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Her tears flowed fast as she proceeded.-"I had a fellow-servant in my last place who (from knowing what my expectations were, I suppose, for I was apt to talk of them by way of raising myself as I thought in the estimation of the household) took all possible pains to please and flatter me. I was charmed with him in return, and easily fell into the snare that he was laying for me. He soon made me an offer of marriage, and I accepted him, against the advice of those who were older, and I now see wiser than myself."

Mrs. A.-"He was not generally liked and thought well of then in the family?"

Sally.-"No, Madam, far from it. He was frequently reproved by his master for negligence in his business; and his airs and disobliging temper made him many enemies in the kitchen; he was also considered not quite honest, but I did not believe this."

"That circumstance, however," said Mrs. Anderson, "should have made you cautious about trusting him; but how could you suppose for a moment that a bad servant was likely to make a good husband?"

Sally." I never considered the subject in that point of view, Madam; I was, to be sure, as I said before, warned over and over again of the danger of giving him encouragement, but I fancied that this advice only arose from envy at my good fortune, for he was a smart well-looking youth, and told many tales about a house and a quantity of money he was one day to inherit from an old uncle; not a word of which, as I knew, did any body believe but me. I wish I had not now; but I thought, then, that I knew best, so I followed my own inclination, took my money out of the Savings Bank, and placed it in the hands of him, who, I doubted not, was to become my husband in the course of a few days; but, when the morning came on which we were to have been married, how shall I describe my feelings of

misery, on learning that he had left the village the evening before? I could hardly believe, at first, that he meant to desert me; certain, however, it is, that he did. It is now near three months since this happened, and nothing of him or my little property has since been heard of. My master and mistress kindly interested themselves for me, much more than I had any right to expect; but all enquiries after him have been in vain, and no doubt now remains on my mind of his having been a complete adventurer, and having quitted the kingdom."

Mrs. A.-" And what are your present views and intentions?"

Sally." I have no choice, Madam, but to seek a refuge in the poor-house of my own parish, till it may please God so far to restore my strength as to enable me set out again in service; my health is too bad at present to admit of my doing any thing but needle-work, and, indeed, there are many days on which I am not even equal to that."

"Alas!" said Mrs. Anderson, "how truly melancholy have been the effects of those faults,which, being first encouraged in your childhood, have since influenced you in all your conduct. Instead of having, as it were, to set out in life afresh, you might have been now prosperous and happy; but being unwilling to bear any confinement or restraint, and refusing to receive instruction and advice, you have run headlong into distresses, from which a humble and tractable spirit might have secured you. Call your own ways to remembrance, as you value your future prospects; strive, with God's help, to correct your wrong disposition; and, in returning days of health and prosperity, if they should be granted you, bear in mind that no qualities are more valuable, nor any ornaments more graceful, than meekness and lowliness of heart."

So saying, she put a trifle into her hand, and

with the cheering promise of future assistance, should her conduct deserve it, the hapless victim of pride and imprudence pursued her way.

A. Z.

January, 1826.

THE TEETH.

By early attention, a great deal of suffering from tooth-ache may often be prevented. People who can afford it take their children to a dentist that their teeth may be examined; but poor people cannot do this, and thus their children often go through a great deal of suffering which might probably have been prevented. I have always, however, exhorted my cottage friends to endeavour to lay by a trifle out of their weekly earnings, that they may have a little fund for any necessary or useful purpose; a person who does this is not poor, though he lives in a cottage, but a man who does not live within his income is poor, though he may live in a palace. With prudence, a man may afford to apply for help at the beginning of an illness, and to pay for such drugs and medicines as may be recommended. If a little early attention and expense should prevent the miseries of the tooth-ache, for instance, there is a great deal of benefit in this. Keeping the teeth clean is a great means of preventing mischief. A brush and clean water are within the reach of most people; and they should be used in the morning and at night. But, for those who wish for tooth-powder, I have a very good receipt and a very simple one. It is,-"equal quantities of powdered myrrh, orris root, and prepared chalk." The myrrh preserves the teeth; the chalk clears them; and the orris root gives a plea sant perfume to the powder. The fine tooth-powders

which cost half a crown and more a box, cannot be better than this, and are more than five times as dear, and being white this powder is particularly clean and pleasant to use.

THE RETORT COURTEOUS.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

SHOULD you think the following trifle fit for a corner of your Magazine, it is much at your service.

SAYS Jacky to Ned, with a sneer in his looks,
"What a goose you must be to sit poring on books,
Did you know in what innocent pleasures consist
In playing at Commerce, and Cribbage, and Whist,
You'd alter your plan, and I'll warrant would soon
Lose the aspect of having just dropt from the moon;
Then think of enjoyment, while yet in your prime,
For 'tis stupid indeed, thus to spend all your time."
"Now, begging your pardon," says Ned, "I dissent,
My time's put to int'rest while your's is all spent.

A KENSINGTON SCHOOLMASTER.

FRAGMENT OF A SERMON.

We found the following extract on a loose leaf of paper which we rescued from the fire: it seems to have been a leaf slipped out of a Sermon on WhitSunday.

"It is not only in the striking and alarming visitations of Providence, that we are to behold the great

ness of the Almighty, and feel his power: the means by which he carries on his ordinary operations are as wonderful as the most extraordinary miracles; or rather they are miracles; but they cease to strike us, because we behold them so often. Neither was the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, though then accompanied with such an outward and manifest appearance, a better or a greater gift than that secret, silent, consoling influence which is every day shed over the conscience of the believer, which visits him in the trial of affliction, cheers him with the hopes of a happier day, and opens to his soul the enchanting prospect of the brightness of Heaven,-which leaves him not on the bed of sickness, and is with him in the hour of death ;-which is so needful to every candidate for Heaven, that no one can be truly blessed without it, and so freely given, that none need ask for it in vain, which keeps us from what is evil, and directs us towards what is good, and which, finally, if properly employed, will make us more than conquerors, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

V.

OUR NATIVE LAND.

DURING the last twelve years in which we have, thank God, enjoyed peace with all Europe, most of the upper class in England, and many of the middling, have travelled through other countries either on business or pleasure. Many, I believe, are the worse for what they have seen; but all may have, at least, derived this benefit, namely, to have learned how many superior advantages we have at home; and the effects of this should be a heart grateful to the Almighty Giver of them. Those who do not move from their own homes, cannot see the

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