The woodman had gone out to cut some fresh cresses for his guest's breakfast.

"I am sorry Mistress," said the Ouphe, "that you slept uneasily-my race are said sometimes by their presence to affect the dreams of you mortals-where is my knapsack? Shall I leave it behind me in payment of bed and board ?"

"Oh no, no, I pray you don't," said the little wife blushing and stepping back-"you are kindly welcome to all you have had I'm sure: don't repay us so, sir."

"What Mistress, and why not ?" asked the Ouphe smiling, "it is as full of gold pieces as it can hold and I shall never miss them."

"No, I intreat you do not," said Kitty, "and do not offer it to my husband, for may be he has not been warned as I have." Just then the woodman came in.

"I have been thanking your wife for my good entertainment," said the Ouphe, "and if there is anything in reason that I can give either of you ?"

"Will, we do very well as we are," said his wife, going up to him and looking anxiously in his face.

"I don't deny," said the woodman thoughtfully "that there are one or two things I should like my wife to have, but somehow I've not been able to get them for her yet."

"What are they ?" asked the Ouphe.

"One is a spinning-wheel," answered the woodman," she used to spin a good deal when she was at home with her mother."

"She shall have a spinning-wheel,” replied the Ouphe, "and is there nothing else, my good host ?"

"Well," said the woodman frankly, "since you are so obliging, we should like a hive of bees."

"The bees you shall have also; and now good morning both, and a thousand thanks to you."

So saying he took his leave, and no pressing could make him stay to breakfast.

Well, thought Kitty, when she had had a little time for reflection, a spinning-wheel is just what I wanted; but if people had told me this time yesterday morning, that I should be offered a knapsack full of money, and should refuse it, I could not possibly have believed them!

ORRIS.

MORE ABOUT MISS ALDERSEY.

PART I.

[We have this month the pleasure of presenting our readers with some additional extracts from the correspondence of Miss Aldersey, for which we are indebted to the editress of the "Female Missionary Intelligencer." In the following letter she speaks of a pupil who, on her marriage, displayed great firmness in refusing to join in heathen ceremonies. San Avong soon after became a widow, and returned to live with her kind instructress, where, by her consistent Christian conduct, she adorns the doctrines she professes.-ED.]

"You ask of dear San Avong. She is truly our 'rejoicing.' I thank my God in every remembrance of her. She has felt it a trial, that when there has been occasion to walk in the city with either of us foreigners, disgusting or ridiculous remarks have been made about her, especially as she has unbandaged her feet. The other day she was walking with Miss Leisk, in order to read and explain a Chinese book to a poor woman, who is likely to be long confined to her bed. The people in that part of the city, not having before seen either the foreigner or the young Chinese disciple, exclaimed against the large feet covered with grey knit stockings. Miss L. informed me afterwards, that the people (not knowing the young foreign lady could understand) were very free in their remarks, saying, 'How disgraceful in the parents to give up such a good-looking girl to foreigners, when they might be sure that the end of her would be, she would be killed and eaten!' The sick woman was greatly interested in what was said and read by her two visitors; and on my asking the dear young widow how she felt about the visit to the sick woman, and the circumstances attending it, her countenance brightened as she said, she had determined in her heart she would not be moved by the worst that might be said of her or to her on such occasions.

"Asan also interests me much. I think I informed you in my last of her hopeful conversion. There is something more rugged in her natural temper than in that of San Avong, and therefore less that is attractive in her general manner. I am inclined to think, however, that she is as likely to be as useful as her young associate, but in a different way. She is decidedly clever, as indeed both are; but there is more of reasoning about the orphan, nor will she pass over anything until she`obtain a clear notion, and will often ply with questions till she gains her point. Asan can control the whole school, and indeed does not only control, but conducts the whole school occasionally, in the absence of the teacher.

"I have now two of my married girls (besides San Avong) residing with me again. They are both very useful to me.

"Yesterday, three Chinese ladies, my opposite neighbours, who had used to believe the reports so industriously circulated against me—these ladies took tiffin with us, and we invited all the missionary ladies to join us. I believe all parties were much pleasedwe, Christians, of course, at the triumph of truth. We hope it may tend greatly to break down prejudices.

"You are, perhaps, aware that the missionaries of the English Church Missionary Society have lately taken great interest in a new medium of communication to the Chinese, and have engaged in no trifling labour to furnish books prepared in the Roman character. Chinese boys spend three or four years in learning to read the complicated character of their books without being expected to understand, and indeed without being taught the meaning of what they read. After spending morning, noon, and evening in this uninteresting study (tending, no doubt, to cramp the intellect very materially) for several years, they are taught the meaning and power of each character separately and combined; and thus, with only

the Chinese character before them, they gradually become able to explain in the colloquial what is the purport of every sentence; but the object of our friends is to make Truth of easy access to the lower classes and to women, who have not leisure, or in many cases mental ability, to go through the unreasonable course referred to.

“Atsi, one of my elder girls, on leaving me a few months back, appeared in great trepidation in reference to a heathen marriage which she knew she would be required to consummate, having been betrothed many years; but as many idolatrous observances are mixed up with the marriage ceremony of China, she could not, as she was under the teaching (as I trust) of the Spirit of God, conscientiously conform to them. On the other hand, she well knew the roughest treatment from her relations must be expected in the event of her refusal.

“I am thankful to find, from the authority of many, that she was firm in her refusal to worship the ancestors of her husband. Her relations and neighbours threw down the poor girl with a view to her prostrating herself, but she resisted to the end. Her foolish mother thought I had converted her into a Christian by means of medicine, and fearing lest she should get under my influence again, in two days took her from the house of her husband, and placed her under her own roof. There I grieve to think that she is badly treated by mother and husband; both beat her, and the former burned her Chinese New Testament. I have taken care to supply her with a small edition, which she can conceal from her relatives."

In her occasional journal, Miss Aldersey thus describes a visit she paid to this young bride and her relatives:

"On arriving at the place, I found a chair placed for me in the middle of a crowd of people. I saw the dear girl in tears, but no mother greeted me, so I

said cheerfully, 'But where is Atsi's mother?' On her being pointed out to me, I found her just the woman I had supposed to be the mother-a surly, sullen, forbidding-looking woman. I remarked, My

good friend, I know it is Chinese custom to offer a visitor tea. I want you, moreover, to smile upon me; I have treated your daughter well and kindly for five years; now, how is it that you cannot smile upon me?' While thus talking, dear San Avong slipped away for a chat with her friend; and truly it must have been very refreshing to the dear young sufferer. She has gone through more of persecution than the young widow. It appears, that on the wedding-day my teacher was altogether unfaithful to the trust I committed to him. He did not go until after the idolatrous part of the ceremonies were over. It was quite true that the dear girl's hair was being dressed, but it was for the second time, because, on her refusing the principal rite, her husband's relations and neighhours threw her on the ground, and in her resistance the hair was quite dishevelled, so as to make it necessary to arrange it again for the remaining parts of the

ceremony.

"Atsi tells us that her husband did not strike her, as we had been informed; but the neighbours did, and her own mother now strikes her, and rails at her continually. Her husband, also, on her refusing to eat rice offerred to one of his deceased relatives, said that if she would not eat that rice, she should have none. The dear girls keep Sunday, taking care to work hard through the six days. Her mother has burnt her Testament, but she says she recollects a good deal that she has learned of it, and ponders over these passages.

"I had taken to the village a few tracts to distribute among any who might be able to read. These San Avong took hastily out of my hand, and gave them unseen to Atsi. She thinks, being small, she will be