"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and
whether it be right,"--PROVERBS, xx. 11.

Happy the child who is active, intelligent and obliging, and who
takes pleasure in serving those that are about him! Happy above all
is the child, who, fearing and loving the Lord, shows himself thus
zealous and obliging, from a feeling of piety, and a desire to please
God.

Such was Francis, and this we shall soon see, from the following
narrative:

Francis, who was about eight years old, was spending the month of
June with his Grandpapa in the country.

His Grandpapa lived in a pretty house, roofed with slates, and
surrounded with a verandah, in which were seats, and between each
seat, some flower-pots. Jessamine and roses entwined themselves
around the verandah, and adorned it with elegant festoons of flowers.

Behind the house was a yard, where chickens, turkeys, and guinea-
fowls, were kept; and in the front, looking towards the west, was
laid out a fine garden, well provided with evergreens, such as holly,
yew, and pine-trees, and amongst these, also, many birch and ash-
trees flourished.

At the bottom of the garden, which sloped a little, flowed a pure,
but shallow stream, which was crossed by means of a wooden bridge,
surrounded with elders and large hazels.