A Mason's Story.

other as a guide and friend , it may be for ever and aye . The second kind of religion is the one that I regret to say finds favour to a great extent among this time-serving , truckling generation . It is a reli g ion which , having taken up one side of the question , partly from inclination , partly from early prejudice , sees no p lan of salvation for those who believe in the opposite view . Perhaps its dogged opposition to all other theories arises from the fact that it can

comprehend none of the other side . To those who are on this track I would quote the words of a writer whose name shall live when our language is dead •—I mean John Stuart Mill— " He wdio knows only his own side of the question , knows very little of that . " But I am digressing . The individual who made the fourth and last party at table was Dick Morton , who was a younger brother of Mary ' s . Dick was leaving his

holidays at the time we write of . His present location ( or as he preferred to call it "diggings ) " was at Rugby . He was a strapping lad , with more of the animal than the ascetic , more of the Tom Brown than the studious . In fact , hewoulcl have made no bad successor to that embryo ecclesiastical dignitary , could a chronicler be found to record his clays . He was beginning to find the sojourn at his ancestral home very tediousand was intensely longing for the

, romps along the corridors , and the cricket and football of Rugby . Just now he was solacing himself by feeding as heartily as possible , and eating twice as much as all the others put together . Presently the pangs of his hunger began to be appeased , ancl his inner man felt more satisfied , as the plate of hot muffins before him partially , ancl at last entirely disappeared . In proportion as he felt the pleasing sensationso clear to all schoolboysof having had a

, , good feed stealing over him , his spirits began to rise , and he found time to take stock of those who were at the table . " Well , Mary , " he says , " what's the matter with you this morning ¥ Your face is as bine as old John ' s jerkin when the rain has been making- it shine , ancl" —here the horrible truth burst upon him— " you haven't eaten anything . "

Not to have eaten anything was m Master Dick ' s eyes an unpardonable sin , worthy of all the excommunications , etc ., which have been promulgated from the time of Athanasius downwards . Without giving her time to answer him , this impertinent , yet withal good natured specimen of humanit y ran on , " I see what it is , old girl ; you have been having a flare up with your friend Pen Falconer . I saw you looking ' big spoons ' last ni ght when yon thought nobodwas aboutancl then it ended uphow I don ' t know or care

y , , either . I expect the governor knows more about it than I do . Did he want to beg off ? or " "Silence , sir ! " interrupted his father , "how dare you address your sister in that manner , ancl in my presence too ? If you have nothing more to utter than that insane nonsense , I would advise you either to hold your noise or else leave the room . "

" Whew ! but I ' ve put my foot in it now , " muttered Dick , as he rose from the table , " but seeing I have your full leave and license , I'll e ' en take you at your word and go ; but I want to call ancl get a pair of skates at Jackson ' s , as 1 go down ; I suppose you have no objection to paying for them , sir ? " His father did not reply , as he had returned to the doings of the "Society for Advocating the Claims of Eternal Punishment , " so Dick resumed , " He that

objecteth not , seemeth to consent , as John Gilpin said , therefore I'll get my skates . Ancl may grace , mercy , and peace rest upon you for ever . Ta , ta . " And now having taken a look at Mr . Morton ' s family , let us proceed to other personages in our story . Penhryn Falconer ancl his father sat in the office of the latter at the same time as the Mortons were getting breakfast . They were talking earnestl y , and we , taking an author ' s liberty , will draw near and see what this conversation is about . Penrhvn is saying , 2 A