and irregularity; besides, "how decent and how wise" for parents and children to sit together at the feet of Jesus --the former by their serious deportment and attention, to show the latter in what estimation they regard the Sabbath, the sanctuary, and the truth of God.

The Real "Temperance Cordial."

"WELL," said Andrew Furlong to James Lacey, "well! that ginger cordial, of all the things that I ever tasted, is the nicest and warnest. It's beautiful stuff, and so cheap." "What good does it do you, Andrew? And what want have you of it?" Inquired James Lacey.

"What good does it do me?" Repeated Andrew rubbing his forehead in a manner that showed he was perplexed by the question; why no great good, to be sure; and I can't say I've any want of it; for since I became a member of the Total Abstinence Society, I've lost the megrim in my head and the weakness I used to have about my heart. I'm as strong and hearty in myself as any one can be, God be praised! And sure, James, neither of us could turn out in such a coat as this, this time twelvemonth."

"And that's true," replied James, "but we must remember, that if leaving off whiskey enables us to show a good habit, taking to 'ginger cordial,' or any thing of that kind will soon wear a hole in it."

"You are always full of your fun," replied Andrew. "How can you prove that?"

"Intoxication was the

"Easy enough," said James. worst part of a whiskey drinking habit; but it was not the only bad part. It spent TIME, and it spent what well managed time always gives, money. Now, though they do say-mind I'm not quite sure about it, for they may put things in it they don't own to, and your eyes look brighter, and your cheek more flushed than if you had been drinking nothing stronger than milk or water--but they do say that ginger cordials, and all kinds of cordials, do not intoxicate. I will grant this, but you cannot deny that they waste both time and money."

"Oh, brother!" exclaimed Andrew, "I only went with

two or three other boys to have a glass, and I don't think we spent more than half an hour, not three quarters, certainly; and there's no great harm in laying out a penny or two pence that way now and again."

"Half an hour, even, breaks a day," said James, and, what is worse, it unsettles the mind for work; and we ought to be very careful of any return to the old habit, that has destroyed many of us, body and soul, and made the name of an Irishman a byword and a reproach, instead of a glory and an honor. A penny, Andrew, breaks the silver shilling into coppers; and two pence will buy half a stone of potatoes-that's a consideration. If we don't manage to keep things comfortable at home, the women won't have the heart to mend the coat. Not," added James with a sly smile, "that I can deny having taken to temperance cordials myself."

"You!" shouted Andrew, "you! a pretty fellow you are to be blaming me, and then forced to confess you have taken to them yourself. But I suppose they'll wear no hole in your coat? Oh, to be sure not, you are such a good manager?"

"Indeed," answered James, "I was any thing but a good manager eighteen months ago; as you well know, I was in rags, never at my work of a Monday, and seldom on Tuesday. My poor wife, my gentle patient Mary, often bore hard words; and although she will not own it, I fear still harder blows, when I had driven away my senses. My children were pale, half-starved, naked creatures, disputing a potatoe with the pig my wife tried to keep to pay the rent, well knowing I would never do it. Now

"But the cordial?" interrupted Andrew, "the cordial! Sure I believe every word of what you've been telling me is as true as the gospel; ain't there hundreds, ay, thousands, at this moment, on Ireland's blessed ground that can tell the same story. But the cordial! and to think of your never owning it before; is it ginger, or anniseed, or peppermint ?"

"None of these-and yet it's the rale thing, my boy." "Well then," persisted Andrew, let's have a drop of it, you're not going, I'm sure, to drink by yourself; and as I've broke the afternoon

A heavy shadow passed over James's face, for he saw that there must have been something hotter than eveu ginger in the "temperance cordiai," as it was falsely called, that Andrew had taken, or else he would have endeavored to save lost time, not to waste more; and he thought how much better the real temperance cordial was, that, instead of warming the brain, only warms the heart.

"No," he replied after a pause; I must go and finish what I was about; but this evening at seven o'clock, meet me at the end of our lane, and then I'll be very happy of your company."

Andrew was sorely puzzled to discover what James' cordial could be, and was forced to confess to himself that he hoped it would be different from what he had taken that afternoon, which certainly had made him feel confused and inactive.

At the appointed hour the friends met in the lane.
"Which way do we go," inquired Andrew.
"Home," was James' brief reply.

"Oh, you take it at home?" said Andrew.

"1 make it at home." answered James.

Well," observed andrew, "that's very good of the woman that owns ye. How, mine takes on so about a drop of any thing, that she's as hard almost on the cordials, as she used to be on the whiskey.

"My Mary helps to make mine," observed James.

"And do you bottle it, or keep it on draught?" inquired Andrew; very much interested in the "cordial" question.

James laughed very heartily at this, and answered:

"Oh, I keep mine on draught-always on draught; there's nothing like having a plenty of a good thing, so 1 keep mine alway's on draught; and then James laughed again, and so heartily that Andrew thought surely HIS real temperance cordial must contain something quite as strong as what he had blamed him for taking.

James's cottage door was open, and as they approached it, they saw a good deal of what was going forward within. A square table placed in the centre of the little kitchen, was covered by a clean white cloth-kuives, forks and plates for the whole family, were ranged upon it in.

excellent order; the hearth had been swept, the house was clean, the children rosy, well dressed, and all doing something. Mary, whom her husband has characterized as the patient,' was busy and bustling in the very act of adding to the coffee, which was steaming on the table, the substantial accompaniment of fried eggs and bacon, with a large dish of potatoes.

When the children saw their father, they ran to meet him with a great shout, and clung around to tell him all they had done that day. The eldest girl declared she had achieved the heel of a stocking; one boy wanted his father to come and see how straight he had planted the cabbages; while another avowed his proficiency in addi tion, and volunteered to do a sum instanter upon a slate, which he had just cleaned. Happiness in a cottage seems more real than it does in a gorgeous palace. It is not wasted in large rooms; it is concentrated; a great deal ot love in a small space; a great, great deal of joy within narrow walls, and compressed, as it were, by a low roof. Is it not a blessed thing that the most narrow means become enlarged by the affections? That the love of a peasant within his sphere is as deep, as fervent, as true, as lasting as sweet, as the love of a prince? That all our best and purest affections will grow and expand in the poorest worldly soil? And that we need not be rich to be happy?

James felt all this and more when he entered his cottage, and was thankful to God, who had opened his eyes, and taught him what a number of this world's gifts that were within even his humble reach might be enjoyed without sin. He stood, a poor, but happy father, within the sacred temple of his home: and Andrew had the warm heart of an Irishman, beating in his bosom and filling with joy.

"I told you,' said James, "I had the true temperance cordial at home; do you see it in the simple prosperity by which, owing to the blessings of temperance I am sur rounded? Do you not see it in the rosy cheeks of my children, in the smiling eyes of my wife? Did I not tell truly that she helped to make it? Is not this true cordial," he continued, while his own eyes glistened with many tears, "is not the prosperity of this cottage a trus

temperance cordial? And is it not always on draught, flowing from an ever-filling fountain? Am I not right, Andrew; and will you not forthwith take my receipt; and make it for yourself? You will never wish any other; it is warmer than ginger and sweeter than annisseed. I am sure you will agree with me, that a loving wife, in the enjoyment of the humble comforts which an indus trious, sober husband can bestow; smiling, healthy, wellclad children; and a clean cabin, where the fear of God banishes all other fears--make the true temperance cor dial !"

Dr. Payson and the Lawyer.

A LADY, who was the common friend of Mrs. Payson and of the wife of a distinguished lawyer of Portland, was sojourning in the family of the latter. After the friends of the respective families had interchanged several "calls," Mrs. was desirous of receiving a formal visit from Mrs. Payson; but to effect this Mr. Payson must also be invited; and how to prevail with her husband to tender an invitation was the great difficulty. He had been accustomed to associate experimental religion with meanness, and of course felt or affected great contempt for Mr. Payson, as if it were impossible for a man of his reli gion to be also a man of talents. He knew by report something of Mr. Payson's practice on such occasions, and dreading to have his house the scene of what appeared to him a gloomy interview, resisted his wife's proposal as long as he could, and retain the character of a gentleman.

When he gave his consent, it was with the positive determination that Mr. Payson should not converse on religion, nor ask a blessing over his food, nor offer a prayer in his house. He collected his forces and made his preparation in conformity with this purpose, and when the appointed day arrived, received his guest very pleasantly, and entered at once into animated conversation, determined, by obtruding his own favorite topics, to forestall the divine. It was not long before the latter discovered his object, and summoned together his powers to defeat it. He plied them with that skill and address for