nction, and I hold it to be morally wrong to do so. Some of
you, I am credibly informed," and his voice fell to a low, distinct,
and solemn tone, "are in the habit of regularly borrowing Aunt Mary's
preserving kettle--(here Aunt Mary looked up with a bewildered air,
while her face coloured deeply, and the whole congregation stared in
amazement; but the minister went calmly on)--and this, too, without
regard to her convenience. Nor is this all--the kettle is hardly ever
returned in a good condition. How thoughtless! how wrong! In this, Aunt
Mary alone has been faithful to the precept in my text, while you have
departed widely from its true spirit. Let me hope that you will think
better of this matter, and wisely resolve to let your past
short-comings suffice."

And thus the sermon closed. It may well be supposed that for some days
there was something of a stir in the hive. The ladies of the
congregation who were among the borrowers of the preserving kettle, and
they were not a few, including the minister's wife, were for a time
deeply incensed at Aunt Mary, and not a few at the minister. But this
temporary indignation soon wore off, for Aunt Mary was so kind and good
that no one could feel offended with her for any length of time, more
especially where there was really no cause of offence. One by one, they
called upon her, as they were enabled to see how really they had been
guilty of trespassing upon good nature, and, after apologizing, enjoyed
with her a hearty laugh upon the subject. And, finally, the whole thing
came to be looked upon as quite an amusing as well as an instructive
affair.

After this, Aunt Mary was allowed to possess her beautiful bell-metal
preserving kettle in peace, which was to her a source of no small
satisfaction. And what was more, in the course of the next preserving
season, a stock of twenty or thirty brass, copper, and bell-metal
kettles, that had been lying for years on the shelves of a
hardware-dealer's store in the village, almost uninquired for, were all
sold off, and a new supply obtained from Boston to meet the increased
demand.

HOME AT LAST.

"WE'RE home at last, and I am so glad!" exclaimed a little girl, not
over ten years of age, as she paused at twilight with her mother before
a small and mean-looking house, one evening late in the month of
November.

The mother did not reply, but lifted the latch, when both passed in.
There was no light in the dwelling, and no fir