Saviour! the sacrifice accept,

Their toils, their prayers regard,

Until, the victory won, they rise

From labour, to reward.

MRS. SIGOURNEY.

TALES FOR MY GOD-CHILDREN.-No. VII.

THE NUTTING PARTY.

MR. PARKER was a very good-natured man, and very fond of seeing young people happy. Near the parsonage house there was a large and beautiful wood; and in some parts of this wood there were large plantations of hazel. It is on the hazel-tree that nuts grow; and I dare say all my little friends have seen and tasted nuts. The nut is the seed of the hazel, and if planted in the ground would produce hazel-trees. At the season when nuts are ripe, it is customary for the poor children to go and gather them, and thus make a few pence by selling them to their neighbours. It is also a common amusement for persons, who are not in need of money, to meet together in the woods, and gather nuts. Mr. Parker was sure that his young friends would be pleased at having some diversion of this kind, and a day was therefore fixed, on which they were to accompany him to the wood. The party was to consist of Eleanor, Margaret, and Joanna Wicklow and their brother James. Frank had returned to school with the two Langleys. Miss Cartwright was invited to come also with her young charges. Mrs. Sefton, whose little girls never went out without herself, undertook to take eare of Alice Langley and Isabel de Mowbray; Mrs. Carlton not being very strong, and preferring to spend a very quiet

day at home. Mr. Parker engaged the light wagon of a neighbouring farmer to take the party to the wood; and this part of the plan gave the greatest satisfaction.

The children talked of nothing but the expected day of pleasure, and of Mr. Parker's kindness, and of the ride in Farmer Coffin's wagon; and all hoped that the day would be fine. And fine it was: nothing could be finer; and the three little girls of the Wicklow family were ready for Miss Cartwright, even before Miss Cartwright was ready for them. This was all right. Little girls should never keep their mammas or governesses waiting for them. Joanna's gloves were all in order and nicely mended; and they had all neat printed calico frocks on, fitted to the proposed excursion. James Wicklow, not being, as I have before mentioned, a very strong boy, rode his donkey by the side of his sisters. "I hope," said Eleanor, "you will be with us in the wagon, dear James!" "I hope so," said Margaret," for that will be great fun." "Most likely not," said James, who was quite aware of his own inability to use the exertions which even his youngest sister was equal to. "But I shall be very happy to ride by your side, and Alfred Sefton says, he will walk with me." "Oh!" said Margaret, "shan't we have Alfred Sefton in the wagon?" Then recollecting that this remark was rather a selfish one, she said, "O yes, that will be very right, and we shall be all together in the wood." They then called at Mr. Sefton's for the part of his family, who were to go, and Mary, Louisa, and Alfred with their mother, met them at the gate. The two little girls from Langley Lodge were already at Mr. Parker's; and before his door stood the wagon which had been so much talked of.

Mrs. Sefton could not help remarking that Isabel de Mowbray was very improperly dressed for the kind of party she was invited to; and as she could speak French, she told the little girl that she had better have asked Mrs. Carlton for a different frock; but Isabel, by her reply, shewed that she was quite satisfied with her own dress, and Mrs. Sefton at this time, could not take any steps to have it changed. Margaret Wicklow, who understood quite well what was passing between Mrs. Sefton and Isabel, felt very glad that she bad, this day, a proper frock on.

Mr. Parker was quite ready for his party of young friends. And a happier party there could not be. He had already placed in the wagon, cups and saucers and plates, bread and butter and cakes; and above all a tea-kettle; for one of the expected pleasures was to be the boiling of the tea-kettle in the wood, and drinking tea in the open air.

On arriving at the wood, Mr. Parker choose a clean place on the green turf, on which to place the hampers which had been brought out for the party; and when all were out of the wagon, they dispersed themselves through the wood, with their little baskets, to gather nuts, and run about and amuse themselves. Eleanor, who was a very hard-worker, very soon had her basket full, Margaret did not get on so fast. She was often delayed to run after other things: and as the object of their meeting together was to enjoy themselves in any way they pleased, it did not much signify whether she filled her basket or not. She was better pleased, too, with running races with Mary and Louisa Sefton, than in constantly looked for nuts. And, although these little girls sometimes stopped to gather a few, they did not collect enough to

make much shew in their baskets; they did not care for the nats at all. Joanna Wicklow was very desirous of getting her basket full. She was the least of the party, and not so well able to reach the boughs that had the nuts. And when she found that after all her efforts, she yet had only a very few in her basket, she began to cry. "What is the matter, Joanna ?" said Alfred Sefton, who just then came up to the tree near which Joanna was standing. "I have no nuts," said Joanna, “and Eleanor has already gathered more than a basket full." "Oh, never mind," replied Alfred, “ I will gather you some in a few minutes. But just now I must go after your brother James, for his donkey has run away, and he cannot run fast enough to catch it.” With these words, Alfred cut a stout hazel twig, and then ran away through the wood.

Alice, Isabel, and Mary Sefton soon after this, came up to the spot where Joanna was standing. Alice had gathered a fine basket-full; but Isabel had been afraid of spoiling her frock, and had not gathered any, neither did she look very happy. This might be partly, perhaps, from thinking, how far away she was from her own sisters. But I am afraid it was chiefly from the restraint of her smart frock; for this little girl's fault was too much fondness for dress; and she felt that neither the Wicklows nor the Seftons had shewn any admiration for what she had on.

"Why, Joanna," said Alice, "you have no nuts at all!" "No," said Joanna, again beginning to cry.

"Pray, take half of mine, or the whole, if you like, I can soon gather more, if I want them."

Joanna cleared up very much at this kind offer, which I

am sure my little god-children will be pleased to observe came from Alice, who was on no occasion too fond of giving away her good things. And she was very fond of nuts. And besides which, she had her squirrel, which was very fond of nuts too. Alice picked out all the best bunches, and then said, if Joanna wished to get some herself, she would shew her the best trees, and help her to gather them.

Just as this was all arranged, Eleanor came by,-her basket bent with the weight of her nuts. But I am sorry to say, Eleanor did not offer any of them to Alice or Joanna. Not that Eleanor was what is to be called a greedy child : but she was fond of having things and hoarding them. So that frequently a cake or an apple-pie, in her possession would become spoiled, before she could make up her mind to eat it, or divide it with her sisters. Eleanor, in many things was a pattern of carefulness; but, in this particular, it was a fault, and not at all to be commended. Eleanor loved Joanna, and, seeing she had been crying, asked her the reason, and heard how good-natured Alice Langley had been, in giving her her best nuts. Eleanor then felt a little ashamed that she had not offered Joanna some of hers, when she had before seen her little sister with her empty basket, but I am afraid she was also glad to see that there was now no necessity for her to offer her own store. But Eleanor's store was not left to her untouched; for, just at this moment, James's donkey came galloping by, followed by Alfred Sefton, who was striving to catch him. He just touched Eleanor's elbow in passing, and away went her basket, and away went every nut in it; and into such a wet, dirty place were they thrown, that it was quite useless to attempt to pick up any