Paul and Marie.

PAUL AND MARIE,

THE ORPHANS OF AUVERGNE:

- OR,

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.

163

AUL kept his promise; he went to see Jacques in prison, and found him sad and low-spirited. Alone in his cell, he had plenty of time to think over his past conduct. He felt sorry for what he had done; but it was only because he was suffering punishment. He did not truly repent; nevertheless, the visits of the chaplain of the prison did him much good; and Paul did his best to encourage him to lead a better life in future.

Make up your mind to be honest, in spite of everything,' said Paul to him; it wants but the will to begin. Evil passions are like a runaway horse; we let them gallop off with us, no one knows whither.'

It's all very fine talking,' answered Jacques; 'but how are we to stop ourselves?'

'It's not so hard to do as you think,' said Paul. "You must learn to pray, and ask God's help for the sake of Jesus Christ; if you don't do this, it's little good you'll ever do for yourself. Oh! Jacques, why will you lose your soul for ever? Pray, work, and live honestly, for it's your idleness that has been your ruin.AAT

I know it has; but I know no trade, and I'm too old to learn one.'

If you can't earn bread honestly, it's very sure that you won't long get it in any other way.'

'Then I shall not see you again,' said Jacques, when Paul took leave of him.

'Not for some time; but never fear, we shall meet again, I hope. Now, Jacques, do give up playing and gambling, bad company, and telling lies. Make a fresh start when you come out of prison. Will you promise ? 'I'll promise to try.'

'Well, God will help you if you really mean it; set about doing it in earnest for the Saviour's sake. God helped me when I was in trouble; and He will help you too, if you ask it in the name of Jesus.' Paul now began to feel happy. He hoped that Marie would soon be able to sew and cut out, although she was learning rather late. The lady who had found her fainting in the street, and who continued to be kind to her, entered her as an apprentice, and she was getting on well. Paul bought of a person from his own part of the country a little stock of books with the piece of money in gold, and he was going to turn a book hawker. What books and things he could not then pay for he was trusted with, as he was known to be honest.

Jacques kept his word, and made up his mind more and more every day to behave well. He followed the advice of Paul, and worked at what he was allowed to do. He began to read and write, and the chaplain gladly gave him lessons and lent him good books. This good man also often spoke to him of the mercy and loving-kindness of God towards sinners; his advice was listened to by Jacques, and acted upon.

At the end of eight months Jacques left the prison a changed lad. The chaplain gave, besides good counsel, a small sum of money to keep him until he could find something to do. He fixed upon becoming a servant, as he knew no trade, and was too big to sweep chimneys. Going to a registry-office for servants, he put down his name as John. A lad of sixteen or seventeen was just then wanted in a family living near Paris. He went and spoke to the gentleman, who engaged him, and he entered

upon his duties the same evening. After supper he was shown into his little bedroom; and when the other servant, the coachman, left him alone, he opened the window and looked out to breathe the pure air of the country, and gazed up at the beautiful night sky and glittering stars. He felt full of gratitude for all the mercies he enjoyed, and thanked God from his heart. He had now a chance of making up for the past, and of leading a new and better life.

The next morning he was up before any one else in the house, and was the first at work. He did his best to know and do his various duties; he listened attentively to orders, and obeyed them. At first he was rather awkward; but at the end of a month he had learned so much by paying great attention to what he was about, that he was able to make himself generally useful and wait at table. Willingness made his work easy. His master and mistress were very much pleased with him; they seldom had so good a servant; but if Jacques was liked in the parlour, he was not liked in the kitchen. The coachman, and Maggie the cook, who was something like a magpie for mischief and chattering, did not find him at all to their tastes with his fondness for work, which served to show their idleness and want of attention. In their opinion, the new-comer was a nasty, false fellow, who was no better than others who were not so fussy about their work. They watched him to try to find out some fault; but he was too careful. He was civil, and always ready to do what he could to help them; but he avoided all gossip, and never said a word that they might lay hold of respecting his master or mistress, or made any complaints. He went regularly to church, which, together with the rest of his conduct, caused his fellow-servants to hate him more and more every week.

'He's the slyest fellow I've ever met with,' said the coachman to the cook one day. If he goes on at this rate, the house won't be fit to live in. He spoils master and mistress, who already think so much of him, that

they have given him the keys of the pantry and cellar. He'll soon be put over our heads, and I expect it won't be long before he'll measure out the corn for my horses.' And the butter for my cooking,' said Maggie.

'The upstart young dog! Why, he isn't eighteen, and yet he's coming it over us in this way!'

"It's sickening,' said Maggie. I'd give something to find him out in some of his tricks.'

'So would I,' answered the coachman; but he's too deep by half for that, and neither master nor mistress will listen to a word against him.'

'Stop a bit,' said Maggie, I'll play him an ugly trick some fine day. He won't get off so easily as he thinks; I hate him, and that's the truth.'

'So do I.'

A few days after this conversation there was company to dinner. John had got the dessert ready, and was coming upstairs from the wine-cellar with a bottle of sherry in each hand, when his foot slipped, and he stumbled. In his fall he broke one of the bottles, and a piece of broken glass cut his hand. Vexed at his awkwardness and the loss of the wine, he did not pay much attention to his wound, and made no answer to the cook, who kept talking to him and giving him advice.

'Never mind, it is but one bottle broken; go down into the cellar and fetch another; master and mistress won't know anything about it, as they are out. I'll wipe up the wine as fast as I can for you. It's all right,' added she, nodding; 'I shan't tell, and no one will be the wiser; servants ought to keep each other's secrets.'

'There's no secret here,' answered Jacques; 'for as soon as mistress comes in I shall tell her.'

'You'll get a nice scolding.

It's wine master thinks

a great deal of, and he has it from one particular place, I don't know where. He values it more than all the other wine put together; he's got very little of it, and knows the number of bottles, and so does missus too, for that matter.'