"I do; it has been painful to her. 'My soul is alway in my hand, yet do I not forget Thy law,' is the Psalmist's cry when he is describing the equilibrium of the good man's life. There is a tendency in every character to do one or the other of these things too exclusively; and true religion consists in the equilibrium— in the habit of studying and looking internally into self as well as looking externally upon GOD and His law and attributes."

"Did you ever read the Fairy Bower?' what you say reminds me a good deal of some things in that."

"Yes, I have, I do not quite like it. I cannot say how highly I admire Cicely Loraine. I think if all the world were to be full of one or the other, there is no doubt it should be full of Cicelys, to do real good; but there are many Jessys, and we must not despise them because they do not happen exactly to fall in with our particular fancy. But here comes Miss Loraine."

The servant opened the door, and announced Miss Loraine.

"O, Mrs. Thorburn," said Cicely, "I am so glad to find you in. Have you heard how Jessy is? I am so sorry to find she is so very ill. Is there anything which I can do for her? I wish if there is anything you would tell me, for I do long to be of use."

"I saw Jessy, yesterday," said Mrs. Thorburn, "and saw no change for the good. I do not know of any way in which you could do anything, Miss Loraine; it is very kind of you to offer it, and I well know how

Jessy would appreciate it, but I do not know what to suggest."

Cicely was silent for a few moments. "I came," said she, "because I wished to see Jessy before I went. But if you think it is not advisable I will not press it." "Are you going for any time, Miss Loraine?" said Mrs. Thorburn.

"Oh," said Cicely, "I am going away-yes-for some little time. I am going to Scutari."

"To Scutari ?" said both the ladies in surprise.

"Yes," said Cicely, "I have got my father and mother to let me go. I have long been wishing it. There are circumstances connected with Leonard's fate which make it very important I should go, and I start on Monday. I am going with some other ladies, who are to join Miss Nightingale's company; and I hope to find Mrs. Allen there. I should have liked very much to have seen Jessy before I went, but if it will do her harm, I would by no means press it."

There was a minute's silence. Mrs. Thorburn broke it.

"Miss Loraine," said she, "I envy you; I wish it were my vocation to go with you; you have chosen a noble line, and one which well befits your character and powers."

"Oh pray don't praise me," said Cicely, "or I shall not go. I am only going to try and be useful; I cannot bear to think of so much sorrow and trouble, and not to take part in it. I long to go: and Leonard's end has given a new stimulus to it." Her voice slightly trembled as she spoke. Cicely Loraine seldom shed a tear: but she did at that moment. She had

great self-command, but she had no deficiency in real and genuine feeling.

"What course do you purpose pursuing ?" said Mrs. Thorburn.

"I hope to find good Mrs. Allen," said Cicely," and she will be a friend and guide to me in a strange land. But I may not stay; mamma is far from well, and I must spend all the time I can with her. I shall see you before I go, Mrs. Thorburn." So saying, Cicely left the room.

"She is a noble character," said Mrs. Thorburn, "I seldom saw a more thoroughly truthful one; seldom or never. She is so entirely unselfish, and so quietly reserved that she hardly ever expresses her opinions or her thoughts; and as to what she suffers, it may be marked on her heart after she is dead, but I am sure no other record will be left of it."

"How happy," said Miss Baxter, "to be able to go out and do something for those in suffering. I so long to do it. It is so sad to hear of so much anguish and not to be able to take any part in it. I am always longing to be at the seat of trouble."

“We all have our work in this great war," said Mrs. Thorburn, "and if yours and mine be at home, it is the LORD, 'let Him do what seemeth Him good.' We must take the road to heaven, which He has laid over the mountains; we may not lay our own. He chooses highlands when we should prefer low; and He makes rough ways when we should choose smooth. Depend on this, Miss

Baxter, every great event of life, war or peace, be it what it may, receives its real character at the day of

judgment; and those concerned in them receive their character at the same time. We must wait for the end to decide everything; nothing is really complete till the end. Then many a quiet path will have led to a glorious and noble end, and many a noble path will lead out to a poor and unlovely conclusion. We must wait for the end to settle everything. We are often inclined to name Benoni, Benjamin, when GOD after all intends to make that which we have called 'the child of our right hand,' 'the child of our sorrow; and the contrary. It is the end which determines the matter; then many a one on whose cradle we have written, Benjamin, will on his tomb have sculptured, Benoni. Many of those plans and schemes which we form for ourselves and which we deem so happy will then be pronounced the cause of our sorrow, while many a scheme which we count our greatest trouble will then be declared our brightest and most glorious blessing. The home work, dear Miss Baxter, may prove in the end more really conducive to God's glory than the more splendid and glorious work of aiding in the energies and sharing in the sympathies of the war."

"But what do you think is home work for those in the war?" said Miss Baxter.

"Well," said Mrs. Thorburn, "much. First, surely we can pray for them, and there is much in that the intercession of two or three. Then there are so many kind duties we can fulfil. The writing to them-hearing the recital of their troubles-consoling those whom they have left behind, and striving to realise by our efforts that we are their comrades in peril,

danger, and sickness; all these are opportunities of aiding them while we are at home, and there is no saying how many opportunities will spring up around us if we look out for them, and are prayerfully and patiently doing so."

"Thank you, dear Mrs. Thorburn," said Miss Baxter; "I so deeply feel all you say, and I know so well that if I can but learn patiently and quietly to take the road God has given me, He will open paths for me to walk in. It was 'the lame, the maimed, and the blind' which most of all brought out the love and power of JESUS CHRIST to the admiration and worship of the world."

CHAPTER XXX.

THE WIDOW.

THE temporary hospitals were the least commodious of all places of the kind. Neglect and ill-usage too much marked the condition of the private soldier; and yet no one was to blame. The absence of many things conducive to health and recovery marked the state of the officers. The scene of war can provide and show but few comforts, nevertheless there might be arrangements made which would secure against the real anguish which is endured by many there. Among the early sufferers in the hospital erected temporarily and quickly for the dead and dying was young Allen, who had been wounded at Balaklava as well as at Alma. His gallant bearing had