THE PATRIARCH AND THE FIVE KINGS. 3

to her then; I took a private opportunity of entreating
George to speak for me, for I knew that our mother paid
more regard to his requests than to mine. It was he
who had told me how nice it:was to stay at grandfather’s,
and had made me wish to go there. He did speak for
me, and effectually too ;—leave was granted. Nevercan
I forget the joy I felt when George bounded into the
nursery where Johnnie and I were playing, and cried—
“ You're to go, Marianne.”

Often when we expect much happiness from anything,
it disappoints us when we get it; but it was not so with
my visit to grandfather. I expected much; but not in
the least was I disappointed. It was pleasant to weed
in his garden, and to help him to tie up his flowers. It
was pleasant to play in the fields with Johnnie, and
gather gowans to make necklaces. It was pleasant to
climb the fir trees with George, and to swing upon their
branches. But what I think were pleasanter to me
even then, and are far pleasanter to look back upon now,
were the times when we sat in the evenings on the grass
before the door, while grandfather, seated in his garden
chair, talked to us so seriously, so earnestly, and so
kindly ;—there never was any one who could talk like
grandfather.

I well remember, it was the first Saturday night
after we went, we were seated thus, and grandfather
was telling us that when we went to bed that night we
must remember that the next day was the Sabbath ;
that our first thoughts in the morning might rise in