to be seen as he entered the house, she must

have had a relapse.

"Don't know, sir," answered the servant,

in a feeble and faltering tone.

"Don't know!

What do you mean?"

"Missus is not in, sir."

"Not in at this hour of the morning!"

It was only seven o'clock.

"No, sir."

"And pray, how long has she been out?" inquired Mr. Bullet, in great consternation. "She's been gone these two days, sir."

Mr. Bullet was scarcely able to support himself. His countenance assumed the paleness of death, and a few seconds elapsed before he was able to utter a word.

"Do you know where she is gone to?" was his next question.

"No, sir, I don't."

"Did she say when she intended to return?"

"No, sir, she did not."

"Was there anybody with her when she

left?"

"Yes, sir,” replied the maid, hesitatingly.

"A man or woman?"

66

A man, sir."

"A man!

And do you

know who he was?"

"It was Mr. Braggs, sir."

Mr. Bullet groaned aloud, and, staggering with difficulty to the sofa in the parlour, sank down in a state of stupefaction.

As soon as he had recovered sufficiently to be able to speak, Mary mentioned to him that "missus" had left a letter for him in her bed

room.

"Bring it down."

It was brought down and read. It intimated that Mrs. Bullet had eloped with Mr. Braggs. The writer farther said, that her object in wishing to be married to Mr. Bullet was, that she might have a legal right to plunder him; and that, availing herself of that right, she had taken with her the £150, and all the portable

articles of any value in the house. She concluded by protesting that she never had the slightest regard for Mr. Bullet, but was devotedly attached to Mr. Braggs, with whom she would live and die.

CHAPTER IX.

Importance of a proper religious education-Joseph's want of it-Consequences of neglecting the outward means of religion-Conversation with Mr. Lovegood on the subject.

No man can have lived any time in London, without being struck with the number of young men who, though what is called religiously educated, and commendably correct in their moral conduct, lose every sense of religious obligation before they have been many months in the metropolis. Their course of retrogression begins by their absenting themselves from a place of worship, and neglecting all the external observances of religion. When once they have proceeded thus far, their downward progress is rapid and inevitable. They rarely stop until they have plunged themselves over head and ears in the mire of moral degradation.

There is no disguising the fact, that such is the history of great numbers who have been carefully instructed, by pious parents, in the distinctive doctrines of the Christian faith. It will, however, be found in the vast majority of such cases, that the parties have not, in early life, been thoroughly grounded in evangelical truth. Their parents have contented themselves with teaching them by mere rote-perfectly satisfied if they could repeat, from memory, the answers given in catechisms and other works for the religious education of the young. There is a radical defect here. Unless an anxious desire be felt, and a constant endeavour made, to impress divine truth on the heart, there is no ground for hoping that the learner will be materially benefitted by it. When he launches on the ocean of life, and has to come into daily contact with men of loose notions on religious subjects, and whose sole rule of action is the readiest and easiest way to gratify the unhallowed propensities of their nature;