68 ALL IS NOT GOLD THAT GLITTERS.

- “IT must go now, my @od lady,” said the
minister ;_‘‘ only observing that there is no more
harm in one than in the other, except when the
desire to possess anything beyond our means
leads to discontent, if not to more actively dan-
gerous faults. I must come and lecture the lit-
tle maids myself.”

“And welcome, sir, and thank you kindly
besides; poor little dears, they have no one to
look after them but me. I daresay I am wrong
sometimes, but I do my best—I‘do my best.”

The curate thought she did according to her
knowledge, but he lamented that two such ex-
| quisitely beautiful children, possessed of such
natural gifts, should be left to the management
of a vain old woman—most vain—though kind-
ly and good-hearted—giving kindness with plea-
sure, and receiving it with gratitude—yet totally
unfit to bring up a pair of beauties, who, of all
the female sex, require the most discretion in the
management.

‘*f wonder,” thought the Reverend Mr. Stokes
—‘* I wonder when our legislature will contrive
to establish a school for mothers. If girls are
sent to school, the chances are that the contam-
ination over which the teacher can have no
control—the contamination of evil girls—ren-
ders them vicious ; if, on the contrary, they are
kept at home, the folly of their mothers makes
ther fools—a pretty choice!” Mr. Stokes
turned down a lane that ran parallel with the