic Claptrap's Emma took back the book with downcast eyes soup-tureen, and figure, as his representative, at and swelling heart, and went slowly down the feasts where he could never hope to appear-all steps, without asking to see Mary. Her father this implied a tremendous ascent in the social was not a professedly religious man, and hapscale, to attain which our hero would have bar-pening to be by when the wounded and amazed tered conscience and right; would sacrifice that girl made her report of her teacher's scruples, he which, if his subordinates were to be credited, burst into a loud laugh. he rated more highly than he did either of these -money.

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"Very chaste and appropriate !" he varied his encomium slightly. The idea is worthy of those who conceived it. May I inquire what the testimonial will probably-cost?" He had hesitated for a bigger word, but his stock of dictionary language" was not redundant.

"About six hundred pounds," returned the other coolly. "You can put down your name for fifty, if you like. By the way we want you to head the list."

Mr. Stickley wrote his name with a flourish; received the thanks of his visitors with a kind of self-satisfied humility, accompanied them to the front door, bowed them down the street, then started up town to get his dinner.

It was still daylight when he reached home. Upon the steps he overtook a young girl about fourteen, a member of his Sabbath-school class. "Ah, Emma, my dear! I hope you are well this afternoon!" said the teacher, sweetly. "I am glad that I am here in time to open the door. Walk in! I will let Mary know that you are here."

"I have not time to come in, sir," was the answer. "She told me, the other day, that she had never read 'The Heir of Redcliffe,' and I have brought it for her. May I trouble you to give it to her?"

Mr. Stickley took the well-thumbed volume and opened it at the title-page. As he had feared, he found the words-" A Novel," printed thereupon. Pointing to these, he said sorrow. fully: "I am sorry that I cannot oblige you, Emma; but I never allow any of my family to

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Upon my word, that is a rich joke!"

His wife gave him a warning glance. Since Mr. Stickley was a deacon and had charge of a Bible class, she felt it to be her duty to show him outward respect, as one in spiritual authority.

"I am discretion itself, mother!" said her husband. "Only, Emma, daughter, don't write yourself down as the chief of sinners, because you have, in the course of your life, read a few pleasant books, selected by your mother. If brother Stickley takes you to task, in Sabbath school, for your sins in this respect, tell him that when you repeated to me his remarks on the subject, I told you to ask him the meaning of the text about 'straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel.' That will settle him, I'll warrant! The Heir of Redcliffe' is the smallest of midges in comparison with the mastodons that he gulps down every day."

Serene in the consciousness of having rebuked dangerous error and rid his soul of the fearful responsibility of abetting sin, Mr. Stickley entered his abode.

"Dinner is ready," said his wife, meeting him in the hall.

"I shall hear Robert's task first!" was the magisterial reply.

She had fondly hoped that he would forget it. The boy was called, and with sullen fire in his averted eyes, mumbled out-"God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in time of trouble."

I cannot pursue the recitation! My soul sickens at the monstrous iniquity of making inspired truths-the very breathings of Deity

which have been and still are the healing airs of acknowledging; nor could she deny that, many Heaven to so many souls, the vehicle of punish- | ment to a refractory child; the detested scourge for every peccadillo that happens to clash with the parent's will.

Mr. Stickley's trials for that day were not over yet.

"My dear," said his wife, while they sat at table, "the cook and housemaid have been to me to-day to ask for higher wages. They want 10s. a quarter more than I now give them. They say that calico, which used to cost them 6d. a yard, is selling for 18., and that they cannot get a pair of stout boots for less than 78. 6d."

"Then let them go without!" rejoined the master. "Now is the time for employers to stand their ground, and resist the impositions of the lower classes! I am sick of hearing this cant about insufficient wages. Two of my clerks waited upon me, this evening, as a committee from the rest, with the same tale of high prices and hard times. I refused to advance them a single penny, and I will not suffer you to raise the wages of your servants."

"I am afraid they will go, if I do not satisfy them," said Mrs. Stickley, meekly. "And they are such good girls that I shall find it difficult to replace them."

"Nonsense! You can find dozens of servants at half price, whom you can teach all they need know, in a month. Let the girls go, if they only stay with you for money's sake! That is as much gratitude as any of them have! With these two great daughters to help you, you might do your own housework. Many ladies are dismissing their servants and doing this, to aid their husbands at this crisis."

Mrs. Stickley knew that she would not be reduced to this strait, for her husband's respectability-or, as he would have said, gentilitywould suffer, were this course adopted; but she understood that she was likely to lose two faithful, competent domestics, because she was not permitted to pay them honest wages, and her spirits sank.

Her eldest son came to her rescue, after dinner. "Mother! can't you save £1 a month out of the housekeeping fund, for Margaret and Bridget, without father's knowing it?"

"Yes, if he did not always insist upon balancing my expense-book. He gives me an abundance of money, but I must account for every halfpenny I spend."

"A false entry or two will overcome that difficulty," suggested the son. "The end sanctifies the means."

Mrs. Stickley looked reproachfully at the youth; but she was thoughtful, too. She believed in her husband's strict probity, although, secretly, she often accused him of illiberality; but was it the usual effect of severe virtue to produce laxity of conscience in those who had the best opportunity of witnessing its display? That her children were learning, every day, better to evade their father's rules becoming adepts in demure deception, she could not help

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times, they had but too good a right to regard her as their accomplice in the undutiful work. What was she to do? She dearly loved her boys and girls, and to refuse them the enjoyments which were granted freely to their associates, and which she could not tell them she considered sinful, would be cruel; would alienate them from her also; destroy her influence over them. Yet, did she, by taking the contrary course, render honour and obedience to her wedded lord?

She is not the only wife in the land who has found herself in a similar dilemma.

Mr. Stickley was one of the indefatigable men who reprobate the idea of the necessity of recreation. If he spent the evening at home, he wrote business letters or ciphered up his account books. If he went abroad, even if his object were ostensibly to pay a friendly visit, he was apt to accomplish some end of his own at the same time, were it only to gain some hint as to his host's character, plans, or prospects, that would serve him as a guide in future, and possible business operations. It was his boast that he had never had a holiday since he was twelve years old, and that he would not know what to do with himself were he forced to take a day of rest. "Acting upon this principle, he never attended fewer than three services on Sunday, besides the Sabbath school, and grumbled sorely at the indolence of the pastor, which obliged him-the zealous worshiper of ordinances-to seek another sanctuary, in order to get the afternoon sermon, his own church being open in the morning and evening.

When, therefore, he sallied forth, on this night, into the lighted streets, he was bound upon no pleasure excursion, but a round of duty. His first halt was at the house of a brother deacon, a merchant named Felton, whose offices was in the same block with the tall buildings of Stickley and Co.

He frowned, slightly, when he was admitted by the servant.

"Your master has company-has he not? I had better call when he is disengaged," for the sounds of lively music and the responsive beat of quick footsteps issued from the parlor.

"No, sir-it is only the children."

The servant smiled in saying this, for she knew Mr. Stickley, and had a suspicion that the entertainment going on within would displease him.

Mrs. Felton was at the piano, and four couples were dancing in the middle of the room-seven children, with their father at their head, his partner being his youngest daughter, a child of eight. The music ceased, and the dancers stopped, as the august deacon entered. Mr. Felten advanced to meet him without betraying a symptom of confusion.

"I am an intruder upon your gaiety," remarked Mr. Stickley, bowing low to Mrs. Felton, with the seraphic smile that often prefaced a covert taunt. "I hesitated to enter, for I imagined, from what I saw and heard

while in the street, that you were having a ball." Mrs. Felton smiled, now, as did also her husband. The inner blinds were closed and the curtains lowered, and they knew that not a ray of light, much less a glimpse of moving figures, could be discerned from the sidewalk. Brother Stickley was convicted, in their minds, of having fibbed, for the sake of heightening the enormity of their culpable breach of pious propriety. Unaware of his blunder, Mr. Stickley noticed each child in turn, beaming blessings from his bland visage upon their disappointed countenances, then, turning to his host, requested a private interview.

Mr. Felton led the way into an inner room, and the other opened his business. He had learned that Mr. Felton had, of his own accord, advanced his clerks' salaries.

Mr. Felton admitted this count of the indictment.

"It was to be regretted," Mr. Stickley added, "that Mr. Felton had not conferred with his fellow-merchants-at least, with those who were his neighbours and most likely to be injuriously affected by this step, before he announced his intentions to his employees."

Mr. Felton could not see the expediency of this conference. He had acted conscientiously, after an examination of his affairs. Justice and humanity had combined to form his purpose. He asked no man to follow his example. "But the precedent, my dear sir!" objected Mr. Stickley. Already, to my certain knowledge, this act of yours has bred disaffection in other establishments; given rise to unreasonable demands."

"I am sorry to hear that the demands are unreasonable," returned Mr. Felton, drily. "If they are just, I hope they will meet with a proper response. As I said before, my conscience would not allow me to condemn a hard-working, faithful clerk, to semi-starvation, while I am living in luxury; but I do not dictate terms to others. I am responsible for this act to Him who has forbidden, upon the penalty of an awful curse, the rich to keep back the hirelings' wages."

Mr. Stickley flinched, but imperceptibly. "You are a bold man, Brother Felton! you take the responsibility of many deeds which others would not dare attempt. I thought, as I came in, just now, that most church members would shrink from setting up a school of dissipation in their own houses.'

"Do you imply that I have done this?" questioned Mr. Felton, calmly.

Mr. Stickley hemined. "You cannot be ignorant, my dear brother, that in our connection it is deemed inconsistent with a profession of religion to dance."

"I know there is a prejudice against what has been perverted, in certain circles, from an innocent, healthful amusement, into a disgraceful and public exhibition of affectation and indecent levity of behaviour. My children do not attend balls, or figure at watering-places.

They do not hanker after forbidden amusements, because they have lawful pleasures at home. Í am willing they should indulge in all recreations in which their mother and myself are welcome participants."

"You are stubborn in your prejudices," smiled Mr. Stickley, arising to go. "I sincerely hope you may never find that what is now but the appearance of evil has led to downright, unmistakable sin and sorrow."

"I have no fears upon that score," was the reply.

"I trust that my plain speaking has not offended you," pursued Mr Stickley.

"Not in the least! I do not think that you could say anything upon this subject, or with regard to the beauty of consistency in religion, that could offend me, Mr. Stickley. You have your theory and practice, and I mine. The same Lord is the judge of both."

"Bad! bad! he is the loosest thinker and speaker I know!" muttered our hero, when he was again upon the pavement. "A curse will overtake him yet. He and Dr. Bliss are close friends still. That argues sympathy of taste and unison of principle. I will just drop in at the latter's, and intimate to the doctor how his favorite is going on."

Dr. Bliss was the pastor of the highly-favoured church that claimed Deacon Stickley as an officer. The visitor found him extended upon a sofa in the library, his head in his wife's lap.

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'Do not disturb your interesting tableau on my account, I beg!" said the deacon-like Carker, "all teeth with smiles"-as the minister raised himself to a sitting posture. "It does me good to see a man who can afford to rest. It is a luxury I never allow myself, which is, indeed, forbidden to one in my circumstances. I am often reminded of the blessedness of that thought, uttered, if I mistake not, by a clergyman, doctor-" Why need I rest here? I have an eternity to rest in.""

This was said in the most benevolent manner, after he had been invited to a seat. Mrs. Bliss refrained from correcting the phraseology of the quotation. She had long ago ceased to resent his feline ways, and only noticed this subtle scratch, by saying "Mr. Bliss is suffering with one of his bad headaches. He has attended two funerals to-day, besides visiting a number of sick persons, and the fatigue has brought on the attack."

The doctor was a man fifty years of age; a close student, a good pastor, and an earnest preacher. He had, moreover, large humanity, and a fund of quiet humour, that stood him in good stead on this and many other occasions. He guessed that the deacon was charged with some complaint of his less circumspect brethren, and no man understood better than he how to take the wind out of his sails in advance.

"We were speaking of you not five minutes ago, Mr. Stickley," he said. "One of the funerals at which I officiated to-day was poor Ludlow's.”

"Ah! is he gone, poor fellow?" interrupted Mr. Stickley. "It must be a blessed exchange for him, and a relief to his family. He has been a helpless burden upon their hands for these two years past. I trust that he was prepared for the solemn event, sir?"

"I hope and believe that he was. The destitute condition of his wife and children troubled him for awhile; but, at the last, he calmly left them in the Father's care, confident that He would not disappoint his hope."

"Very gratifying, indeed!" Mr. Stickley's; countenance was edifying to behold-a whole volume of sanctified resignation.

"Mr. Felton and Mr. Ames rode in the carriage with me to the cemetery," continued Dr. Bliss, and we talked over a scheme of helping the widow and children. Mrs. Ludlow is an excellent woman, and has contrived to struggle on till now, without running into debt; but she confessed to me, when I questioned her yesterday, that she had not five pounds in the world. Mr. Felton collected within an hour a fund for funeral expenses, and our hope now is that we can raise enough, in a quiet, unostentatious way, to pay a quarter's rent in advance, and to purchase a sewing machine; then I will guarantee that the family will get along without further aid. Of course we mean to allow you the privilege of assisting in this good work. We need about fifty pounds to accomplish what we de sire."

"This is Mr. Felton's scheme, is it?" said Mr. Stickley, shaking his head, dubiously.

"No, sir: I may claim the credit of devising the plan, although Mr. Felton seconded it warmly, and liberally."

"Strange, inconsistent man!" (mournfully). "He attended a funeral this afternoon-"

"This morning!" corrected the doctor. "This morning, then-saw a fellow-mortal, a member of the same communion with himself, laid in the final resting-place of all flesh, and this evening I found him absolutely dancing with his children, while his wife played a jigtune on the piano! What an example for him to set! he a father, a deacon in the church, and the superintendent of the Sabbath-school!"

"His children are remarkably well trained," said the doctor, "and four of them are already within the pale of the church, as you may recollect."

"They had better be out of it!" ejaculated Mr. Stickley. "Such vain pleasure-seekers do more harm than good."

"If that is your candid conviction your duty is clear," replied the doctor, gravely. "You, should cite them to appear before the proper tribunal of the church, charging them with conduct unbecoming the profession they have

made."

"I! and earn for myself their enmity, and public odium besides !"

"Considerations which should not stay you for an instant, when opposed to the solemn obligation to rescue a fallen brother," argued Dr. Bliss, with inimitable seriousness.

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"I cannot do it, sir: but-excuse me for suggesting your line of duty, doctor-but it seems to me that your interference is imperatively called for in this case. You are the spiritual leader of this misguided family. Already people are saying that your partiality for Mr. Felton blinds you to his many and grievous failings.”

"Ah! then, if I arraign him to appear at our next session-meeting to give an account of the said demeanours, I must call upon you to produce accusers and witnesses. I have heard of his guilt from no one else."

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"The doctor will have his joke, I perceive, madam, even upon grave subjects!" said the deacon to Mrs. Bliss, who had been the amused auditor of this conversation. Manage your ecclesiastical affairs in your own way, my dear sir. I beg your pardon for what you may consider my officious zeal, my undue desire to keep the flock pure, to avoid the appearance of evil!"

"A commendable wish!" said the doctor, pleasantly. "We shall not differ there; but, to leave this matter for the present-we may depend on you for assistance in carrying out our design of aiding the widow and the fatherless?" "I must think the project over first!" Mr. Stickley suddenly bethought himself that it was nearly ten o'clock. “I am by no means convinced that it is the most judicious method of teaching the family self-dependence. Nor am I sure that it is in my power to contribute to this object just now. I am beset by incessant applications for money for this and that cause, and unless I exercise some discrimination in giving, I shall soon be a pauper myself. I hope your head will be quite well by the morning, my dear sir! Mrs. Bliss, I wish you a very goodnight!"

The doctor took up the Bible for family prayers shortly after the visitor's departure. The elderly couple had no children, and kept early hours. His wife saw him smile, and then sigh, as he read the first passage upon which his eye fell when the book was opened.

"What is it, dear?" she asked.

He read it aloud, without comment, as I leave it with the sagacious reader :-"Ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law-judgment, mercy, and faith. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

THE PRIVILEGES OF POETRY. — They who can turn aside from the hard and macadamized road of

dry duty and daily labour to wander amid the glades and flowery knolls of the imaginary world of neverdying poetry are privileged beings; for they have a sense and a sensation superadded to the ordinary dispensation of their fellows. They are for the time lifted "above the smoke and stir of this dim spot called earth;" they are in another world, and they revel in unworldly thoughts and unworldly associations; they become denizens of the golden sphere of romance; and romance is the salt in the ocean of life, keeping its waters sweet and fresh amidst the turmoil and common-places of every-day action.-Cowden Clarke's Shakespeare Characters.

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