t of divine truth has steadily shone, smile at this poor child's
ignorance, but rather try to show their gratitude for higher
privileges, by seeking to impart some of the light shed on them so
abundantly to those who are still wandering in darkness.

On Nelly's listening heart Mr. Raymond's sermon did not fall so
fruitlessly as some might have expected. For God is, for all, the
hearer and answerer of prayer, and He never leaves unheard the weakest
cry to Him. As the lonely child once more sought her comfortless home,
she felt a stirring of new hope within her, and scarcely minded her
mother's rough words when she demanded, "What have you been doing out
so late? No good, I am sure!"

Mrs. Connor had been enlarging, among sympathizing friends, on the
hardship of her having to support her husband's child when he did so
little himself for his family. "My goodness! all he gives us wouldn't
half pay Nelly's board," she had declared; and as her grievances were
still fresh in her mind, she greeted her step-child with even more
asperity than usual.

But as Nelly crept away to her hard little bed, perhaps some angel,
sent to minister to the motherless child, may have known that the
"good-for-nothing," ignorant little girl, oppressed with the feeling
of her own sinfulness, and full of the thought of her new-found
heavenly Friend, was nearer the kingdom of heaven than the petted,
admired, winning Stella Brooke, who had never yet learned her need of
the Saviour, who came "not to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance."

V.

_Strawberrying._

"Why should we fear youth's draught of joy,
If pure, would sparkle less?
Why should the cup the sooner cloy
Which God has deigned to bless?"

The "strawberry picnic" proposed by Alick Steele had been fixed for
the following Tuesday should it prove fine. Alick and Fred had been
over at Mill Bank Farm, and the younger Fords had agreed to meet them
at the ravine, with their contribution of milk and cream, and various
other things which Mrs. Ford's zealous housewifery would not be
prevented from sending, though Fred assured her that it was
unnecessary.

"I know what young folks can eat, Mr. Fred," she replied, "and you may
as well have plenty;" and Alick laughingly assured her she was quite
right. Alick Steele, or the "young doctor," as his old friends now
began to call him, had been an acceptable guest at many a picnic and
merry-making, but he had nev