the horse and gig, with pleasure, if you will guide me across as quickly as you can ?"

"It's impossible, I do assure you, ma'am. Even I, who have crossed it many a time in the daylight, couldn't steer my way now, and for you it would be out of the question."

"There's but one way, ma'am, and that is to turn back, and get, as quickly as we can, in to the other road. The sooner we start the better. Instead of gaining an hour, we shall lose about an hour and a half; but we had better lose no more than we can help, ma'am.".

fore her now? Would it all become known? Would the world believe in her innocence? Surely, no; and in this life too, retribution, even beyond her actual deserts, would speedily come upon her. Oh, if it might but prove that she came not too late, after all! What thing in life could ever give her sorrow again?

"Then what is to become of me? How Instead of being eleven o'clock, it was shall I ever get there? It's a matter of nearer one than twelve, when the gig at life and death; more than of life and last drew up before the gate in the wood death! What am I to do?". near Deverington Hall. The moon was shining again, though partly overshadowed still. Mrs. Ferrier directed the man to wait. She should presently return, and, possibly with some one else beside her. She entered the wood, turned down the bypath to the right, and was soon at the door in the wall. It was open, indeed. She was soon in the gardens, and turning according to the directions of that letter, approached the Italian garden in the front of the house. All was very still. Patches of reflected moonshine marked out each window to be seen. Not thus denoted, however, was the French window, furthest to the left on the ground floor. A light, unlike the pure and holy radiance of the moon, was shining there from within. Mrs. Ferrier went up to it at once. She found it partly open, and-she went in. The lamp, which stood on a bracket in the little vestibule, threw its yellow light on a staircase beyond. In the track of that light she went on.

It may be questioned whether it would not have been better to wait where they were until the moon had emerged from her eclipse; but to keep still was intolerable, and Mrs. Ferrier had no such accurate knowledge of astronomy as could assure her of the wisdom of this course. She told the driver to turn back, and go the other and more circuitous road. She would have urged him to the utmost speed, only that would have endangered an entire stoppage, and a worse delay. It was to her by far the most agonising hour of all that terrible evening. It seemed as if the crime were fated to be done. Heaven frowned upon her, and spurned her away from being the instrument of hindering it. What was be

OLD QUESTIONS ANSWERED. - Why does a miller wear a white hat? Not always to keep his head warm. In hot weather he wears it to keep his head cool. A miller wears a white hat because he cannot help it; or, because it pleases him.

A herring and a half for three-halfpence, how many herrings for threepence? Not necessarily three. The values of the halves of a herring may be unequal. One selling at a halfpenny, the other may sell at a penny or a farthing.

From Good Words.

NEGRO SERMONS.

Ir was my privilege during the last year of the civil war to live in the south-western portion of the United States. I was brought in contact with the negroes very frequently. It is not my purpose, however, to give a description of the negro character, or describe their present status, but simply to give few extracts from, sermons which I heard, or those which were related to me by my companions.

The religion of the negroes is emotional. They must get into an intense state of excitement before they can enjoy their religious services. This is the necessary result of ignorance. Their masters did not permit them to learn; consequently all the information they had was gained from listening to conversations, and not understanding everything which they heard, the attempted reproduction was sometimes extremely ludicrous.

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them quote these chapters almost verbatim. Now and then a soldier, loving sport, would select passages containing the word God from Shakspeare, Byron, &c., and read them to the negro preacher as if out of the Bible. One Sabbath an old preacher was speaking on the love of country. He exhorted his hearers to stand fast, and in "de language of de prophet Isaiah, Let all de ends thou aimest at be dy country's, dy God's, and truth's.' If you don't mind his command, you'll be in a bad way; if you don't mind de Government, you'll have to cut stick mighty fast. Den, when you are away in de swamps, surrounded by nothing but de water and de bushes, you'll cry out as did de prophet Jeremiah --him dat did weep de most of all de prophets. He's de one dat did wail out de Lamentations - Farwell, a long farwell to all my greatness; dis am de state of man.'”

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Many soldiers who were present seemed to enjoy the quotations better than the other portions of the sermon.

A preacher, who was placed over a comparatively intelligent church, preached a unique sermon on the text: "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." From reading this extract you can form but a poor idea of the impression which it would be likely to make on the congregation. He commenced: "My beloved bredren, if I had de whole earth for my meetin' house, all de children of Adam for my congregation, de heavens for my pulpit, and eternity for my Sunday mornin,' de text I have chosen for dis mornin's reflection would be de one I would select on dat occasion."

During the war the negroes were brought frequently in contact with the soldiers from the North, who taught them much. Schools also were established over the South, and self-denying men and women went down to educate those rescued from bondage; and even in the midst of persecution and insult, these Christians pursued their work. What has been the result? A nation has been born in a daya people has been brought to light who will shortly be prepared to exercise the right of suffrage. The young among this abused people desire to be educated; and the old, striving earnestly, are After a somewhat lengthy introduction, learning new lessons of truth, morals, and he said he would "proceed to de furtherChristianity. That people which was pro-ance and de development of de text. Now, nounced too deep in ignorance, too deep in misery, too destitute of the qualities and faculties which go to make up men, to ever rise that people has risen to a social rank which the most sanguine did not expect. They are ignorant still, but they are learning fast. The men who can talk the best, and seem to be the most zealous, become the preachers, without being licensed or ordained. The people listen to them, never questioning their right.

The negro preachers with whom I have come in contact astonished me by their amount of general information. All of them had fine memories. As very few of them know how to read or write, they must depend on their memories entirely. I have known these preachers to visit soldiers, and request them to read chapters in the Bible. In the sermon on the Sabbath I have heard

my beloved bredren, let me give you de exposition of de text. It speaks of time. Now, time is a very useful ting, bredren. If you didn't have it, you couldn't do much ; you couldn't come to dis place; to sum de matter up, you couldn't do nothin'. Now time, dat useful ting, may be compared to a great many tings. It may be compared to a piece of white paper, which if you write upon wid ink, you can't rub it out; it may be compared to money, which if you spend foolishly you can't get it back. Time may be compared to a great many tings, but I hav'n't time to commemorate them now, but pass on to de main portion of my discourse. "De text speaks of redeeming de time. Now dar am various ways of doin' dis.

1. You can redeem de time by goin". roun' yer and pourin' de oil of consolation upon de waters; and you dat am rich can

go among de poor and orphans and de widders, put a shillen in dar hands, tell dem to put on dar best bib and tuck, and come up yar next Sunday mornin' and hear de Gospel dispensed, free and widout money, at half past ten o'clock.

"2. You can redeem de time, bredren you dat am so favoured as to belong to dis flock by formin' a nucleus, or startin' point, from which will eradiate a great deal of good, which will go among de poor and de miserable of dis town. Den let de influence eradiate and go into all de country round in dis vicinity den let it spread among our poor bredren away down South, who have been kept in de house of bondage longer dan us, and who have been in de miry clay make dem, bredren, instead of bein' de cotton-pickers and refuse of de South, American-born citizens, wid de stars and stripes a waven over dem, and de American eagle perched on dar heads."

After telling them various other ways of redeeming the time, he concluded as follows: And now, my bredren, if you do all dis dat I has told ye, you'll have de reward dat am promised to de faithful; for soon de angel Gabriel will come along in his everlastin' chariot, drivin' de immortal white horses, and he'll tell ye to get in and take a ride to de far-off country, and ye dat am good will step in, and Gabriel will crack his whip of tunder at dem immortal horses drawin' de everlastin' chariot, and away you'll go a skippen and a buzzin' until you land at de curb-stone of heaven's gate."

took a text simply to give character to his discourse, for he did not speak from it. His aim was to enforce upon them what I had said. I remember the concluding sentence: -"My bredren, you must not forget de sermon of de broder who has so kindly taken my place to-night. Write de words upon de tablets of de archives of de memory - take de thoughts into your mind - for if you don't, you'll wish dat you had; for when de time will come when de sackcloth of hell will be placed before de sun - and when de moon, de silver messenger of de night, will become a fiery orb in de heaven

Many of the readers of Good Words are ministers. Writers on homiletics tell them to make the divisions in their sermons clear. A sermon which I heard at Chattanooga, Tennessee, from a negro, possessed at least clear and distinct divisions. The preacher said he would take his text from the Psalmist David-"O give tanks unto de Lord.' For de clear apprehension of dis truth recorded in de Scriptures, I will divide my sermon into four metaphors. [Metaphors he understood to be divisions.] Now, metaphors are used in de Old Scriptures and in de New, by de Psalmist David and the One Sabbath evening, as I was walking Apostle Paul; and I, bein' a minister and a from the General Hospital to my office, I servant of de Lord, will use metaphors on heard singing. I inquired of a passer-by if dis occasion. The first metaphor dat I will the negroes had service at that hour. He use am Pride. Now, bredren and sisters, said they had. I went into the church and you never can give tanks unto de Lord if took a back seat. Some of the congrega- you have pride. Pride am de fader of sin. tion, however, espied me, and cried out, Why, look yar: don't you know dat de "We want to hear the white broder most of you has sich proud hearts dat you preach." The old minister without any find it hard to tank de Lord for his mercies? hesitation came to me and said, "It am de Why when you were slaves you had proud wish of de people dat you deliver yourself hearts, but you could give a few tanks unto of a sermon, and I, bein' de minister of dis de Lord. Now, the Government up dar at church, invite you to step forward and de- Washington made you contrabands: at dis liver to de people a sermon." No excuse you got puffed up and a little prouder; you would be received. The negroes, seeing thought yoursef somethin' better dan when me hesitate, cried, "Bring de white broder you were slaves; but now, when by de proclaalong." I went forward and spoke to them. mation of dat great man who has gone to The negroes are always pleased when a his rest - O give tanks unto de Lord' that white man takes notice of them. They will de villians dat killed him can't git, at him act generally upon the advice of a white-you've got free, and am called freedmen, man from the North. Sometimes when I der is no puttin' up wid you, you've got so was speaking I could scarcely be heard, by awful stuck up. Why, look yer, you've got reason of the amens, hallelujahs, and clap-finger-rings upon your fingers, and earrings ping of hands. After I had spoken, the old upon your ears; you am dressed up wid all preacher gave them a short sermon. He de fringes and de furbelows, and got so

many big ideas in your head, dat you can't | along de expanse until dey reached de door, give tanks unto de Lord at all. But I jes den dey bowed der lofty heads and went tell you dis: you am de same niggers as you in. De temple was high, but de door was were before de war-jes de same; and if low. De old patriarchs had to bow der you don't square roun' and change yer heads; dey had to humble when dey went pride, you never can give tanks unto de into de temple of de Lord. And it was Lord. dis door in mind which made de writer in "Second metaphor dat I will use is this de Scriptures break out in de words, long to You chew too much tobacker. Now, bred-be remembered by every one of us, 'Lo(w) ren, and some of you sisters too, you uses I come." too much tobacker; you don't expect to give tanks when yer mouths are full of dis weed. Why, I only use a little plug, which does me de whole day; but some of you chews and snuffs and dips all de time, until ye make perfect pigs of yourself. Now, what does de Bible say, bredren? It says cleanliness is next to godliness. If you ain't cleanly, you can't be godly; if you ain't godly, you can't give tanks unto de Lord and I jes tell ye dis, you can't be cleanly, and can't be godly, and therefore can't give tanks unto de Lord, if you use so much tobacker.

"Third metaphor - You swear too much. Now, bredren, I know dis am a fault among ye. Do you tink because you hear de officers roun' yer swearin' dat you am goin' to be officers by imitatin' dem? Do you tink because you hear de big men roun' yer swearin' dat you am goin' to be big men by imitatin' dem? No such ting. Now, what does de Bible say? Can de Ethopian change his skin or de leopard his spots?' No more can you become big men and officers by imitatin' dem in dis. No, no, bredren, you'll be de same niggers all de time; and mind ye, don't let me hear any one of ye swearin' roun' here, for if you do, you can't give tanks unto de Lord.

"Fourth metaphor-Practical Remarks" -(which covered everything).

One day a negro preacher discoursed on "humility." I do not remember his text. He told them to be humble and lowly. He talked a long while on sackcloth and ashes. He ended his sermon with these words ::"My bredren, in old times they were very humble more dan we am. Dat great temple which was built in de ancient time lifted its beautiful head to de skies; its columns spired up. Bredren, it was a mighty buildin', bigger dan any you ever see roun' yer; but if it were your privilege to see dat great temple, you would see dat it had a low door, very low door, bredren. It had big columns, but a low door. Dis was an emblem of humility. Methinks now I see in my imagination de old patriarchs goin' up de steps to de temple-dey walked up dar- wid dar heads lofty on der shoulders; dey walked

I will close by giving an abstract of a sermon which I heard at Tullahoma, Tennessee (about sixty miles from Nashville). The occasion of the delivery of the sermon was this. Three Methodist chaplains had come down from the North, and had joined their regiments stationed at this place. I introduced a negro preacher to them, and told him that these gentlemen were also of the Methodist persuasion. He seemed very much pleased. I told the negro preacher that it was my intention to take the chaplains to his church on the next Sabbath. I told him to prepare a fine sermon. He said he would try and "do honour to de illustrious bredren from de Norf." On the next Sabbath morning I accompanied the chaplains to the coloured church. They were very anxious to hear a plantation preacher. I spoke to the Rev. Mr. Bony (for such was his name) before the service. I asked him if he was prepared. He answered, "that he had revolved a great subject, in his mind, and was prepared to go on wid de delivery of de sermon."

After the preliminary exercises, which were very interesting, the old preacher rose and said that he would "read a portion of Scripture, found in second chapter of Titus, beginnin' at de eleventh verse :For de grace of God dat bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teachin' us dat, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in dis present world; lookin' for dat blessed hope, and de glorious appearin' of de great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, dat he might redeem us from all iniquity, and'-mark it, bredren, mark it! and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.' I will take de last clause of de fourteenth verse of dis second chapter of de Epistle of Paul to his beloved broder Titus. I read de rest of de verses for de edification of de bredren." After a very lengthy introduction, into which he endeavoured to put all his theology, he said: -"I will now proceed to consider de words of de text. 1. What is de meanin' of de word peculiar? Now, bredren, I can show