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OLD NANNY AND HER CAT.

OLD

LD NANNY lives alone on the border of a moor. Her cottage is a solitary one, for the village with its little shops, its well in the centre of the one broad street, and its church with the quaint old tower, is half a mile away. Hers is a poor little dwelling; a small allowance from the Parish is all her fortune, and but for the kindness of some friends in the village, Nanny would be rather badly off. I have said she lives alone, but her constant companion, pussy, that has shared her cottage for many a long year, helps to make her life less lonely than it would otherwise be. Puss, you may be sure, has to make her own living; no allowance of milk is brought every morning for her breakfast, nor are there tasty little scraps from Nanny's dinner table to make her a nice feast. But no matter-mice are to be had for the hunting, and I much fear a little bird now and then finds its way into pussy's larder; and why should we wonder? Perhaps birds to a cat are like a lamb or a rabbit to us.

Were you to call on Nanny, some day, you would find a bright fireside, and the one little room tidy all round. There are a few things that, however poor Nanny may be, she says she will never part with. Her husband was a sailor; he died long ago in that box bed you see in the corner, and his large sailor's chest nearly fills up one whole side wall. Lift up the lid and you will see, pasted inside, the picture of his ship. The Wanderer' was its name, and many a far away place did it visit. Come what will, Nanny will never sell that chest. Her well-worn Sunday dress is there, carefully folded; and in the small drawers she has some precious little keepsakes, along with an old newspaper that tells of the gallant conduct of the crew of the "Wanderer," her husband among them, when long ago, in a storm, they saved a number of people whose ship had been wrecked. Nanny has read the short paragraph so often, that I dare say she can nearly say it by heart; but she thinks she is reading

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it, as with spectacles on, she follows line by line with her finger, and then with a sigh, folds it up, and puts it safely back again. There is a little cupboard in the corner, where cups and saucers are neatly arranged, and hanging up on the wall close by, is an old sampler. If you ask, 'Whose work is this, Nanny?' she will tell you of her little daughter who died when she was twelve years old, and of her only son who was a grand scholar, Nanny says. She has one of his prizes wrapped up with her best Bible, in a pocket-handkerchief, and she looks at it every Sabbath before she goes to church.

Whenever Nanny goes to see any of her village friends, or the Laird's family at the Big House, pussy goes with her, following or running on before, just like a dog. All the school children know them, as they skirt across the moor; and if any boy were to throw a stone at that cat, or teaze the old woman, I am pretty sure his companions would make him pay for it. But pussy somehow knows when Sabbath comes, and on that day she never tries to go out with Nanny. Perhaps she knows it by seeing the black dress and the Bible taken out of the old trunk, and feels that her duty that day is to watch the cottage, catch a mouse or two if she can fall in with them, and wait patiently till her mistress returns.

I should have told you of a three legged stool Nanny has, and which she would give you for a seat if you were to call. Pussy is quite aware that if a young visitor comes in, this favourite seat of hers must be given up, so she curls herself up on the hearthstone, and listens, and winks, or shuts her eyes, till she doses over into a nap.

Is there any old Nanny in your neighbourhood whose life you might help to brighten? I think there must be if you look out for her. If at all like my old Nanny, you would be heartily welcomed if you went and perhaps offered to read a chapter or a hymn, and so save her failing eyes a little. Depend upon it, you would get as much good as you would give-not that you would get money, or rich cake, or any thing of that kind, but you would be

trees of that little forest, they would erect a hut with branches, and spend the day in a very enjoyable manner. Eagerly entering into the plan, each boy anxiously hoped the morrow would be a good day: nor were they disappointed, for the sun rose bright and warm, and made all nature look beautiful and gay.

Early in the forenoon the youthful band of explorers set out, and before long were deep in the shade and stillness of the wood. After much running here and there a suitable spot was found for encamping on, and without delay each willing worker set about gathering branches with which to erect their tent or hut. This done to their complete satisfaction, the stock of eatables was produced, and the long walk, together with their exercise in the wood, having given them a good appetite, they speedily set to, and enjoyed a hearty if humble meal.

Being thus refreshed, the whole party set out in search of adventures; some going in one direction and some in another.

It is almost needless to say that as usual Willie and Tom kept close by each other.

As we have nothing further to do with the other boys of the party, we shall confine our attention to these two.

Pressing forwards, Willie and Tom were stopped in their progress by some bramble bushes which completely blocked up their path. Whilst looking about for some passage through them, Tom happened to look up, and spied, at the top of a tall fir tree near at hand, a bird's nest. No sooner had he made the discovery than he announced it to his companion, and declared his intention of climbing the tree to see what was in the nest.

This, however, was not easily done, as the branches grew so closely together as to make upward progress almost impossible.

By dint of perseverance and determination Tom succeeded in reaching the nest, and gleefully made known the fact to Willie that there were five eggs in it. Willie, gentle and thoughtful, told him not to meddle with them, as it was cruel to rob the nest and vex the bird that laid them.

This appeal, however, had no effect upon

Tom, who proceeded carefully to place the eggs in his cap, and then prepared to descend. But, if it had been difficult for him to get up the tree, he found it more difficult to get down without breaking the eggs on the way.

He tried hard for a time, but finding himself beaten, there was no help for it but to return the eggs to the nest, which he did.

Having reached the ground in safety, he began to tell Willie of their beauty, and declared to him that they were a very rare kind, which none of the other boys possessed.

Willie's curiosity became aroused, and he resolved to see for himself the wonderful eggs.

Without any further thought or delay he began to climb, and was soon wriggling out and in among the many branches which were between the ground and the nest; and before very long he had reached the top, and was gazing with delight upon the eggs, which were very beautiful indeed. One lesson which Willie's father had often taught him was, the sin of causing any distress or pain to another needlessly, and the cruelty of depriving any bird of either her young or her eggs; and, up to the present time, Willie had faithfully attended to his father's wishes in this respect.

But the eggs were before him, and they were very pretty: and, as in the case of very many, both among young and old, the temptation proved too much for him.

Accordingly he resolved to take them with him; but how was this to be accomplished? Tom had tried, and had failed; would he be able to succeed in his undertaking?

After thinking for a little, he resolved to put the eggs in his mouth, and, having done so, he succeeded in reaching the ground with his stolen treasure in safety.

Scarcely had the eggs been placed in Tom's cap, than the question arose, how were they to be divided between them?

Willie would no doubt have been content to take two, and give his_companion the remaining three; but Tom rather selfishly sought to settle the matter at once by saying that as he had first discovered

the nest, he was entitled to the larger number.

Willie, on the other hand, maintained that as he had had the trouble of bringing them down, he was the one to get the largest share. Neither, however, would yield, and, strange as it may appear, they actually quarrelled over their prize, and prepared to settle the dispute by fighting.

Tom, laying his cap with the eggs upon the ground, gave the first blow, which Willie returned with great promptness.

After wrestling for a time with each other, part of the root of a tree caught the foot of one of the combatants, and brought them both down right on the top of the eggs, which were in a moment crushed and completely destroyed. This unlooked - for accident ended the fight; and, heartily ashamed at their conduct, yet neither willing to be the first to express regret, and ask forgiveness, they parted, and returned home with sad and sorrowful hearts.

The next day both met in the house of God, where, with their parents, they had gone professedly to worship God, but still neither would yield. Monday found them both at school, but, to the amazement of the other scholars, they did not speak to each other during the whole day.

On reaching home Willie was unable to bear it any longer, and, although much ashamed at having to do so, he frankly told his father the whole story, and asked him what he should do. Glad to find his son in such a penitent state of mind, he urged Willie to go at once to Tom, confess how sorry he was at what had taken place, and ask his forgiveness. This he did; and Tom, who was as much ashamed of his conduct as Willie was, in turn asked to be forgiven, and expressed much sorrow for all that had taken place. Forgiveness was readily given, and the breach which had been made was completely filled up: both having learned a lesson which they have never forgotten, although thirty years have passed away since that memorable day.

This was Willie's first and last fight with any of his school companions.

At his father's request he bowed the knee

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in prayer to God, and asked Him to pardon his sin, and give him strength to resist every temptation to evil, and rather bear an injury than be guilty of again acting as he had done.

I have said that this was Willie's last fight; but I have also to say that since then, Willie has been fighting every day, and means to do so as long as he lives.

Yes, many a hard and terrible fight he has had with himself; often has he found it very difficult to resist the evil of his own heart; and in his efforts to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, he has been made to feel that he must fight the good fight of faith constantly and heartily, if he would overcome and not be overcome. Of this fight against sin and self he is not ashamed, but often asks God's help to make him stronger and more courageous, that he may be enabled to fight it to the very last, and never give up till he is called away to meet with that Jesus whom he has long loved and served, and receive from Him the crown of life which is in store for all who are faithful unto death.

Many of the young readers of the 'Dayspring,' like Willie Stewart, are often provoked and tempted by others; but like him, ask Jesus to keep you from all sin, and to strengthen you to fight for Him against the evil that is in your hearts as well as around you. Like Willie, give your heart to the Saviour now, and if it be God's will to spare you until you grow up to manhood or to womanhood, yours will be a happy and a useful life, because spent in the service of Jesus.

But should it be God's will to take you away in the days of your youth, then, having Jesus for your Saviour, yours will be a happy death; for you shall be removed to a world of holiness and happiness, where all are like Jesus, and all see Him as He is.

E that is slow to anger is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

J. W.