ything yourself?" she
asked, after a pause.

"There's the pit," answered Charlie, with a sigh; "I could get six
shillings a week, as trapper, directly. Joe Denton gets more than double
that now."

"Oh, Charlie!" exclaimed Harry, "surely you will not have to go down
those terrible mines?"

Mrs. Greenwell reminded Harry that was not the way to help Charlie. "I
know he will feel it hard at first if he goes; but still I am sure he is
a brave boy and will not shrink from it, if he feels it to be his duty.
You would not have him idling about at home, thinking only of his own
comfort, and picking and choosing his work, when his father, who has
done so much for him, is suffering from a lingering illness, and wanting
so many little comforts that cannot be bought without money?"

After a good deal of thought, Mrs. Greenwell said, "I believe, Charlie,
it is the only thing for you. It will be a great trial to you, I know,
to give up all your dreams about engines and machines, and being a
clever man, and getting rich, and having instead to go down into a dark,
dreary coal-pit day after day, to a life of hard toil; but it appears,
as far as we can see, to be God's will and your duty. You remember those
words of our Saviour,--'If any will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross and follow Me.' We have all a cross of some kind
to bear, and this is your cross, Charlie; take it up patiently, bravely,
and willingly. He will not give you more than you can bear. Trust Him.
There is no doubt some great blessing is in store for you, if you do not
shrink from this trial of your faith."

Charlie had two or three very busy days before Saturday night came. As
soon as he had decided to go down the mine, he went to a fellow-workman
of his father's, Hudson Brownlee, and asked him if he would let him go
down with him the first time. Brownlee was a kind-hearted man, and took
an interest in Charlie. He promised to see about his work for him, and
call on Monday morning at ten o'clock. Charlie kept it quite a secret
from his father and mother until Saturday night, then, putting on some
of his oldest clothes that he had routed out ready for Monday, and
taking his father's lamp in his hand, that he used in the mine, he
walked into the room where they were, made a bow, twisted himself round
in front of them, and with a cheery face and merry tone said, "Do I look
like work, father? shall I do?" At first they looked at him in
amazemen