needed encouragement more than reproof, and above all she needed to have her mind turned to the use, the real practical improvement which she was to make of her sorrow, when she had done something amiss.

The first time Mr Samson called at Brookside, Elizabeth remembered her promise to Arthur, that she would 'speak about George.' Arthur himself took care to slip out of the way when he found what was coming, but he returned very eagerly to make his inquiries when Mr

Samson was gone. Is George to be sent away? I thought I heard

Mr Samson about it.'

you ask

Yes, George is gone already.' 'Did not he beg very hard to stay? Where is he gone to?"

'Mr Samson recommended him to a gentleman who wanted a porter to live

'Do not you think it is very fortunate?"

wrong,

'Why-yes; in some things perhaps; because it is a good thing that everybody should like their own house, and their own country-but then about right and it is a terrible thing, because nobody can ever get any better. Do you know,' said Arthur with a sudden change of countenance, 'Mr Fyley has a boy in his house who was a thief, and once he was very near being sent to prison.' 'Did he rob Mr Fyley?"

'No; it was before he came to him, and Mr Fyley only took him because nobody else would, and because he was very sorry for the father and mother, and now he is a very good boy.'

'I am sure,' said Elizabeth, it must do Mr Fyley's heart good, every time he looks at him. How kind it was to take such a risk ?

'Mr Fyley has taught him to read and write, and make up some of the medicines; and he says there is not a better boy in the parish, and he would trust him with untold gold any day. Is not it a good thing he did not go to prison?'

'Very good indeed,' said Elizabeth, and I wish they could contrive never to send little boys to prison, for I do believe they might always be taught better, if anybody would take pains with them, and when they go to prison they often grow worse and worse.'

'Why should not it be as easy for men to leave off bad habits as boys?' 'Because older people are more fixed in their habits.'

'Would not it be a great deal better if they were not fixed so fast-much more convenient for people who do wrong?'

'How would it be for people who do right? What is the reason that you and

in his lodge, and to take care of a few pheasants and dogs.'

'Will he like that as well?'

'I believe not, but Mr Samson said he never could trust him to drive the carriage again, and he should not think it right to give him a character as a coachman without mentioning what he had done.'

Arthur gravely remarked that it was a terrible thing for those people who have characters, when they happened to do anything wrong. I think it is rather hard not to try people again when they promise to be good-do not you?'

Yes, if it is a first fault, and if they can be tried safely; but people who are grown up, and who have bad habits, hardly ever get rid of them. We had a servant who used to read in bed, and when I was a very little girl and slept in her room, mamma went up one night,

and found us both asleep, and the curtain on fire, and papa wanted to turn her away the next morning; but she cried very much, and begged very hard, and mamma said after such a warning, she would be less likely than anybody else to do it again; so she was allowed to stay, and three nights after, she was found asleep again, with the candle on her bed.'

'She must have been quite stupid, ' said Arthur; why could not she read while she was up?"

She had got a habit of reading in bed, and she fancied she could not be happy without it. Do not you remember the wild boy we read of, who could not be happy without gnawing raw roots, because he had been used to them.'

'Yes, and they never could make him wear clothes. It is very odd that people should always like what they have been used to.'