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THE LITTLE LADY OF DRAYTON.

that so quickly cover them. Do not admit Crabs, for they are so greedy they will eat almost any other sort of creature, including their smaller relations, and Star-fish are as bad.

Shrimps and Prawns are very pretty objects in an aquarium, and, it is scarcely necessary to add, so are Sea-Anemones, for every boy and girl is familiar with the little dark lump of jelly that, when put under water, opens into a brilliant flower whose petals are the destruction of any small creature that ventures near it.

These are a few only of the water pets you may easily keep, and I feel sure that in watching their habits you will be amply repaid for any trouble your aquarium may cost you.

Whe Cittle lady of Brayton;

OR,

"SOME THAT GO AND SOME THAT STAY." BY MARGARET E. HAYES.

CHAPTER III.

BRIDGET'S DREAM.

RIDGET lay still and drowsy after Mrs. Wiggett left, and now and again she gave a little moan, and her calm little forehead puckered as though she wondered at the something which made her moan, and yet she was hardly awake enough to think.

Presently she saw a light in the room, which made her start.

"Is that Father?" she said; but in a minute she saw it was not, for by her bed stood One all clothed in light, and so shining she was obliged to look away. 66 Come, see thy Father's works." So saying, the Shining One put out His hand, and lifted her from the bed. Out into the night He led her, and Bridget hardly knew how she went, only she felt His firm hand under her arm, bearing her up.

They came to a field which looked to Bridget like the meadow close to Green House Farm, and to her surprise she heard sounds and cries all round, now like voices, and now like the music of her Æolian harp. Seeing no one, Bridget was frightened, but He who led her read her thoughts, and bade her look on the ground. There in front

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were tall fair grasses all in seed, swaying in the night breeze, and each one spoke as it swayed, and as Bridget looked she saw faces in the grass, and the voices sounded like her village friend, only more musical. Many were moaning as if in pain. "Why should we lose our seeds? Why comes this shivering wind to rob us of our beauty? and these voices were almost like soft minor chords, changing from key to key, and ever and again among them came an answering note of joyous ring, like the chorus of some sweet song. "In hope! In hope!" they cried; and as the breeze swayed these to and fro, one by one their seeds dropped down to the quiet earthy bed.

And while she looked at her Guide for explanation another change came, the breeze grew to a wind, and so cold that Bridget shivered and drew closer to her Guide. "So cold-so cold!" she moaned; and then He turned His face her way, and a warm glow filled her from the brightness of His eye.

Then Bridget saw that wherever there was a sound of moaning He turned His eyes, and at once the moan was changed to the joyful note, "In hope! In hope!" And though He never spoke, Bridget felt that her Guide was explaining it to her as He went.

But now the cold grew worse, and the bare grass stems were hard and shrivelled in the bleak frost; the voices even of joy were still, and no sound was heard. Bridget thought that now she had seen it all, when bright and glistening came the snow, and quietly dressed the shrivelled stems and filled the empty seed-pods, and now in dazzling whiteness each one swayed its head, and the breeze carried up one joyous cry, a cry which to Bridget's ear seemed to come from the sky, be caught up below, and swell again as it was carried far away, and as she listened the words came clearer"Come, then, Lord Jesus, come!"

And as He listened who held her there, Bridget saw that His eyes grew yet more bright in glory, and He turned to her once more.

"Hast thou seen all, my child? The moaning changed to joy, the cold and pain giving place to those white dazzling robes and song. E'en so thy Father works. Yet see His work again."

He led her on, and often as she moaned or shivered (for the child had not yet forgot her fall) turned and looked a look which eased her. Her Guide now took her into a house, not far from the field, and Bridget wondered whose it was. A child lay ill in bed: the face was Dotty's first, and then it changed again; but only to look older and yet brighter.

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My pain, my pain!" she said; but then her mother came into the room, and Bridget saw the child's face change and look so bright and quiet, and the only sign of pain she showed was by the tears falling from her eyes; and Bridget wanted to speak to her. "It's Dotty," she said to her Guide; " 'poor Dotty!" but He held her fast and bade her listen.

The mother was weeping to see her child in pain, and Dotty (for Bridget felt sure it was she) cheered her. "Don't cry, Mother, it's nothing to what the dear Lord Jesus bore for me, and now He's letting me feel it with Him," and then Bridget saw that the Shining One was gone, but Dotty's face was brighter than ever.

"There, there, Mother," she said, "I see Him in a garden in oh such pain, and He's telling me that I may feel it too, and when I see Him, Mother, I don't mind the pain." Bridget saw it too for a minute, and then the Shining One was with her again; He took her to another room, and there was the bed again, and Dotty lying cold and white, her mother kneeling by her bed, and Bridget heard her pray, and the words sounded no longer like crying and moaning, but like the joyous song of the grass"In hope! In hope!" and now, "My God, she is gone to be with Thee, but by her pain Thou hast shown me Thyself."

Bridget's tears were falling now, but the Shining One looked at her and said, "Remember the glistening robes and song of joy, my child, and learn thy Father's lesson: the pain, thou seest, is changed to joy for that poor child, and the mother taught to see the Father's hand," and as He spoke the Bright One faded gradually away, and Bridget was warm and safe in bed.

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My little woman, don't you know your father's hand?" were the Rector's words, as he sat down by his little daughter's bed and took her hand.

"Not half awake yet? Why, how came you to get such a nasty tumble, Bridget?

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"Did I tumble, Father? I've only just come back from Green House Farm, and I'm so tired," and the child turned wearily in bed; "it was all so different, and, Father, some one was talking to me all about pain. I think it was the Lord Jesus."

"You've been dreaming, little woman; tell me about it to-morrow, for I must let you go to sleep now, or Nurse will drive me away," and giving her a tender kiss, Mr. Langley went downstairs, thankful to find his child no worse after such an adventure.

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live in Bradleigh, and sometimes he can hardly believe he had ever lived anywhere else.

The first few months had been very miserable ones, for though Mr. Blackett, the schoolmaster, and his wife were very kind, still it was not like home, and a shy boy like George felt very frightened among so many strangers.

But now he began to feel like a man, for he was pupil-teacher in the school, and had to work very hard between school hours for his examinations. He had begun to sing in the choir too, and this was the "nicest time in all the week," he wrote to his mother.

The town church, with its great pillars and wide arches, was such a change after the simple little church at home; and the first Sunday George went with the other boys into the vestry before service, little country lad as he was, he could hardly help crying, from a strange feeling of awe which came over him as the clergyman prayed that what we sing with our lips we may believe in our lives; and he went into church feeling that God was there, and that he was really going to sing to Him, as he never had before.

But in the very thing he enjoyed most George found his greatest trouble, and, for almost the first time in his life, he had to fight it out for himself, without Harry to back him up.

That first Sunday, as he went out of church, he heard a laugh behind him, and there was a tall rough-looking man, one of the choir-men. "There goes little goody! "said the man. "Ain't he a pattern boy, and don't he show us all how to behave? and with a rude laugh he knocked the boy's hat off and went on.

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"That's only Mr. Bolton-he's a rough man, Father says," said Elsie, Mrs. Blackett's little girl, who had taken upon herself to show George the way to church. "Don't you mind him.' And so George picked up his hat and went home with her, feeling very much inclined to pay Mr. Bolton out the first opportunity.

Ever since then he had had continual tricks played upon him, for Bolton sat just behind him, and could tease him without being noticed.

Well, now, this Sunday afternoon, about a year after he had been in Bradleigh, things had come to a climax, and George was walking home from school, planning how to take his revenge, when he met Elsie, who was also on her way home.

"I'm not goin' to stand it any longer, Elsie; that brute Bolton went and hid all my books this morning. It ain't fair, and I've never so much as said a bad word to him, I know what I'll do. I'll just

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BIBLE QUESTIONS.

worry his cat-that's about the only thing he does care about, they say-and see how he likes that." "You'd better let him alone, George, he 'll give over teasing you when he sees he can't make you angry. You see he's a rough sort of man, perhaps he ain't got a good mother like you and me."

"That's all very fine for you, Elsie, but if Harry'd been here he'd have paid him out long ago, and I would too if it hadn't been for you, but I can't bear it any longer."

Seeing George was only getting more cross, Elsie let him alone, and as it was raining hard, hurried on home,

"Father," said Elsie, as they sat at tea, "Mr. Bolton's been teasing George again; it's too bad of him. Can't you speak to him?"

"Never you mind, boy, he won't be there to-night, so you needn't trouble; he told me this morning he was going out for a few days."

But George went to church that evening feeling still very cross, and quite forgot to attend to the service, his mind was so full of his revenge on Mr. Bolton.

All that night the rain came down, and the next day, and the next, so after school hours George was glad enough to keep indoors, and could not make any plans against Mr. Bolton's cat. His anger, too, cooled down with waiting, and he began to think himself rather less of a martyr, and to be ashamed of being so cross on Sunday.

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ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS. 15. 1 Sam. xx. 14. 16. 2 Sam. ix. 3-7.

17. 1 Chron. viii. 34; 2 Sam. iv. 4. 18. 1 Chron. i. 8, 12.

19. Josh. xv. 9, 60; 2 Sam. vi. 2. 20. Psalm xcix. 6; Jer. xv. I.

21. These "had power with God and prevailed."

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The total Number of Marks given for Bible Questions in September was 30, of which C. P. Fitz Gerald obtained 30, M. P. Fitz Gerald 30, G. R. Joy 30, H. R. Joy 30, M. L. Carter 30, J. Morris 29, C. M. Gowing 29, A. Gowing 29, M. Beardsley 29, J. Peachell 29, L. Macdonald 29, E. M. Bergman 28, G. P. Barter 28, Flo 28, A. Carter 28, E. A. Gowing 28, E. H. Wilkinson 28, E. P. Flood 28, J. Hill 28, J. E. Turner 27, A. Owen 27, A. M. Langley 27, T. Holding 27, A. L. Rasey 27, C. Bligh 27, R. Wealthy 27, A. Stephens 27, L. Pidcock (?) 27, G. M. Robinson 26, G. E. Robinson 25, W. Hobby 25, S. Caukwell 25, J. H. Price 25, E. Carlisle 24, E. M. Bell 23, E. H. Robinson 23, M. C. Houghton 21, 20, L. Horne 20, J. Sayer 20, E. M. Dickers 19, Mousey 18, K. M Hatton 12, C. M. Holmes 9, L. N. Bunting 9, E. Sabin 9, H. Faulkner 8.

SUNDAY SCHOOL HOSPITAL BED.

The following Contributions have been received up to September 10th:John Sayer Is. 6d., Tottie Allen 3d., Miss Holland 2s. 6d., Miss Petch 2s. 6d. Collections:-K. H. Margary 11S., Ada Castell 5s. 3d., Lucy Gardam 2s. 3d., Mary Smithyes 13s. Id., Gertrude Mansell 4s., Jessic Boeg is., Offertory, Christ Church, Wimbledon, Children's Service, £1 8s., E. M. Hartin 6s. 2d., Mary Rambant 12s. 2d., Mary Walsh 4s., Arthur Southerden 3s. 6d., A. J. Westcott 11s. 3d, Lois J. Price 3s., Mrs. Ker 12s., Annie Fox 3s, Children's Special Services, Southsea, per E. R. Knapp, £2 8s. Id., Willie Hewett 5s., George Daniells 1, The Children of Jesmond Church, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 11 18s. 6d., Emily Coomber 2s. 6d., W. A. Reynolds Is. 8d., Edgar T. Lea 35., Lucy A. Lea 4s., C. White £15s. 6d., Charles Sawyer 2s. 6d., George Daniells (add.) 16s. 3d., R. O. Fraser 5s., Edith Barnes 4s.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

A. E. W.-No sequel to the "Wide Wide World" was ever published. "Daisy" is the second of three volumes, the first being called "Melbourne House," the third "Daisy in the Field." All may be obtained at the Depôt of the Sunday School Institute, Serjeants' Inn, Fleet Street.

Answers to Bible Questions have been received without a name (post mark illegible). Will the writer send his name?

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T is very hard that I should have to learn that nasty dry spelling instead of going out to play, this lovely morning," and Dolly threw the book on the floor and turned her back on it.

A swallow darted past the open window.

"Come and play with me, little bird," cried Dolly; "I'm so dull." "I have no time to play," said the swallow, "I am building my nest, and it takes up every minute of the day."

A bee settled on a plant that was nodding to Dolly through the window, only she was too cross to notice it.

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Stop and play with me, little bee," she repeated.

'I play! I never play. I work from morning to night! I-" But the end of the bee's speech was lost, for it had gone into a snapdragon blossom, and the door had closed behind it.

"Do stop and play with me," said Dolly to the butterfly that lighted on the window-sill.

"I can't," said the butterfly, mournfully, "I have to find food suitable for my children to eat when I am dead and gone. I had got just the right thing when a cruel boy struck at me with his hat, and I barely escaped with my life. I am terribly bruised and exhausted, or I should not be waiting here."

"Well," said Dolly, "if everybody else has to work, I suppose I must too." So she turned away from the tempting sunshine, and took up her book.

She was surprised to find the lesson was not nearly so hard as she had thought.

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CHURCH OF ENGLAND SUNDAY SCHOOL INSTITUTE, SERJEANTS' INN, 49, FLEET STREET, LONDON,

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