tions
were always so good, that she had great hopes of taking the first
prize; and her master, with whom she was a great favourite, did not
conceal his expectation of her success. Just the day before the
examination, when looking over the list of subjects for revision, she
found, to her dismay, that she had unaccountably overlooked one of
those prescribed. It was quite too late to hope to repair the omission
satisfactorily, but she hastily procured the proper book, and set to
work at once, to try to gain such a general knowledge of the subject
as would enable her to reply to the questions that were certain to be
asked upon it. But her overtasked mind refused to grasp the words that
swam before her eyes; and a headache, which had been annoying her for
days, became so severe, that she was obliged to shut the book and
throw herself on the bed, her oppressed mind relieving itself in a
burst of tears.

While she was still crying, Amy came in, and, going up to her, stroked
her cheek with her loving little hands. "Are you hurt, Cousin Lucy?"
she asked wonderingly; and as her cousin shook her head, she asked in
a lower tone, "Were you naughty, Cousin Lucy?"--these being to her the
only conceivable causes for sorrow.

"Yes, Amy, I've been naughty!" exclaimed Lucy impetuously. She saw now
how wrong she had been in allowing herself to be so led away by her
ambition, as to have sacrificed to it all else, even her habit of
watching in faith for

"The service that Thy love appoints."

Numerous instances rushed upon her mind, in which she had turned aside
from opportunities of usefulness, of showing kindness and forbearance
to others; she had been letting her oil run out, and her lamp burnt
faint and dim, and all that she might gain this petty prize, which she
was likely to lose after all! Had she not, in yielding to her peculiar
temptation, allowed herself to become as worldly as those whom in her
heart she had been condemning?

Amy's gentle voice came to awaken more soothing thoughts. "But why do
you cry so, Lucy?" she said. "Won't Jesus forgive you, and make you
good?"

Lucy's "bread upon the waters" had come back to her in spiritual
comfort, just when she most needed it. She put her arms round her
little monitor, and, as she kissed her, her thoughts formed an earnest
prayer that her Lord would indeed forgive her, and help her to begin
again, wiser for her experience, and strong in looking to Him for
strength.

The q