prayers and hymns that she herself had learned at Sunday school, though she had not spoken to her of Jesus, as Lucy had done.  The story of His love fell upon a heart that was unconsciously yearning for a fuller measure of affection than it had ever received from human sources; and the love which it excited in return, for Him whom the child seemed at once to recognise as an ever near and present friend, became the most powerful influence of her life.  She never wearied of hearing about Him, of asking questions about Him, particularly about His childhood, which often threw light, in her young teacher’s mind, upon things which she had not considered before.  The child’s intense interest, too, and the simplicity of her childish faith, were no small help to Lucy, in the midst of much that might have drawn her heart and mind away from her first love.  For there were many temptations in her way,—­temptations which sometimes overcame her.  Even her zeal in her studies often unduly absorbed her mind, tempting her to leave the fag-end of time and strength for prayer and the reading of God’s word, and her natural ambition often led her into unchristian feelings and tempers.  Then, when humbled and discouraged, and doubtful whether she really was a child of God at all, some simple, loving remark of Amy’s would drive away the clouds, and she would come again, in penitence and faith, to drink of the living water which alone can quench human thirst.

Sometimes the spiritual beauty of her little cousin’s expression, and her growing ripeness for a better country, would awaken a feeling of regret that Amy was not more like other children, lest indeed she might be ripening for an early removal.  Yet the thought would recur:  “Amy is not fit for the roughness of the world; why should I wish her stay upon it, instead of going home to rest in her Saviour’s bosom?”

Fred had paid a short visit to his sister as soon as his college vacation commenced, but he had made an engagement for the summer as a tutor, and he was obliged to hasten away to his duties before Lucy had said half of what she wished to say, or asked his advice on half the subjects on which she had been longing for it.  However, short as his visit was, it was very useful as well as very pleasant, reviving old thoughts and habits of feeling which were in danger of falling into the background, and stimulating her to follow the example of a brother who was so stedfastly bent on following his Lord.

As the time for the summer examinations at Mrs. Wilmot’s drew near, Lucy, bent on carrying off two or three of the prizes, redoubled her application to her studies; but she allowed her desire to accomplish her object to carry her too far.  All her thoughts, all her time, were so engrossed by it, that she had none to spare for anything else.  She would not join her cousins in any of their innocent recreations, and became impatient and irritable when she met with claims upon her time that could not be set aside.  Even