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'WHAT WOULD MAMMA LIKE?'

WHO

HO does not like Christmas and New-Year time, when boys and girls who are away at school come home for their holidays, and get such a warm welcome? When, too, the shop windows are cramfull of good things of all kinds, and all made as tempting as possible, so that we cannot help buying to make presents all round, even although our purses should be a little emptier for some time to come. That is what we old people do; I dare say the young expect to get, rather than to give; and indeed, this I rather think is one of the secrets of the season being such a favourite one with my young friends.

And yet, one of the sayings of our blessed Lord lets us see that there is something really better than receiving, namely giving; for He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Can there be any way in which the giving and receiving can be so blended, as to make the little receiver a giver as well? I think there can.

Alice, Minnie, and little Freddie, were as busy as they could be the last three days of the year. Freddie was rather too small a child to understand what Christmas time meant, and how the birth of the Saviour at Bethlehem taught every one a lesson of kindness and good-will to men; or how New-Year's day was a capital time for turning over a new leaf, as we say, and beginning all right again. But to Alice and Minnie, the Merry Christmas and Happy New-Year' meant something more than a present getting, holiday making time. They had learned to think of giving as well as getting pleasure at Christmas time, when their little money bags were emptied, and they were allowed to spend the Saturday pennies' of the year as they liked best. They were all three standing at a shop counter, where ever so many tempting purchases could be made. Freddie had set his heart upon a woolly sheep, which apparently he thought would make him happy all his days, and he

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kept calling on his sisters to admire his choice. Minnie felt greatly at a loss to make up her mind, and took counsel of Alice, whose thoughtful face showed that she was thinking of something more than her own pleasure. Yes, Minnie,' she said, in reply to her sister's eager questioning, but what would mamma like? I wonder if you and I, suppose we put all our money together, could buy her that lovely writing case there? I think if we could, it would make me happier than this delightful little satchel; though it is very pretty;' she added, with a wistful look.

Minnie thought a moment or two, and then, with only half a sigh, she laid down on the counter a pretty album she had been looking at, and heartily joined in buying the present for her dear mother.

How happy the sisters looked as they walked briskly home, in the clear frosty afternoon. They had lingered so long over their purchases, that the street lamps were being lighted, and they were not often out so late as that. Poor little Freddie, clasping his precious toy, had to run now and then to keep alongside. Alice, being the elder sister, carried the writing case; she and Minnie fixed on the particular drawer in which it was to be carefully deposited till New Year's morning, and then would come the presentation. 'And, oh, how pleased mamma will look!' said Alice.

'Yes, I think I see her,' said Minnie: 'I am so glad we bought it for her.'

Now, these two children were giving; but were they not receiving too? Yes, receiving far more than they gave; for joy within is a far greater blessing than the pleasure we have in any gift we possess, or in any thing money can buy. God, who himself is love, has so made us, His creatures, that we cannot give pleasure to others without being ourselves happier. The giving becomes the receiving; and however poor we may be, if we deny ourselves and try to please those around us, we shall find it the surest way to be ourselves pleased.

K.

persevering boy. About the year 1817, a humble tea-dealer's shop might have been seen in the village of Blantyre, (18 miles from Glasgow,) with the name Livingstone over the door. It was there David was born, of humble but honest parents. One of his ancestors, when dying, called his children around him, and said: 'I have searched through all the records and traditions of the Livingstones, and I have not been able to find a trace of one dishonest man in our family. If, therefore, any one of you or your children take to dishonest ways, it will not be because dishonesty runs in our blood. My dying precept, children, is this, be honest.' This advice, handed down to David by tradition, was profoundly cherished by him, and followed strictly in all his dealings with the savages of Africa.

While David was a child, his father removed to Glasgow. At ten years of age he was sent to earn his living in a cotton factory. Young though he was, he was determined to improve himself by education. His efforts in this direction are thus narrated by himself: With a part of my first week's wages, I purchased "Ruddiman's Rudiments of Latin," and pursued the study of the language for many years afterwards, with unabated ardour, at an evening school which met between the hours of eight and ten. The dictionary part of my labours was followed up till twelve o'clock or later, if my mother did not interfere by jumping up and snatching the book out of my hands. I had to be back in the factory by six in the morning, and continue my work, with intervals for breakfast and dinner, until eight o'clock in the evening.' Even at the factory he carried on his reading without neglecting his work. The book was placed on a portion of the spinning-jenny, so that he could catch sentence after sentence as he passed at his work.

Livingstone, however, did not get all his information from books. In company with his brothers he used to make long excursions into the country. Nor did they spend their time in these excursions

robbing birds' nests, or throwing stones at farmer's fowls, or stealing turnips, as many boys do now. No; Livingstone was not such a coward as to do these things. He used to collect plants for studying botany, and fossils as examples in geology. Many a happy day the three brothers had, finding what were to them new wonders in the shape of a rare plant or a fine fossil shell.

He

After reading one of Dr. Dick's works, Livingstone's religious impressions were very much deepened, and he resolved to devote himself to the life of a missionary. His earnings were now large enough to enable him to attend the University in the winter, by working in the summer. walked to the University and back every day, a distance, altogether, of eighteen miles; but that enabled him to be what he always wanted-independent. He also attended Dr. Wardlaw's divinity lectures in summer. His next step was to join the London Missionary Society, and under its care his training was finished. In 1840, that society sent him as a missionary to Africa, where, as you know, he spent the rest of his life labouring in God's service, in obedience to the divine command, Preach the gospel to every creature.'

And now, was not that a noble life? Was it not grand, the way in which he persevered, and by his own exertions fitted himself for his great work? We have reached the beginning of another year, and I would like my readers to make an earnest effort to serve God in it. None of the lives of our great men is more worthy of notice at such a time than that of Livingstone. If you want to know the secret of his life, it lies in two thingsperseverance and trust in God. If, like him, you persevere in the right, and trust in God to help you, like him you will succeed also. You may not become famous like him, but you will have something far, far better than fame-the approval of your Father in heaven, who will greet you at last with the welcome, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'

J. M M.