ot, so much as what one has done, that makes
life pleasant to look back upon."

"It is pleasant to have plenty of money, too, however," said Jem.

"And people can do good with their money," said Violet.

"Yes, that is true; but money don't stand for everything, even to do
good with. Money won't stand instead of a life spent in God's service.
Money, even to do good with, is a poor thing compared with that. Money
won't go a great ways in the making of happiness, without something
else."

"Would you like to live your life over again, Miss Bethia?" asked
Violet.

"No--I shouldn't. Not unless I could live it a great deal better. And
I know myself too well by this time to suppose I should do that. It
wouldn't pay, I don't believe. But oh! children, it is a grand thing to
be young, to have your whole life before you to give to the Lord. You
can't begin too young. Boys, and you, too, Violet--you have great
privileges and responsibilities."

This was Miss Bethia's favourite way of putting their duty before them.
She had said this about "privilege and responsibility" two or three
times to-night already, as the boys knew she would. It had come to be a
by-word among them. But even Jem did not smile this time, she was so
much in earnest, and Violet and David looked very grave.

"`Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.' That's what
you've got to do. `Take the whole armour of God,' and fight His
battles."

The boys looked at each other, remembering all that had been said about
this of late.

"Your father said right. It is a grand thing to come to the end of life
and be able to say, `I have fought the good fight; I have kept the
faith.'"

"Like Mr Great Heart in the Pilgrim's Progress," said Ned.

"Yes. Sometimes it's lions, and sometimes it's giants, but it's
fighting all the way through, and God gives the victory. Yes,"
continued Miss Bethia, after a pause, "it's fighting all the way
through, and it don't so much matter how it looks to other folks.
Horseshoes or sermons, it don't matter, so that it is done to the Lord.
Your father, he is a standard-bearer; and your mother, she helps the
Lord's cause by helping him, and so she fights the good fight, too.
There's enough for all to do, and the sooner you begin, the more you can
do, and the better it will be--And I'm sure it's time these children
were in bed now."

Yes, it was more than time, as all acknowledged, but they did not go
very