r and safer without it?"

"I do, most sincerely, my dear boy," answered the rector; "yes, both
better and safer; and specially the latter."

"I know," said Frank, "that papa and mamma are not fond of total
abstinence; but then, I cannot think that they have really looked into
the matter as you have."

"No, Frank, your father and mother do not see the matter in the same
light as myself and I have no right to blame them, for, when I first
came to Waterland, I thought nearly the same as they do. Perhaps they
will take _my_ view by-and-by."

Frank shook his head, and then went on,--

"But you do think it the best thing for young people, as well as grown-
up people, to be abstainers?"

"Yes, assuredly; and I will tell you why. I will give you a little
illustration. There is a beautiful picture representing what is called
the `Lorelei,' a spirit fabled to haunt some high rocks that overlook
the Rhine. This spirit is represented in the picture as a beautiful
female, with a sweet but melancholy expression of countenance. She
kneels on the top of the rock, and is singing to a harp, which she
strikes with her graceful fingers. Below is a boat with two men in it,
the one old, and the other young. The boat is rapidly nearing the
rocks, but both the men are utterly unconscious of their danger--the old
man has ceased to hold the helm, the young man has dropped the oars, and
both are fondly stretching out their hands towards the deceiving spirit,
wholly entranced with her song--a few moments more and their boat will
be a wreck. Now, it is because the drink is such an enticing thing,
like the Lorelei spirit; because it seems to sing pleasantly to us, and
makes us forget where we are; because it lures on old and young to their
ruin, by robbing them of their self-control;--it is for these reasons
that I think it such a happy thing to put every safeguard between
ourselves and its snares."

"Yes," said Frank thoughtfully; "I know the drink is becoming a snare to
me, or may become so. What shall I do? Ought I to give it up
altogether?"

"It is a very difficult thing to answer that question," replied the
rector. "I could hardly urge you to give up beer and wine altogether,
if your father and mother positively forbid your doing so; there is no
sin, of course, in the simple taking of fermented liquors, and therefore
I could not advise you to go directly contrary to your parents' orders
in this matter."

"There is no harm