their hostess, a pleasing looking boy of ten or twelve years of age. Some years afterwards

this gentleman was addressed, on board a steam boat on the Hudson river, by a person who said it was he who had made him a churchman. Of course the gentleman enquired what had caused this effect, for he could not remember the speaker.

"The young man told him he was the youth to whom he had given a Prayer Book at such a time; and then went on to say his mother had been brought up to the church, but had long separated from it: the Prayer Book renewed her love for it, and awakened his. He went on, and prospered; and, by the blessing of the Almighty, became a firm pillar of the church, married a daughter of Bishop Hobart's, and was then Bishop of North Carolina. His name

is Ives."

Henry was much pleased by these true tales, which he said would make him love his Prayer Book more and more.

"And let them, my dear child," said Mr. Fletcher, affectionately, "teach you a still better lesson, that the trivial circumstances which we are so apt to call chances, are all guided by Him whose eye is over all His works."

"I cannot understand," continued he, looking at the elder members of the party, "how any one, who reads and believes his Bible, can for a moment doubt that He, by whom each hair of our heads is numbered, and the fall of each sparrow noted, can and will cause each event to work together for good, to those who trust in Him; and if we rightly consider how foolish it is to speak of things being great or little, in connection with Him, to whom their value must entirely depend upon the effect which they have upon the spiritual, not the mortal condition of His creatures, the loan of a Prayer Book, if it led the receiver to think of, and care for, the eternal welfare of his soul, must certainly be of more importance, in the eyes of Him who knows the true value of that soul, than the gift of a kingdom, if it only had influence, let that influence be as great as it possibly could be, on the things of this life."

"I have often thought that," said Lady De Courcy; and, indeed, how frequently the apparently trifling event or action leads to momentous results, even as regards the things of this life."

"A striking proof this," said Mr. Mandeville, "that even in the light in which alone they

would be regarded by the worldly-minded, we know not what is trifling, or what is of importance. When the Phoenician merchants kindled their fire upon the shore, how little they dreamt of producing glass! When the University of Glasgow entrusted their model steam-engine to Mr. Watt, no doubt regretting the necessity of so doing, how little they anticipated the stupendous results which would arise from his observations and experiments."

"And," added Sir Alfred, "Dr. Black as little upon the effect which his discovery of latent heat was to have on the formation and condensation of steam."

"And what trifles," said Capt. Mandeville, "may have been said to change the destiny of men, and even states: Lord Eldon had nearly been made a grocer! and many of our great characters appear to have nearly missed being something else; but I am quite aware that we are placed here in the stations best fitted to our talents and abilities, and therefore the accidental circumstance, as it appears, must most assuredly have occurred to throw us into that situation, and those outward circumstances, most necessary for us."

"And few of us," said Mr. Mandeville, "in

looking back, but can recollect some trifle which has proved of great moment to ourselves, though not perhaps worthy of historical celebrity. And not only individuals, but nations," he continued, "have been affected by trifles. The capitol of Rome was saved by the cackling of geese."

CHAPTER X.

THE BIRTH-DAY.

"They tell me 'tis my natal day.-They summon me to mirth, To celebrate, with song and dance, the hour which gave me birth; But rather let me steal away, and to my closet fly,

To hold communion with my God, and raise my soul on high.

So may I hope, that future years will purer joy bestow,
And brighter beams of mercy shine, to light my path below;
And if it please Thee, here on earth, to grant a longer stay,
May I, with holier heart and thought, regard my natal day."
-Rev. W. S. Bucknill, B.A.

The next day, Monday, was Henry's birthday. He had never mentioned it the day before, and had tried to think as little of it as possible; but, now, he sprang eagerly out of bed, at an early hour, and hastened to call his cousin Donald, according to appointment, to assist him in some projects to surprise and amuse his visitors on their promised expedition to the island.

No one, he earnestly impressed upon Donald, was to know the secret except themselves; and