bench, "you promised to read me a spell from one of those books of yours after supper."

"And so I will, gladly," replied Claude, untying his bag. "You know I told you they were

all on grave subjects."

None the worse for that. Are they pub

lished by authority?"

"Oh, yes; by the highest authority."

Nay then, you can't read amiss."

"What will you have?" said Claude, hesitating." Here is the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and what he said on earth, and what people said to him."

That cannot be otherwise than good," said Hans, wringing the nose of one of his little saints with a pair of pincers; "but yet,-one knows all that so well. Have you ne'er a life of some saint?"

Oh yes, here's the life of as great a saint as ever lived."

"

That must be St. Peter, then," said Hans.
I won't tell you his

No, it is not St. Peter. I won't tell

name, but I will read you something about him, and then you shall tell me who he is.”

66

Very well, perhaps I may be deeper versed in legends than you think, unlearned fellow though I am," said Hans, smiling, and dipping his brush into the white paint.

"At this time,'" began Claude, reading aloud in a distinct, impressive voice, 66 6 there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen; whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this . . .”

"Now I come to his name," said Claude, interrupting himself, "can you give it me?" "No, you baffle me," returned Hans, who had paused from his work.

style and story please me.

But go on; the But, craft? Who

was this Diana? a saint?-Why was it a craft to make and sell her shrines ?"

"Ah, now you are stretching the word beyond what is here meant," said Claude. Craft here

stands for trade; though it might well be said that it was craft, truly, in the worst sense, to

make shrines, and get silly, ignorant people to buy them, in honour of a false goddess or saint. Diana was the personification of chastity; of womanly holiness and purity."

"Hum!" said Hans; "well; go on."

-"this (man) hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they can be no gods which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft is in danger,'-(trade, you know, Master Hans, just as your craft is making saints), -but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.'

Just as we all worship the Virgin Mary,” put in Hans.

"When they heard these sayings,'" pursued Claude, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians! And the whole city was filled with confusion; and, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, (Paul's companions in travel)....'"

Ah, now you've let the cat out of the bag!" cried Hans; ""Tis St. Paul!-keep on : I like it."

they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians! And when the town-clerk had appeased the people, he said, Men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?""

"Just like our Virgin," muttered Hans.

"Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought hither these men,

who are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen which are with him have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another! But if ye inquire anything concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.''

-"How well he reads!" exclaimed Mother Agnes with admiration, as Claude closed the book.

"How spirited the narration is!" said Hans, resuming his brush, which had remained idle. "You may set aside that life of the saint for me, Master Claude; I shall buy it."

"But there are lives of other saints bound up along with it," said Claude.

"All the better," said Hans, "if they are equally well written; I like the sample so much, that I will take them on trust.'

"Thank you, my worthy friend. May God's