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Guide, and promised the needful strength.

earth's mountain leads to the slippery glacier.

Higher up,
Higher up,

God's mountain leads to the Father's right hand, to the effulgence of glory. Let us not forget the two last beautiful lines,

"And from the sky, serene and far,

A voice fell, like a falling star,
Excelsior!"

"Do sing it again," said Rowland thoughtfully; and as the beloved Ethelda's clear voice sounded "Excelsior! " her brothers joined, and it seemed no longer to them "the accents of an unknown tongue," but rather the expression of a high resolve.

Rowland looked once more that night at the clear, shining stars; and they seemed to re-echo the word Ethelda had sung, and the wish again arose, "Oh! that my tiny spark might light the traveller in the dark!"

It was a high and holy desire, which should ere long spring from a far deeper and purer source than the present dissatisfied yearnings of his soul. The love of Christ should soon constrain it; and then it would lead him "Higher! higher!" until, having turned many souls unto righteousness, he should, in God's spiritual firmament, shine as the stars for ever and ever.

CHAPTER II.

COLIN AND JEANIE.

"Brother! would'st thou Jesus see,
And be blest by Him in time?

Blest, too, in eternity?

Brother, then, abide in Him.

Oh! abide in Him, iny brother,

Give thy heart up to Him whole;

This one thing, without another,
Is sufficient for thy soul."

THE old family mansion in which the Alleynes lived did not stand far from the banks of one of those clear winding rivers that intersect our northern counties. These, running rapidly through deep dells, give birth to many beautiful spots in a country that might otherwise be deemed barren and uninviting. Mr. Alleyne's grounds had been laid out with excellent taste, Nature being allowed to continue her dominion, and Art being employed as her servant, rather than allowed to become her supplanter.

Through one of the narrow mossy walks that run nearly parallel with the river, Ethelda and Rowland were passing. The former had a small covered basket in her hand, whilst

Rowland carried a bundle beneath his arm.

The day was

not inviting; it was a sunless morning in the month of November. The moss was very damp, and the banks slippery, and innumerable rain-drops, which seemed as if they would never be dried up, were suspended from each branch, and from each brown leaf, that hung clingingly, but helplessly, to the newly-denuded branches.

Rowland walked very silently, and hardly replied at all to the remarks his sister made. These, consequently, became fewer and fewer, and at length the cawing of the crows seemed the only sound that disturbed that little woodland. And now they came to a green wicket-gate, passing through which they entered a field partly stubble, partly fallow-ground, in which the countryman with his plough and horses was busily engaged. On the other side stood a thatched cottage. Ethelda took the road that led to it, and as she knocked at the door, turning to Rowland, she inquired, "Now, Rowly, won't you go in ?"

tone.

"I'd rather stay outside," he replied, in a dissatisfied

"Very well," she said, somewhat sadly; but Rowland, finding it awkward to transfer the bundle from his arm to Ethelda's, said, with an effort, "I'll go in for once, if you like it."

His sister's countenance brightened, and she cheerfully entered the old man's home, accompanied by her young brother.

"Good morning, Colin; and how are you and Jeanie today?"

"I think we are some better, ma'am; thank ye, kindly."

"I hardly expected to hear that during this dull November weather; but you are looking more cheerful. We have brought some warm things, we thought might make you and Jeanie comfortable this winter."

“Oh, thank you, kindly. I'm sure we are much obliged ;"—and Ethelda undid the parcel, and made blind Jeanie feel the warm stockings and other things that it contained. In the meantime Colin inquired of the young master whether he would not be seated, and moved his stiffened arms, as much as rheumatism would allow, to place one of the chairs in a more convenient situation. Rowland observing this, and feeling that after the poor man's trouble it would not be civil to refuse, sat down, wondering what he could say.

Colin said something about the dulness of the weather, and Rowland said, "Yes;" and then Colin hoped that the days might become brighter as the fogs of November cleared away, and Rowland said, "I hope so;' and then Colin was silent, and Rowland was silent also. Ethelda observing this, even whilst she was talking to Jeanie, immediately turned to the old man, and begged him to tell her brother of some of his adventures in early life.

"Well now, master, I'll tell you, if, maybe, ye'd like to hear. I was of a roving turn when quite young, so at

last I ran off from home and went to sea. I was always wishing I was what I wasn't, and always dreaming of making a fortune and coming back a great man. Twice I saved some pounds, and then I was both times wrecked. Indeed, master, I have found it doesn't do to be always running after the money. The last wreck told hard upon my health; we were nine days upon a raft, and were taken up more dead than alive. I do not remember the last of that; the senses were not left in me, when the ship rescued us. I was a regular wrecked man in health and fortune, so I wandered home. Father, he took me kindly in; but mother, I only saw the sod that was above her grave. Ah! that was sad to bear; and I never shall forget it, sir. A child of my brother's was on my knee, and he looks up at me and says, 'Did ye know granny ? I says, 'Yes, I am her son,' and the boy looks up and says, Are you the naughty laddie that ran away, and that granny used to pray for every night; and when she was dying she prayed the Lord Jesus, she might meet her poor Coll in heaven?' Ah! Master Rowland, that went through my heart like a dagger, for I loved mother! It was worse to bear than any shipwreck. Well, I never went to sea again, but I didn't get better. I now took to roving about the country, selling mugs and basins. I was married then, and I had several children. I was often before the magistrates as a vagrant, and I swore, and fought, and drank. Ah! I've

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