retired to their beds: and not long after both the sisters.

Mrs. Jones arose early the next morning. She beheld one of those beautiful and brilliant skies, which seldom enliven the county palatine in the month of March. She was delighted with tracing the course of the DEAN, from whence the village takes its name, down a narrow path, skirted with sycamores and birches, and here and there a larch or straggling thorn, or mountain ash, not yet entirely deprived of its berries; opening occasional peeps of the sea for near a mile. detached cottages and houses of Middle Dean; sometimes grouped and connected, so as to offer the semblance of a respectable town, and at other times so separated, as to appear a small straggling village. As she passed, she beheld the disjointed precipice of a rock, exhibiting proof of its containing iron. It had remained, however, undisturbed; for the owner, though, eager of inquiry on other subjects, was anxious not to receive information, which might destroy so much picturesque beauty.-She was proceeding, absorbed in meditation, when on a sudden she opened on such a majestic view of the German ocean, with such accompaniments

Behind her she saw the

of wild and beautiful scenery,—that could a connoisseur have been persuaded to put a fair value on the landscape, it would have stood at the price of some thousand pounds.

CHAPTER III.

Belly Thomson and Her Five Children-Governor Sancho-A Widow's Consolation.

WHEN Mrs. Jones got back to her sister's house, she found they had waited breakfast.Dame Thomson was a pleasing and well-looking woman; with a clear and healthy complexion; her age between thirty and forty. She had five children, two boys, and three girls; the eldest boy not quite fourteen, and the youngest child, a girl, about seven. They were all promising children; wanting nothing, but that which all other children want, discipline and instruction. It was their mother's wish, and she was kind and good-hearted, that they should have all that was best for them; but she was afraid of attempting much with young minds, and she was confused and embarrassed as to every thing that should be done.

As soon as breakfast was over, my Aunt (as they called her) addressed the eldest boy;

"Well John, you are to be stay and prop

" of

your family: what do you mean to do?" "I should have wished," said the boy, "to "have followed my father, and to have been a carpenter; but that is passed now."

"No; not passed, my dear boy. You have "health, and strength, and activity, and (I

hope) industry, and honest principles; and "those are what the world always wants. Will you let me be your adviser ?"

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Aye, indeed, aunt, and with great joy.""Well then you shall be a carpenter, John; "and the best in the neighbourhood."

"And you, my dear James," said she to the younger boy," what will you do?"

"O! you must tell me, aunt."

"Well, I have a place for you,

Nay, but aunt, don't you want to draw me "into a scrape, such as that you told us last "night, among other pretty stories, of the Spa"nish labourer, Sancho Pança;—who got the

government of an island for nothing; and "after governing it for eight days, and having "been hard worked, and sadly starved, found "the island not worth governing, and went "back contented to his cottage."

My little fellow, you shall have a better place; you shall be diligent and useful; and "then you will enjoy the fruits of your own "industry; and that is better than being sup

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ported by others; and so shall Peggy and "little Sal, and Bet. We will have work "enough for them all, if they wish it."

"Oh," cried the two little ones, "we shall "wish it fast enough, if you will stay and live "with us, and go on telling us pretty stories, " as you did last night."

The two elder children went to their school; and the three youngest played in a piece of ground, that was called the garden. It was a rood of neglected space behind the house.As soon as they were left by themselves, Dame Thomson entered on the natural and consoling history of her own afflictions.

"It had pleased God," she said, “to take "from her an honest and kind-hearted hus"band; but his mercy had blessed her with "five promising children. She only wished "she was more capable of bringing them up. "But you know, sister, I was hardly six years "old, and you, I believe, were not much "turned of fourteen, when you went to ser.

"vice. I am afraid my mother was not so "kind to you as one could have hoped; and

yet I do not venture to ask."

"She was not harsh or unkind, indeed, said "Mrs. Jones. But it very seldom happens "in life, that the affection of one's own mother "can ever be supplied by that of another. "And it was natural I should wish to get my "bread for myself. I could not be sure that "I should always have more than an half interest, in my father's house."

"Your going, however, (said the younger "sister) was a great loss to me. It deprived

me of the blessing of education; a blessing "which my poor mother neither possessed, "nor valued. I might at least have learnt to "read my bible, and to teach my little children "their letters, until I can send them to school. "But, indeed, fifteen shillings a quarter each "for my two eldest children, is as much as I "can afford in the school-way."

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Nay, my dear sister, is it possible that your three little ones cannot read ?"

"Not a word, I assure you."

"But what have their elder brother and "sister been about? I am sure they might "have taught them.'

Y