THE LITTLE CHIMNEY SWEEP.

THE following narrative is not altogether new to us. We have seen it stated that a lady of rank in London, who had lost her only son, discovered him, after some years, under the guise of a chimney-sweep, and that, in consequence, she vested a sum of money, in proper securities, devoting the proceeds to the benefit of the sweeps of that city, on every succeeding Mayday. The chimneysweeps of London are among the few who still celebrate Mayday, with some of the ancient festivities, continuing, on its annual return, to hold their dances with Jack-in-the-green, in the streets of the city. Whether their continued observance of the day is connected with the facts related below, we are not able to determine, although we have understood that it is; and that they still have reference to the lady's bounty in their festivities.

This story is founded upon fact. In London, on the first of May, 17-, the Countess of Band her son, aged eleven years, were sitting in a magnificent saloon, at the head of a long table; around this table, filled with cakes, sugar-plums, &c., fifty little chimney-sweeps were seated, with

clean hands and faces, and joyful hearts, singing,

"Sweep ho! Sweep ho!

From the bottom to the top."

You are astonished, perhaps, my little friends, to hear of those little chimney-sweeps at the table of so great a lady, and in such a beautiful room. I am going to tell you how this happened.

Some years before this anniversary day, Lady B― had a son about five years old. She was a widow, and this little boy was her only child. Upon her little Charles she had placed all her affection, and this child had become the sole object of her thoughts and her cares. The great desire of the heart of the Countess was, that her son should become pious-truly converted to the Lord. She prayed without ceasing, that God would touch the heart of her child, and turn it towards him. The more she prayed, and the more pains she took, the farther he seemed removed from the good end to which she wished to conduct him. He was idle, disobedient, and wilful; and but little disposed to attend to the subject of religion. Whenever the Bible was read to him, he became weary; thinking of other things, turning upon his seat, and gazing at the furniture of the room. When she required him to repeat his morning prayers, he said he wanted his breakfast first; and in the evening, that he

was too sleepy, and wished to go to bed. She prayed often herself, and she greatly desired that her son should pray also. In the hope of encouraging him, she composed some prayers for him to recite each night; but Charles would never learn but one of them, after saying which he would quickly say "Amen," and go to bed. It was this" Lord, convert me-change my heart teach me to love thee, and to love my brethren, as Jesus Christ loved us. Amen."

Lady B, seeing that her son changed not, began to doubt of the promises of God, and to her eyes he seemed to fail in his word; for he had said, in many passages of the Bible, "Call upon me, and I will answer."

One day, a servant came to tell her that for an hour they had sought for Charles all about the house without finding him; that the outer gate had been kept fastened, and that the child had been all the morning amusing himself alone in the garden.

You can imagine the anxiety of his mother; she ran through the house, the garden, the neighbourhood-but no person could give her any news of her son. She sent her servants to seek him through all the streets of the city. She sent notices to the authorities; she published in all