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temptation—how good God had been to keep her from doing wrong! “Have you remembered 1" was Lucy's anxious question, as at eight o'clock Miss Barton told them all to take what they had written to Mrs. Hurst's study. “No, dear; but never mind, I won't care about it;" and so Etta really felt, so thankful was she to think what she had escaped. She could not bring herself to tell even Lucy how nearly she had done such a dishonourable thing, and Lucy was so full of the funny mistakes she was sure she herself had made, that she never noticed how silent her friend was.

Very anxious were many faces that gathered round the breakfast-table on Friday morning, and many were the guesses as to who would receive the beautiful picture. Mrs. Hurst had had it brought down and placed on the sideboard, where all could seeit. Etta had quite given up any hope of ever calling it her own, but still she could not help casting many a wistful look at it, and thinking how very much Arthur would have liked it; and as she thus looked and thought, suddenly there came to her memory the name she had tried so hard to think of—“Eustace de St. Pierre;” if she could but have remembered it before! How strange it was that it had never come into her mind till now, when it was quite too late Anyhow though, even if she had remembered it in time, how did she know that her story would have been the best ; there were girls so much more clever than herself in the class 1 No, she would not be disappointed—so she choked down the tears that would come, and joined in Lucy's chatter about their plans for the day.

“Now,” said Mrs. Hurst, when breakfast was ended, “I expect I shall surprise you all very much when I tell you who has won the prize. I have read all your exercises carefully; and there is one so very much better than the others in every way, that though the writer of it has left out a very important name, a name which she has evidently forgotten, yet I can have no hesitation in giving the picture to her. Etta, dear! it is you, I mean.”

Etta! Etta Lamington 1 Mrs. Hurst was right when she said she should surprise every one by her announcement. The girls sat in silent wonder staring at Etta, who, herself, did not even seem to have understood that she was the winner of that beautiful picture. Lucy was the first to break the silence, she jumped up and clapped her hands, as her custom was, when anything pleased her very much. “Oh, } am so very glad! Come, Etta, I will help you carry it;” and she almost dragged Etta to the sideboard where Mrs. Hurst was now standing. Mrs. Hurst stooped down and kissed the two children as they came up to her. “You have pleased me very much, Etta; you have taken so much pains. And you too, Lucy dear. I can see you have done your best, you will be a famous writer some day. I am sure you have all done so well,” she added, addressing the other girls, “that I propose to give the whole school, a party in your honour to-night: what do you say to that?” The buzz of voices, and the noisy thanks that succeeded Mrs. Hurst's speech was enough to distract any one less used to school-girls; she stood it all calmly enough, only smiling as a deafening cheer arose on all sides, “Hurrah for Mrs. Hurst and the third-class girls!”—a cheer rather more fitted for a boys' than a girls' school. “Now, then, that will do,” she said at last; “go and have a happy day. In six weeks more, if all be well, you will all have some prizes to try for.” Etta and Lucy carried off the picture to their bed-room, for they were allowed to go upstairs at any time on holidays; and spent a good part of the morning in settling which was the best light for it to hang in, till the happy day should come on which Etta should carry it off to the Parsonage, where it was already arranged that she was to spend her summer holidays with Arthur. Any one who has ever known—and who has not?—the happiness of having resisted strong temptations, may imagine the thankful, peaceful feelings with which Etta then, and ever after, looked upon that picture which had so nearly proved a source of sin and sorrow to her.

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No. I. of a series of beautiful Pictures, The MIRACLES OF JESUS," will be began in the

January Number, and will be continued monthly.

The “ PRIZE,” for 1863, 1864, and 1865, are now ready. Each Volume contains nearly 100 Engravings. Price ls. 2d., in pictorial wrapper ; 28. cloth gilt ; 2s.6d. extra gilt, and gilt edges, suitable for a Gifl-book or Prize for the Young. Cases for Binding the Volume, 8d. each.

LONDON: WILLIAN MACINTOSA, 24 PATERNOSTER Row,

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