Stories to Explain them.

255 feared he would be making some of his strange remarks, and was glad to get him away, without his having said anything to attract attention to Davie's shabby appearance; for, truth to tell, his dress was of the very poorest description. But Jamie said nothing till they were on their way home; then he said, 'Mother, I don't know about the moss; but I'm certain Davie Taylor has not gathered a whole coat, or a pair of boots, nor a new hat in his wanderings. I never saw any one so poorly clad.' 'That's true,' said Mrs. Wilson; and it's not to be expected that those who'll settle to nothing, but just go roaming about from one thing to another, like the silly butterflies that flit about in the sunshine from flower to flower, should make money. No, no, Jamie; 'tis the hand of the diligent maketh rich.'

That night, the story of Davie Taylor was discussed by Farmer Wilson and his wife; and both rejoiced in the happiness of the parents in thus receiving back their son.

"If he only bring them as much pleasure now as he has caused them grief,' said the farmer, it will be well.' 'He has been a sore trouble to his mother, good woman,' said Mrs. Wilson; for, as Solomon says, “A wise son maketh a glad father; but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother."'

The next morning early found Jamie hard at work at a piece of uncultivated ground, which had long gone by the name of Jamie's garden, but in which, hitherto, nothing had grown save weeds and thistles.

What are you after now, Jamie?' said his father, as he passed through the garden on his way to the harvest field.

'Digging, father,' said Jamie. 'I mean to get this piece of ground in order before I do another thing. I'm going to keep steady now, father, you'll see, and not be running from work to work, finishing nothing, as I've often done. Mother told me "A rolling stone gathers no moss," and I want to get ever so much;' and the boy dug away with all his might.

Ever so much what, Jamie?' said his father, smiling at the child's eagerness.

'Why, moss, father; the right kind-you know what I mean. And mother says, I can only get that by diligence; and I mean to be diligent. I'm not going to be the foolish son that's a heaviness to his mother, that I'm not; and to a mother like her !—no, no, that I sha'n't.'

'Say, by God's help, Jamie. You can't stand in your own strength, my boy; but ye can do all things through Christ strengthening you.'

Jamie stopped his digging, and raising his bright young face to heaven, repeated with reverence the words, ' By God's help,' then resumed his work.

The farmer paused a few minutes, watching his child, then turned away to pursue his own work and labour till the evening; in his heart thanking God that his boy had learned so useful a lesson from the old true Greek proverb, that

A ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS.'

M. H.

'NEVER BE HAUGHTY.'

HUMMING-BIRD met a butterfly, and being pleased with the beauty of its person and glory of its wings, made an offer of perpetual friendship.

bird.

'I cannot think of it,' was the reply; 'as you once spurned me, and called me a drawling dolt.'

Impossible!' exclaimed the hummingI always entertained the highest respect for such beautiful creatures as you.' 'Perhaps you do now,' said the other; but when insulted me I was a caterpillar. So let me give you a

you

piece of advice: never insult the humble, as they may

some day become your superiors.'

ACQUES lingered on the way to put off the fearful moment when he would have to see the farmer. His mind was too busy to have noticed the gathering clouds. A storm now burst over his head; the lightning flashed, the thunder pealed, the rain fell in torrents. He began to walk faster, and turned down the by-road which led to the farm. In this narrow road, shaded by trees, the darkness was intense, except when the lightning blazed in forked and blue-looking flashes. Though Jacques was no coward, yet he trembled when, during one of these flashes, he saw two men close to him, waiting as it were for him..

What! our friend again,' said the voice of the seedylooking man. Good evening; it's rough weather, isn't it ?'

'What are you keeping the lad in the rain for?' said the voice of the cattle-dealer; he'll get wet, and catch the rheumatics.'

Good night,' answered Jacques, trying to pass by; 'I can't stop, for I'm in a hurry.'

'So am I,' said the cattle-dealer, flashing the light from a dark lantern on Jacques. Come, no nonsense, let's

see what you've got in those pockets of yours.'