TALES FOR MY GOD-CHILDREN.-No. V.

Continued from page 258,-No. 11.

Richard Langley then returned to his amusement and the management of his boat, for it was he who had the principal charge of it. His brother Frederick was much younger than he was, and could not so well hold the string by which the little craft was held. Frank Wicklow had the management of the other, for, although James had been head workman in building, Frank as being more strong and active, was best at managing their boat now it was on the water. All went on very well for sometime, the boats sailed beautifully, and sometimes one went first across the lake and sometimes the other. But at last the string of Frank's broke, and a puff of wind sent it upon the bank at the side of the lake.

The girls all ran down the sand-hills upon the dry gravel, near the lake; they frequently did this when walking with Miss Cartwright; but Eleanor, on recollection, said they had better return to where they had before been standing.

"Eleanor," said James, "run up to the roothouse, and fetch a nice piece of string you will find in my carpenter's box." Eleanor set off directly, but after she was gone, James recollected that the box was locked, and he also left the lake to carry the key to his sister. After Eleanor was gone, Margaret no longer thought of returning to the sand-hills; and she even ventured close to the boat and the grassy mound near which the boat had been stayed in its voyage. This was the very piece of the whole line of the shore which Margaret had been most cautioned against approaching, and it looked so green and tempting. Nothing could look more green and smooth, and Margaret could not be made to believe that the footing on it was dangerous. She had often longed to try it

and to satisfy herself whether it was firm enough to walk on. Repeatedly she had been told that was not, but she should like to know if what she was told were true. How could she know if she did not try? The three boys were all busied with the other boat, which they had thought it better to take out of the water; and Joanna was amusing herself in picking up shells and sea-weeds. Margaret stole gently to the bank and ventured one foot upon the tempting green sward. It was so soft and seemed so firm, she ventured the other, and still she was quite safe, and it did look so fresh and green. Miss Cartwright must have been mistaken, there could be no danger here. Within a yard of her there were some pretty pink flowers, and she thought she should like to have a root of them in her own little garden. Her determination was fixed, and she proceeded. Just at this instant the boys from the other side of the lake gave a loud shout, and calling to her, cautioned her to come back. But it was too late, she had dashed hastily towards the flower, and in so doing trod upon the very softest and wettest part of the treacherous turf. Her feet slipped in, and she sank almost to her knees in the wet mud. She began to scream and endeavour to scramble out, but she could get no firm footing, so that her foot slipped back again into the mire. She was so terrified that she kept on screaming, and thus her mouth became full of dirt and mud. The three boys lost no time in running to help the poor child, leaving their pigmy ship to take its voyage across the lake without any restrain. But even they were obliged to go cautiously, for if they had gone too close they would have got into trouble themselves without doing any good to her. At length, however, they succeeded in getting her upon a dry part of the beach. But to describe the figure that she then

appeared would not be easy; the clean frock was so covered with mud that its colour could not be discerned; one shoe had been left in the mud, and the other hung round the ancle by the ribbon with which it was tied: the black silk visite was entirely spoiled. Just at that moment Eleanor and James came running back with the string, and after them appeared Miss Cartwright, who seeing that something had happened, quickened her steps, and soon arrived at the scene of disaster.

Margaret was still sobbing "I did not know," began the child, "I did not know the place was so wet, I did but just, I did but just" and the tears prevented her saying any more.

"You know it now to your cost," quietly, but firmly replied Miss Cartwright, "and another time I hope you will learn to believe what is told you for your good. This unbelieving disposition of yours is a sad fault, and you now feel the consequence of it; you have spoiled your clothes, made everybody uncomfortable, and lost not only pleasure yourself but have been the occasion of unhappiness to all your companions. Come home with me that you may be washed and dressed."

Miss Cartwright then took Margaret's hand and led her to the house, followed by Eleanor and Joanna, who had no pleasure in staying without their sister. The boys remained to take care of their boats; the Langley's boat had been much injured by being set adrift by itself when Margaret met with her accident.

While Miss Cartwright was very good-naturedly assisting to make Margaret comfortable, and all the little girls looked very grave and attentive; she repeated to Margaret the cautions she had frequently given her about not believing what was told her by those, who of course knew better than herself.

"But it looked so green and hard," said Margaret, "I thought it must be so."

"Notwithstanding, your papa and mamma and I have often told you it was not so. There are many things, Margaret, in the Bible which we cannot understand, and of which we cannot see the necessity; but still we must believe them, and shew that we do so by our actions. This is called Faith, a lively, active Faith. You cannot understand all I tell you for your good, but obedience is your lively, active faith."

Margaret here put her arms round Miss Cartwright's neck, and said she hoped she should become a better girl. Miss Cartwright told her young pupil that the disobedience of to-day must be remembered in her prayers. She then kissed her cheek, and the school-room party became more happy. A. C. P.

GOD'S ACRE.

I like that ancient Saxon phrase, which calls
The burial ground God's Acre! It is just;

It consecrates each grave within its walls,

And breathes a benison o'er the sleeping dust.

God's Acre! Yes, that blessed name imparts
Comfort to those, who in the grave have sown
The seed that they had garnered in their hearts,
Their bread of life, alas! no more their own.

Into its furrows shall we all be cast,

In the sure faith, that we shall rise again
At the Great Harvest, when the archangel's blast
Shall winnow, like a fan, the chaff and grain.

Then shall the good stand in immortal bloom
In the fair gardens of that second birth;
And each bright blossom, mingle its perfume

With that of flowers, which never bloomed on earth.

With thy rude ploughshare, Death turn up the sod,
And spread the furrow for the seed we sow;
This is the field and acre of our God,

This is the place, where human harvests grow!

LONGFELLOW.

PRINCIPAL POINTS OF RELIGION.

1. To pray to God continually,

2. To learn to know Him rightfully,

3. To honour God in Trinity:

The Trinity in Unity,

The Father in His Majesty The Son in His Humanity, The Holy Ghost's benignity, Three Persons-One in Deity. 4. To serve Him alway, holily; 5. To ask Him all things, needfully; 6. To praise Him in all company; 7. To love Him alway, heartily; 8. To dread Him alway, Christianly; 9. To ask Him mercy, penitently; 10. To rust Him alway, faithfully; 11. To obey Him alway willingly; 12. To abide Him alway patiently; 13. To thank him alway, thankfully; 14. To live here alway, virtuously; 15. To use thy neighbour, honestly; 16. To look for death still presently: 17. To help the poor, in misery; 18. To hope for Heaven's felicity; 19. To have Faith Hope and Charity; 20. To count this life but vanity;

Be points of Christianity.

Tusser, 157.