She was obliged to tell me the other day, for I kept teazing her about getting things ready for Christmas; and then she told me that we should not be able to keep Christmas this year, her work had fallen off so much lately."

"Then that is why you were so very anxious to get the situation at Crossley's?" said one of the boys.

"Yes. I must, and will, help my mother now," said Charley; "and I mean to begin by walking home."

While they were talking, Charley and his chosen friend had walked into a quiet corner by themselves; but now, as they turned to part, Charley noticed a shabbily-dressed old man sitting on a seat close by.

"I believe he has been listening to all you said," remarked his friend.

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Much good may, it do him," returned Charley, as he turned to leave the station.

But before he had gone a dozen yards the old man came hobbling after him. "Do you know Meadowbank, my lad,” he called, finding he could not overtake Charley.

"Yes, I know it, and everybody in it," said Charley; "for I've lived there all my life."

"Ah, then perhaps you know a widow who lives there a well-to-do body named Bright."

"That is my mother!" exclaimed Charley; "but she is not well-to-do. We are poor people."

The old man shook his head. "Then I am afraid I shall not be a very welcome visitor," he said; "for I have been turned from the door of one of my relatives on account of my shabby coat."

"Are you a relative of my mother ?" asked the boy, curiously.

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"Yes; I am her brother Benjamin. Did you never hear her talk of her roving brother Ben ?" Oh, yes, a great many times,” replied Charley "and I know my mother will be glad to see you. am glad I have met you here, too, uncle, for it is a long walk to Meadowbank; but now you can go by the train." And before the old man could stop him Charley had darted off to the ticket-office and paid his uncle's fare.

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There, now you'll be all right," he said, when he came back, and gave his uncle the ticket. Anybody will tell you the way to our house when you get out of the station, and you tell mother I shall be home soon."

"God bless you, my lad!" said the old man, fervently; "but must you walk home yourself?" he asked, as though he had not heard a word of the conversation that had passed.

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"Oh, the walk is nothing to me," laughed Charley. The train will be up in five minutes, uncle. Shall I wait and see you in, or can you manage the bundle by yourself?”

"I can manage it, my lad," he said. “Set off on your walk, and make haste home to your mother ;" and he took the little bundle on his knee as he spoke, and patted it complacently.

It was not a very tidy-looking bundle, being rather clumsily tied up in an old blue cotton handkerchief; but the old man seemed to take great

care of it now.

"I have something to live for now," he softly whispered to himself. "A boy who loves and cares for his mother, and is willing to deny himself for her sake, will make a true and upright man, by God's help; and I don't doubt but the lad has learned this from his mother's example."

As he had told Charley, he was quite able to take

care of his bundle, and had very little difficulty in finding his way to Mrs. Bright's house; but a strange tremulousness came over him as he knocked at the door. "Suppose she should turn me away as the others have done!" he said, half aloud; and before he could recover himself Mrs. Bright opened the door.

The old man knew her, and seized her hand before she could speak. "Amy, have you quite forgotten your brother Ben?" he exclaimed.

Mrs. Bright had been crying, and the blinding tears were still in her eyes; but she recognised the voice at once, and threw her arms about his neck as she drew him into the house,

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"I look but a sorry figure, Amy," said the old man, sadly. "I have been shipwrecked on my way home from India, and all I could save was this little bundle."

"Never mind; we will thank God that you yourself were saved," said Mrs. Bright, as she seated him in the arm-chair by the fire.

When Charley came home, some time after, and the three were seated at the tea-table, the widow seemed to have forgotten her present trouble in the joy of seeing her long-lost brother, hearing of his adventures, and telling what had happened to the rest of the family.

One brother had made a fortune; but this the old man knew, for he had already paid a visit there, and been turned from the door. This had raised such bitter feelings in his heart that he resolved not to seek his other relatives, for fear they should treat him in a similar manner; and, without any other purpose beyond that of getting out of the town where his brother lived, he had wandered to the railway station, and overheard Charley's conversation with his schoolfellow.

This made him alter his determination of not seeking any more of his family, but did not quite remove the suspicion from his mind that had been planted by his wealthy brother's conduct.

After their visitor had gone to bed, Charley asked his mother what she should do for Christmas now his uncle had come.

"I scarcely know, my boy," said Mrs. Bright, in perplexity; "for I am sure your uncle would not have a bit of anything if he thought I could not afford it."

"But uncle knows we are poor, mother," said Charley; "I told him that at the station."

"But he need not know how poor, Charley; and he shan't, if I can help it. His first Christmas-day at home shall at least be a happy one."

So, after the cost of plums and currants had been discussed, it was decided that Charley and his mother would do without sugar or butter for a few weeks to meet this extra expense, and that the old man should know nothing of this selfdenial. They little thought that in the little room beyond he had been listening to all their plans. Charley talked largely of plums and currants the next morning, and was busy all day fetching errands, and helping his mother in her various preparations.

The Christmas dinner was pronounced to be splendid by the old man, and he seemed to be the happiest of the three. He had insisted upon accompanying Charley to church in the morning, for he said he had much more to be thankful for than they supposed. Mrs. Bright, of course, thought he referred to the shipwreck, and whispered, softly, "Yes, Ben, we will all thank God today for bringing you safely home.”

"Ah! and I'll thank Him, too, for making you

willing to take me in, Amy," said the old man. After dinner he referred to this again; and, fetching the little bundle out of the next room, he slowly untied it, saying as he did so, You have given me my Christmas dinner. I have brought something with me by way of dessert."

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Charley expected to see oranges and nuts; but, to his disappointment, there was only a large pile of soiled, crumpled papers.

"Rather dirty for bank-notes, are they not ?" said the old man, spreading them out.

"Bank-notes!" exclaimed Charley and Mrs. Bright together.

"Yes, Charley, these bits of dirty paper represent five thousand pounds. I am not the poor old man you thought me; but before I let you know this, I wanted to find out whether you would welcome me for myself, and not for my wealth. Another thing I wanted this money to be rightly used when I am gone; and those who cannot use small means well, are not likely to do better with large; but you have taught me that I may trust you. You would not spend a penny unnecessarily on yourself. but for another you were willing to give it up. Charley, this wealth will, by-and-by, be yours, when I am gone, and, in using it, remember how you spent your threepence.-The Tract Magazine.

PROV. xxvii. 17.-Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

A dream of life is not a living dream :

The sweets that are excel the sweets that seem.