“Nay, Keziah ; it’s not for you to judge; I
won’t have you saying such things about the gell.
To hear you one would think the Lord had put
the sickness on her as a punishment, and wanted
to send her to hell-fire after.”

Keziah only shook her head gloomily. To her
mind there was no hope in Emma Lowe’s death,
but she said, “There were little time for repenting.”

“Time enough if so be that He was willing.
And indeed her was praying above a bit before
her died, when the pains give her the chance.
Happen we'll find her at the right hand at the
judgment-day along with a good few more, as
folks don’t look to see with the sheep. While, I
doubt, some as is certain sure of being there, will
find themselves of the other side. Don’t you think,
Keziah, that Jesus Christ wanted that poor gell,
for all her finery and rubbish, every bit as much
as He did them poor women in Jerusalem, who
had gone a bit out of the way? I wouldn’t be
saying now but that they began with being over
fond of fine clothes, and brooches and bracelets,
(there’s a deal about such things in the Bible, you
mind) and then got led on from bad to worse, farther
by a long way nor this poor thing. But they come
right, they come to His feet, even though it were
with weeping and tears and a terrible deal of trouble,
they come there at last, and He took care on them.
I don’t doubt He'll take care on this one, tco,
in His own way, and it ain’t for us to pick and
choose the way that He shall take.”

Keziah shook her head again, and sighed.

“Tt’s comfortable for them as can think so, if
only they ain’t deceiving theirselves.”

“There’s two sorts of deceiving about such
things, Keziah ; there’s the deceiving as teaches
folks to forget all about the Lord’s justice, and
the deceiving as makes them forget all about His
mercy. Both is bad, but there’s such a deal about
mercy and loving-kindness in the Bible, and such
lots of tales about folks as had their sins forgiven
them even up to the very last minute, like the
thief, that when a body is old and has seen a deal
of trouble, it comes welly naturally to think oftener
of one nor the other. But there! it’s no use

‘| talking! and it’s time the morning’s milk was

skimmed.”

Without farther remark Keziah went to the
brewhouse, and Mrs. Ramsay proceeded to the
dairy ; at the door she found Trot.

“Me too,” said the child, as the old woman wentin.

“Come your ways then,” answered Mrs. Ramsay,
and Trot accepted the invitation graciously ; and
after some difficulty perched herself on the low
tram where the milk pans stood, and watched the
skimming with absorbing interest, not unmindful
of spoonfuls of cream which had come her way on
former occasions.

WINNIE CORSELLIS; OR, DEATH IN THE POT.

some delay, made about the repairs to the roof had
to all appearance been as fruitless as usual. Mr.
Barrett expressed his willingness to do any thing in
reason for the good of the property if the other
holders would agree.

“You cannot expect me to say more, eh Mr.
Ramsay ?”

“No, sir, I suppose not, but seeing as how none
of you ever does agree, I’m afraid my roof won’t be
much the better.”

Mr. Barrett laughed. “I know the old ladies
won't consent to any thing I propose: you remem-
ber I asked them to join in draining the moat
close ?”

“And they was willing to stock up that big
fence that I’m always wanting out of the road. It
covers a good half-acre of land, and harbours ver-
min, and don’t do no good. It ain’t the old ladies
as hinders that job, sir.”

“Oh it’s not worth spending money on a thing
like that,” said Mr. Barrett hurriedly. ‘“ It would
cost a great deal and bring very little profit. But
about the roof now, suppose you go to them and
ask yourself if they willagree to having it repaired.
Don’t say you have asked me, or they will be sure
to refuse at once.”

“Tf they are willing, you will be so too, sir ?”

© VOGEL,”

“Td like just to have a line wrote out to say so;
no offence, sir,” he added, seeing Mr. Barrett looking
angry ; “no offence, but people as is busy like you
might easy forget, and it will hinder a good bit of
time going over to Merton to see the ladies and
talking to them and all, and I shouldn’t like to |
throw a day away and then find it no good.”

“Don’t you be afraid, Ramsay, Tl keep my |
word ; you get their consent and the job shall be |
done.”

And Ramsay had to be content with this, though |
he would much rather have had a written promise. |
He had found verbal agreements slippery things to |
deal with, and noticed that promises were apt to be |
forgotten and repudiated when the call came for
fulfilment. |

“Tl have a try at they old ladies,” he said to |
his wife, “and if it don’t answer I’ll never bother
none of them no more, the place shall take its |
chance and stand or fall as it has a mind.”

“Oh, that would be a pity,” said Winnie, who |
had come into the kitchen with a jug of water in
one hand, and a bunch of lady-fern in the other.
“TJ can’t think why any one should let such a dear
old place as this get out of repair.”

And then it was that she was told of the divided

ownership and its results.
:

II SS

vill.

Tue application which Mrs. Ramsay had, after
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