engaged? 5. What incident showed that John had an eye for business? 6. Describe John as he was about to set out for Edmonton. 7. How did the nimble steed treat him? 8. Describe the attitude of Mr. Gilpin as the horse began to run away. 9. What did Mrs. Gilpin say to John as the steed flew by the place where they were to dine? 10. Where did the horse stop? 11. What questions did the calender ask of John? 12. How did Mr. Gilpin answer him? 13. What then did the calender bring? 14. What frightened the horse the second time? 15. What did the postboy try to do? 16. What did the six gentlemen think when they saw John flying by followed by the postboy? 17. Would you like to have seen John Gilpin on that occasion ?

Expressions for study:

all agog

all in a chaise and pair

as needs he must

from top to toe

good lack

hue and cry

in a trice

in merry pin
in such trim

neck or nought

on horseback after we
to make his balance true

1. The amusing incidents of this poem will lend themselves to exercises in drawing. Select the incidents that an artist would consider for illustration. 2. Can you make sketches to illustrate them? 3. You will notice that there is a tendency to read poetry in a sing-song manner. Why is this so? Has it anything to do with the regularity of the stress or accent; or does it come from the rhyming of the last words of the lines? 4. Read the first stanza, and tell which lines rhyme, and where the accent falls. 5. If you were in John Gilpin's place, tell what you would have done when the horse ran past the inn.

HE TRUSTED IN GOD

The way in which the best and holiest souls are sometimes tried by God, and the manner in which He often brings about their deliverance by the most unexpected means, is fully shown in the true story which follows.

I

In a convent in Rome, certain additions were found necessary to facilitate the works of retreats. The new buildings were to be carried out according to the plans and under the supervision of a very clever nun, who came daily to give directions and to watch the progress of the work.

The mechanics employed were generally of good character; but one in particular, named Paul Dionisi, was noted for his manly, earnest, quiet piety, and his conscientious performance of every duty intrusted to him.

Yet he was a bright, cheerful, active man, not in the least disposed to set himself up as better than his neighbors, and always ready to share in any innocent amusement. But the most remarkable feature in his character was his simple, unhesitating trust in God, and his deeply-rooted conviction that whatever happened to him was ordered by One Who knew what was best for him. That being so, he felt that a cheer

ful acceptance of God's will was not only his best and wisest course, but a plain duty.

He

Things went well with him for many years. married a good and industrious woman, and had five children, who were well and carefully trained. In spite of the occasional jeers of the most careless among his fellow workmen, he was respected by all of them; for they always found him ready to do them a kind and a good turn.

One morning he did not appear at his work as usual, and on inquiry the nun heard that he had taken a violent chill, which he had neglected, and was then seriously ill. He came to the convent a little later, however; but was so sick that the nun insisted on his going home after she had given him some simple remedies.

Being anxious about him, she not only sent a doctor to see him for the first three or four days, but persuaded him to stay in bed every morning and to come to work in the afternoon. She did this with the understanding that he would receive his full wages so that his family might not suffer.

It was this nun's business to pay the men and keep the accounts, so she carefully marked down the three days in her books when Paul had thus been laid up with what important result our readers will presently learn.

The buildings went on, the finer portions being always reserved for Paul. One morning, the nun came later than usual to the buildings, and to her astonishment found the work stopped and the men talking in groups, apparently in great agitation. Evidently something most unusual had happened. Paul, too,

was nowhere to be seen!

In answer to her eager inquiries, she was told in breathless accents and almost in one voice, that Paul had been seized the night before by the police and carried off to prison. Why or wherefore, nobody could imagine! Dismay was painted on every face, and no possible reason could be suggested to account for Paul's arrest. Soon after, his poor wife arrived at the convent, quite broken-hearted at what had happened, and explained the whole matter.

It seemed that a year or two before, they had taken into their house for a little time a lodger who had appeared respectable, and who had given in his papers (a necessary form in Rome) under a certain name. Paul found out, however, by degrees, that he had several different and false names, and that letters and parcels were continually coming to him from various quarters.

There were several other mysterious things about his lodger which excited Paul's suspicions; and finally he made up his mind to get rid of him. The man was

furious at being sent away, but dissembled his anger and his cruel plans of revenge; only asking as a favor that he might leave a heavy box behind him for a time, which for greater security he walled up in a disused chimney, until such time as he should come for it.

This man, two years after, was discovered by the police to be a coiner of false money, and, when he was arrested, he declared that his tools were left in Paul's house.

The police came, found the box and all the forger's implements, and, naturally thinking that Paul was an accomplice, threw him also into prison.

In vain he protested his innocence and his entire ignorance of the contents of the box, the very existence of which he had almost forgotten. In vain did the parish priest and many others come forward at the preliminary trial, attesting the excellence of his character.

"There are too many people apparently of the most respectable kind implicated in this matter,” replied the superintendent of police.

So poor Paul was marched off to prison till the time of the regular trial. There he remained for nearly six months, during which time his wife and children. suffered extreme want. For some weeks even the nuns did not know of the distress the members of Paul's