70

motherless, without love, was brought up the country by a distant relative.

She was friendless now, and came to the kindly door pleading to be taken in. And they could not turn her away. Durga, too, became an inmate of that kind home.

The Misses Campbell felt as if these three little girls had been sent them for some special purpose. Were they in the future years to be specially prepared teachers to the women of their own land?

It was a bright hope to these two earnest ladies. They resolved they would leave nothing in their power undone, to make these three little Indian girls, thus cast upon their care, a blessing among their people.

They were about to come to England on a visit to their sister, and settled that they would not leave the little orphans behind them, but bring them here to be educated, that they might return as women to their own people with a greater influence than they could otherwise obtain.

So, laden with blessings and prayers, they left their dark friends in India, and at their own expense and on their responsibility, brought their little charge with them.

They did not doubt that God would care for them, and raise them up help and friends as He had done far away.

They had greatly enjoyed Miss Havergal's writings, and often on the voyage across, Miss Campbell had thought with pleasure that perhaps Miss Havergal might be one of those kind spirits who would interest themselves in the little waifs when they must leave them behind. On the day of their arrival at Southampton, they went into a shop to buy, among others, some of her books and leaflets, and send them out to India by return mail. They were startled by the black borders, and were told by the shopman that Miss Havergal had just died. The sweet spirit would comfort them no more on earth. But many friends have clustered round them, and already all care of the little orphans is lifted from their hearts.

If you could see them with their bright dark eyes, and their great earrings, and

their smiling lips-you would be sure to like them. Salamin has nine places for rings round her ear.

All the women and girls of India wear many earrings, and rings on the toes. Sometimes on the right thumb is a ring with a looking-glass in it. For they are very fond of ornaments, and all bright things.

They have had their pictures taken. It has pleased them much. I shall copy for you a letter written to an English lady by the little Salamin. I think her letter will let you know her better than any description of her can.

'Dear Mem Sahib,-How happy we were when your picture came. We three little Indian girls have been trying to write English letters every Friday since it came, so that we could write to you all alone. We have such pretty new red flannel things now, and we always feel that you are smiling on us every day as we put them on.

6

We

Yesterday our new pictures came. had Queen Victoria's head and crown, and Queen in red letters, in one of our lesson rolls, so Miss Campbell put it in the middle just above my head, and I am playing on the little harp. Durga is knitting. Miss Campbell is holding Hufizen's hand, as she was reading Persian Urdu; the other Miss Campbell is holding our counting frame with little beads all on it. We shall send you one soon, also for the Miss Sahib who was ill. We got some Violets and Mignionette yesterday, and were so happy over them. The schoolroom is just like a garden since we got them.

6 And now, good-bye, and God bless you very much. We are every night praying for you. We look first at your picture, and then up to God, and we ask many things for you from the great God, and tell Him to send them all very soon.

'Dear Mem Sahib, we hope you are well. Durga, Hufizen, and I, send you a hundred salaams, and we want you to pray for us, that we may be very good girls and quickly go to India to do work for Zenanas there, as the Misses Campbell used to do, and give medicines also, to everybody.

'I remain, 'A loving little Indian girl to you, 'SALAMIN.'

71

But Ane o'er the hills, when the wraith o' the blast

Was howlin' its loudest, cam' hastin' afar; His whisper a hush on the tempest cast; His face was the beam of a glorious star. He cheered us and led us to pastures green, He led us along by a quiet stream; An' blue was the lift where the clouds had been, An' gladsome the light o' the glorious beam; Our hearts grew as blithe as a musical bird, An' our sorrow was soon a forgotten dream. We are nearly now at our Father's hame,

An' we're no that far frae the gowden street, For the sheen o' our lingering sunset's flame, Wi the endless morn, is about to meet; On our ear there is breaking the angel sang, An' we're catching a glimpse o' the waving palm,

An' we gladly shout as we wend alang,

The sweet refrain o' the Shepherd's psalmOur wilderness song,-it has cheered us on, Rejoicing to meet at the throne o' the Lamb. We'll sing it again, as near and more near We catch the gleam o' the heavenly hill, From the River of Life 'tis reflected clear,

And the Shepherd of old is our Shepherd still. He has been wi' us aye sin' the nicht o' the storm, In the pastures green and the quiet fauld, A shelter we've had in his guiding form,

By day frae the heat an' at e'en frae the cauld. And the quiet joy that His Spirit gives, Is the freshness of youth in the hearts o' the auld.

G. PAULIN.

PRIZE BIBLE QUESTIONS. THREE Prizes are offered for the largest number of correct answers to the Questions during 1880. The Competition is limited to those under 14 years of age. The answers to be sent to the REV. JOHN KAY, 2 Cumin Place, Grange, Edinburgh, by the 25th of each month.

16 In which verse of an epistle are seven expressions used to describe the evidences of true repentance?

17 Which of God's attributes is said by an apostle to lead men to turn from sin?

18 Which verse from one of the prophets teaches that looking to Jesus produces true repentance?

.,t,id.f s

Paisley: J. AND R. PARLANE.]

[London: HOULSTON AND SONS.

74

THE CLEVER LITTLE CARPENTER.

NEARLY & hundred years ago, a boy

was born in a little cottage near Shrewsbury. His name was 'Samuel Lee.' Any one speaking of him when he was still a child would have called him a charity school boy, for as such he was brought up and then sent out to work for himself when he was twelve years old. When he died in 1852, he was the Rev. Samuel Lee, D.D., late Regius professor of Hebrew and Arabic in the University of Cambridge, Rector of Barley, Herts, &c.' How was there such a change in his position at the beginning and end of his life?

It was not easy in those far off days for a boy to rise in the world. There were no school board officers who compelled children to attend school, fining or imprisoning friends who kept them away; nor were there, as now, rewards and bursaries for the sharp, clever boys, who learn their lessons and get well through their examinations. But where there's a will, there's a way.'

Little Samuel had a hard life of it during his teens. He was apprenticed to a carpenter, and had to work very busily through long hours of toil. During any spare time he had in the work-shop, and occasionally, I fear, when he was working in the houses of customers, he would seize a book and eagerly read it; then, when working hours were over, Samuel's great joy was to pore over the few books he had,-not picture or story books, but what required thinking in order to be understood. Sometimes, as he read, he would come upon words which, do as he liked, he could not make out. No wonder; they were not English words, and foreign languages were not taught at a charity school. Samuel saw that in order to understand the books in which he was so interested, he must learn Latin. But how was this to be done? how could he teach himself?

One day when his thoughts were full of this question, he stopped at a book-stall as he was hurrying along to his work. Lifting up a well worn book he saw it was

called Ruddiman's Latin Grammar,' and the price was marked 'one shilling.' Now, this was a large sum for Samuel to give; moreover, he required a new tool for his carpenter's work, and had been saving up his pence in order to buy it. While he turned over the leaves with one hand, he felt for his shilling with the other. He bad but one, so it was easily found at the bottom of his pocket. 'I shall manage the tool some way,' he said to himself, I really must have this grammar,' so the price was laid down and the book carried off in triumph.

That very night he set to work, and before morning had learned by heart a portion of the book. Using every spare moment, you may be sure he was not long of mastering the whole. You can fancy how, after that, he would turn again to the books he had been studying months before, find out the difficult passages, and try to read them intelligently now.

The diligent young carpenter plodded on. He was not slothful in his worldly calling, but he had something else, this love of learning, to which he turned with pleasure when his hard day's work was done. I have no doubt this kept him out of the way of idle, bad companions, and co, in more ways than one, was a blessing.

Latin being mastered, Greek came next, for the desire of knowledge grows with what it feeds on; after Greek came Hebrew, then Arabic, till, when Samuel was above twenty years old, he was quite a learned man. When he was twenty-five he began to think that his beloved studies must be given up, and that he must turn his mind to improvements in his own trade. This would have been great self-denial, but Samuel Lee was upright and conscientious, and would have done it had he been called on to do so. It has been often said that 'Providence helps those who help themselves.' Samuel had certainly helped himself, and you will hear in what a strange way Providence helped him. A fire broke out in the premises where he worked; all his tools, his stock in trade, as one might ¦ call them, were burned. If he was to