saw the diamond and me she seized us hastily, and rubbed us on a corner of her poor shawl. 3. "Oh, mother, mother!" I heard her say;

you shall have a nice supper to-night!" Then she took a needle and thread out of her dress, and sewed us up carefully in a little bit of the shawl. 4. Then she went on with her work. I was sorry for the poor girl; she coughed so badly,

and she seemed afraid of the rough women who were working at the same heap.

5. When evening came she paid something for the use of the sieve, and sold her heaps to a man, who grumbled as he handed her a few pence for them. Then she went swiftly through the streets, and climbed up a creaking and high staircase.

6. Well, my Nelly," said a very weak voice, and the girl stooped down over a wretched bed to kiss her mother. "Poor Nelly!" said the mother, "are you very tired, my darling?"

7. "Not so very tired, mother," said Nelly, "and not tired at all when I think what I have to show Guess what it is." "The fellow of the shoe you found yesterday?" said the mother. "That would be a great find."

you.

8. "I will not tease you any more, dear mother," said Nelly, and she put the diamond and me in her mother's hand. "There!" she said. "Can that be a real, real diamond?

9. The mother looked at the diamond carefully. A pale ray of moonlight stole into the poor garret, and fell upon it. How grandly

it shone in that wretched place!

10. "Yes, Nelly," said the poor woman; "I am sure it is a real diamond. Heaven be thanked!

1. Oh, but the nuts are so brown in the woodOut in the wood, the glad autumn woodAnd the children have trooped forth in rollicking mood,

Some clad in tippet and some clad in hood,

After the nuts so brown in the wood,
After the nuts so brown.

2. Oh, but the nuts are so ripe on the tree

Up in the tree, the green hazel tree

And bright little eyes smile the clusters to see,
And fat little hands clasp the clusters with
glee,

Seeking the nuts so ripe on the tree,
Seeking the nuts so brown.

3. Oh, but the nuts are so high on the boughUp on the bough, the heavy-branched

bough-

And short little arms cannot get them I trow!
By hook or by crook" they are reaching

them now,

Reaching the nuts so high on the bough,
Reaching the nuts so brown.

4. Oh, but the nuts arc so brown in the woodOut in the wood, the glad autumn woodAnd the children have trooped home in quieter

mood,

Some of them fretful, and some of them good,

All of them laden with nuts from the

wood,

Laden with nuts so brown.

I-saac

XIV.

shy-ly

hon-est-y

eye-brow

THE STORY OF A BAD SHILLING.-Part IX.

1. "What is the diamond worth, mother?" said Nelly. "It is worth more than this, I suppose?" she said, pointing to me.

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2. More than that!" cried the mother.

Why, a stone like this must be worth pounds and pounds. But you must take it to Mr. Isaac's shop. Ask him what he will give; but do not take less than five pounds, for I am sure that stone is worth twenty at the least."

3. "Then it is hard that we cannot get that," said Nelly, sadly. "But five pounds would help us to live till father's ship comes home." Ah, Nelly dear!" said the poor mother, "I am afraid that ship will never come home. You are hoping against hope, my child.”

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4. "Never mind, mother, I will hope," said Nelly, "and if you would only hope too, I am sure you would soon get better. Hope would do you more good than any doctor, dear mother." And Nelly ran off.

5. Mr. Isaac's shop was a dark, dirty place,