Yet it was in this hour of severe trial that the value of the work in which he had been engaged became unmistakeably evident. His friends and neighbours with one consent gathered round him, and upheld him in the strong arms of their sympathy and prayers.

"Never fret, man," said Evan Owen; "we'd get the wheat down if it was twice as much." And the men were as good as their word.

66 And as for the bit of thatch that is needed to put the old house to rights," said another, "we will see that that shall be done;" and the house was thatched accordingly.

"And as for the children," said many a good mother to the stricken wife, 66 don't you vex yourself about them; we will see that they go clean and tidy as usual, and that they shall want for nothing." And these kindly souls kept their promise.

The first Sunday evening that Elijah was absent from the service in his homely kitchen was a memorable and a mournful one. He could hear the voice of fervent prayer ascending on behalf of himself and family, and that the event might be sanctified to all who knew them. It was with a thankful heart that he could reflect that even his illness and adversity would not be without their beneficial effect upon those amongst whom it had been his joy to labour.

When, after several weeks of weary suffering, he and his wife crept down stairs, it was to find the house in order, the little harvest housed, the children in health, his stock not worse than before. And he realised the truth of the promise, that "All things had worked together for good."

66

How Ned Crofton turned over a New Leaf.

THAT'S the matter, Ned ?" asked Edward Crofton's wife, as he entered the house one Saturday evening, looking very downcast.

Ned threw himself into a chair, and said gloomily, "Matter enough this time: I've got the sack."

How did it happen that. Ned had been dismissed?

Work was scarce at Hilton and Powell's, the great machine makers, at Newborough, where Ned Crofton worked, and the manager found he had no alternative but to send away fully a quarter of all the workmen.

The rule was in such cases, first to send away those who had been last taken into employment. That rule, however, did not apply to Ned; for he had been in the shops fifteen years-in fact, ever since he was a lad of fourteen.

Next, the lot fell on the slowest and poorest workmen ; but neither did that rule apply to Ned; for there was not a better workman in the whole place. He was strong and well-built; he had a clear, correct eye and a firm hand; and the foreman was always wont, when he wanted anything done quickly, or anything which needed special cleverness, to give it to Ned. The manager, too, who was a man of close observation, and who knew pretty well what every workman in the shop was worth, had often said that if Ned would only mind what he was about he might in course of time get one of the best places in the whole of the works.

There was another rule on which they proceeded in dismissing men. When work was very pressing, they were obliged to put up with those who were not so steady as they ought to be; but such men stood a very poor chance when work was slack. It was because Ned Crofton belonged to this class that he had received notice to leave.

He had given the foreman a great deal of trouble. On many a Monday morning he did not appear at all, and sometimes he did not show his face till Tuesday, or even later. When he did get to work too at such times he was very seldom worth much for the first day, and even longer.

The foreman had often remonstrated with him, but to very little purpose; and once before the manager had given him notice to leave; but on Ned promising to behave better he had consented that he should have another trial.

I 2

Ned was

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proud of his skill as a workman, and he presumed on it so far as to persuade himself that he was not very likely to be turned off. He presumed a little too far, as he found to his cost. The foreman had told him, in a way which precluded all hope of a further trial, that he must leave next Saturday night.

It was an unexpected blow, and it was a very humbling one. Ned hung his head for shame, as he left the shop; for he knew, and all his shopmates knew, that it was entirely his own fault. And then, how was he to tell his wife? No wonder he looked sad when he entered his own house. However, in God's good providence, it was one of the best things that ever befell him.

Mary Crofton was a worthy, sensible woman, and indeed she was a very much better wife than Ned deserved. Nobody could say that any part of the blame of Ned's unsteadiness rested with her. The house was always comfortable in the evenings, so that he had no excuse on the score of discomfort at home for going to a public-house. She never rated him. She was always cheerful. And though it was a hard struggle to keep out of debt, considering how little of his wages Ned sometimes took home, somehow or other she contrived to do it. People wondered how it had happened that she had taken Ned for a husband. But he was a handsome fellow; he was clever; and then, too, he promised so fairly. Every Sunday, during their courtship, and indeed for a long time before Mary accepted him, he attended the place of worship where she went very regularly. He went, however, not because he had any real love for it, although, as he said, he liked well enough to hear a good sermon, but because he wanted to win Mary. He promised, too, to continue his attendance after they were married; and for a time he did so; but before very long he contented himself with going only once a day, and then he gave it up altogether.

Of course poor Mary was very much troubled when Ned told her that in another week he would be out of work. looked round on her children-there were three of them

She

and then she burst into tears. Recovering herself, however, after a few minutes she said

"It's a bad job, Ned; but can nothing be done? Mr. Morris "that was the manager" has always been kind to you; don't you think, if you were to ask him, he would keep you on ?"

"It's no use," replied Ned, "not a bit. The fact is, I've seen him. It was he and the foreman together who told me I should have to go. They said I had tired them out. What a fool I was to go off as I did last Monday! That was what did it."

Ned was right so far as this, that his going off just then, when work was so scarce, and he was on his good behaviour convinced Mr. Morris that he would never do any better. He was the more vexed because a piece of special work had been entrusted to him which was wanted in great haste. "Could I go and see him?" asked Mary.

Besides, they will

"No," replied Ned, "it's of no use. not see wives when they go to beg that their husbands may be kept on. Nay, I shall just have to go this time."

"And where, Ned ?" asked his wife.

"That's just what I should like to know," said Ned. “I shall have to set off on tramp, and do the best I can. A poor look-out, any how; for trade's bad everywhere."

Then came the question what was to be done? At length it was decided that Mary and the children should go to her father's, as soon as they could get the house off their hands. Of course her father was sadly displeased; but though he had not much to spare, he could not, as he said, let his own daughter and her children starve; and it was of no use their going away with Ned. He must first be able to offer them a home.

Ned had a high spirit, and it galled him sorely that it should be said that his wife and children must go to his father-in-law's ; and it was a great trial to part with themall the greater that it was so entirely his own fault. He was sadly overcome the day before he had to set off, and he was

very penitent. Let him only once get fairly into work again, he said, and his wife and bairns should have as good a home as anybody, and he would be a good and steady man.

"Ay, ay," said his father-in-law, when Mary told him. "It's just like what he's said many a time before; but thou would take thy own way. I told thee how it would be. He'll just be steady as long as he has nothing."

Mary could say little in reply. It was quite true that up to the very time of her marriage, her father had objected to it, and that he had only given way when he found that further opposition was useless; and it was also true that Ned had made repeated promises of amendment, all of which he had broken. She had found in her troubles, however, the great source of comfort. She had learnt really to pray; and she did pray very earnestly every day that God would make her husband a better man. But she had very little idea of the way her prayers were to be answered.

Ned travelled a long way before he found work, and when he did find it, it was not such as he liked. Indeed, it was of a kind which he would at one time have scorned the very thought of taking; but he had come to his last shilling, and there was no alternative but sheer starvation. He had reached the town of Leeds, having called on his way in other towns and inquired for work without success. When he got to Leeds he went to all the establishments in his own line; but they had all of them men of their own waiting for employment, and those who were at work were working only short time. At length he heard, quite accidentally, that a jobbing smith, who had a small shop in a back street, was in want of a man. He applied, and was engaged; but at far lower wages than he had been accustomed to receive. The master, as he soon found out, was a hard, grasping man, whom nobody that knew him liked to serve.

Ned was thankful just then for bread, and so he determined to push along as well as he could till times mended and he could get something better. He ought to have written at once to tell his wife, who, of course, was most