obliged to use crutches. When the cold weather came on, the little girl was missing from her accustomed place, but as soon as the warm breath of returning spring covered the trees with verdure, and the ground with its rich living carpet of green, she returned and offered her small stock of candy to the passerby, as before. One day in July last, I found the mother with her little girl. She had a careworn, anxious countenance, just one of those we cannot forget ; while, tottering about, now on this side, then on that, was a baby, who seemed to have just become conscious that it could walk alone. rather pretty, and its dress, though poor and worn, was neat and clean. Such little ones always attract me; they remind me of the dear ones whose playful, winning ways once made up much of the happiness of our household, and do still, though their home is now a heavenly one. Taking a penny from my purse, I gave it to the baby, and nodding to the mother, who seemed pleased at the notice, I passed It was on. Upon reaching home, a half-crown, which had been given to me for a particular use, was missing. Where could it be? I recollected a recent purchase I had de, and was certain that it was then in my purse. I had opened the purse but once afterwards, when I took from it the penny. Could I have dropped it at that time? I thought not. Well, wherever it is, I hope it may do somebody some good,” thought I, and it passed from my mind. Two months later, I found the mother and her little girl at the old place; a small table stood near, on which were spread out apples, candy, &c. As I approached, the little girl ran out to meet me, and the mother exclaimed,—“Oh, dear lady, I bless God that I see you, and I thank you for the help that you gave me that day in my great trouble.” When was it?" said I. “The day that you gave my baby the penny and the half-crown. I have prayed to the blessed Jesus for you every day since.” “ I am very glad that it help ed you, but I dropped it, said I. “ Yes,” she replied, “ when you gave it to the baby," seeming not to understand me. Oh, that was the day of my great want. I can't bear to look back to it. My children had nothing to eat, and my oldest girl lay on the floor crying with hunger. That was dreadful, that day of my very great want!” she repeated. • The money kept my poor children from starving, and if it had not been for that, I never could have got this table. I do not sell very much, but we have since never been so badly off as then." “This was the way then,” said I to myself, “that my halfcrown went. God wanted it to supply the need of his poor suffering ones.” I was made the instrument of relieving them, and they had prayed that blessings might descend upon me, But it was no act of mine. It was not my intention to bestow the money upon them ; it had been done by another. Could I doubt that it was the hand of a kind heavenly Father, whose watchful care is extended to all It was one of those beautiful providences, often unseen and unnoticed by us, of which the world is so full, by which He accomplishes His purposes of mercy and love to His child The cries of that suffering family had reached His ear, and in Infinite wisdom He came to their relief.-Child at Home. ren. No matter how much Jesus loves other children, there is room, ever room, in His affection for you, and as many others as will ask Him to care for them. Varieties. OUR FATHER, comes " And what have you to eat, pray?" A GOOD woman, searching - When granny out the children of want, one home, she fetches us somecold day last winter, tried to thing. Granny says God open the door in the third has got enough. Granny story of a wretched house, calls us God's sparrows; when she heard a little voice and we say “Our Father' say, “Pull the string up and daily bread' every high! Pull the string up day. God is our Father." high!” She looked up, and Tears came in the good saw a string, which, on being woman's eyes, She had a pulled, lifted a latch ; and mistrusting spirit herself ; she opened the door upon but these two little “ spartwo little, half-naked child rows,” perched in that cold ren, all alone. Very cold upper chamber, taught her and pitiful they looked. a sweet lesson of faith and “ Do you take care of trust she never will forget. yourselves, little ones?” - Children's Friend. asked the good woman. 6. God takes care of us, STICK TO ONE THING. said the oldest. “ And are you not very Every young man, after he cold? No fire on a day like has chosen his vocation, this !” should stick to it. Don't “Oh! when we are very leave it because hard blows cold, we creep under the are to be struck, or disagreequilt, and I put my arms able work performed. Those round Tommy, and Tommy who have worked their way puts his arms round me, and up to wealth and usefulness we say, "Now I lay me;' do not belong to the shiftless then we get warm,” said and unstable class, but may the little girl. be reckoned among such as son. took off their coats, rolled man !” said Will Thompup their sleeves, and con “ I will not take an inquered their prejudices sult.” And the little fellow against labour, and manfully strutted up and down in a bore the heat and burden of rage. He had been throwthe day. ing stones at Peter Jones, and he thought that his an" UPSETTIN' SINS." ger proved him a gentleDr. McCosh (now Presi man. dent of Princeton College) “ If you want to be a tells the story of a negro gentleman, I should think who prayed earnestly that you would be a gentle boy he and his coloured breth first,” said his teacher. ren might be preserved from “ Gentlemen do not throw what he called their “up- stones at their neighbours. settin' sins." Peter Jones did not throw “ Brudder," said one of stones at you, and I think his friends at the close of the he is much the more likely meeting, “you ain't got de to prove the gentleman." hang of dat word. “But he's got bad patches It's besettin', not ‘upsettin'.” on his knees,” said Will. “ Brudder,” replied the “ Bad pantaloons don't other, “if dats so, it's so. keep a boy from being a But I as prayin' de Lord gentleman,” said his teachto save us from de sin of er, “but a bad temper does. intoxication, and if dat ain't Now, William, if you want a upsettin' sin, I dunno to be a gentleman you must what am.” be a gentle boy.”- The Little Folks. ar A GENTLEMAN, • You see I am a gentle JESUS LOVES ME. W. B. BRADBURY. Je-sus loves me! this I know, For the Bi-ble They are weak, but he is strong. Yes, Je-sus loves me, Yes, Je - sus loves me, Yes, Je-sus us 80. loves me, The Bi - ble tells Jesus loves me! he who died, Yes, Jesus loves me, &c. Yes, Jesus loves me, &c. Yes, Jesus loves me, &c. |