at her call. One day she came to her mewing piteously. Jane wondered what was wrong, and followed the cat outside the door to see what was the matter. A little forsaken kitten was lying on the ground a short distance from the door. Jane lifted the kitten and carried it to a neighbouring house, to which it belonged; and when she saw it thus cared for, pussy seemed quite pleased. The cat had seen the strayed kitten from a window, and was quite restless and unhappy till it was taken to its home. Was not this an example of kindness to the weak and suffering?

39

'OH

You obstinate boy,' she continued, strongly tempted to give the little fellow a good shaking, but controlling herself-come along, don't you hear the clock striking?'

40

COME UNTO ME.

But no-nothing would make Harry move on. He planted his foot as doggedly

be drawn nor driven. It was not till he had been threatened with not getting to the excursion next Saturday, and then coaxed with the promise of a new ball, that the stubborn boy consented to go, slowly and reluctantly, to his forenoon's work.

Now Harry was not, in general, what you would call a bad boy; but things had gone rather against him that morning, and he had gone much more against himself. To begin with: he was very sleepy when called to get up, lay too long in bed, and then was cross at all around him, as if they were to blame. Of course, his porridge was cold when, after scrambling somehow into his clothes, he took his place at the breakfast table, sulky and sour.

Most unfortunately, Harry's boots had been newly mended; this he thought a mortal injuiry, of which he had quite a right to complain; and nothing would make these boots go on. Ah! I know what would have made them slip on, as if they had been oiled. Had it been Saturday morning, and Harry had been going to slide on the pond at the back of his father's house, it would all have been plain sailing, as grown up people say. He would have been dressed in proper time for breakfast, and the boots would have entered into his plans, putting themselves on without the slightest difficulty.

Now, I don't see why Harry's mother, Mary, and his brother, should all have been made uncomfortable, because Harry happened to be sleepy, and because it was Wednesday and not Saturday-do you? Suppose the little fellow had felt cross and peevish, when he rubbed his eyes and was most unwillingly dragged out of bed, would it not have been better to have struggled with the black dog upon his back,' than have quarrelled with all around him? He would have been a brave boy had he done so-the Bible tells us, 'He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.'

The ceaseless clamour of life's sounding sea,

Steals a low voice in earnest invitation,
'Come unto Me.'

I sit enthroned the Lord of life and glory;
All power is Mine, illimitable, free;
Seek ye to read life's deep, unuttered story?
Come unto Me.

Long years ago, I lived, and loved, unaided,

Unblessed by seraph tongue, or human praise: This fair creation, my right hand hath made it In ancient days.

And My delights have been from the beginning

With sons of men, though fallen now they be; I gave My life to save their souls from sinning: Come unto Me.

Come unto Me! ye spirits, worn and weary,
I toiled for you by land, and on the sea;
Sad vigils keeping through lone midnight
Come unto Me.
[dreary:

Come unto Me! though sin rise like a mountain, Though deep as crimson your transgressions be,

My blood hath ope'd a never-failing fountain: Come unto Me.

Come unto Me! ye souls bowed down with

sorrow;

Of death and hell I keep the mighty key; Mine is a balm no other bliss can borrow: Come unto Me.

Come unto Me! young hearts in life's gay morning;

To gather such I stooped a child to be, And souls grown weary with a life of scorning: Come unto Me.

Come unto Me! I long to help and save you.
Why from My tenderness thus madly flee?
Lo! 'tis a King who stoops, for love, to crave
Come unto Me.
[you.

Come! take my yoke, true love delights to wear it;

Lend me your load, and lean upon my breast,

Then, joy be yours, bid others come and share it: Yes! come and rest. J. K. MUIE.

41

'CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER.'

THE HE following story in the life of the late Macdowal Grant of Arndilly is a truly practical commentary on this text. He tells it thus: There was on my estate in the West Indies, a wretched old drunken negro rat catcher; very clever at his business when sober, but only sober at rare and uncertain intervals. I felt concerned for the poor old man, as I saw that drink was dragging him, body and soul, down to perdition; and I spoke very earnestly to him, urging him to become a teetotaller, as that seemed to me his only chance. I was not a little taken aback when the old man suddenly turned round upon me with, 'All very well for massa tell dis poor nigger to give up his drop o' rum, when massa sit at dinner and drink him wine.' And I suppose the old man was more taken aback still when I replied, 'Look here, Sambo, if you will give up the rum, I will give up the wine.' The poor old man's heart was touched by such an offer from such a quarter, and then and there we both took the pledge together.'

Mr Grant's nephew adds that the old man kept the pledge, and by this means was rescued from ruin. Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ.'

THE LITTLE SWISS DAUGHTER.
(From the French.)

WHO has not heard of the high

mountains and deep valleys of Switzerland? In some places the mountains are so high that the inhabitants of the valleys can only see the sun for a short time at mid-day. Between these high mountains are deep and narrow ravines; sometimes a a great rock falls and lodges in one of these ravines, thus forming a natural bridge by which people cross to save themselves going round by the valley.

On the slope of a mountain near one of these bridges dwelt a little girl whose mother believed in Jesus, and often told her child the story of His wondrous love. She told her how He had pitied us, and had loved us so much that He had shed His

own blood to take away our sins. But the child's father was not pious. He never assembled his family to pray with them. He laboured hard to procure for them the good things of this life; but he never urged them to lay up treasures in heaven.

One day, when the mother went to cross the ravine, she observed that the frost had nearly separated the piece of rock, and that it was ready to fall. She told her little daughter that if any one put his foot upon it, the rock would fall, and he would be thrown down into the abyss.

Next day, while her mother was absent, her father told the child that he was going to cross the bridge. She warned him of the danger; but her father only laughed and said that he had crossed the bridge many a time, and that he feared nothing. When the dear child saw that she could not dissuade her father from going, she asked permission to accompany him.

As they walked along the road, the little girl looked up in her father's face and said:

'Father, if I am going to die, will you promise me that you will love. Jesus, and come and meet me in heaven?'

'What puts such a foolish thought into your little head? You are not going to die; you are only a little girl; you will live many years yet.'

Yes; but if I should die, will you promise to love Jesus as I do, and to come and meet me again in heaven?'

'But you are not going to die; do not speak of it then,' said he.

'But if I should die, promise me, dear father, that you will be a Christian, and that you will come to live with Jesus and with me in heaven.'

'Ah! well, yes, my child,' said he at last. When they came near the bridge, the child said:

'Father, stay here a little moment, if you please.'

She knew that her father was not prepared to die. She loved him tenderly, and wished to risk her life to save him. Running before him, she bounded upon the rock, which immediately gave way, rolled into the abyss, drawing the poor child with it.