WHEN I WAS AT MR. FENNING'S SCHOOL.

THEY were joyous times when we used to go to Mr. Fenning's school at the top of the lane; happier days, most of them, than those that have come to some of us since we left it. I shall never forget the old house, with the little sign-board over the door, and the fine old trees, with the crows' nests in them, behind it. How we used to make the old house ring with our shouts and cheers. Sometimes Mr. Fenning did not like it, and said it was a shame for us big lads not to show the little ones a better example. He forgot that we too were young, and right glad when the hours of our confinement were over. How careful Mr. Fenning was of his garden and his flowers. Woe be to the boy whose ball went over among the bushes or the lilies. We were all sure of a lecture on carefulness and good habits soon afterwards. But although Mr. Fenning had his own ways of thinking, and his own ways of doing things, he was a good, worthy man, for all that. He was a Christian and a gentleman. All Christians ought to be gentlemen; gentlemen in their feelings and ways, I mean, however poor they be; but it is not always the case, I am sorry to say. But good Mr. Fenning was a gentleman, and he did all he could to make all of us gentlemen, and Christians too. have been well for us if he had succeeded. Had we become Christians under Mr. Fenning's kind instruc tions, how many evils and sorrows it might have saved us from. Often the good man would say to us in a kind, polite way, "My dear young friends, I but speak the language of my own experience when I tell you, that,

"Twill keep you from a thousand snares,

To mind religion young.'

It would

But we did not all mind what Mr. Fenning said. Many of us thought at the time that religion was all very well for an old man like him, but not at all needed for schoolboys; that we had to make our way in the world, and it would be better to do that first, and think about religion afterwards. But I fear some of us have made poor progress for either world. How we have got all scattered about now. Some are dead; others are at the ends of the earth; and comparatively few are in their own country. Poor Tom Ransome; he was one of the most promising and one of the cleverest lads among all Mr. Fenning's seventy. He was brought up in a comfortable home, and always had more pocket-money and play. things than most of us. But I fear he has seen many dark days since then. I saw him the other day in the street just like a beggar. How it would have grieved old Mr. Fenning to have seen him had he been alive. Drink and bad company have been poor Ransome's ruin.

Mr. Fenning did some good to his boys, even in a reli gious way; but I really believe that little Arthur Simpson, when he was at school, did more. He came at a time when the boys were very rough and wicked. The good boys were led astray by some big lads who were forward and up to all sorts of mischief. But Arthur made a stand against all this. There was a dignified sincerity and honesty in his face that seemed to impress even the roughest and oldest of us. If, when school was going on, the master went out and came suddenly back, he found all sorts of tricks and noise being set agoing, but Arthur was busy at his books, working as hard as if the master were beside him. Come what would, he was always for the right. Out of doors he would play as heartily as any of them; but never ***

one could call him a sneak, or a clown, or a cheat. It was not long before Arthur's influence began to be felt in the school. There were two other boys who wanted to behave well, but were often led astray. Now they began to look up to Arthur, and they were much strengthened by his example; for Arthur was as pleasant in disposi tion as he was firm in principle.

"Two are better than one," and no doubt three are better than two for many things; and so it was not long before these three boys began to create a sort of public opinion in the school on the side of good order and good feeling. Mr. Fenning was glad. One boy and then an other gradually sided with them. Foolish and wicked boys were not long so popular-not such favourites as they once were. They couldn't get up a laugh so easily. They became afraid to play their tricks lest some one should inform on them. A general obedience to Mr. Fenning's orders, and attention to study, prevailed throughout the whole school. In fact, the school became quite changed, and Mr. Fenning used to say that Arthur Simpson did it all. The good man was perhaps mistaken, for he did all he could himself; but Arthur did very much, and he was a noble example of what one right-minded, right-hearted boy can do. He kept his principles like a man when a boy, and when he grew up he didn't forsake them. He is useful and respected by all good men; and some of his schoolfellows live to thank him still for the good example of his schoolboy life.

Pity, pity, there are so few Arthur Simpsons at our schools, and so many Tom Ransomes on the streets.

""Tis true, 'tis pity,

Pity 'tis 'tis true."

MANLY BOYS.

WHAT a pity there are so few of them. You cannot find one for a wonder: that is, real manly boys. "Huindrum" boys, girlish boys, stupid boys, and conceited boys, may be found by the dozen any day; but noble, manly boys are very scarce. When I speak of manly boys, I don't mean boys that pretend to be men before they are quite three feet high; boys that carry watches, and wear scarf pins and little hats, and do all they can to "ape the man" before they have arrived at manhood. It is often doubtful if such boys will ever be sensible men. What I mean by manly boys, are boys who are contented to be boys until they grow to be men, who don't stoop to what is mean, and silly, and childish; who play with all their might when at play, and work with all their might when they ought to work: boys you can always trust, who are too manly to lie, or swear, or steal, or play idle and wicked tricks, and think it is all right because they are boys. Such manly boys are sometimes to be found, and they are almost sure to love their Bibles, and the Saviour whom they have taken as their friend and guide.

Again, I say, what a pity there are not more of them. In almost every school you find numbers of boys not any better than the grumbling girls we were speaking of last month, so silly, childish, trifling: a sort of big babies, who would be more fitly dressed in frocks and pinafores. One true noble boy is worth scores of them. O for a race of manly boys who will do the right thing at the right time, and who, whatever their companions say, will not stoop to that which is wrong or mean.