= men,

 

Janet and he had a long consultation, and it
ended in Bridget being fetched, and the story of the
brooch being told before all the servants that very OWishallavelerosethetriven?
evening. ! & rf There j Rees

wee Will was so excited he actually made a : Dh Bees Sees
speech. ri Ela ete ce EVI
_ ‘We might all be proud to be in Bridget’s place ena NS a 2
just now,’ he said; ‘she has borne unjust suspicion TAGs Sanaa heat yi
yell and bravely, holding up her head the while, as How'shalt Rae NA pe
well as she could.’ fheniea alae

Uncle Will knew this for a fact, since he had got prod eonch the ohensie

-her at rary pl in the C y Hospi ¥
oe Aenea Hens Bes esCgauity, Hospital atier How shall we cross the river ?

That question, long ago,

Our stout forefathers answered—
In Saxon times, you know.

They wrought with patient labour
In all the cold and wet;

And, plying arms and lever,

THE STEPPING-STONES.

‘You may well wish to welcome her back here,’
he continued, addressing Janet, cook, and Nancy :
‘ but that cannot be yet, she is too much needed by
the sick whom she is tending. So, as a little remem-
brance of this happy clearing up of a painful mystery,
please take this bit of paper.’

And Uncle Will, whose speech ended rather ab- The stepping-stones they set.
ruptly, stuffed a five-pound note into Bridget’s hand,
and suddenly disappeared down the passage. And here the country people
‘Put it in the savings’ bank,’ said a voice that Have trafficked to and fro,
sounded in the distance; and then the front door Save when the roaring river
clanged, and Roy and Johnnie shook hands with Is swelled with rain and snow.
Bridget, and cook made her come down to a bit of Better these shapeless fragments
supper; and even Nancy was kind, and forgot her Yet joining side to side,
conceit. Than many a lordly steeple
Bridget did not return to service at the Brae, she Or fretted tomb of pride.
| was too useful at the hospital; but Angus did not
now, as he used to do, object to Janet visiting the How shall we cross the river?
cottages in Town Lane, and once, when a little sister Oh, never say it’s vain,
of Bridget’s came to the house with some sewing But use your best endeavour
which she had done for ‘ the lady,’ he asked,— The promised land to gain.
‘Couldn’t we give that girl a lift? she looks Across the rushing river
intelligent and decent. Nancy could surely teach The golden pippins gleam ;
her ?’ Say, shall we turn faint-hearted,
Janet was so pleased! It was her great wish to And tremble at the stream ?
take this Ruth Morne, but after her trouble with f
Bridget she dared not suggest it. The bridge may serve the noble,
“Somehow good has come out of that painful Heir to a cushioned seat ;
business. Janet has learned to be less hasty in The stepping-stones are fitter
well-doing even, and Angus has widened his ideas For lads with naked feet :
of his duties as regards his poor neighbours. Roy The prince but crosses over;
and Johnnie, too, are less ready to carry exciting And they can do the same;
reports about when they are to the discredit of There are more ways than one, boys,
others; and as to cook and Nancy, they were heard To get an honoured name.
to say,—‘ Well, they never! It would he a long time y
before they dared fix anything on anybody after that Yes, there are stairs to glory,
little mistake about poor Bridget!’ H. A. F. For all who wish to climb,

But they who would be cragsmen
Must use life’s early prime ;

 

 

IN A DILEMMA. The scholar and the soldier,
The merchant, the divine,
JUST and severe man in the olden time built a Their alpenstock must shoulder
gallows on a bridge, and asked every passenger When the first sunbeams shine.
whither he was going. If he answered truly, he
passed unharmed; if falsely, he was hanged on the And there are lives to show us
gallows. One day a passenger, being asked the usual What any one may do,
question, answered, ‘1 am going to be hanged on the If he be brave and patient,
gallows.’ Industrious and true :

‘ Now,’ said the gallows-builder, ‘if I hang this man, The great men yet among us,
he will have answered truly, and ought not to have The great men gone before,
been hanged; if I do not hang him, he will have Are stepping-stones to help us
answered falsely, and ought to have been hanged.’ Unto the Happy Shore.

History does not say what decision he came to. G. §. 0,