Year: 1859

managed to take her own time in reality, though
without any determination to do so. Mrs
James thinking she might get along sentence
in the nursery, took her German book in; but to
this arrangement Charlie would by no means
consent. Mamma must show him the kitties in
the book; whether there or not, it was all ono
to him-but amused ne must be. Half her
second days time of trial was gone, when Amy
came in; and with sigh Mrs. James returned !
to her room. Before one o'clock she had been |
called down to the kitchen twice on important
business relating to the dinner, and for this day
not one entire page of letter had been written |


On the third morning she rose early, made
every provision for dinner and for the comfort of
the family which she deemed necessary, and
elated, she entered her study precisely at eleven
O'Clock. Now she was to have fine time of it
Her books were opened and hard lesson sum
moned to the conflict Scarcely had she read
line when she heard the door bell ring.


Somebody wants to see you in the parlOr,
Mrs. James"


'Ten them am engaged, Bridget"


81 told them you were to home ma'am, and
they gave me their names, but did not exact
ly understand"


Mrs. James was obliged to 60 To smile
when she felt sober, to be attentive when her
thoughts were elsewhere. Her friends, how
ever. seemed to find her agreeable, for they
made her long call; and when they rose to 90,
others came. So in the most unsatisfactory chit
chat all this morning went.


On the next day Mr.. James invited some
company to tea, and Mrs James was obliged
to give the morning to prepare for it, and did
not enter her study. On the following, she was
obliged to keep her bed with sick-headache
and on Saturday, Amy having extra work to
do, the charge of the baby devolved upon her
Thus passed the first week.


True to her promise Mrs. James patiently
persevered for month, in her efforts to secure
to herself this fragment of broken time, with
what success the weeks history can tell. With
It's close, closed the month of December Be
ing particularly occupied on the last day of the
old year, in getting ready for the morrow,sz -
tval it was near the last hour Of ~ ~i'eN
she made her good piShtE is look al the bnbv there
n IaS, E.sc asleep in his innocence and beauty
~yLe Kissed the rosy cheek gently, and strok--
ed his golden hair, and pressing his little dim
pied hand within hers, she drew the warm COW
ering more closely around him, carefully tuck
ing it in, then stealing one more kiss, she left
him in his slumbers and sat down on her
daughters bed. She was also sweetly asleep,
with her dolly Rugged close to her. Her moth
er smiled, but soon it seemed as if graver and
sadder thoughts filed her mind, as indeed they
did. She was thinking of her disappointed
plans To her, not only the past month"; but
the past year, seemed TO have been of fruitleSs
effort it seemed to her broken and disjointed
even her hours of religious meditation had been
encroached upon and distracted She had nc
complished nothing, that she could see, but
keep her family; and % her saddened thoughts
even this seemed to have been but indifferently
done.
She felt, she was very sure no desire to
shrink from duty, however humble; but she
sighed for some comforting assurance of what
lcaS duty. Her pursuits, conflicting as they did
with her tastes, seemed to her frivilous She
felt there was some better way ofliving, which
she, from want of energy or principle, had fail
ed OF discovering. As she leaned over her
child her tears fell fast upon that young brow.


How earnestly wished that mother that she
and self-reproaches, and mistakes from whict
she was suffering; that the little one might take
up life where she could give it to her, mended
by all her own experience. 1t would have been
/ great comfort could she have fought the bat
tie for both


Yet she knew that it could not be so; that we
must all learn for ourselves what are those
things whichhelp make our peace. With tears
still!ln her eyes, she gave the good night to the





room, and there fairly kissed out the old wear
on another rosy cheek which nestled ur,one1 the
tPLllows; then she sought her own rest.


Soon she found herself in singular place.-
she was traVersing vast plain; no trees were
visible save those which skirted the horizon: on
their top rested wreath of golden clouds
Before her, travelling towards that distant light,
was female Little children were about her,
sometimes IN her arms, and sometimes at her
eli 10 a acka
caring for them. Now she soothed them when
weary-now she taught them how 10 travel
and again she warned them of the Dit falls and
stumbling blocks in the way She helped them
over the one, and taught them to be wary
OF the other. She talked to them of that gold
en- light which she kept constantly in view and
and towards which she seemed to be Fastening
her little flock. But what was most remarka-
bic, was that, all unknown to her, two golden
clouds tioated above her, on which reposed two
angels Before each was a golden book and
pen OF gold One angel with mild and loving
eyes Peered constantly over the right shoulder,
the other over the left They followed her from
the rising to the setting of thesun. They
watched every word, and look, End deed, no
matter how trivial.


When it was good, the angel over the right
shoulder, with glad smile wrote 1t down in his
golden book; when evil, however trivial, the
angel over the left shoulder wrote it down in his
book, Then be kept his sorowful eyes on her
until he found Penitence for the evil; upon which
he dropped tear on his record and bIotted it
out, ana both angels rejoieed To the locker
on it seemed as if the traveller did little which
was worthy Of such careful record.


Sometimes she did but bathe the weary feet
of her children, and the angel over the right
shoulder lwrote it down. Sometimes She
did but wait patiently to lure back some lit
tie truant who had taken step in the wrong
direction, and the angel over the right shou der
wrote it down.


Sometimes, with her eyes fixed upon the gol-
den horizon, she became SO intent upon her
own progress as to let the little pilgrims at her
side languish or stray; then it was the angel
over her left shoulder who lifted the golden
pen and made the entry, following her with sor-
rowing eyes seeking to blot it out If wishing
to hasten on her journey, she left the little
ones behind, it was the sorrowing angel who
recorded her progress And the observer felt,
as she looked on, that this was a faithful record,
and was to be keptto her journeys end The
strong clasps of gold on those goIIen books,
also impressed her with the belief that thev
were to be sealed for future opening. Her
symPathies were warmly excited for the travel
er; and with beating heart she quickened her
steps that she might overtake her and tell her
what she had seen, and entreat her to be watch
ful, and faithful, and patient to the end in her
lifes work, for she had herself seen that its
results would all be known when those golden
books should be unclasped That she must not
think any duty which fell in her way to do tri-
vial, for surely, there was an angel over her
right shoulder, or one over her left, who would
record it all


Eager to warn her of this, she gently touched