and her conduct faulty; had she been cruel to him during his childhood, exacting towards him in manhood, stern and selfish throughout life; the obligation of the fifth commandment remains permanent and binding.

His covetous spirit destroyed him. He grudged his aged parent the few and sparing comforts she possessed. He must have all. She had lived too long: and was in his way. "Take," whispered the Tempter, and triumphed.

The crime was no frenzied sally of the moment. It was maturely planned and deliberately executed. Bitter were its fruits.

The history has

more than one moral. It presents two or three striking points for observation.

How madly they act who fancy they can run away from trials: and place themselves beyond the reach of calamity!

This the fate of Hester Loxley exemplifies. Some time previous to this frightful occurrence, this party lived servant in the family of Mr. Collins, a tallow-chandler at the bottom of Broad Street, Worcester, whose house was accidentally set on fire, when himself, his wife, and five children, perished in the flames!

Hester Loxley alone escaped! At imminent risk of life she leapt boldly from her bed-room window, fracturing her leg, and suffering otherwise material injury. But life was spared. On recovery she resolved never to live in a town again; quitted Worcester and obtained for herself a place in the country in order that she might never have to encounter a similar misfortune. Her new home was Upton Snodsbury; and her new mistress, Alice Palmer; and as previously detailed, she shared in her new servitude the fate of that unhappy

woman.

How blind are we to the future! How disposed to rely on our own foresight! How willing are we to believe that we can shape out our own career; determine our own destiny; work out our own happiness; and nurse and bring to maturity our own schemes. Delusion all! Our "times are in His hands."

It is "not in man that walketh to direct his steps!"

Out of evil an unerring Ruler brings good.

The murder of Mrs. Palmer was the means of conferring a great and constantly accruing good upon the poor of the city of Worcester.

It led to the foundation of Bishop Lloyd's School for the clothing and educating of poor children-boys and girls; each parish being benefited in rotation. An institution cleverly and faithfully administered; one among the many beneficent and well managed charities which that fair and highly-favoured city can boast.

After Palmer's death, the estate before mentioned in the parish of White Lady Aston, fell to the Bishop of Worcester, who, being unwilling to appropriate to his own benefit property so painfully acquired and so stained with crime, devoted it to charitable purposes. With this view the bishop executed a deed of endowment for the establishment of a charity school in Worcester: granting the rents of the said estate, then worth about thirty-five pounds, to three feoffees for three lives. By which means, and assisted with subscriptions from various sources, his lordship was enabled to found a school for educating and clothing sixteen boys and eight girls, and training them for useful stations in society.

Thus the Beneficent and Ever Watchful carries out the great purposes of His government;

over-rules evil for good; brings to light the hidden deeds of darkness; proves by palpable and striking instances that "the blood-thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his days;" and, when he will, makes even "THE WRATH OF man to praise HIM.”

CHAPTER XVII.

EXTRAVAGANCE THE HIGHWAYMAN'S TRAINING

SCHOOL.

Robert Walpole Chamberlaine.

"He that spends all his life in sports, is like one who wears nothing but fringes, and eats nothing but sauces.”

PHILIP HENRY.

THE cry is often loudly raised, and as often slavishly heeded-"Ah! he will succeed because he is backed by means; and he will assuredly fail, because he has to struggle with poverty." But it is not always thus. Means are sometimes a positive evil. Where prudence and principle are wanting, they are destructive. Whereas poverty, though a severe school, teaches many a salutary lesson, affords many a valuable check, subdues a man's heart, renders it soft and sympathising, and nerves him for future effort and for future usefulness.

Which of these assertions will the following facts support?

N