and when he ceased, asked whether it was a good remedy for such and such complaints, detailing his mother's ail

ments.

"Yes," said old Lombard, "the remedy is excellent; but it is dear, it would cost a golden piece."

"A golden piece!" cried the boy in alarm. shall I do, I have but seven sous!"

"Oh, what "I don't know what you are to do, except take yourself out of my shop as quickly as may be."

66

Oh, Master Lombard, you know that ever since my father's death, sickness and distress have been in our home, and now my mother is dying!”

"That is no affair of mine," old Lombard answered; "people who have no money are best out of the world."

"I implore you," cried the boy, "send me not away with. out the medicine ! For God's sake do this charity, and God will reward you!"

"I tell you," said old Lombard, "I will do no such thing. Money will buy medicine in this shop. Nothing for nothing-those are my terms."

"Give me the medicine," said the distracted boy, as the thought of his poor suffering mother pressed itself on him, and almost broke his heart. "Oh, Good Master Lombard, I will be your servant-your slave. I will eat little, I will work much. I will do anything, suffer anything, if you help me now!"

will

Old Lombard seemed to hesitate; he was rather surpris ed at the boy's conduct, he knew him to be sharp and honest, and it occurred to him that it might not be a bad speculation to close with the boy's offer. But it was not his way of doing business to say so; no, he was too hard a trader for that.

66

'You would be a valuable servant !" he said, in his mocking and malicious way; "you would eat of the best till you fell asleep, and sleep till you were hungry again! You would need a laced coat, like a nobleman at Versailles, and

money in both pockets for your idle hands to play with! Out with you, I need no such help as you can give!"

It was a hard trial to the boy to hear the cold cruelty of the old man, but he thought of his mother, and he looked to God.

"Master Lombard, if you will give me a trial I will come here on your own terms: I will work night and day, I will eat black bread, I will never wrong you in any way-only give me I beg of you, the medicine to restore my dying

mother."

The boy spoke so earnestly that even old Lombard felt he spoke the truth. He made up the prescription, said he would come round and look at the patient, and that he would take the boy into his service. With warm gratitude the boy thanked him, and hastened to the bedside of his mother while old Lombard returned to his scrap of fire and thought of his bargain. "I must have a boy to help me," so he said; "I can hire this boy for a tenth of what I must give to another, I can feed him sparely, work him hard— umph! I might have done worse. So with this reflection he put out his candle and went to bed in the dark.

دو

By the bedside of his mother the boy watched all through the night, and, as the grey dawn appeared, saw-and his heart leaped at the sight-his mother open her eyes, and heard her speak to him. She was better-the medicine had done its work. How grieved, and yet how grateful was she when she heard of her boy's bargain. She was sorry that he would have so hard a master, pleased that he had accepted the service for her sake; and when she was well again, and he was to begin his duties in old Lombard's shop, she threw her arms about his neck, and assured him that God would prosper a son who so honoured and loved his mother.

And was it so? Yes; the work was very hard, the food was bad and scanty; a kind man would not lodge a dog as that boy was lodged-but he prospered. He was a stu

dious, clever boy, and in that chemist's shop he learned enough to make him wish for wider information. He was so civil and obliging that Lombard's customers increased, so industrious and painstaking that even old Lombard was satisfied; and all the while he was cheering his dear mother's heart by telling her what he meant to do when he was a man. God prospered him. He was blessed with a good mother, and he remembered the words of Solomon: My son .forsake not the law of thy mother; when thou goest it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest it shall keep thee; when thou wakest it shall talk with thee." Years passed, and the boy became a man, and found that

66

66

a good name was rather to be chosen than great riches." While everybody despised the rich miser, they esteemed the poor young doctor who in course of time became one of the most celebrated men in Europe. He was appointed Inspector-General of Health; was loaded with honours, and received a patent of nobility; for the poor boy was none other than PARMENTIER, the CHEMIST.

Lobe ins Lobe.

OTHER, the birdies all love father," said a little boy of five summers, as he stood with his mother, watching the robins, who were highly enjoying their morning meal of cherries from the old tree that overhung the house.

"Does anybody else love father, Charlie ?"

"Oh yes! I love him, and you love

him, but we know more than the birds."

"What do you think is the reason the birdies love your father?”

Charlie did not seem to hear this question.

absorbed in deep thought.

He was

"Mother," at last he said, "all the creatures love father. My dog is almost as glad to see him, as he is me. Pussy, you know, always comes to him, and seems to know exactly what he is saying. Even the old cow follows him all round the meadow, and the other day I saw her licking his hand, just as a dog would. What can be the reason, mother?" "Think, Charlie, try and find out a reason yourself." "I think it is because father loves them, mother. know he will often get up, when he is tired too, to give pussy something to eat if she is hungry, and he pulls carrots for the cow to eat from his hand, and pats her, and talks to her, and somehow I think his voice never sounds so pleasant as when he talks to the creatures."

You

"I think his voice sounds pleasant when he is talking to his little boy."

Charlie smiled.

"Father loves me," he said, "and I love him dearly. He loves the birds, too, I am sure. He whistles to them every morning when they are eating cherries, and they are not a bit afraid of him, though he is almost near enough to catch them. They look at him with their funny little eyes, and chirp and eat away just as if they knew he liked to see them. I wish you could hear him whistle to the bogalinks, as little Mamy calls them. They come and sit on a twig, close by him, and sing so loud and make such funny noises. It always makes me laugh to hear him try to do as they do. Mother, I wish everything loved me as well as they do father."

"Do as father does, Charlie, and they will. Love all living things, and be kind to them. Do not speak roughly to the dog. Don't pull pussy's tail, nor chase the hens, nor try to frighten the cow. Never throw stones at the birds. Never hurt nor tease anything. Speak gently and

They know as well as you do who has a pleasant voice. Feed them and seek their comfort, and they will love you, and everybody that knows you will love you too.—Family Treasury.

Varieties.