At last, after a long absence, he came to see their father, and stayed three days, and he was looking very sick and very old ; and the last night before he went away, their father preached a sermon in the house, and his text was "I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him and honor him.” And the colonel went away, and their father went with him, and gave him a long convoy, and many letters went and came. But at last, there was a war in Scotland. There was a rebellion, and there were battles. And then the gloomy news arrived— there had been a battle close to the very house of Bankton, and the King's soldiers had run away, but the brave Colonel Gardiner would not run, but fought to the very last; and alas! for Lady Frances, he was stricken down and slain scarce a mile from his own mansion door.-North British Review.

WHAT IS "LIFE IN EARNEST.”

"Life in Earnest!" "Now I call that an absurd title for a book ;" said Alice Harrington, as she turned over the cover of a magazine from amongst a number she was sorting.

"Have you ever read it, my dear?" asked her mother, "because a title is good or bad, very much in regard to what it leads us to infer of the contents of the book."

"Oh no, mamma, I've not read it, I know it's a religious little book, no doubt, speaking of this life as a preparative for the next, and so on; but that isn't what people would think, I'm sure."

"You give your opinions rather too hastily," said Mrs. Harrington, as she left the room.

"I'm sure people would generally think what I do, though," said Alice in a low voice.

"Well! come, what would they think then ?" said her brother, suddenly chiming in, in his loudest voice, from the inner drawing room."

"Oh, Harry! what a start you gave me, I thought you were gone out. Why I naturally picture to myself, a lot of people jostling each other about, eating their meals with silent gravity, putting on their hats and bonnets, as if their success in life depended upon the manner in which it was done, and paying

calls of two or three minutes without sitting down or smiling, and "

"Well! that will do, my dear; you are arguing ad absurdum if you know what that means," said Harry; "but not to carry your ideas so far, depend upon it those people are the best off whose lives are in earnest. They do not suffer from depression, nor find that pleasure wearies, because they do not draw too largely from her revenues. I only wish your life was a little more in earnest."

"But I should be worn out if I were obliged to be so decided about everything; I should never know whether to sit down or stand up, and every minute I spent in bed after I was called, I should be tormenting myself with thinking, 'Is this Life in Earnest?" What calm enjoyment could any body have!"

“I should think," said her brother, "at your age you have nothing but calm enjoyments as you call them: such as feeding your chickens and rabbits, taking your daily walk or ride, and spending the evening in practising, playing at chess, or interrupting my studies. Isn't that calm enjoyment ?"

"Exactly," said Laura, "that is just how it is; but what would be the use of rushing about, first to one occupation and then to another-feeding my pet canary as a duty, instead of a pleasure-eating my dinner solely to keep soul and body together, as Arthur says, instead of because its nice, and I'm hungry; and choosing my bonnets entirely because they're warm, without any thought of their being pretty. I can not see the use," she added, with a puzzled air.

"No more can I,” replied her brother, turning again to his book,

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Why, Henry? you said it was such a good title a few minutes ago, and that I was a little goose; and now you say you don't see the use of it-you're so contradictory!"

"My dear, I don't see the use of arguing a subject which you are not disposed to understand either in theory or practice, that's what I meant. You treat life as a joke, and therefore are not likely to take it in earnest."

Alice shook her head-"I don't see that at all; I make the best of things certainly, and do not fret if disappointed of a visit or a party I had expected."

"Parties themselves,” said Henry, hastily, “I call throwing life to the winds; they're a shocking waste of time, and cannot do anybody any good-that's my fixed opinion. Anybody who's fond of company cannot be in earnest—I defy them-about anything."

"Oh! Henry, do you mean to say papa, and mamma, and Mr. Harvey, are not in earnest? But I always say your books have turned your brain," said Alice, playfully approaching him. "Now, do throw that tiresome Paley away, and come with me to the field; I'm sure there's something the matter with my dear cow, she limps so, and she's so cross when I offer her cabbage leaves. Come Harry, do”—

“And should you like me to break down in my examination ? I am quite happy with this despised Paley; trust me, he affords infinitely greater pleasure to a reasonable being than all the cows and cabbages in the world.”

"At the same time, my amiable stoic, if you had no vegetables for dinner, and no milk for your tea, or butter for your bread, you would begin to think Paley wasn't all-sufficient, depend upon it." And without waiting a reply, Alice snatched her garden bonnet from its place in the hall, and ran singing towards her mother, who was walking up and down the lawn with their clergyman.

"Mr. Harvey, I wish you would tell Harry not to be such an inveterate book-worm," she exclaimed, interrupting his conversation with her mother-" he really is quite monkish. Isn't it melancholy, mamma, to see him prosing away at his mathematics and that everlasting Paley ?"

"I wish he took more out-door enjoyment, certainly, dear fellow;" said Mrs. Harrington; "he is so studious."

"Mr. Harvey," said Alice, “do you mind coming to see my eldest rabbit (he had not answered her last query)—I fancy he fights with the others; he's a tiresome creature-I think I shall sell him."

Mr. Harvey made some slight reply, and then continued talking to her mother.

"Will your pony chaise be mended soon?" said the young lady, after a few minutes of impatient silence, again addressing the clergyman, "I haven't had a ride in it these three weeks.

It's a pity you sent it to Smith to be done, he is so dreadfully slow."

"Yes, I haven't had time to look after it," said Mr. Harvey; "you must go and look it up for me, perhaps it has been cut up for fire wood."

"Well! I've a good mind, really. I suppose, mamma, you've no objection to my going round to Smith's, and telling him to send home. Mr. Harvey's chaise directly, as he wants it, and must have it. I suppose that's Life in Earnest-helping other people to the best of one's ability."

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Particularly when it's for our own pleasure and amusement we do it," said Mrs. Harrington, with a smile-" Yes, my dear, you may go, if you think it a fit errand for a young lady. I suspect Mr. Harvey was joking."

Alice flew away without a second bidding. As she passed the drawing-room windows, she looked in, saying in a laughing voice, “Well, Harry, I've found something quite as earnest to do as any of your Paleys-good bye."

Henry looked up in an absent manner; he had not heard all his sister said, but with a deep sigh he exclaimed-" Poor Alice! when will she learn that everything is not a joke ?"

"I see a strange contrast in my children," said Mrs. Harrington, when Alice was out of sight.

"In what respect?" asked Mr. Harvey.

“Their dispositions are so different, their tone of mind. Henry, without a shade of weariness, devotes his whole life and energy to the pursuit of learning. The noble ambition he shows for study and knowledge really seems as necessary to him as meat and drink; whereas, Alice, with constant watchfulness on my part, and really much good intention on her own, is utterly unable to realize the importance of schooling her mind in early youth. I should have hoped that the example of her brother would have given her some idea of the value of time.” "Perhaps she feels that Henry does not spend his time more profitably than she does herself," said Mr. Harvey. "As far as we can see, Harry is just as likely to be disappointed in his object as she in hers."

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"You think, then, he will not take honours at Oxford ?"

"Oh no," said Mr. Harvey reluctantly, "I don't think that."

"Then do tell me," said Mrs. Harrington, 66 what you do mean! I am most anxious to have advice. It's a subject of constant thought with my husband and myself, whether we are directing our children aright, and whether their present pursuits are likely to lead to their ultimate happiness. And surely in the three years you have been here in constant intercourse with them you must be a fit person to judge, especially as you are so nearly related to me."

"My dear cousin, I do not wish to be a judge," said Mr. Harvey, "but as far as I can form an opinion, I do not think either of them sufficiently in earnest, but especially Henry. He is absorbed by one idea, and that is but an idea at best." "But if it be a good one ?" suggested Mrs. Harrington. "I have often heard you say concentration is so essential for usefulness or eminence in any sphere."

"Perhaps we do not give the same meaning to the word 'concentration ?""

A caller at this moment obliged Mrs. Harrington to relinquish the conversation, and Mr. Harvey was glad of the opportunity of escaping a subject which he had most unwillingly entered into. As he passed through the village, Alice overtook him, driving the pony chaise with a pleased expression of countenance. She drew up close to the kerb-stone exclaiming, “They had sent the chaise home; and that stupid servant of yours never told you. What an owl he is! I wish you would give him warning. Here, won't you get in, there's room for us both?"

"Thank you!" said Mr. Harvey, as politely as if the carriage had been her's instead of his own; "but if you have no objection, we will not drive quite so fast. The pony was quite disabled for a week after that excursion we took to Anstey."

"Oh! I'm very sorry: I wish you would get a horse; you see it's rather hard work for this poor little creature-two people and the chaise."

Mr. Harvey was obliged to look another way to controul an involuntary smile.

"I know what your'e laughing at," said Alice, turning full upon him, "you think it's rather cool of me to take your affairs into my own hands?"

"Not exactly that," said Mr. Harvey, "I was thinking that