saw a little kitten with such a great saucer of nice, sweet milk before her. How sweet and comfortable she looked! But when he asked for something for his poor, sick mother, they gave him such hard crusts, it made his teeth ache just to think of them, and his mother could eat none at all. “Oh dear,” cried Benny to himself, "I'll just die before I go begging again!"

A long sigh from the other side of the room made him start up and exclaim, "O mother, are you awake? Did you hear me? I didn't mean exactly that. It wasn't so very bad."

But Benny's mother did not answer, and he soon saw that she was only groaning in her restless sleep. He lay a few moments longer, busy with his sad thoughts, then suddenly starting up, he exclaimed

“I declare, if I didn't forget the prince was coming today, and I meant to be up with the first streak of light;" and he began hastily to dress himself in his ragged clothes, talking hastily to himself all the time.

"I wonder, now, why I wasn't born over the sea in a great palace, with plenty of servants to wait on me, instead of living up four pair of stairs, in this little narrow street. There, now, what a terrible hole at my knee! Oh, if mother only could mend it, but I'll just have it to pin up as well as I can. Good-bye, mother," and he gently kissed her; "I'll be back before long."

"Where are you going, Benny?" said she, rousing from her troubled sleep.

"To get some breakfast for you," said the boy cheerily, "and to see the prince. I wish you could see him too, mother."

"I think I shall see him very soon, Benny," said his mother, with a tender look in her sad, faded eyes. "Perhaps this very day."

"Oh, no, mother," almost laughed Benny. "Do you think he will come through this narrow street? They

wouldn't let him know there was such a mean place in the city. Now, you don't think he'd come here!"

ear

"I shall go to him," she murmured dreamily, Prince of peace," and her heavy eyes again closed. Benny looked very grave. "How much she sleeps," he said to himself, "and she don't know what she says half the time."

His wistful eyes filled with tears, and he turned anxiously away. As he walked down the busy street, he suddenly thought of a grand plan of making his fortune. He had heard that the prince was very kind and generous, and if be could only get near enough to just tell him quickly how sick and poor his mother was, perhaps he would give him something, or make him his little servant.

After he had the matter all arranged to his satisfaction, Benny's step grew very lively, and as the prince was not coming till afternoon, he tried to find some little job to do by which to earn breakfast for himself and mother.

At las afternoon came, and he found himself in the

greatest crowd he had ever seen. "I don't care for myself," said little Benny, as he was pushed and jostled about, "but what shall I do if my clothes get torn any more?" and he took off his cap, and for safety tucked it under his arm. But after, poor Benny had so many knocks and bruises that his courage began to fail, and he only wished to be once more safe at home. Suddenly the band burst forth into a most magnificent strain of music. “Oh, what are they playing?" cried Benny excitedly.

"Why, that's' God save the Queen,' you blockhead," cried a large boy standing near.

"God save the Queen," thought Benny; "ah, how beautiful to pray in music! I'm sure God will hear that, and will save the great Queen. Oh, if somebody would only pray for my mother like that; and Benny, with streaming eyes, said softly, "O God, save the Queen, and

my dear mother, too," and then he wondered if his little trembling prayer went up with the grand music."

"What are you going to do with that bunch of horrid flowers?" cried Jack White behind him suddenly.

Benny looked around. "Why, they're the very best [ can find, and I'm going to give them to the Prince, and ask him to let me be his little servant while he stays."

"Hi! hi!" screamed Jack, so loudly that half a dozen of his vagabond friends gathered round him in a minute. "What do you think this fellow says?" and amid shoutsof jeering laughter, he disclosed Benny's plan. "Won't the Prince have a gay follower? Won't he be proud though?"

"That's a good joke, old Paichwork," cried another, poking him in the ribs.

"My friends," continued Jack, with much politeness, “I have the honour of introducing the Duke of Rag-tag and Bob-tail."

Benny, with crimson cheeks and a breaking heart, tried hard to get away, but they held him fast, while they showered all manner of jokes upon him, and pulled at his old worn clothes till he was perfectly aghast at the unseemly rents. There, and now, the Prince was passing by, and Benny's last chance would soon be lost for ever.

hands, and implored them to let him go.

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He clasped his

Oh, yes," screamed Jack. "I'm afraid we are keeping his excellency. He hears his friend, the Prince, calling him. Room there for Lord Ragamuffin!"

Benny's broken-hearted sobs attracted the attention of a gentleman standing near, who exclaimed

"You young scamps, what are you doing with that poor boy?"

The little teazing mob quickly scattered, and Benny was alone.

"Please, sir," faltered he, "has the Prince passed by?" "Oh yes, he is quite a long way down the street."

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A look of bitter disappointment swept over Benny's worn face.

"Did you want to see him so much?" said the gentleman, kindly.

Benny could not speak, and his new friend, taking him by the hand, led him out of the crowd into a quiet street, and by degrees drew from him all his sad story.

"Don't sob so, my little friend," said he, as Benny finished; 66 perhaps I can help you as well as the

prince."

"Oh, are you very rich and great? Are you one of the prince's servants.”

"Yes," said he, smiling quietly, "I hope I am one of the Prince's servants, though not of the one who has just passed by."

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Who, then?" asked Benny eagerly.

"Oh, a far greater Prince; one of whose kingdom there is no end."

"And will he help me?" cried Benny. "Will he let me be one of his servants too?"

"Yes, you have only to ask him, and he can do all things, for he is King of kings, and Lord of lords."

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Ah," said Benny, with a look of great disappointment, "I know who you mean now. It is the Saviour Prince, .and mother and I have prayed to him weeks and weeks, but he will not hear us," and Benny burst into tears.

"But," said the gentleman, kindly, "I think he has heard you at last, and has sent me to help you and your poor sick mother; show me where she lives."

The gentleman was a doctor, and soon Benny's mother was restored to health. Benny has become the doctor's little errand boy, also a servant of the great Prince, and studies his Bible every day. My dear readers, would you not like to be followers of the Great Prince?

Christian Escaping from the City of
Destruction.

OHN BUNYAN, of whom we gave some
account in the "Hive" for October, in
his "Pilgrim's Progress" represents a
man whom he called Christian leaving
his native town to journey towards the
New Jerusalem. Christian had become
convinced of his danger and had resolved
to make his escape. He was not willing
to go to heaven alone, but did his utmost