sent away from home, to be brought up to business but he did not remain long with his employer. He did not at all like the trouble of learning the way to get an honourable living, so he came home to spend his time in idleness at his father's house.

But all this time, though he was so very lazy, he liked well enough to indulge himself, and to spend money in extravagance. He knew all the pastry-cooks' shops for miles round his father's house; and all the money he could get, he spent upon tarts and sweetmeats; and when he had no money, he got in debt for these things. He liked fine clothes, too; and cost his friends more for them than two good, industrious boys would have done; for it was too troublesome to him to keep his clothes neat and tidy, so they soon became shabby and worn out.

After awhile, this lazy youth grew up to be a man, and married a wife; and then he was told by his father, that he must do something for a living; for, though he had plenty of money, he had not enough to keep another family. So he got a good situation for his son, where there was not much work to do; and, for doing that little work, he was to be paid a large sum of money every year. But oh, this silly, lazy sluggard! instead of doing that little work with a cheerful heart, he did nothing he would do nothing; and so he soon lost his situation.

Soon afterwards, his parents both died, and then this poor, foolish man thought he should have no more trouble about earning money, because all that once belonged to his father now belonged to himself. But there is a great difference between an industrious man and an idle man having money. The industrious man uses it, but the idle man wastes it. And so, after a few years, the money was all gone; and now this man is like the one we read of in one of the parables: "He cannot dig, and to beg he is ashamed." I fear that he, and his wife, and his poor little children, are almost starving; and yet he will not work. Oh, he is just a picture of the sluggard in the song

to

"The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags,

And his money still wastes till he starves or he begs."

And there is one other sad part of the story of this poor, stupid man. He is far too lazy prepare for death and another world. He knows that he is a sinner, and that to be saved he must go to the Lord Jesus Christ for pardon; that he must repent, and believe on him, and love and serve him. But these things would be too troublesome: he thinks that he will do them some day, but he has not yet done them; and unless he becomes more industrious in common things, I fear he never will in these more important matters. Now, my little boy, do you wish to be like this man?

G. No, father; and I will clear up my garden the first day after I get home; indeed I will.

Mr. H. I am glad to hear you say this, because I wished you to feel that you have been lazy about your garden. I hope, too, that you will do. something more; that you will be sorry for your past neglect, as a sin. And more than all, my dear boy, may you immediately begin, if you have not yet begun, to "strive to enter in at the strait gate" which leads to heaven; to work out your salvation with fear and trembling; to run with vigour, and with patience, the race set before you in the gospel; and to do all these things, looking to Jesus for help and grace. Then I am sure you will not be a sluggard, either for time or eternity.

A SMALL CLOUD WHICH SOON PASSED OFF.

ONE day, when George had been at his grandfather's house nearly three weeks, his father told him that he was going to take a long walk-much longer than George would have strength for-and that it was therefore necessary for him to remain at home with his kind friends. George was very much concerned to hear this; for he did not like to be separated from his father. He begged hard that he might be allowed to try to walk where his father was going: he was almost sure

that he should not be tired; and if he were, he would not complain.

But Mr. Hardy knew what was proper for his little boy, better than that little boy himself knew. He therefore said, "You cannot go with me; and it is very kind of your grandmother and aunt to be willing to take charge of you while I am gone. If you choose, I have no doubt at all of your being very happy, and I shall expect to hear a good account of you when I return in the evening. Now, will you try to be happy?"

George did not much like to promise, for he thought it impossible to be happy while his father was away from him. If he had been at home with his mother and sisters, it would have been a different thing. So, at last, Mr. Hardy was obliged to leave his little boy very sad, and, I am almost ashamed to say, in tears.

But his grandmother was very kind and patient. She began to talk to him, and soothe him. His aunt, too, walked round the garden with him, and gave him some fruit, and told him little histories of herself, and her brothers and sisters, when they were children. By degrees George became more contented with the absence of his father; and, in less than half an hour, he was as gay and happy as he had been any day of his visit.

Grandmother had, in her dressing-room, a chest of choice toys, which had belonged to

L