though she did all she could to persuade him, he went and gave her father the bill."

An expression of pain passed over Sarah's face, and at the same moment she blushed and turned away her head. Susan observed it at once, but not suspecting anything, she continued: "Her father was very angry indeed. The bill came to about thirty shillings, and all for finery that Emma could never have wanted. I almost forget the things now, but there were flowers, and ribbons, and gloves in it, I know. Emma was kept in the house for three days, and at last it was settled that she should be sent away, so as to break off all her acquaintance. Her father wrote to his sister, and she was taken to her house, which is in a quiet country village, called Langton, about twenty miles off. I believe her aunt is a very strict person, and Emma is to learn house-work, and to be put in a place as soon as she is able to take one. I saw her yesterday, poor girl, just before she set off. She was a favourite of mine, but I pitied her very much; she looked so miserable."

Just then, a gentle tap was heard at the door, and little Fanny came in. "Please Susan, father wants you, and I want you too."

Susan rose at once, and after making the invalid as comfortable as possible, and promising to come again in the evening if she could, left the room with her sister.

Sarah gave a heavy sigh as she heard Susan going downstairs. The account of Emma's sudden departure had made her very uneasy, and she reproached herself bitterly for her own folly, in going to the same shop, and beginning to do the very same thing. Sarah knew well what was right, and

felt that she could not be happy till she had told some one. Should it be Mr. Jones, when he next came, or Susan, or her father? She thought a long time, and at last fell into an uneasy sleep, disturbed by a dream in which she thought she saw Susan trying to pacify her father, and entreating him not to send her away like Emma Payne.

Fanny was scarcely out of the house, before she pulled out the book which had caused her merry face, and then explained, in high glee, "that it was a prize for the best conduct in her class during the last six months, and that it had been decided while she was away; besides this, Mrs. Jones was going to cut out the pieces for a frock, and to give another prize for the girl who did the work the neatest."

They were to go up to the vicarage the next morning, and Mrs. Jones would decide that day six weeks. However, this was not all, for she had a letter from James, and he was to come from grandfather's two days after; so they would all be together at the end of the week. Susan read the letter, and laughed as she gave it back, telling Fanny that she thought careless James would never get a prize for good spelling.

The little party were all sitting together in the evening a few days after this. Fanny was deep in all the secrets of hemming, and stitching, and making gussets and seams, or at least she was trying what she could do. Charles was reading aloud to them, and it was in one of the pauses of the reading that James suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, now, I'll tell you something I saw as I came home."

"Well, make haste," said Charles, "I want to know."

"You know," continued James,

I walked over to Lang

ton to meet the coach. As I was waiting, I walked down

past some cottages, and who should I see there but Emma Payne. She was really scrubbing the stones in the front of the house, and her aunt was just above at the window, as cross a looking old thing as ever I saw. Only fancy her in a coarse dress, washing, after all she used to do here, and the smart things she wore. It was almost a pity she had not the kid gloves, to make it complete."

"Now, James, that is not kind," said Susan, who had come in at the back without being seen. "I am quite angry to hear you talk so."

"Oh, no, you won't be angry," said James, "because you're a good kind Susan, and never are angry with any body."

"Except naughty boys," said his sister.

"Well, but I'll be so good," he continued, looking very demure. "But just tell me why I was wrong, Susan."

"Poor

"I am sure you know very well," was the answer. Emma Payne was in trouble, and you ought not to laugh at her. You would not like another person to do it to you."

"No," said James, rather thoughtfully.

"But, now, you must go to bed, added Susan, so good night, and remember to speak kindly of another's faults." (To be Continued.)

ANNO DOMINI: In the year of our Lord; used by the Christian world, and abreviated A.D. This is the computation of time from the Incarnation of our Saviour, and is called the vulgar era; first adopted in the year 525. Charles III. of Germany was the first Sovereign who added "In the Year of our Lord," to his reign, in 879.-Haydn's Dates.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE MONTHS.

SEPTEMBER.

"Meanwhile to glad September's dawn,

Together hath mild Autumn drawn

Rich gifts from bounteous Nature's stores;
And still about his footsteps pours,

Profusely from the copious horn,

Fruits well-matured, and yellow corn."-MANT.

THE name of this month is derived from the Latin word, Septem, seven; it was the seventh in the Roman calendar. The Saxons called it Gerst-monat, or barley-month, because it was their barley harvest. The days are now very sensibly shortened, and the weather at the early part of the month is generally pleasant and serene, which, with the bright sunsets, are perhaps unrivalled for their variety and beauty.

The lesser animals are now gathering together their winter stores of food, which they lay by in some secluded spot. The birds, that chiefly live on the berries with which our woods and hedges are stored in winter, now arrive, whilst various others, which feed on insects, have become familiar to us during the bright summer season, may now be seen assembling in large numbers on the top of some elevated building, making preliminary arrangements, and trying their strength by short circuits previous to their final flight, truthfully obeying that instinct which has been implanted in them by their Divine Creator. The various kinds of nuts are now ripe and the busy squirrel with it brilliant eyes and beautiful tail is playing its gambols among the branches of the trees; the acorns fall from the oak, and the beech-nuts are strewed

over the ground in profusion; in the New Forest and other woody countries these fruits afford a plentiful supply of food for swine, the cottagers turn them out for several weeks into the woods, to seek their own subsistence.

The fishermen are now busy plying their nets day and night, for immense shoals of herrings visit our coasts, forming a valuable boon to the poor fishermen. Yarmouth is the principal place for this fish; immense quantities are sent to other parts of England.

Among the flowers at this season appear the Autumnal erocus or saffron-plant, it is of a high orange colour, and has a strong aromatic odour, it is used in medicine and also in dyeing, it is chiefly cultivated in Essex and Cambridgeshire. Corn-flowers, Guernsey-lilies, and starworts are now in flower, though most of those tender and delicate ones which have charmed us so much during the Spring and Summer are now withered, and the later ones are fast disappearing. The hedge-fruits-as the blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, and elderberry now produce their fruit; of the latter, large quantities are gathered for the purpose of making wine.

In Hertfordshire and the adjoining counties, the farmers are busy gathering in their apples and pears, for the purpose of making cider and perry; large quantities of these fruits are grown for this purpose alone: the rich productions of the orchards with their rosy tints, bearing down the pendant boughs with their weight of fruit, form a peculiar feature in the landscape.

The clear bright weather which frequently prevails during the early part of this month is admirably suited for the occupations of the farmer, which consist chiefly in gathering