HOME AT THE HAVEN.

boy on the head, and now chucking a little girl under
the chin. At last he came to Lucy-" Ah, here is my
little friend, Miss Lucy," said he, "my good little
honest friend, who would not let me be defrauded of
any of my corn. She it is who deserves to be crowned
queen of the gleaners." And as he spoke he took up
the garland of corn-flowers which lay upon the table,
and popped it upon Lucy's head.
 Lucy held down her head, blushing deeply.
 "What is this all about? said Captain Osborne,
whilst everybody round the table looked anxious for
an explanation. Farmer Whicher jokingly told how
Master Edward had made up for his bad gleaning by
helping himself from one of his sheaves, and how
Miss Lucy had been too honest to let him be cheated
that way. He had seen it all, he said, as he stood hid
by the hedge whilst he was looking after his men;
they little knew that he had seen it all.
 It was now Edward's turn to hold down his head,
and though Farmer Whicher seemed to think it a very
good joke, there were those present who could not
think it so. Mrs. Osborne looked sorry and grieved,
and Captain Osborne said in a very severe tone to
Edward, "You ought to have been ashamed to do such a
thing. It was no better than stealing, to take the corn
in that way." Luckily for Edward, the noise of talk-
ing and the rattle of plates and spoons, together with
the praises of Lucy's honesty which were sounded
round the table, prevented these words from being heard
by the rest of the children. Lucy got rid of the crown
which made her feel so bashful, and it reached at last
the little girl who had been fixed on as a queen of the
gleaners, because she really had gleaned more than
any of them, but as Miss Whicn' took the garland
from Lucy, she said, "After all, Miss Lucy, it is a more
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