He spent all the money he had on a lease, and began to sink a shaft. This work he kept at con stantly? until Polly's appealing looks, and the state of the house would make him go in search of something to do. Polly was ever much of an eater, but how often

and often did she go with only a bit of bread » whole day, so that her father would have enough. He was working hard, she argued to her unselfish self, and she was doing nothing, so she re quired little ; and John was blind to all this. His craze would not let him see anything. I don't know how they would have got on if it were not for kind Mrs S weetblossoiii. That dear woman— coarse, ugly, heavy, and commonplace to sight though she appeared — had in her ungainly body, one of the truest heart s that ever beat in the bosom of woman. In the book of the remembrances of the Lord, her name is posted in many entries. Although the times then Avere hard, and much " tic" had to be given, she never would see any one wanting. She had a sort of intuitive knowledge of when John had the craze, and would soundly rate poor Polly for not coming for her usual supply of floxir. tea, .and sugar. Her heart used to twuige again when she noticed the poor girl's thin and worn appearance on these occa sions. She used to say — " Why don't you come often er, Polly dear ? You haven't gone to another store, have you f " Oh ! no, Mrs Sweetblossom," Polly would stutter out, " but — but we must be saving, for father's out of work." "Go 'long with you'," Mrs Sweetbloa som would say, "as if you'd not pay every shilling, child, when he gets work. I'm giving little presents to my customers this week, so Polly, here's a pot of salmon for you." And thus did the good soul try to smoothcn Polly's thorny path through life. 