Lucy Raymond; Or, The Children's Watchword

's H

eart a li

d, its stren

ly live i

ving, love

aceful-looking girl about her own age, who, with her golden hair floating on her shou

f to pass the time; looked over all your books, and couldn't find a nice one I hadn't read; teased

ing tone; and having been vexed previously at her refusal to accompany her to Sunday school, she

been with me! If you had only heard what Miss Preston

tease, "she looks so demure. And as for dressing, why, Ada and Sophy wouldn't

ntly. "If you only had something better to think of, you w

Uncle Raymond's sermons, isn't i

"Well, I'm glad I didn't go to Sunday school if it makes people come home cross and sulky!" And then, unconscious o

disorderly ways were a considerable drawback to the pleasure so long anticipated of having a companion of her own age. Just now her eye fell at once on her ransacked bookcase all in confusion, with the books scattered ab

r aspirations, there was an unconscious desire for pre-eminence and an insidious self-complacency-"little foxes" that will spoil the best grapes. She had to learn that God will not be served with unhallowed fire; that the heart must be freed from pride and self-seeking before it can be fit for the service of the sanctuary. Alr

xtent supplied the want of the mother she could scarcely remember, she could not have specified the time when she first began to look upon Christ as her Saviour, and to feel herself

blend with

ping at T

ssed it, and asked for more of the strengt

ving forgotten all about Lucy's hastiness. Lucy seated herself on the grass beside them, joining readily in the admiration with which

nche-such a pretty name, i

ause I don't like it;" and so saying, he rus

y's card, which she had brought down. "Yes, it's pretty, but Sophy do

e for the Bible than she herself did, if she painted illuminated texts. "I

at, it's so short. I don't see what it means;

can't see Him, and is ready to help us when we do right, and grieved and displeased when we do wrong. I f

obliged to leave this world; but it had never occurred to her that the salvation of which she had been told was to influence her life now, or awaken any love from her in response to the great love which had been shown toward her. Not daring to reply, she glanced listlessly over the hymn on the card, but took up none of its meaning. She had never been conscious of any heavy burden of sin to be "laid on Jesus." Petted and praised

already seated at the tea-table. Her quiet, gentle face, in the plain widow's cap, greeted them with a smile, brightening with a mother's pride and pleasure as she glanced towards her son Alick, just now spending a brief holiday at Ashleigh on the completion of his medical studies. He was a handsome high-spirit

aw such quantities of str

terrupted H

go and eat them all up. Over on the edge of the woods by Mill Bank Farm. I could soon have

avely, "you mustn't talk so thought

I'll come all right yet. As for these strawberries, Lucy, I vote we have a strawberry picnic, and give

added to the party, but she did not venture to say anything, as Alick was by no means spari

night," interposed Mrs. Steele; "you know your u

ver afraid of his father; yet there was about him a certain realization of the great truths he preached, which checked any approach to levity in his presence, and impressed even the most thoughtless; although, not tracing it to its real source, they generally set it down simply to his "being a

, "I hope you had a pleasant afternoon. I suppose our littl

le," said Stella, with one of her winning

tting down Stella's airs. "Why don't you get up a select one

indly, "Did you ever think, my dear child, how many of these poor

ather uncomfortable; indeed she never cared much to think

Stella on her want of candour in leaving her uncle under the

didn't say I had been at Sunday school. If U

have always understood that intentionally confirming a fals

nterposed Lucy good-naturedly, noticing the ris

my business to tell Uncle William I hadn't been at Sunday school. Sophy and Ada often tell the housemai

he was not usually either sleepy or inattentive. Mr. Raymond began by alluding to the "race set before us," which the apostle had spoken of in the previous verse,-the race which all who will follow Christ must know, but only in the strength He will supply. The young and strong might think themselves sufficient for it, but the stern experience

ever at our side," in looking to whom in faith and pra

aily s

who ask

uty, whatever its nature; then the more voluntary work for Christ and our fellow-men with which the corners of the busiest life may be filled up-the weak and weary to be helped, the

us eternal life which is to go on for ever. Then he besought his hearers, by the greatness of that love which had prompted the infinite sacrifice, by the endurance of that mysterious depth of suffering which the Son of God bore for

st, solemn tones, with the peaceful beauty of that summer Sabbath evening-with the old church, its high seats and pulpit and time-st

sermon as attentively as a somewhat volatile mind would allow her, and had gathered from it m

ured back to the church, and, hearing the familiar sound of the text, listened intently and picked up some things

e kind of reverie, and could not have given a better account of "papa's sermon" than he was usually able to do! Fred, the quiet student, listened with kindling eye and deep enthusiasm to his father's earnest exposition of the divine truth which

r wandering eyes had been employed in taking a mental inventory of the various odd and old-fashioned costumes that she saw around her, to serve for her sister's amusement when she should return home. It is thus that the evil one often takes away the

r wandering

to-day the

the graciou

more lie do