ing zeal and love. When he called the attention
of the House of Commons to the question of the slave-trade in 1788 he
was met by the most determined opposition. Men's worldly interests were
arrayed in arms against the abolition. The traffic in slaves brought
millions of money to the British coffers. So the case appeared for a
time to be hopeless. But this made no difference to Wilberforce--his
courage never failed; his resolution never wavered; year after year he
brought forward the subject, and, though he experienced eleven defeats
in his endeavours to carry the measure, at last he triumphed. And the
result was the termination of slavery in the British dominions in August
1834, and that, too, at a cost to the country of twenty millions of
money as compensation to those who, at the time, were holders of
property in slaves. All honour to Clarkson and Wilberforce, for theirs
was a noble victory, a grand result of the unwavering, unflinching moral
courage of those two moral heroes."

"A thousand cheers for them, auntie!" cried Walter. Then turning to his
brother, he added, "So you see, Amos, you must not lose heart; indeed, I
know you won't. Things will come nicely round, as Harry said. My
father, I am sure, will understand and appreciate you in time; and I
shall have to erect a triumphal arch with flowers and evergreens over
the front door, with this motto in letters of gold at the top, `Amos and
moral courage for ever.'"

"I don't know," said his brother rather sadly; "I trust things may come
round as you say. But anyhow, I mean, with God's help, to persevere;
and it is a great happiness for me to know that I have the sympathy of
my dear aunt and brother."

Not many days after this conversation, when the family were at
breakfast, Mr Huntingdon asked Walter when the steeplechase was coming
off.

"Three weeks to-morrow, I believe," replied his son. "By-the-by, I
think I ought to mention that Saunders wants me to be one of the
riders."

"You!" exclaimed his father in astonishment.

"Yes, father; he says I am the best rider of my age anywhere round, and
that I shall stand a good chance of coming in at the head of them."

"Very likely that may be the opinion of Mr Robert Saunders," replied
the squire; "but I can only say I wish you were not quite so friendly
with that young man; you know it was he who led you into that scrape
with poor Forester."

"Ah, but, father, Bob wasn't to blame. You know I took t