SUSAN GRAY. 53

He who called me. (1 Thess. v.24.) As the arms
of the mother are a protection on each side of
the careless and wayward child, so did his
everlasting arms uphold me, though I knew it
not. I, who had blamed Charlotte so freely,
but a few days past, had certainly fallen under
the same temptation, had not my Almighty
Saviour upheld me. So foolish was I and ig-
norant ; I was as a beast before thee. Never-
theless, I am continually with thee; thou hast
holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide
me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me
to glory. (Psalm Ixxiti. 22—24.)

As I returned home, I came into a narrow
Jane which led from the town to the meadows
in which our house stands. At the end of this
lane was a stile, on each side of which grew
some very tall trees, whose green boughs made
a kind of bower over the head.

When I came in view of this stile, I saw a
gentleman sitting upon it reading aletter; but
I could not teil, because of the shade of the
trees, who he was.

I would have gone back, and taken another
way home, that 1 might not give him the trou-
ble of rising to let me pass, but I supposed
that my mistress would, by this time, be come
from church, and would be in want of her
dinner. So I walked on.

But when I came near the stile, I was much
surprised to find that this gentleman was the
Captain. He went on reading the letter, and
never moved from his seat till [ was come up
close to him. I stood waiting for some mou-

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