a man rosy and chipper, and hevin' a pretty nice sociable sort of a time, why they say he ain't spiritooal-minded. But in my times I've seen ministers that the most awakenin' kind when in the pulpit was the liveliest when they was out on't. There is a time to laugh, Scriptur' says, though some folks never seem to remember that 'are."

But, Sam, how came you to say it was Ike Babbitt's fault? What was it about the sheep?"

"O wal, yis-I'm a comin' to that 'are. It was all about them sheep- I expect they was the instrument the devil sot to work to tempt Parson Morrell to laugh in prayertime.

"Ye see there was old Dick, Ike's bell-wether, was the fightin'est old crittur, that ever ye see. Why Dick would butt at his own shadder, and every body said it was a shame the old crittur should be left to run loose, 'cause he run at the children and scared the women half out of their wits. Wal, I used to live out in that parish in them days, and Lem Sudoc and I used to go out sparkin' Sunday nights to see the Larkin gals-and we had to go right 'cross the lot where Dick was—so we used to go and stand at the fence and call, and Dick would see us and put down his head and run at us full chisel, and come bunt agin the fence, and then I'd ketch him by the horns and hold him while Lem run and got over the fence t'other side the lot, and then I'd let go; and Lem would holler and shake a stick at him, and away he'd go full butt at Lem, and Lem would ketch his horns and hold him till I came over-that was the way we managed Dick-but ef he come sudden up behind a fellow, he'd give him a butt in the small of his back that would make him run on all fours one while--he was a great rogue, Dick was. Wal, that summer I remember they had old Deacon Titkins for tithing-man, and I tell you he give it to the boys lively. There wa'n't no sleepin' nor no playin', for the deacon hed eyes like a gimblet, and he was quick as a cat, and the youngsters hed to look out for themselves. It did really seem as if the deacon was like them four beasts in the Revelation that was full o' eyes behind and before, for which ever way he was standin' if you gave only a wink he was down on you and hit you a tap with his stick. I know

once Lem Sudoc jist wrote two words in the psalm-book and passed to Keziah Larkin, and the deacon give him such a tap that Lem grew red as a beet, and vowed he'd be up with him some day for that.

“Wal, Lordy massy! folks that is so chipper and highsteppin' has to hev their come-downs, and the deacon he hed to hev his.

"That 'are Sunday, I 'member it now jest as well as if 'twas yesterday. The parson he giv us his gret sermon, reconcilin' decrees and free-agency. Every body said that 'are sermon was a masterpiece! He preached it up to Cambridge at Commencement, but it so happened it was one o' them bilin' hot days that come in August, when you can fairly hear the huckleberries a sizzlin' and cookin' on the bushes, and the locust keeps a gratin' like a red-hot saw. Wal, such times, decrees or no decrees, the best on us will get sleepy. The old meetin'-house stood right down at the foot of a hill that kep' off all the wind, and the sun blazed away at them gret west winders, and there was pretty sleepy times there. Wal, the deacon he flew round a spell, and woke up the children and tapped the boys on the head, and kep' every thing straight as he could till the sermon was most through, when he railly got most tuckered out, and he took a chair, and he sot down in the door right opposite the minister, and fairly got to sleep himself, jest as the minister got up to make the last prayer.

"Wal, Parson Morrell hed a way o'prayin' with his eyes open. Folks said it wa'n't the best way, but it was Parson Morrell's way anyhow, and so as he was prayin' he couldn't help seein' that Deacon Titkins was a noddin' and a bobbin' out towards the place where old Dick was feedin' with the sheep, front o' the meetin'-house door.

con.

"Lem and me we was sittin' where we could look out, and we could jest see old Dick stop feedin' and look at the deaThe deacon hed a little round head as smooth as an apple, with a nice powdered wig on it, and he sot there makin' bobs and bows, and Dick begun to think it was suthin' sort o' pussonel. Lem and me was sittin' jest where we could look out and see the hull picter, and Lem was fit to split.

"Good, now,' says he, 'that crittur'll pay the deacon off tively, pretty soon.'

"The deacon bobbed his head a spell, and old Dick he shook his horns and stamped at him sort o' threatnin'. Finally the deacon he give a great bow and brought his head right down at him, and old Dick he sot out full tilt and come down on him ker chunk, and knocked him head over heels into the broad aisle, and his wig flew one way and he t'other, and Dick made a lunge at it as it flew, and carried it off on his horns.

"Wal, you may believe that broke up the meetin' for one while, for Parson Morrell laughed out, and all the girls and boys they stomped and roared. And the old deacon he got up and begun rubbin' his shins-'cause he didn't see the joke on't.

"You don't orter laugh,' says he, 'it's no laughin' matterit's a solemn thing,' says he. 'I might hev been sent into 'tarnity by that darned crittur,' says he. Then they all roared and haw-hawed the more to see the deacon dancin' round with his little shiny head, so smooth a fly would trip up on't. 'I believe, on my soul, you'd laugh to see me in my grave,' says he.

"Wal, the truth on't was, 'twas jist one of them bustin' up times that natur' has, when there ain't nothin' for it but to give in; 'twas jest like the ice breakin' up in the Charles River-it all come at once and no whoa to't. Sunday or no Sunday, sin or no sin, the most on 'em laughed till they cried, and couldn't help it.

"But the deacon he went home feelin' pretty sore about it. Lem Sudoc he picked up his wig and handed it to him. Says he, ‘Old Dick was playin' tithing-man, wa’n't he, deacon? Teach you to make allowance for other folks that get sleepy.'

"Then Mrs. Titkins she went over to Aunt Jerushy Scran's and Aunt Polly Hokum's, and they hed a pot o' tea over it, and 'greed it was awful of Parson Morrell to set sich an example, and suthin' hed got to be done about it. Miss Hokum said she allers knew that Parson Morrell hedn't no spiritooality, and now it hed broke out into open sin, and led all the rest of 'em into it; and Mrs. Titkins she said such a man RBR*

wa'n't fit to preach; and Miss Hokum said she couldn't never hear him ag'in, and the next Sunday the deacon and his wife they hitched up and driv eight miles over to Parson Lothrop's, and took Aunt Polly on the back seat.

"Wal, the thing growed and growed till it seemed as if there wa'n't nothin' else talked about, 'cause Aunt Polly and Mrs. Titkins and Jerushy Scran they didn't do nothin' but talk about it, and that sot every body else a talkin'.

Finally it was 'greed they must hev a council to settle the nash. So all the wimmen they went to choppin' mince, and makin' up punkin pies and cranberry tarts, and bilin' doughLuts, gettin' reddy for the ministers and delegates-'cause councils always eats powerful-and they hed quite a stir, like a gineral trainin'. The hosses, they was hitched all up and down the stalls, a stompin' and switchin' their tails, and the wimmen was a talkin', and they hed up every body round for witnesses, and finally Parson Morrell he says, Brethren,' says he, 'jest let me tell you the story jest as it happened, and if you don't every one of you laugh as hard as I did, why, then I'll give up.'

"The parson he was a master hand at settin' off a story, and afore he'd done he got 'em all in sich a roar they didn't know where to leave off. Finally, they give sentence that there hedn't no temptation took him but such as is common to man; but they advised him afterward allers to pray with his eyes shet, and the parson he confessed he orter 'a done it, and meant to do better in future, and so thev settled it. "So, boys," said Sam, who always drew a moral, "ye see it larns you you must take care what ye look at, ef ye want to keep from laughin' in meetin"."

-Oldtown Fireside Stories,

ASPIRATIONS.

Our aims are all too high; we try
To gain the summit at a bound,
When we should reach it step by step,
And climb the ladder round by round.

He who would climb the heights sublime,
Or breathe the purer air of life,
Must not expect to rest in ease,

But brace himself for toil or strife.

We should not in our blindness seek
To grasp alone for grand and great,
Disdaining every smaller good,—
For trifles make the aggregate.
And if a cloud should hover o'er
Our weary path-way like a pail,
Remember God permits it there,
And His good purpose reigns o'er all.

Life should be full of earnest work,
Our hearts undashed by fortune's frown;
Let perseverance conquer fate,

And merit seize the victor's crown.

The battle is not to the strong,

The race not always to the fleet;

And he who seeks to pluck the stars,
Will lose the jewels at his feet.

THE PORTRAIT.-OWEN Meredith.

Midnight past! Not a sound of aught

Through the silent house, but the wind at his prayers, I sat by the dying fire, and thought Of the dear dead woman up stairs.

A night of tears! for the gusty rain

Had ceased, but the eaves were dripping yet; And the moon looked forth, as though in pain, With her face all white and wet.

Nobody with me my watch to keep

But the friend of my bosom, the man I love: And grief had sent him fast to sleep

In the chamber up above.

Nobody else, in the country place

All round, that knew of my oss beside,

But the good young priest with the Raphael-face,
Who confessed her when she died.

That good young priest is of gentle nerve,
And my grief had moved him beyond control,
For his lips grew white as I could observe,
When he speeded her parting soul.