The wages in England were higher than those that were paid in Scotland, and her aim was to live upon as small a sum as they could with comfort. There was a desire in both not to spend more than two-thirds of their income; and though another life came into the dwelling in little more than a year from their setting up housekeeping, yet the extra expenses were met, and they had saved a third out of the husband's earnings.

I need not say that Mrs. Pleck did all her own needlework and ironing. If she ever had any help, it was when she was not quite strong, and a washerwoman came -a poor soul who had buried ten out of her twelve children, and whose two surviving daughters were now earning fourteen shillings a week each at the mill, but spent it all on themselves and did not know how to make the plainest garment, and were therefore either tawdry or tattered, never decent and comfortable. Such a lesson, it need not be said, confirmed Mrs. Pleck in her plans.

Hers was not an eventful life. Her simple round of duties took up her time. Her children, well nursed and trained, were healthy and happy. Her husband, being always punctual, neat, and orderly, was noticed and trusted. His salary gradually rose, and then he was able to save half the income and still to allow a few more extras in the home. But no foolish or dangerous luxuries were allowed. Mrs. Pleck had never read the maxim, "Resist beginnings;" but it was her maxim, and, something more, she practised it.

Years went on, and slowly Pleck rose to be overseer. Soon after, he heard that the firm intended to take in a junior partner. A sum of money was wanted; and Mrs. Pleck, who had been depositing for years, and had let the interest go to the prin

cipal, was able to produce an amount which, though not enough under ordinary circumstances to have induced the firm to admit him as a partner, yet in Pleck's case was allowed; for, said the senior who was about to retire, "If the man has not money, he has more than money's worth in brains and conduct."

In all these changes, of course Mrs. Pleck had removed to a better house, but still much within their income. She dressed herself and children better, but still with great plainness; which indeed made them look so well that a lady from London who was visiting in the neighbourhood, and who saw them at church, said, "Who were those quietly dressed, genteel people who sat near us ?" The remark was retailed to Pleck's old mother. She had long altered her first opinion, for she now said, "Genteel, indeed! If that means having a right good head to think and hand to manage, my Will's wife may stand up with the best."

Yes, it was so. A saving wife in this case proved far better, as to mere worldly success, than many an earning wife; and as to home comfort and the soul progress which depends on "patient continuance in welldoing," all who remember that the wife is the light of the dwelling will know that this humble house-mother did wisely.

In a lovely house on a hill-side in Yorkshire, overlooking a long valley where tall chimneys are smoking, lives Mrs. Pleck. Her family are some of them grown up, and helping their prosperous father, who has added & Sons" to the title of the firm. On a visit I made to them, the wife told me of her early married days, and she closed her narrative thus,-" We were blessed with health, love, and contentment. God gave the increase, and to His Name be the glory."

I. A WORKING MAN'S ARGU

MENT.

ET us just look at the relative merits of Church and Dissent so far as I am concerned, and perhaps it will apply to hundreds

more.

I

reside in the district of Saint Mark's Church,

Sheffield. It would take me twenty minutes to walk to that place of worship, whilst there are six Dissenting chapels within ten minutes walk of my house, and at each of these chapels there is a stationed minister, making a total of six stationed ministers. What is the result? Although I never attend the church, nor any of my family, yet I have frequently been visited by the curate of the Church referred to; whilst in regard to Dissent, the only visitor we have is in the person of a delicate lady who brings us tracts.

I do not wish it to be understood that at the six chapels referred to no good is being done, or that no effort is being made to make men better. I believe that at these places there are to be found some really good men who are deeply in earnest for the welfare of their fellow-men, and are extremely solicitous for the young of their congregations. But what I should like to know is, supposing the desire of the Liberationists to be an accomplished fact, would the Church become more powerful for good, or would the opportunities for increased effort be augmented amongst Dissenters ?-A Working Man.

III. THE EDUCATION OF THE POOR.

Recent statistics, published by the authority of the Government, show that the Church is doing her work most satisfactorily in her own way; the official returns of last summer testifying that out of the total number of children for whom school accommodation is provided at the established rate, viz., 2,582,549 (i.e. in schools connected with the Privy Council), the Church finds accommodation for no less than 1,751,697. Speaking generally and in round numbers, the Church annually expends two millions of money, raised voluntarily, on the education of the poor.

F course I do not mean that a man will not produce more in a week by working seven days than by working six days. But I very much doubt whether, at the end of a year, he will generally have produced more by working seven days a week than by working six days a week; and I firmly believe that at the end of twenty years he will have produced less by working seven days a week than by working six days

poorer, but richer, because we have, through many ages, rested from our labour one day in seven. That day is not lost. Man, the machine of machines-the machine compared with which all the contrivances of the Watts and Arkwrights are worthless-is repairing and winding up, so that he returns to his labours on the Monday with clearer intellect, with livelier spirits, with renewed bodily vigour."-LORD MACAULAY.