and I am glad I went."

"I am inclined to think, Willie," said his father, "that if every body
would make it a rule to settle up all their differences _before Sunday_,
there would be very few long quarrels and lawsuits. In about half the
cases, a quarrel is founded on some misunderstanding that would be got
over in five minutes if one would go directly to the person for
explanation."

"I suppose I need not ask you," said Mrs. Fletcher, "whether you have
fully learned your Sunday school lessons."

"O, to be sure," said William. "You know, mother, that Susan and I were
busy about them through Monday and Tuesday, and then this afternoon we
looked them over again, and wrote down some questions."

"And I heard Robert say his all through, and showed him all the places
on the Bible Atlas," said Susan.

"Well, then," said my friend, "if every thing is done, let us begin
Sunday with some music."

Thanks to the recent improvements in the musical instruction of the
young, every family can now form a domestic concert, with words and
tunes adapted to the capacity and the voices of children; and while
these little ones, full of animation, pressed round their mother as she
sat at the piano, and accompanied her music with the words of some
beautiful hymns, I thought that, though I might have heard finer music,
I had never listened to any that answered the purpose of music so well.

It was a custom at my friend's to retire at an early hour on Saturday
evening, in order that there might be abundant time for rest, and no
excuse for late rising on the Sabbath; and, accordingly, when the
children had done singing, after a short season of family devotion, we
all betook ourselves to our chambers, and I, for one, fell asleep with
the impression of having finished the week most agreeably, and with
anticipations of very great pleasure on the morrow.

Early in the morning I was roused from my sleep by the sound of little
voices singing with great animation in the room next to mine, and,
listening, I caught the following words:--

"Awake! awake! your bed forsake,
To God your praises pay;
The morning sun is clear and bright;
With joy we hail his cheerful light.
In songs of love
Praise God above--
It is the Sabbath day!"

The last words were repeated and prolonged most vehemently by a voice
that I knew for Master William's.

"Now, Willie, I like the other one best," said the soft voice of