week, something that you may add each day to your prayers, or that you can repeat every morning as a kind of rule for the day."

"We shall like it so much," said both the children; "and may we choose our own?" "Certainly, if you like."

"Then I know what mine shall be," said Clement, busily turning over the leaves of his Bible; 66. one of the verses that David sang in the cave: The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him' (Psa. xxxiv. 7). It will be so nice to repeat before I go to sleep; I always like to fancy that there are beautiful angels round my bed taking care of me."

"I don't know what to choose," said Edward," there are so many good verses; will you find one for me, mother?"

"I should like," said Mrs. A., "to give you one of those short, simple lessons from the same Psalm which David gave the young outlaws; it is the beginning of the thirteenth verse, 'Keep thy tongue from evil,' and you might couple this rule with a prayer which David utters in another Psalm, 'Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips.'"

“I know why you want me to learn that, mother," said Edward, looking down, “but I really can't help saying just whatever comes first."

But you know, my boy, that it is always an angry thought that makes an angry word; so try to feel kindly and patiently, and then we shall not be afraid that 'whatever comes first,' may be something ungentle and hasty.”

"I like our two plans very much," said Clement, putting a bright ribbon-marker against his chosen text; "only, Edward, mind you don't tell me anything about the Psalms; I want to do it all by myself."

CHAPTER V.

THE FUGITIVE (CONTINUED).

"Now, mother," said the two boys, in a breath, on the following Sunday evening,

listen, please, and I'll tell you what Psalms I have found out."

"One at a time, then," answered Mrs. Arthur, "only one at a time, please, and then we shall know what we are about. Edward, suppose you begin; how many Psalms belonging to the time of David's troubles have you discovered?"

Edward.-Four, mother, that have something about him in the title or in the table of contents at the beginning; but then I think there must be a great many more besides, because such a number of Psalms speak of dangers and enemies and persecutions.

"Well, I only have three," said Clement, disconsolately.

Mrs. A.-Never mind; perhaps you have chosen some that Edward overlooked. Which are they?

Clement.-First there is the 52d, only I don't know what it means, because I never heard anything about Doeg the Edomite; but it says in the title that David wrote it when Doeg came and told Saul that he had been with Ahimelech, so I chose it. And then there is the 54th, "When the Ziphims came to Saul and said, Doth not David hide himself with us?"

Those are the only two I could find that say anything really about David; but I chose the 17th too.

Edward.-The 17th! why, what has that to do with Saul's persecution?

Clement. Well, I thought of it when they were chanting that Psalm at Sunbury Minster, on Thursday morning. You know I I went with Mrs. Leslie to the service. Do you think so, mother?

Mrs. A.-I should like first to know why it seemed to you a Psalm that David wrote at the time of which we are speaking.

Clement. Why, because he says that there were enemies waiting for him in secret

places; that must have been the rocks, and they were very fierce, like lions, and-I can't tell any more, but I know it sounded very sad and pretty.

Mrs. A.-Well, I think you are right. It is a very beautiful Psalm, for David never loses his sure trust in God, notwithstanding all the perils that surrounded him, and he prays to be kept under the shadow of His wings, and as the apple of the eye. Do you know what that is?

Edward. The pupil of the eye, isn't it? Mrs. A.-Yes; and so precious a part that the least injury to it affects the sight, so that it is wonderfully protected by the falling eyelid, which closes over it on the least approach of danger. Even so surely David prays to be guarded in his hour of peril.

But, mother," said Edward, impatiently, "I wish you would hear my list. I have two more about Doeg, besides the 52d which Clement found; there's the 120th, a very short Psalm, where it says in the heading, 'David prayeth against Doeg,' and the 140th. It is very like the other, only longer. Oh, what does a 'song of degrees' mean?"

"My dear boy, not so fast," said Mrs.