12.

will be more particularly attentive in the former case, lest the unconverted should notice it to their hurt, and the Gospel be reproached through one of its professed friends. Besides, he knows the eyes of his Divine Master are always upon him, to whom he must give account, and who will render to every man according to his work. It is the happiness of the faithful servant to know that he serves the Lord Christ. This quickens his diligence exceedingly, and sweetens all his labour. He is desirous, also, to make the commands of his heavenly Master the rule of his conduct continually; and in particular that Divine precept which says, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matt. vii. He not only refrains from pilfering and stealing, but takes care that the goods intrusted to him be not injured or wasted by his neglect. If the Christian servant be reviled and abused, he learns to exercise patience, and endeavours to be more diligent and attentive than ever; for he knows it is better to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing; and that it is a special blessing and privilege to be enabled to profit by our trials here: for it is written, If, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God;" and Christ has left us an example, that we should follow his steps, who, "when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." Peter ii. 18-24.

Should any servant, who is a professed follower of Christ, be required to do what he knows to be sinful before God, he must, in this case, however hazardous it may appear, obey God rather than man. He should represent, in a meek and firm manner, that he is afraid to sin against God; but he must still show all due res

pect and attention to those who are over him in providence, and should exert himself for their advantage with increasing activity. This may induce them to think favourably of the religion he professes, and may even lead to their conversion at all events, his Master in heaven will stand by him and defend him, and his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

ANECDOTE OF AN IRISH SERVANT.

Mrs. L. was a lady in London, who, when she advertised for a housemaid, added the very unamiable, but by no means unfrequent postscript, " No Irish need apply." Notwithstanding, a very decent, pretty and respectablelooking young Irishwoman did present herself in the lady's drawing room as an applicant for the situation. "I told you," said Mrs. L., " that no Irish need apply." "It was on the paper, I know, ma'am," answered the girl," but I thought if I had a good character, and could do my work well, that nobody would refuse me bread because of my country." Fortunately for Kitty Gallagher, Mrs. L. was considerate as well as just. She looked into the poor girl's open and honest countenance as she stood with the flush of humble indignation on her cheek, inquired carefully into her character, and the result was - her engagement.

With every desire to do right, and with habits that were tolerably clean and very active, Kitty found she had so much to learn, that she frequently cried herself to sleep; as she told us herself, "It was not the hard work that overcame her, she could do ten times as much, and think nothing of it—but the particularity." The necessity for spotless stairs and carpets, for stoves polished like mirrors, for a total absence of dust everywhere; for a manner staid, silent, smileless, and of distant respect;

for a noiseless step, and a voice never heard except in the most soft and brief reply; then the getting up of fine things; she could have washed, to make like snow, tablecloths, sheets and dresses, but the difficulties of small plaiting and clear starching, the very clock-like regularity of the house, " broke her heart:" there was a place for every thing, and every thing must be in its place. Then her fellow-servants would set her wrong instead of right, and sneer at her afterwards; they ridiculed her country, and wondered she could eat anything but potatoes, like all her people. Though loving to laugh, she did not relish being laughed at, and between her desire to do well in all things, and her national sensitiveness, poor Kitty had enough to encounter during the first twelvemonths of her servitude. On the other hand, Mrs. L. more than once fancied she had acted imprudently. Kitty was not only blamed by the other servants for what she did, but for what she did not; her eagerness to please frequently occasioned blunders and mistakes; her expressions were perplexing, and her foot was not as light, nor her manner" as fully formed, as that of a London servant. But then her habits were very inoffensive. She was ever cheerful-willing to assist in every one's work. No matter how late or how early her services were needed, she was always ready. By degrees she blundered less, and absolutely dusted both corners and skirtings without "following. Then she was so humble when reproved, so happy when praised. By slow and sure degrees Catherine established herself in her mistress's good opinion. She resolved to master the difficulties with which she was surrounded, and to keep her place: gradually her good humour and good nature became appreciated. Mrs. L.'s two little ones caught the scarlet fever, and when the nurse declared she was afraid to remain with her charge, Kitty volunteered to take her place. "I am not afraid," she said, " and sure God can keep me from the sickness

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by their bedside as well as by my own, and if I was to go, his will be done; but I am not afraid." Night and day this girl watched with their mother over the children; at her request, no stranger smoothed their pillows, or aided her exertions: what she lacked in skill, she made up in actual tenderness, and her quickness and attention. never wearied in time the children recovered, but they had become so attached to their Irish nurse, that they entreated their mamma to let her remain with them, and the former nurse took Kitty's place. During a period of five years she continued in her place, unspoiled by much kindness. Love now somewhat interfered with her duties -a master carpenter paid his addresses to the kind Hibernian. Her mistress was too just to prevent her settling respectably, and as her intended husband had formed an engagement to go to New York the following spring, Kitty decided on remaining with her darlings till within a week of his departure.

Hitherto Mr. and Mrs. L. had enjoyed in life uninterrupted sunshine: every thing prospered which the merchant undertook: but a few eventful months made a terrible change in their circumstances; loss followed loss with fearful rapidity, until at last their house was advertized to be sold, and Mrs. L., firm and patient in adversity as she had been cheerful and considerate in prosperity, placed Kitty's quarter's wages in her hand, and told her that, for the future, she must herself attend to the children; her voice faltered as she thanked the poor Irish girl for the care and tenderness she had bestowed upon them, and she added a wish that as the time had arrived when Kitty was to be married, she would inform her of her prospects after she and her husband had been some. time in New York, and rely upon Mr. L. to remember her faithfulness, if ever he had the power to serve them.-We quote Mrs. L.'s own words. Catherine," she said, "stood without replying until I had done speaking. I was more agitated

at parting with her than with all my other servants, though they were all excellent in their way; yet she had evinced more affection towards me and mine in an hour, than the others had shown in a year. "Is it to leave you, ma'am, you want me, and to leave my young master and miss? Ah, then, what have I done to make you think I've no heart in my bosom ? I'll be no burden to you, but I'll never leave you-leave you in your trouble? sure it's neither peace nor rest I'd have by day or night to think it's my two hands you'd be wanting, and they not in it. And as to Robert Miller, it will be better for him to be by himself for the first two or three years, and so I told him this morning when we parted. I'll never leave the mistress in her trouble, Robert,' I said, 'and if it's any bar, why I'll give you back your promise,' and he would not hear of that, but took on a good deal at first; only it's all over-time and distance are nothing to true hearts, and if he does forget me, why I'm doing my duty still. I'll never leave you in your trouble." "Her devotion, so simple, so unaffected," added Mrs. L., " drew more tears from my eyes than my own sorrows. I had nerved myself for them, but this overpowered me; the children became wild with joy when they found Kitty was to remain with them, and she certainly was the good spirit of comfort in our humble cottage. But this was not all, she had saved in my service about fifteen pounds, and every farthing of this money she spent in buying in at the auction which finished the desolation of our once happy home, such small things as she believed me most attached to; these she had conveyed to our dwelling secretly, and then she entreated me to forgive the liberty she had taken, and endeavoured to persuade us she had but returned to us our own."

This is no romance; it is simple and unvarnished truth both the mistress and the servant are intimately known to us; we have not added an iota to the story as