William was now elated beyond measure, not only at the thought of being better clothed, and better fed, but because the occupation proposed to him was exactly in that line for which he fancied he had a particular calling. He, therefore, entered upon his pastoral life with as much real enthusiasm as the sailor feels on first embarking on the sea, or the soldier when he first fastens in his cap the gay cockade with floating ribands. It was, however, a very quiet life, and one in which William soon discovered, that, except when his master was in the field, he might often be idle if he liked, without any one knowing that he was so; and, like many other boys, William was not conscientious enough to do his duty when he was not observed, just the same as when he was. He had, besides, a passion for music, and though the birds sang all day over his head, some of them such sweet and merry songs as might have made any heart rejoice to hear them, William was possessed with the desire to produce some music of his own; and as his voice was somewhat rough and cracked, he set his heart upon purchasing some instrument with which he might amuse himself while tending the sheep on the common, or in the fields.

The first money which William received, therefore-the first actual money which was really his own-he laid by for this purpose; and though he went home in the meantime, and saw how wretched they all looked in his father's cottage, and knew that his mother, his kind mother, was faint and feeble for want of better food, he kept back the small sum he had received from the farmer, simply, as he told Martha when she remonstrated

with him for doing so, because it was his own, and he had a right to keep it. Still, when he bid his mother good-by, and turned away from the village of Oakton that night, he was not very comfortable in his own mind, though conscious of a sort of greedy satisfaction in not having taken the money with him, because he could say to himself, whenever his conscience pricked him, "I have not got the money, and therefore I could not give it to them if I would."

There is, however, no real happiness in acting a selfish part, whatever we may gain by doing so; while, on the other hand, there is always some enjoyment in being generous, whatever we may lose.

A few days after William's visit to his father and mother, he had an opportunity of laying out his money in the way which he imagined could procure for him more enjoyment than any other. It was all the money he had in the world-all he had ever had-and it is a point of great importance to know how to spend our money, whether it be much or little, in the wisest manner; or, in other words, to do the most good we can with it. William never asked himself whether he was going to do the most good he could with his money. He simply set his mind upon one thing, and, whether right or wrong, was determined he would have it. Need we ask whether William was the only boy who ever did this?

It was at a great cattle-fair held in the neighborhood, where William had the long-wished-for opportunity of making his purchase. The act of going to the fair was not wrong in him, because

he was sent there by his master, to help to take care of a flock of sheep; and as he was there, he thought he should be foolish, indeed, not to look in among the shops and stalls, where other young people were anxious, like himself, to lay out their money in that which would make them most happy, at least for a time; for it is more than probable, very few of them bestowed a single thought upon whether or not their happiness would last.

Strong as William's determination was to purchase an instrument of music, by which he might delight himself, and, as he imagined, everybody else, he was more than once tempted to deviate from this resolution, by the sight of things which he had never either seen or thought of in his whole life before, and which, therefore, could not have come into his calculations as bearing any comparison with that which he desired so much to buy. It was, however greatly to the advantage of his stability in keeping to his original plan, that he was not long in casting his eye upon the very thing he wanted; and, what appeared to him most lucky, as it does not always occur in the experience of young purchasers, the price was just within his means.

A happy boy was William, therefore, as he trudged home that night, or, at all events, he thought himself so; though he feared he should have no opportunity of practising upon his flagelet before the next day. Tired as he was, however, when he went up to the attic where the servants slept, he sat a good while on the box which contained all his worldly possessions, hoping his companion at the fair would be so soundly asleep, that he might

try a few notes of his music. With this intention he applied the instrument to his lips, when, though he blew very gently, a sound so shrill and discordant was produced, that he was glad to hide his treasure once more in his box, and jump into bed, before his fellow-servant had growled out a few words of astonishment at what he could possibly be doing.

It was on the following morning that William expected his happiness to be complete; and waking, as the young are apt to do with an indistinct idea that something pleasant had occurred, or was about to occur, he suddenly remembered his flagelet, and, starting out of bed, was in the field, that that day, at least half-an-hour earlier than usual.

"That's right," said the farmer, who was himself an active bustling man, "that's right," he repeated, commending William's industry. "I like to see a young man move briskly in a morning; it's a sign that the evening won't surprise him before his work is done."

William blushed deeply at this compliment, knowing how little it was deserved; and, turning away his head, wished heartily the farmer would go home to his breakfast, and not take the trouble to look at one sheep after another, as if he meant to stay among them all day.

At last the farmer went away, and William, taking good care that he had turned round the corner of the barn which concealed from his view the front of the farmhouse, betook himself to a shady spot, where a cool stream lay as if it were asleep, under the shadow of a lofty and spreading tree, and there taking the flagelet from his pocket, the young

musician began to sound those notes in which he expected to find the most enchanting music.

Had William not been naturally gifted with what is called an ear for music, he might perhaps have been satisfied with the noise he made-all shrill and discordant as it was-simply because it was his own making; but unfortunately for him, he had a very clear perception that it was not what it ought to be, and in his eagerness to govern the notes so as to make it better, he forgot his flocks, his master, his duty, and everything else. At first this appeared to be of little consequence, for the animals were evidently attracted by a sound so strange and new, especially the dog, who looked up into William's face, as if to see whether he was really in his senses or not. In process of time, however, as the novelty wore off, they all strayed away in different directions, according to their several tastes and inclinations, until the minstrel was left entirely alone, so much so, that not a single bird remained in the trees beside him; the lark ceased to sing over his head, the wood-pigeon hushed its soothing note, and the blackbird and thrush flew away to the cherry-tree in the farmer's garden.

And this was the young shepherd's woodland music. Perhaps, had he been asked, he could not have said that he thought it very sweet; but it was his own, and we fancy there are other minstrels, besides William, who have liked their own discord better than the melody of others.

"I will just try these three notes over again," said William, talking aloud in the height of his enjoyment: they seem to come quite right for the beginning of In my Cottage near a Wood."