IF you wander away into the quiet

country roads bordered by trees, hedges and green fields, in the summer months, at an early hour in the morning when the clouds are yet tinged with a rosy fringe by the rays of the sun, you are always sure to observe certain people patiently waiting there. Looking into the hedges you can observe little cages, and inside birds, from out whose throats a rippling melody of song is poured forth on the balmy air. Perhaps there may be four cages altogether, set about a dozen yards apart, but all more or less concealed by the leafy twigs. The singing is really The singing is really beautiful, and worth listening to, for the linnets or chaffinches inside, scarcely ever cease their warbling; and what do you think this is done for?

Well, if you sit down on a grassy bank a little distance off, and keep very still and quiet, by and by you will observe some birds, attracted by their comrades' invitations, come flying past and alight very near the spots from whence the singing proceeds. Nearer and nearer they go to the alluring strains, till, at last, several grow bolder and alight on the hedge above the cages, but instead of finding something very

tempting, their feet stick to the bird's-lime overspread on the twigs, and even while trying to escape, the men in charge who have been watching, rush forward, capture and transfer them to other cages which they had for the purpose.

Boys and men are in a great many respects like these foolish birds, easily enamoured and led off the right path by some things which shine like reality, but are nothing but trifles and shows. I suppose many of you have tried in the winter months to capture the hungry sparrows; but the sparrow is a very sensible bird, at least little Walter Armstrong and his brother Henry found out that he was. They resolved to capture some, one forenoon in January, and the speckled brown birds perched up on the roof of the barnyard, looked very serious, and watched them go to the end of the house, laden with their implements of captivity; and how the sparrows turned their heads from side to side and chirruped to each other as if to say, 'We all know what you're about.'

They watched them laying down the bricks and putting the sticks into position, and placing the crumbs inside, but I think

if they had heard how these boys were plotting their ruin, and of how many they were going to capture, they would have flown at once out of danger. It was very cold outside, and when Willie and his brother had retreated to a sheltered spot, they suddenly heard a rushing noise, and lo! they saw the sparrows all fly away and disappear in another direction. They waited a long time to see if they would not return, but in vain, and had at last to go indoors, cold and hungry, without even one little sparrow, and sorrowful boys they were indeed, for a time; and if you turn up your Bible, you will see in Proverbs 1. and 17, those words, 'Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of the bird:' and how true it was in this instance!

But there are nets spread for boys and men, as well as birds; and some are caught and made captive for a long time, and frequently for life. There is in every town, and in a great many places also, public houses where drink is sold, and very tempting they look. Many a man has gone inside to stay for a little, just to partake of a glass with his comrades, and has come out helpless, hardly able to walk, staggering along and sometimes falling into the gutter. And yet, children, some men, and all the publicars, will tell you that drink is good and makes one strong; but such statements are all false, and are just part of the net by which they endeavour to entrap unwary people. It is far better to be an abstainer, and avoid such drinks which make men worse than beasts. It has ruined many homes, and numbers of boys and girls have to go without food, because of their parents having been drawn into the publican's net.

Whenever you observe a public-house and any one going there, think of the little birds and how they were captured by appearances, to their own loss; and resolve, by the help of your heavenly Father, to keep away from the publican's net, with all such drinks as he sells, and by so doing you will become brave men and women. Neither touch, taste nor handle that which is unnecessary and an

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DURING the past year we have endeavoured, by means of Competitive Essays upon various subjects, to draw forth from the young the results of their reading. It is pleasant to have it to say that the Essays adjudicated upon have been, for the most part, of superior merit; especially when the tender years of some of the competitors are taken into account. Upon the question of the Inspiration of the Word of God, especially, there has been an amount of sound thinking and of good writing, which is exceedingly gratifying.

The following are the successful competitors :— 1. JANE MURRAY, Dunmurry, County Antrim. 2. ALEXANDER GILLON, Campbeltown. 3. JOHN P. GLEN, Renton.

4. ANDREW MILLIGAN, Coatbridge.

PRIZE BIBLE QUESTIONS. As it is desirable that as many of the youthful readers of the 'Dayspring' as possible should have the opportunity of competing, it is our intention to resume our Bible Class during 1880, with the hope that the same earnestness and interest, as in past years, will be exhibited. Three Prizes are offered for the largest number of correct answers to the Questions, which will appear monthly.

Competition is limited to those who are under 14 years; and answers must be sent in to REV. JOHN KAY, 2 Cumin Place, Grange, Edinburgh, not later than the 25th of each month.

1 When did a lie told by a good man cause the death of a great many innocent persons? 2 What young man lost his life by telling lies?

3 What son was obliged to leave his father's house in consequence of his having acted and spoken a lie?

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HELPING MOTHER.

'HELPING mother!' I think I hear some school-boy say, with rather a scornful look, as he reads our title, 'that's not a thing for me; well enough for girls to "help mother" in mending stockings or putting the room to rights, but not for boys; we have something else to think of.'

Not so fast, my young friend; 'helping mother' can never be beneath any boy or man either, for that matter. The braver and more manly a boy is, the readier he will be to do whatever he can to lighten a mother's care. Sometimes he may take in hand heavy work which a boy's strong arm can do more easily than a mother's or a sister's; sometimes he may willingly lay aside a favourite book or an engrossing sport, to sit down quietly in the nursery and amuse the little ones. But the way in which a child helps mother, will depend upon what she has got to do, where she lives, what position of life she has to fill; in short, upon the circumstances (to use a grand word) in which she and her household are placed.

In a great many homes there is a baby to keep; surely some elder brother or sister could fill a nurse maid's place, and let the mother rest, or go on with work which the younger members cannot share. Many a mother has to work to support herself and her children; even in this, the little ones can take their part in the daily labour, and save their mother the wages of a message girl. In the hop growing counties of England, little children may often be seen, in August and September, helping their mother in the picking and gathering of the hops. This work is almost all done by women and children; men are only employed in pulling the poles,' as it is called, and measuring the hops. The gardens are most picturesque; groups of the workers may be seen as if in bowers of the gracefully growing plant, busy at hop picking. Careful mothers dress the little ones in their plainest garments; for the fruit, graceful as it is, stains the dress and hands of the workers, and

mittens are often used to save the skin from being dyed.

Did you ever think of the home at Nazareth, where 'the child Jesus' lived, and was subject to his parents? The usual work that goes on in the house of a common tradesman now-a-days, would be done there; and no doubt He who pleased not Himself, and whose tender care for his mother lasted all through His earthly life, found many opportunities during His childhood, of lightening her burden and brightening her lot. 'The Virgin's fountain,' as it is still called, is not far away from the place where the Holy Family are supposed to have dwelt; dout you think Jesus would sometimes help his mother to draw the water at eventide, or to carry it home if she was weary? And many a time, doubtless, she would silently gaze upon her wonderful boy, and ponder, as she had done long before, what angel messengers had told her concerning her child. Now, we read that 'Christ left us an example that we should walk in His steps.' That verse is not for grown up people alone. Jesus has left small prints which a child's foot can fill, and in so doing the little ones can carry out one of the ends for which the Lord of all became an infant of days, and grew up to man's estate.