and she said she was sure she could not afford the school-money.* I told her I found it was always a saving in the end; for their shoes didn't get worn out so fast, nor their clothes torn, and I hadn't a-near so much washing to do for 'em, as if they did run in the streets. I told her it often cost me more in the holidays for mending their shoes than as though I had paid the school-money. She took up with this directly, and said, if that was it, she'd send the most rackety of 'em; and if it answered, she'd send the rest after a bit.” Now, it is just possible that it might have occurred to a lady to use this same kind of argument; but it would have lost its force with the mother, because she would have known it was not the result of actual experi ence. We hope, if spared to another winter, and if we are fortunate enough to obtain the requisite funds, that we shall be able to establish a paid missionary in the Potteries. Great as the improvement has been, much still remains to be effected. This poor place, that was left * No excuse of this kind can be made in any part of the United States, where free education is carried to every man's door. so many years literally wallowing in the mire, is still much behind-hand in cleanliness and home comfort. The keen eye, the ready hand and the loving heart of some good Christian woman, who can devote the whole. of her time to the work, is just what we want. We must trust in Him, who has already done so much for us, that He will open the way as we go on, and raise up for us, in our time of need, both the person and the pay. 2 OUR BABY. "The cup of life first with her lips she prest, I MENTIONED in the last chapter that I had often seen the necessity of deferring a subject previously prepared for the evening of our meeting, and adopting, in its stead, a topic more appropriate to passing events. As I consider this point of much importance, I am glad that my journal can furnish an illus tration. One evening, in the year 1854, as we were putting aside our work, one of the women reminded me that the day of our next meeting would be a fast-day; and she asked if we were to assemble as usual. I replied, "That as that day would be set aside for a special purpose, and one in which we were all deeply interested, I thought it would be better for us to make a point of all attending some place of worship, and uniting with others in our prayers for the deliverance of our country from the great evils which threatened it." Two or three voices exclaimed at once"Then, if that is it, we shan't go nowhere." "Why not?" I asked. One of them replied lets me go to any place. "My master never We have neither of us ever been inside a church since we were married." Two or three of the others said that was just the case with them. "How is it, then, that your husbands let you come here?" "Why, ma'am, we goes on with our work here; and it helps us to get many a nice bit of clothes, that we should have to go without if we didn't get them here, by paying a little at a time; and the children, too, you see, ma'am, is mostly in bed before we come." "Do you not think that some of you persuade your husbands to go to church with you, for once?" could They shook their heads, and said they were afraid not. There were a few in the room who said they would go, if they could. I told them, if they would express to me what their wishes were, I would adopt any plan they liked best. With the exception of about six or eight, they said they would rather the meeting were continued as usual. "If that is the case," I replied, "I will be here at the usual time next week, to meet any of you who cannot make it convenient to attend any place of worship; but remember, we must have no work done. I should not think that right on such a day." When I entered the room on the following week, I found thirty of the poor mothers assembled. We sat and chatted together for about a quarter of an hour; for we felt, on that occasion, that we were not bound to observe our rules with our usual strictness. I intended to read about our Saviour's entrance into Jerusalem, and to dwell particularly on the tears he shed in the prospect of the destruction of that city, showing from this how unwillingly God allowed His judgments to descend upon a nation, and that "He would rather they would turn from their wickedness and live." I had just begun to read, when the door opened, and a woman passing hastily up the room, took her seat on a low box by the side of the fire. She leaned forward, resting her head on her arms, and |