Little Minnie delighted much as she grew better in her young nurse's simple tales of the village.

Is it nice in the country? tell about it,' she would often say to Betsy.

And Betsy would describe nutting and wild-strawberry gathering, and cowslip and primrose-picking, till the little girl pictured Lawton a Paradise.

'But I hardly know which is best, the town or our village.'

That large church with its glowing windows had indeed excited the little villagegirl's warmest admiration, and grieved was she to find from Joe that he had never set foot inside it. The missis thought he went, he confessed, but he had mostly gone to sleep in his loft on Sundays.

'Come with me to-day,' said Betsy, the first Sunday she could be spared.

And Joe, half-ashamed of doing right, he had so long been contented with doing wrong, shambled after the shabby little figure in the sun-bonnet.

It's a fine place is Dangerford,' said Betsy, admiringly.

Ay, perhaps to look at,' muttered Joe; 'but it's none so nice when you come to work in it.'

'Work's always rather hard everywhere, isn't it?' said Betsy, timidly. "You found minding the plough bad, didn't you, Joe?' Joe said 'Yes,' rather surlily.

'Mother's so glad not to have to keep us these bad times,' pursued Betsy. 'And Joe dear, you will try and keep your place and please Mr. Jones; he's really kind, I think.' Joe said nothing, for they were near the church.

It was evening, and they crept into a quiet corner. Betsy was always attentive in church, and she tried to keep Joe from dropping off,' as she called it; finding his places and jogging him gently now and then. When they came out he said, 'I'll try a bit now, Betsy, and see if I can content the master.'

'Do, dear Joe,' said Betsy; 'you'll please mother, you know, and father, and

Betsy's voice dropped, but Joe heard her.

Very soon after this Betsy was sent for home to attend on her mother; the old baby

had been displaced by a new little redfaced one, whom Betsy thought beautiful.

She had to answer a great many questions about Dangerford and the Joneses, while she showed the money and presents given her by Mr. and Mrs. Jones.

The town was beautiful, the master and missis so kind and so pleasant; she was to go back when mother could spare her.

'And what does Joe think of the town?' asked the father.

'He don't like it so much, he thinks Lawton's best now,' said truthful Betsy.

6

And he was always grumbling at it when he was here,' said George Davies. 'And you think 'em both one as nice as the other! It seems to me, Betsy, my lass, as it's not town and country as differs, but folks' own hearts: you're that full of content nothing goes wrong nowhere, and Joe he's that eaten up with discontent, nothing's never right. Eh, isn't that it, mother?'

'Oh, but he's going to be better nowhe's told me so,' said good Betsy, unwilling to hear Joe blamed.

But all the same George Davies was right. Whether Joe did mend or not remains to be seen. H. A. F.

THE BABY'S GRAVE.

LITTLE daisy-covered mound
Under the old yew-tree,

And as I have passed I have often thought
Whose that little grave could be.

'Twas early one bright spring morning,
As I neared that peaceful spot,
When a little girl I chanced to see

With a bunch of forget-me-not.

I watched as she knelt by the tiny grave,
And planted the flower there,
Then I saw that a tear was brushed away
Whilst her lips were moving in prayer.

'Are you in trouble, my little girl?'
I said, as she passed me by;
She only said in a tearful voice,
'Baby's now in the bright blue sky.

She only stayed a few short weeks,
Then angels took her away;
And now she is up with them singing-
So father and mother do say.