WEARILY, drearily, comfortless,
A girl sank down on a hard mattress,
While the golden light of a summer morn
Mockingly smiled on the poor forlorn.
Mockingly! said I ? yes, it was so,
A hollow smile o'er a scene of woe ;
A garret, all furnitureless and bare.
Save some prized relics of earthenware,
An ancient stool, and the old arm-chair
Where the lone one's father had breathed his last,
Batter'd and worn by many a blast :
Fighting for England, he lost a limb,
And, generously, it pensioned him.
They had lived on this—with him 'twas gone,
Leaving her friendless-poor-and alone :
She had stitched all night-two farthings won-
“ () ! would that this weary life were done !”
Nor brothers nor sisters e'er had she,
None-ev'n to share her misery--
O! what a pleasure ! starving together !-
Brothers and sisters-she had neither.

She had no blanket, nor sheet, nor shawl,
To cover her poor shrunk form withal-
Shiv'ring with cold, though her burning skin
Told of the tever that raged within.

2

Then fell the thought-scorchingly keen-
Of what she was now, and once had been,
Hot on her brain-hot, aye, burning hot !-
And again she wished that she were not.

Her spirit was broken : strength all gone :
Even for the pittance she had won,
Go she could not, and starve she must-
Of water no drop-of bread no crust!

Words are feeble, they cannot express
How, in the madness of her distress,
She struggled for lack of Bread and Breath-
Starved to death !-Starved to death !

She died that night-when the next day dawned,
In search of the shirts-she had not pawned-
Came one who was callous, yet almost wept
Over her who now her last sleep slept :

Death-always cold-breathed so chilly there !
O'er the corpse-the stool—the old arm-chair-
That his blood turned cold, his teeth, like stones,
Chatter'd together, his very bones
Shook, as if he was palsied and old -
To be out again he'd have given gold,
But his limbs refused, he wished in vain,
And his knees knocked at each other again.

He wept-for, at times, the tears will flow
From the sternest eyes o'er woman's woe-
Gazing again o that lifeless clay
Without one friend to bear it away!

*

A pauper's burial, half-finished rites--
Grudgingly given-favours, not rights-
Did pauper souls require their completion,
When, when would they rise to full fruition?

-Noble Love, and other Pooms.

acaron

The Ark in Battle.

N reading the first five books of Moses, we

find frequent mention is made of the Ark and much importance attached to it. It was a small chest made of shittim wood and covered with plates of gold; about three feet nine inches in length and two feet three inches in width and height. The lid of the Ark had at each end a gol.

den image representing cherubim facing inwards and bending over the Ark. It was carried by two poles placed one at each side through rings.

The Ark contained-I, a golden pot in which the three quarts of manna were preserved; 2, Aaron's rod, which miraculously budded and blossomed and yielded fruit; and 3, the tables of stone with the ten commandments written by the finger of God. It was kept in the most Holy place, and upon

it the Shechina shone testifying of the presence of the Lord.

It was looked upon as the representative of God or as denoting his presence, and thus whenever the people of Israel went to fight against their enemies, they took the Ark with them, feeling while it was in their midst a sense of security, but when it was absent, the contrary sensation of weakness and incompetence to withstand their foes.

The Israelites in this teach us a useful lesson. That we should be careful to have God with us in all circumstances and at all times? Are there not words spoken and actions performed by us showing that we would prevent God from hearing and seeing if that were possible? Yet we know His

ays upon us and His ear is always mindful of our words, and that He has knowledge of our every thought. How careful then should we be, so to think, speak, and act, that God shall not be grieved, but be pleased and satisfied. Again are there not many of us who profess to love and serve God, knowing we cannot do anything aright without him, who yet are often, very often, careless as to whether we have God with us or not?

Let us take this lesson from the Israelites, as illustrated in our picture, and be careful always to have the presence of God our Father with us and His smile resting upon us, and then, and only then, can we expect and look for a blessing upon all we do or say.

T. J. B.

A fdonderful Deliverance. “And the Lord Shall Stand by Them and Save Them.”

HERE is no help for us. If we turn back

to the village we have passed, we shall be recognized, and the officers of the Prefect will instantly seize and drag us to danger and death. The forest of the Cebenna is dark and gloomy-it is said to be filled with ravenous wild beasts; but our trust is in the Lord; he will not

let us be confounded. He can hide us in “the hollow of his hand,” as he did his people of old, when the Egyptians were behind, the Red Sea before, and the mountains on either hand.”

Thus said the leader and guide of the little band of Christians who were fleeing from murderous persecution and death : six souls, all told-three able men, brave and tried one crippled boy of sixteen, and two young girls. Cruel and unrelating persecution had been waged against their faith. Fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends were daily passing through terrible ordeals, giving life, hope, every