Little Eddy Hill

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MURRAY AND GIBe, EDINBURGH,rRINTERS TO HER MAJESTYS STATIONERY OFFICBThe Baldwin LibraryUnivcrBity_ .CmB n


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r i'*'- 13 ;--ILESSONS OF LOVE.


LITTLE EDDY HILLAND OTHER LESSONSOF LOVE.EDINBURGH:WILLIAM OLIPHANT & CO.


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CONTENTS.PAGELITTLE EDDY HILL, 7GIVING AND LENDING, ILITTLE BETTY GREEN, 22,THE BEST FIGHT, 26PROVIDENCE, 32THE DISCONTENTED SWAN,. 35GIVING, NOT RECEIVING, 38LOOK AT YOUR COPY, 42THE DISCONTENTED BEE, 46A TALK ABOUT BIRDS, .THE YOUNG TRADERS, 62HAPPY HANS, 65LESSONS FROM A WATCH, 73THE THREE BROTHERS, 80EDITH SULLIVAN, 8THE GOLDEN RULE, 98BY-AND-BY, 06LIGHT IN DARKNESS, 113THE FLOWER BRIDGE, 121LOVE WINS LOVE, 126


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LITTLE EDDY HILL."GH, what a bitter night!" ex-claimed Mr. Stiles, as he seatedhimself in his easy chair, anddrew the rich folds of his cosy wrappermore closely about him. "I declare it'senough to freeze one!" and with a halfshiver he put his plump feet, which wereencased in elegantly embroidered slippers,"a little nearer the fire."I did not think it was so very cold,"said Mrs. Stiles, raising her eyes slowlyfrom the boolkshe had been reading."No wonder; shut up as you are all dayin an air-tight r(om, how can' youi.epectto know anything about the weathe Idid not think it was half so cold before Istarted from the office."


t LESSONS OF LOVE."But it's only a little way. I shouldn'thave thought you would have got sochilled.""And I should not, but I was stoppedby one of those city pests, a beggar girl.""Dear me, and the impudent thingasked you for money?""Yes; and she looked so pitiful that Icould have found it in my heart to havegiven her a sixpence or so if it had notbeen so horrid cold.""Lucky for you that it was cold, then,for I don't believe it's any charity to giveanything to suck creatures.""Nor I, as a general rule; but this girlwas an exception to the common run. Itis trueshe had the same old story of sickmother, and no fire, and famishing littlebrother; but there must have been sometruth in what she said, or else she was anadept in the art of deception.""She's an old hand'at begging verySlikely, and has learned her part to per-fection. What a burning shame it is thatthe authorities allow such creatures to runabout the streets !" and with every featureexpressive of pious indignation, the lady


LITTLE EDDY HILL. 9folded her white and jeweled hands andlooked straight into the glowing grate.Mr. St;les said no more, but reachedover the table, and taking up the eveningpaper he was soon quite absorbed in look.ing over the markets and. other interestingitems. But every time the merchant pausedin his reading he shivered and drew nearerthe fire, for there was a vision of a cheerlessroom, with emberless hearth, and shivering,starving, dying inmates present to hismind's eye. He did not like to look at thepicture. Oh no; for he was one of thosehighly sensitive, delicately organized beingswho cannot even bear to think of misery,much less see it; so he tried, resolutely tobanish all thoughts of the beggar girl andher pitiful story from his mind. And hesucceeded pretty well, though not quite tohis satisfaction, for, spite of his efforts, apale face would seem to glance up fromthe printed page every now and then, whilethe rough wind that went sighing round thehouse had something very much like thewail of a suffering mother in it.Mr. Stiles never dreamed; if he hadbeen in the habit of so doing, I am pretty


io LESSONS'OF LOVE.sure he would not have rested well thatnight; but as it was he slept soundly, andarose in the morning refreshed in mind andbody. It was a glorious winter morning,but cold; and as the rich merchant walkedbriskly forward in the direction of his officethe white frost gathered on his coat, and hekept striking his gloved hands together tokeep them warm; but no thought of thepoor, the suffering, freezing poor, was inhis heart, till suddenly turning a cornerhe stood face to face with a little ragged,barefoot boy." Oh, sir !" cried the child, seizing hold ofthe merchant's .coat eagerly. "Oh, sir, Idon't want money! I am not begging! butcome, do come with me!""Where?" asked Mr. Stiles, gazing pity-ingly upon the little trembling thing."Then you will go! Oh, I am so glad!I will show you the way," and tighteninghis grasp upon the coat, his little blue feethurried up the street, down a narrow alley,and stopped in front of an old buildingwhich once had been a respectable habi-tation, but was now fast going to decay.Then letting go the coat, the boy put the.4


LITTLE EDDY HILL. IIblack hair away from his thin, strange-looking face, and said in a husky voice,"This is the place."Without speaking a word, Mr. Stiles weniover the cold stepping-stones into thecheerless doorway, up a flight of ricketystairs, and before he was aware of it hestood in the presence of the dead! For amoment he was horrified, then with a greateffort he overcame his emotion, and askedin an unsteady voice, "What does all thismean, poor child ?""It means," replied the child, with a lookof terror which was terrible on the face ofone so young; "it means that mother andLizzie have gone to sleep and won't wakeup again. You see, dear mother was veryill, so Lizzie could not work any more, andin a little while all the bread and coal wehad was gone, and we hadn't any money tobuy more with, and the bakers would nottrust us, so we have been two whole dayswithout any fire or anything to eat. Lastnight mother was very weak, but she toldLizzie to go and beg ; so she put me in bedand went away. Soon as she was gone,mother put both arms around, and sobbed


12 LESSONS OF LOVE.and cried, and talked so strangely that Iwas frightened; but in a little while shegrew calm, and whispering, 'God bless youand care for you, Eddy,' she went to sleep.I lay awake a long time waiting for Lizzieto come back, for I was so hungry; but shedidn't come,. and I grew so tired that Iwent to sleep, and didn't wake up againuntil the sun was shining in at the window.The first thing I saw when I raised myhead was Lizzie here on the floor fastasleep. I got up and tried to wake her, butshe wouldn't stir; then I tried to rousemother, but she lay so very white and stillthat I was afraid, and went out for help. Yousee I would have told you all about it atfirst, but I was in such a hurry; then, too,I was afraid you wouldn't come with me ifI did. You won't be angry with me, willyou, but wake mother and Lizzie, and Iwill be so glad !" and the child lookedeagerly up, while something like a smileflitted across his wan face. .But the man stood still. The gKwer ofspeech and motion seemed for the time sus-pended, and though he tried to do so, hecould not turn his eyes away from the white


LITTLE EDD Y HILL. 13face of the dead mother, which seemed tolook appealingly up to him."Oh, sir, won't you wake them? whywon't you wake them?" exclaimed Eddy,seizing the merchant's hand in both hisown.The earnestness of the voice, and thepressure of the icy little fingers, arousedMr. Stiles from his stupor, and he said,pityingly: "Poor boy poor boy! I wouldwake them if I could, but your mothercannot wake-she is dead!""Dead!" exclaimed the child, and witha wild cry he sank beside his sister, whoall this time had lain upon the floor withher face downward, perfectly motionless."Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie, wake up!" sobbed hebitterly. " Wake up! mother is deadWake up, and comfort little Eddy!"But Lizzie did not hear the plaintivevoice, and tremblingly the rich man wentforward and raised the girl's head. Theneck ias stiff, and the face, which wasstark %da cold, was the same, the verysame, that had looked up to him so plead-ingly the night beforet He started backas though a thunderbolt had struck him,


414 LESSONS OF LOVE.and for a moment he was faint and dizzyas he thought of the difference a littlemoney might have made. But it was allover now, and regrets were unavailing;so, taking Eddy's slight form tenderly inhis arms, he said, soothingly, "There, there,don't cry so, poor boy, you may go homewith me!"But the child clung to his sister untilconvinced that she, too, was dead, whenwith a despairing cry he nestled close tothe merchant's bosom, and sobbed as thoughhis. heart was breaking. And while tearscoursed over his own cheeks the rich man-gathered the unfortunate little outcast inhis arms and went out into the street. Anhour before, and he would have thought itbeneath his dignity to carry even a smallpaper parcel; but now, acting upon thenobler impulses of his nature, he wasneither afraid nor ashamed. Indeed, hescarcely saw the many curious, eagerglances which were directed toward himas he hurried along with his strange-look-ing burden, and he never once stoplieduntil he ascended the steps of his owndwelling.


LITTLE EDD Y HILL. 15Very much was Mrs. Stiles horrifiedwhen her husband entered the parlourwith poor little Eddy in his arms, and shecame near going into hysterics when hehurriedly told his story and went away,leaving that lump of rags and misery onthe sofa beside her, with an injunction tofeed, warm, and clothe it.Poor Mrs. Stiles! Fashion and falseeducation had made her what she was,but she had a true woman's heart, never-theless, beneath the glittering worldly ex-terior; and though at first she declaredthe child should not stay in the house, shesoon felt more reconciled, and helped wiwher own soft white hands to bathe hisalmost skeleton form. Then Bridget, whoprided herself on being a most'excellentnurse, wrapped him in flannel, and puthim to bed, and fe4 him with some nicewarm gruel, which she had prepared for **the occasion, and in a little while the poorlittle thing had sobbed himself to sleep.As the lady sat by the bedside andgazed upon the hollow eyes, sunken cheeks,and fansparent hands of the little one, herown glad childhood, the bright spring days


16 LESSONS OF LOVE.of her early life, when she was beloved,petted, and cared for by all, came vividlyto her mind, and the contrast was so pain-ful that she wept. And while the tearswere still fresh on her cheeks, her husbandcame." We have been very, very selfish, Mary,"said he; " but, thank God, we are not quiteheartless."Then sitting down, he told her how hehad seen the proper officers, and sent twogood women to the house of death."Oh," he said, "I never can forgivemyself for last night's cruelty, and I feel as,teugh I could not do enough to atone formy past neglect," and leaning his headupon his hand, he looked very sad andthoughtful."But what are you going to do with thischild?" asked Mrs. Sties, after a moment'ssilence."Do with him?" said the merchant,"why keep him and take care of him to besure! Though God has not seen fit to giveus children of our own, he has blessed uswith ample means, and it is plainly ourduty to take some little friendless outcast


LITTLE EDDY HILL. 17and rear him up for a life of usefulness andhonour! What a wonder that in the tenyears of our married life I have neverthought of this before."" Oh, dear! you are not in earnest,Charles!" cried the lady, holding up bothhands in astonishment. " Only think whata tax it will be upon me, what difficulties I'shall have, trying to overcome his vicioushabits, and make him such a boy as anadopted son of ours should be.""But, Mary, all poor children are notnecessarily vicious," replied Mr. Stiles; "andI am pretty sure that Eddy is worthy of allwe may do for him."SAnd the merchant Was right; for whenEddy grew strong and well he soon en-deared himself to all. the household by hiscorrect deportment and amiable disposition.Mrs. Stiles could not help loving him, andshe was so much pleased with him, thatafter he had lived in her family four yearsshe got a little black-eyed orphan girlfrom the workhouse, and took her into herheart and home.Mr. Stiles is very fond of "his children,"as he proudly calls them, and he says,B


18 LESSONS OF LOVE."taking babies to bring up" is the bestinvestment he ever made; and he thinkshe shall adopt one homeless little one oncein four years as long as he lives.GIVING AND LENDING.HEN Charlie Gleason was aboutten years old, a bright half-crownwas given him by his grandfather,to buy anything he pleased for his New-Year's present. The boy's mother hadthat morning taught him the verse, "Hethat hath pity on the poor lendeth to theLord; and that which he hath given willhe pay him again." The words were run-ning in the boy's mind while he was on hisway to a shop to purchase a toy whch hehad seen in the window on the previousday.Just before Charlie reached the shop, hemet a poor woman who had sometimeswashed for his mother, and she seemed tobe in great distress. "What's the matter,Hannah?" said the kind-hearted child,


GIVING AND LENDING. 19"Oh, Master Charlie, I've got to beturned into the street this cold morning,and my little Bill so sick, too!""Turned into the street, you and Bill!what for?""Because I can't raise my weekly rentI've just been to see my landlord, and hesays it's three days overdue, and he'll notwait another hour. There go the men nowto put my bed, and grate, and few things onthe street. Oh! what will I do?""How much is your rent, Hannah?"asked the boy, with a choking voice."It's half-a-crown," said the woman." It will kill Bill to be put out in this cold;and sure I will die with him.""No, you won't; no, you shan't," saidthetender-hearted child; and, feeling in hispoqket he brought forth his treasured half-crowkn and placed it quickly in her hand.Seeing she hesitated to keep it, notwith-standing her great need, Charlie told her itwas all his own to spend as he pleased, andthat he would rather give it to her than havethe nicest toy in the town. Then walkingaway swiftly from the shop windows, whichwere all full of tempting New-Year's pre-


20 LESSONS OF LOVE.sents, he went bravely home to his mother,sure of her approbation.The first person he met was his grand-father. He had observed Charlie go downthe street, and was waiting for his return,that he might see what he had bought Sohis first salutation was-"Well, child, what have you done withyour money?"Now, Charlie's grandfather was not areligious man; and the boy knew that,though he sometimes gave money to hisrelations, he seldom or ever bestowedit upon the poor; so he rather dislikedto tell him what he had done with hismoney; but, while he hesitated, the versewhich he had that morning learned cameinto his mind and helped him to ananswer. Looking pleasantly into hisgrandfather's face, he said, "I've lent it,grandpa.""Lent your half-crown? Foolish boy.You'll never get it again, I know.""Oh yes, I shall, grandpa, for I've got apromise to pay.""You mean a note, I suppose, but itisn't worth a penny"


GIVING AND LENDING. 21"Oh yes, grandpa, it's perfectly good.I'm sure about it, for it's in the Bible.""You mean you've put it there for safekeeping, eh? Let me see it."Charlie brought the book, and showedhim the verse,-" He that hath pity on thepoor lendeth to the Lord; and that whichhe hath given will he pay him again.""So you gave your money to some poorscamp. Well, you'll never see it again.Who's got it, pray?""I gave it to Hannah Green, sir;" andCharlie told him her sad story."Oh, fudge!" said his grandfather, "youcan't pay poor folks' rent; it's all nonsense.And now you've lost your New-Year's pre-sent, or will, if I don't make it up to you.Here," he added, as he threw him anotherhalf-crown, "seeing your money's gonewhere you will never get it again, I mustgive you some more, I suppose.""Oh, thank you," said Charlie, heartily."I knew the Lord would pay me again,grandpa, because the Bible says so; but Ididn't expect to get it so quick.""That boy's too much for me," said theold gentleman; and he walked quickly away.


22 LESSONS OF LVVE.LITTLE BETTIE GREEN" [ii--UY some matches, ma'am? PleaseI i buy some matches?"IU As little Bettie Green speaksthese words, she looks up, half anxiously,half pleadingly, at the gentle face whichbends above her. She has walked aboutever since early morning, with her basketupon her arm, and many a passer-by hasheard the same timid appeal: "Buy somematches to-day ?""I want to go home; but I must not-Icannot," you might hear her whisper toherself. "There is no coal nor food there;mother is sick; and I must get something.If I had only a few pennies! but nobodyhas given me even one !"As she speaks, she sees coming towardsher a lady, young and fair. The warmcloak, the soft fur, the tasteful dress, tell ofcomfort, if not of wealth. But neitherSdress nor bonnet attracts poor Bettie'sattention so much as the kind, pleasantface which turns towards her, listening toher appeal. Even the dog by the lady's


LITTLE BETTIE GREEN. 23side, dumb animal though he is, looks upwith a confident air to his mistress' smile;and, if he could speak to Bettie, he wouldsay: 5"You have judged rightly. My mistresswill help you.""Buy some matches? Will you pleasebuy some of my matches ?" asks Betty withtrembling lips."How much are your matches?" repliesa voice so musical that the child's heartresponds to it with a glad throb."These are a penny a box, ma'am."As the lady gathers up several in herhand, she turns to her'sister, saying, "Here,Jennie, help me to carry these." Then,putting a bright silver sixpence into Bettie'strembling fingers, she asks, " Have you soldmuch to-day?""No, ma'am; you are the first lady whohas bought anything of me.""Are you not tired and cold?" -rejoinsthe new friend."Yes, ma'am; I thought I would g ,home, but I could not""Why could you not?""Oh, ma'am. I could not have seen the


24 LESSONS OF LOVE.look of the children, nor heard mother'sfeeble voice, asking me how much I hadbrought her. The children would havebeen so hungry! But I can get themsomething now, since you have been so.kind to me.""Your mother is sick, then?""Yes, ma'am. She can do nothing fotus now, though she worked hard for uswhen she was well. It makes me feel sosorry to see her lie in bed, sick and worriedfor us. It is very little that I can do tohelp the rest. Sometimes I almost feel asif I could steal, only---""Only what? Do not be afraid to tellme.""Because, ma'am, I learned at Sabbath-school how wrong that would be; and Icould not meet my teacher's eye when Iknew that I had been stealing.. I could notdare to pray, either.""You go to Sabbath-school, then? andyou love to pray?"" "Oh, I love dearly to go to Sabbath-school, I have learned so much there. Ilearned to love to pray there; and I don'tknow what I should do if I could not pray.


LITTLE BETTIE GREEN. 25I have a Bible of my own, too, which wasgiven me by our superintendent last New-Year's day. I read from it to mother, andshe says the words are sweet to her.""Well, my child,cI am glad to hear allthis, and I am glad that I met you to-day.,I shall see you again, some time. Behonest always, because it is right. Youmay be sure of one thing-as long as youobey the voice of your conscience, and dowhat you can, help will come to you. God,who cares for the sparrows, if you look tohim, will surely care for you."The kind lady's form disappears atlength, but her sympathizing words lingercheeringly in Bettie's mind. The moneywhich the child has received will help thesuffering ones at home, and Bettie nolonger dreads to meet her mother's ques-tion, or the children's hungry cries.Learn a lesson here, young friend. Asyou walk up and down, you will often seethe suffering children of poverty, who aretrying honestly to provide for pressingwants. Help them if you can. Or, if youcannot buy anything, at least say "No"with a kind voice and look. Never disdain


26 LESSONS OF LOVE.them because they are poor. Their clothesmay be faded and torn, while you may bedressed in costly garments :but the sameGod made you both: theyAre hiS childrenas well as you.-THE BEST FIGHT.H-E boys in our neighbourhoodformed themselves into a com-pany of soldiers. They called itthe Town Guards. They had uniforms andbanners, and a drum and fife, and lookedquite military. They were all sizes, littleboys and big boys. The big boys did notwant the little boys, but the little boyswould. Their march through the streetattracted a good deal of attention, and aposse of idlers ran after themas they runafter soldiers of a larger growth."I wish we had somebody to fight," saidthe captain. "I should like no better funthan to go to battle and kill somebody.""What a pity there is so much fight inus," said a timid mother.


THE BEST FIGHT. 27S Pity! Oh, no. I am glad there is, forthere is a great deal of fighting to do. TheSonly concern is, that the boys should getinto the best figh.t." Best fight !-I did not know there wast to it. I thought all fighting wasbad.Yes, slii 4. Do you want to knowwhat it is? " Overcome evil with good."Overcome means to get the best of, toconquer. This warfare is the best warfare;it has several advantages.It is the cheapest kind. War, you know,costs a great deal. The equipments of anew military company, formed here not longago, cost each man, to begin with, five-and-twenty pounds. If it goes into battle, theexpense will be vastly increased. Differentassessments will be made on different men.Some it will cost an arm, some an eye,some a lip to some, life itself. But to"overcome evil with good" no powder orshot is necessary. The sole ammunition iskindness; the only charge is love.Another advantage is, that it is safer.War is full of danger, and privation, andsickness, and death. Did you ever read a


28 LESSONS OF LOVE.description of a battle-field-surgeons atwork from morning till night, ready to faintwith fatigue, and scores of poor soldiersbegging for their turn to come next? Butin the "best fight" no limbs are shot off, noblood is shed, no lives are taken, no childrenmade orphans, no wives made widows. Itis safe, and pleasant as safe, and safe aspleasant.Another advantage of this fighting overall other kinds is, that it is sure to beat.There was once a cross woman, who livedin an old house alone. Nobody could livewith her. She was called a virago. Theneighbours had as little to do with her aspossible. The children were dreadfullyafraid of her. A new family from thecountry moved into the next house, andthe good woman was not slow in learningthe character of "Ma'am Bates.""She 'll kill your hens, stone your kitten,and do everything to plague you.""Oh, never mind," said Mrs. Grey; "ifshe does, I shall contrive to kill her /"What! had the neighbourhood got an-other edition of Ma'am Bates? Couldpleasant-spoken Mrs. Grey kill anybody?


THE BEST FIGHT. 29Well, it was not long before she had atouch of "Ma'am Bates's" tongue, and itwas enough to cut you in two. So, whenMrs. Grey had a barrel of nice apples fromthe country, she sent a basketful in to her;that was her way of fighting; but never aword of thanks did the little girl get whofetched them. Instead of thanking her,what should the old creature do but tossthem all over into Mrs. Grey's back-yard,most of them into the mud. That was notall. Mrs. Grey had a little dog, Fido, who,just as he used to do in the country, madefriendly calls in the neighbouring yards.Fido certainly meant no harm. One day,finding Ma'am Bates's gate open, in an evilmoment the little dog trotted in. And whatshould she do but pour a ladle of hot sudson his back. Poor Fido ran yelping home,and it was a long time before he got wellof his scald. What did Mrs. Grey do?Did she scald Ma'am Bates's black cat?"No, no. The old woman had a trouble-some cough, and Mrs. Grey carried her insome medicine for it.Mrs. Grey, not many weeks after, whilewashing at her back-door, heard low groans,


30 LESSONS OF LOVE.She listened. "Something has happenedto poor Ma'am Bates," said the little woman,leaving her tub, and going round to seewhat the matter was. Sure enough, the oldcreature had fallen down with an armful ofwood, and so turned her ankle that she couldnot get up. Mrs. Grey hoisted her up aswell as she could, helped her into the house,bathed her ankle in liniment, put her inbed, and brought her some warm tea fromher own teapot. "Oh," cried Ma'am Bates,the tears rolling down her weather-beatencheeks in spite of herself, "neighbour, you'llfairly kill me with kindness.""That's just what I mean to do," saidthe good little woman.Well, she was killed. The virago waskilled; and when Ma'am Bates got outagain, she proved to be as good a neighbouras anybody. The police could not makeher; bridewell could not, for she had beenlocked up there; retaliation could not do it-that is, treating her as she treated others;it made her worse. The tit-for-tat policyis a poor one. Mrs. Grey fought on surerground; she "overcame evil with good."Kindness conquered. Love made sure


THE BEST FIGHT. 31work of it. The old woman could foilevery other weapon; but kindness shecouldn't Nobody can stand its fire longwithout giving up.Shbuld you not like to enlist in thecompany who fight with such weapons?Jesus Christ is Captain of it. Love is theuniform. It is an "army with banners."Here are some of the mottoes: "A kiss fora blow ;' " Conquer by kindness;" " Over-come evil with good." And the best of iti, all the children can join; none tooyoung, or too poorly educated, or too feeble-minded. They may all fight this fight, andcome off conquerors, and more than con-querors, through him that loved us, JesusChrist; who so loved us that he came tothis world filled with enemies to redeem usfrom sin, and help us in this best of fights,"overcoming evil with good.": --<3fg-ac ----


32 LESSONS OF LOVE.PROVIDENCE.(-- N a very cold wintry morning, theSboys who had come to keep theNew Year with their uncle, camedown to breakfast the moment the bellrang. The wind howled over the fields,murmured through the limbs of the baretrees, and, where it could, whistled throughthe keyhole. Every few momegts a hea*rgust would beat against the old house, butit stood firm. It was very plain therewould be no going out to play on that day;and it was just as plain that the boys hadcome down to breakfast."Boys," said the uncle, when all wertseated at the table, "what were you disputing about so early this morning? Per.haps I can help you.""Why," said John, who is about twelveyears of age, "we were wondering whyGod is so often called 'Providence.' Whyshould he-have such a name ? I said itwasbecause he provides things; and Jamessays that can't be the rAson, because he


PRO VIDENCE. 33also guards us, and yet we don't call him'Guardence!'"'"You have both studied Latin?""A littlp, uncle."" What does pro video mean?"" Itmeans to see before, does it not?""Yes. Now, tell me how long it hastaken to get this breakfast ready?""How long? Why, sir, it may be anhour."" Why, it has taken thousands of years toget this breakfast ready for your eating!""Oh, un e! how can that be?""Let %s see. What fish is that beforeyou?""Salmon, sir.""Very well. He probably was hatchedup some river in Greenland, several yearsago, and has been kept to grow till he was alarge fish. But it took years and years forthe trees to grow out of which the vesselwas louilt that went to Greenland- afterhim. That tea, which your aunt is pouringout, most likely grew at the foot of thehills in China, hundreds of miles from theship that brought it here. That coffeemany years ago, or I have had it in myC


34 LESSONS OF LOVE.keeping ten years, grew in Java; a, longwhile ago that mutton-chop grew in Canada,and the sheep were driven to us here. Thatsalt was made from the waters of the oceanat one of the West India islan'ds. Thewheat that our bread was made of grew inAmerica. That butter was made in Hol-land. That sugar in your coffee was madein the island of Cuba. That pepper, whichI sprinkle on my meat, grew in Ceylon.Those cups were made in France. Thattin coffee-pot had to be dug out of themines in Cornwall. That cream is thegrass and hay of our own fields turned intomilk. Now, don't you see, my boys, howmuch time, and care, and labour and seeingbefore (pro videre) it has cost to get onecomfortable breakfast ready for my hungrynephews? God does all this; he foresees,provides it all, brings all these things to-gether, at the right time and place, andthus he is called Providence, or the Fore-seer.""."But, uncle, you said it had takenthousands of years to get this breakfastready. We can't see that?""What was our breakfast cooked With?"


THE DISCONTENTED SWAN. 35"Cooked with! Why, with the fire,sir!"" Ygs and what was the fire made of?""Made of coal.""To be sure. And that coal was madeunder the ground thousands of years ago;provided for this very purpose. And thusGo'd goes before us years and ages beforewe are born; foresees what we shall need,and gets it all ready. This is providing-foreseeing. And thus he is called Pro-vidence, or the Foreseer. Do you now/utderstand it?""Thank you, uncle, it's all plain now."THE DISCONTENTED SWAN." -lHY live here for ever?" said awhite swan, floating discon-tentedly on the bosom of abeautiful peaceful lake: "do not I knowthis lake by heart? When shall I perchon the highest crag, or sweep over thecataract like other birds?"" Better remain in a station ycv can fill


36 LESSONS OF LOVE.gracefully, than covet places where yourawkwardness will make you ridiculous,"said an old swan."Cannot I go where other birds go?"cried the young swan." Talents differ," answered the old swan;"your long neck and web-feet show thatthe water is your proper element. Happyis he who knows how to use his capa-cities.""Was I not born on the land ?" cried theyoung one, passionately; "what have I gotwings for, but to fly about with them?"" Occasion finds uses for them," returnedthe old swan, mildly: " it is folly to fly intodanger in order to find them."The young swan made a great splash inthe water, and then complained that theheavens had left it."Discontent muddles the clearest spring,"said the old swan, and sailed away.The young one then waddled out on tothe bank, spread her wings, and flew boldlyinto the air."What bird is that stretching its longneck so stupidly forward?" cried the otherbirds, as the swan rose heavily from the


THE'DISCONTENTED SWAN. 37bosom of the happy valley to the greatworld beyond.On she swept over plain and forest; but,as she flies on, delighted with the newprospect, an eagle marks- her for his prey.Long has he waited on the summit of hismountain crag, anxiously looking for hismorning meal. His bright stern eye fixedon the foolish swan in a moment-he sud-denly shakes his feathers and whets his bill.With a terrible scream he darts from hisperch, and like a flash of lightning strikeson the path of the luckless swan. Theswan becomes aware of her danger, and oh!how gladly would-she betake herself to hernative lake, and plunge into the streambelow! That the eagle knows full well, andhe makes her remain in the air by threat-ening to strike her with his talons frombeneath. Her strength fails; again andagain she tries to escape, when her ferociousenemy strikes her wing, and she falls head-Long to the ground below. Down he swoopsafter aher, and tramples upon her with hiscruel claws. The dagle's mate watches thebloody fray from the high crag, and, atthe cry of victory, she sails to the spot,


38 LESSONS OF LOVE.and together they despatch their fluttering,dying prey, drinking its blood, and greedilydevouring its flesh, with a savage delight.Poor white swan! Flights of discontentoften put us in the power of our enemies.GIVING, NOT RECEIVINGN a visit to one of the local schools,one of the children asked me-"What does this mean, 'It ismore blessed to give than to receive?"'"Children," I asked, "can any of yottell what it means?"A little girl, whose name was Mary, an-swered-" I had a piece of cake the other day. Ibroke it into six pieces, and gave five ofthem to five other children, who were play-ing with me, and kept the smallest myself.""Is not that what it means?" askedanother girl, named Ellen."Yes, Ellen," I replied; "I think it ispretty near the meaning. I know a boynamed John Clark He has several brothers


GIVING, NOT RECEIVING. 39and sisters. If he gets an apple, an orange,grapes, phlms, or anything, his brothersand sisters are always sure to get the largestshare, and often the whole. When theyShave anything, he never teases them to giveto him; but they often plead earnestly withhim to take. When he sees he cannot re-fuse to take without hurting their feelings,he always takes what they offer. I onceasked him why he was not as willing toreceive from his brothers and sisters as hewas to give to them."'Because,' said the noble brother, Ifeel better when I give to them than I dowhen they give to me.'"'Why?' I asked."'Because I am afraid they will not haveenough,' said he.""'What of that?' I asked."'Why,' said he, 'how could I enjoyanything when I am thinking all the timethey want it, and that they go without forthe sake of giving to me?'"'True, John, I see not how you could,'I answered."After I had related this story, Mary spokeand said, "I think I should be more happy


40 LESSONS OF LOVE.to give than to receive." Poor girl! shedid not know her own heart, for it wassoon brought to the test.Ellen took up a painted tin-box belong-ing to Mary, and was looking at it."That is mine," said Mary, and snatchedit away with some violence.Ellen gave it up very quietly, and thensaid, "Do let me look at it, Mary. It isso pretty."" I shall not," said Mary, "for it is mine,and you had no business to touch it.""Dear Mary," said I, "do you reallythink it is more blessed to give than re-ceive? You said just now, you thoughtyou should be more happy to give than toreceive. You do not look very happy nowat any rate."Poor girl she was cut to the heart. Sheinstantly gave the box to Ellen, hung herhead, and began to weep."Children," said I to the school, "whichdo you think would have made Mary mostblessed--to have given up the box toEllen, and let her look at it as much asshe pleased, or to snatch it away as shedid?"


GIVING, NOT RECEIVING. 41All answered, "She would have beenmost blessed to have given it up.""So I think," I replied. "You do notfeel so happy, Mary, as you would havedone if you had told Ellen kindly, whenshe took up your box, that she might lookat it as much as she pleased.""If we feel right," I remarked to thechildren, "we shall give up our lives tosave the lives of others, rather than takeaway their lives to save our own.""If they are our enemies, and are tryingto kill us," asked Sarah, "should we feelhappier to give up our lives rather thantake theirs?""If we really feel that it is more blessedto give than receive," I replied, " I think weshould. Suffer and die for the good evenof your enemies, rather than make themsuffer and die for your good. If we prac-tise this precept, as Jesus did, it will preventall wars, and settle all difficulties, withoutany violence."How blessed, then, must be our heavenlyFather; for he is always giving, and neverreceiving! Giving makes blessed, not re-ceiving.


42 LESSONS OF LOVE.LOOK AT YOUR COPY.IHE bees were among the flowers,the rooks were flying to and froover the old barn, and the hay-makers were at work in the fields; butthere was not a more busy scene in thevillage than that beheld in the school-houseon the green. The classes had commenced,and the boys were all at their lessons."Look at your copy, William," said Mr.Adams, the schoolmaster, as he stood bythe side of one of the boys. " Take care tofollow your copy," said he again, " and donot let me see any blots or mistakes."Mr. Adams had written the first line inthe first page of William Hart's new copy-book. It was in small-hand, and the wordswere, " Be not wise in thine own eyes."William wrote the next line. It waspretty well done, though some of the up-strokes were rather too thick, and the down-strokes a little too thin. But when he cameto the third line, instead of looking at hiscopy on the first line, his.eyes rested onlyon his own writing just above. He did the


LOOK AT YOUR COPY. 43same all down the page, always looking onthe line which he had just finished as hiscopy, and never once following the goodexample written on the first line. And wecan easily guess what came of that. Wil-liam copied all the faults, and made moretoo; so that every line all the way downwas worse than the one before it; therewas not a line on the whole page like thegood copy or example at the top of it!"Look at your copy," said the school-master once more; but this time he spoketo Charles Crisp, one of the youngest boysin the school. Just then Mr. Adams hadso much to do, that he told one of theelder scholars to write a text-hand copy forCharles. This boy went about his work insuch a careless way, that instead of " Allare sinners, he wrote, "All are siners;" sothat Charles, who kept close to his copy,made a blunder in every line.Again the sound was heard in the villageschool, "Boys, look at your copy." Mr.Adams was now standing at the desk nearAndrew Price, and noticing the care withwhich he wrote in a neat round-hand theline, " Depart from evil, and do good." It


44 LESSONS OF LOVE.was clear that Andrew was taking greatcare, and doing his best. There was not ablot to be seen in his book."That is right, Andrew," said the master,"practice makes perfect."The writing lessons were at an end, andthe boys came running out of school, whenwho should they meet at the door but oldReuben, the gardener at the great house onthe hill. He had been resting on a seat infront. of the school-house, and as the windowwas qilite open, he had heard and seen allthat had passed."Well, Reuben," said they, "you lookquite serious, what are you thinking about?""I was just thinking, boys," said Reuben,"of what I heard Mr. Adams say to youabout looking at your copy.""Well, and what do you think about it,Mr. Reuben? We don't see anything verystrange in it," said one of the eldest boys."Well, I'll tell you," commenced Reuben."When I heard Mr. Adams say 'look atyour copy,' I thought these words were alesson for the old man who was sittingwithout, as well as for those young boyswithin. You know that we not only learn


LOOK AT YOUR COPY. 45to write by having copies set before us, butwe form our habits and character for life inmuch the same way. If it is well for usto have a good copy, without blot or blur,in the one case, it is much more so to havea good example or copy in the other."There are some boys, like WilliamHart, with a fair copy before their eyes,who yet manage to copy their own faultsday after day; and so, instead of improving,they really get worse."Then there are others, like little CharlesCrisp, who follow a bad copy, and we neednot wonder that' they go wrong. If it bewell for us to take care that our copy iswhat it ought to be when writing in a copy-book, it is much more needful to mind whatexample we have before us in life. Thereare too many, my boys, who, though a goodpattern is set before them, do not attend toit; while there are still more, I fear, whohave only a bad example before them,which their wicked hearts make them toowilling to imitate."Then, again, I am glad to say, there aremany boys, like little Andrew Price, whonot only follow a good copy or example


46 LESSONS OF LOVE.faithfully, but do everything in their power,and lose no opportunity to endeavour togo beyond it, and make their books or liveseven better than the good examples whichwere shown to them. Boys, whether shouldyou copy your own faults, follow a bad one,or strive to follow, and even to get beyond,a good copy?"" The good one!" shouted all the boys atDnce."Then think on what old Reuben says,'Take care to look at your copy.'"THE DISCONTENTED BEE.NE day there was a terrible.com-motion in a hive. The sentinelsat the door-way ceased to fanwith their wings, that they might listen;the drones murmured with a hoarse voice;the bees ran in and out in great confu-sion; the work all stopped, and destructionseemed to reign in this honeyed kingdom.What was the matter?After a great deal of noise and clamour


THE DISCONTENTED BEE. 47it was discovered that the bees had broughta criminal before their queen to know whatshould be done with her. The queen turnedround slowly and majestically, as queensshould do, and then inquired,"What is the matter? Why have youbrought this young bee before me ?"" Please your majesty, she won't work!""Won't work A bee won't work !""No, your majesty; and she is not onlyidle, but is all the time complaining andfinding fault with everybody and every-thing, and thus she makes the whole hiveunhappy."Hebe, is this so? What have you tosay?""Please your majesty," whined poorHebe, "I'm the most unfortunate of allyour subjects. The fact is, I'm not hand-some! My face is small, and one of myeyes seems to squint; and though I'm anItalian beoe yet my dress is not rich gold,but has a dim leaden look, and my feet arelarge, and my arms are hairy, and my earsare too large. In short, I'm so plain thatnobody ever notices me, and I have noadmirers, and actually overheard a gentle-


48 LESSONS OF LOVE.man say, 'How homely Hebe grows!'Those who are handsome and have ad-mirers can afford to work, but for me, thereis nothing but misery and mortification !""Foolish one !" cried the queen. "Nowhear your sentence! You will, I hope,have a long life, even nine moons long!You have already wasted four long brightdays. I command you to rise at earlydawn, to go out at once and wash your facearid hands in the dew that gathers on theflowers. Then you are to go from flowerto flower, and bring in honey sufficient tofeed ten young bees. It will take you outtwenty-five journeys every day, and requirethe honey of one hundred flowers eachjourney !""Oh dear!" cried Hebe, "to think ofsucking twenty-five hundred flowers everyday!""Yes, and you must nurse ten young beesall the time, and thus mature one every dayon an average, and you must do this duringthree moons. This is my sentence, and youare not to appear before me till the end ofthat period !"The queen turned away, and the sister


THE DISCONTENTED BEE. 49bees led poor Hebe to the door of the hive,and pushed her out. At first she wasbewildered and cast down. But the sunshone bright, and the birds sang, and theair was filled with her sisters coming andgoing, flying and singing So she spreadher wings, and away she flew. Away, awayshe went over fences and trees, till she founda tree of white clover. Then she camedown, and to her amazement found it easyto work. In a short time she had drawnfrom her hundred clover-heads, and thenstraight back to. the hive. In she camesinging, and began to feed her youngcharge. And then off again-morning,noon, and night she was coming and going.Her young bees loved her, and sang withher, and went out in company as fast asgrown. Sometimes she bathed in the dewsof the elegantine or the sweet jessamine;sometimes she swung on the raspberry-blossom, sometimes mounted upon thelinden, or the locust full of white flowers,and sometimes on the crest of a lofty tulip-tree, or rushed into the woods fragrant withthe honeysuckle. But every day she grewhappier. Her songs were now cheerful andD


50 LESSONS OF LOVE.loud. She laughed at her former dread ofwork; and what was curious, just in pro-portion as she worked she grew handsome /The bands that encircled her body becamewide and bright like polished gold, herwings shone like silver. Her eye grewbright, and lost its squint, if it really everhad any. Her feet, kept clear by themorning dew, were in beautiful proportion.In short, there was not a happier or morebeautiful bee in the whole hive. Even thelazy drones bowed and hummed admirationas she passed. At the end of her sentenceshe stood once more before the queen-" Hebe, the beautiful!" as she was thencalled."Ah," said the queen, " I see how it isIt is a law of God, that she who is willingto work, and to do good to others, shall behappy and grow beautiful by the process.Beauty casts her mantle only on the in-dustrious and the good."


A TALK ABOUT BIRDS. 51A TALK ABOUT BIRDS.NE bright morning, when the prettydaisies were shining out like somany silver stars in the greengrass, and the brooks were chatteringAnd purling to each other, and smallflowers were looking up from the turf, likeflocks of little white sheep, a boy, whomwe shall call Jamie, found, all of a sudden,"that his school had stopped, and he hadcome to the first d4y of his vacation.So says Jamie to himself, "What shallI do all day. long?" After a while, hethought he would take a basket, and goover into a neighbouring field, and gathersome daisies and violets, to dress flower-vases for his mamma.Well, over the fence he went, and waf-dered far off into the field; a d there hemet two strange boys, bigger thl -whose names were Will Drake and CharlesJones."Hollo!" said one of the boys to him;


52 LESSONS OF LOVE."come along with us-we are going tohave fun, we have got our pockets full ofstones, and we are going to kill birds withthem, it's the best fun in the world."Now, Jamie was a thoughtless little fel-low, and when another boy asked him todo a thing, at it he went at once, withoutso much as thinking whether it was rightor not; so he filled his pockets with stones,and began running and shouting with theother boys." Hollo! there's a chirping bird," saidone; "I'll hit him." "Look at thatrobin!" bawled another; "send a stoneat him." I am happy to say that theseboys missed their aim generally; for theirintentions were much worse than they hadskill to execute.eWhile they were thus running about, a.nice white cat came stepping along the topof a fence, putting down her paws as daintilyas any lady. "Hollo! there's a cat; nowfor fun !" shouted Will Drake, as he let flya stone, and dashed after the cat. Pusswas frightened, and scampered off with allher might, and all three boys joined in thechase after her, and came tumbling, one


" A TALK ABOUT BIRDS. 53after another, over the back-yard fence ofthe place where Jamie lived."-Now, Jamie's mother had been sitting ather window watching the whole affair; andshe stood up, and called in a very quietway, "Jamie, come up here; I have some-thing to show you."The two other boys slunk away a little.Jamie went up into his mother's room, allpanting and hot, and began, "Mamma,what do you want to show me?" Shewashed his heated face and hands, andthen took from a drawer a small blackbox which she wound up with a key likea watch-key. As soon as the box was setdown, it began to play a most beautifultune, and Jamie was astonished and de-lighted."What a curious box !" said he. "Who-made it?""I do not know," said his mother; "butwhy do you think it is curious ?""Why, it is curious to see a musicalinstrument shut up in such a little box.Why, I could carry this about in mypocket. I wish it was mine;. I'd set itgoing, and put it in my pocket some


54 LESSONS OF LOVE.day; and then I would make the boysstare.""But," said his mother, "if you think itstrange to see a musical instrument putin a little box, what would you think if Icould tell you of one which was put in abird's throat ?""In-a bird's throat?" said Jamie; "whoever heard of such a thing ?"- "Well," answered his mother, there isa boy in this room who has been listeningthis morning to a little instrument whichis inside of a bird's throat, and which canmake sweeter music than this box, andyet he did not seem to wonder at it atall."Jamie looked wonderingly at his mother."When you went into the fields, didyou not hear linnets and thrushes playingon little instruments in their throats, andmaking all sorts of sweet sounds? Looknow at your little canary-bird hanging inthe window, and see, when he sings, howhis throat trembles."" Oh, I know what you mean now," saidJamie; "you mean my little canary-bird islike a music-box. Well, but what sort of


A TALK ABOUT BIRDS. 55an instrument has he got in his throat?I'm sure I don't know.""Why, he has a little, fine, soft flute,that can play as many notes as a piano.""A flute in his throat!" said Jamie,laughing. "What a funny thing!"" It is even so," said his mother. " Thelittle pipe through which the canary-birdplays his tunes is more curiously madethan any flutes which any instrument-maker ever formed-it is so small, yet soperfect. It fits into his throat so easily asnever to interrupt his eating or breathing;and it turns whichever way he bends hishead. NTow, did you ever hear of anymusical instrument that was as curiousas this?"'"Well, it is strange," said Jamie. "Imight have heard a bird sing a month, andnever have thought of all this; but now Ido think of it, it seems very curious. 4 But,mother, what is this little flute made of?""It is made of little elastic rings.""Elastic! what is that ?" said Jamie."Why, like India-rubber-springy, andeasily bent; and its being made of so manylittle elastic rings is the reason why he can


56, LESSONS OF LOVE.turn and bend his throat without any in-;convenience, which he could not do if itwere a straight, stiff pipe, like a flute."But," continued his mother, " these littlebright eyes that your bird has are morewonderful than anything I have yet told.you of, though the contrivance is so verycomplicated that I do not think I canmake you understand it.""What is complicated?" said Jamie."The machinery in the inside of mywatch is complicated; that is, it is madeup of a great many parts which answeimany different purposes. And there isa machinery inside of one of those littlebirds' eyes thatis more complicated still.""What! that little dot of an eye, not:bigger than a pin's head ?"" Well, let me tell you; inside of that,little eye is a contrivance by which, when-the bird is looking at you, an exact pictureof you is painted on the back of his eye.""It fiust be a very small picture," saidJamie.S"Of course it is," said his mother; "butstill it is a picture exactly like you; everyline and every colour in your face are


A TALK ABOUT BIRDS. 57painted exactly on the back of that littleeye.""Pray, how is it done ?" said Jamie."That, my dear boy, is the machinerywhich I told you was so complicated thatI cannot hope to make you understand it.There is a contrivance just like it in yourown eye, and in the eye of every animal;but it is more curious in a bird's eye,because it is so very small."" What! do we all have pictures paintedon the back of our eyes ? Is that the waywe see?""Yes, that is the way; and when youare older, you will be able tounderstandthe wonderful and beautiful contrivance bywhich this is done. It has cost learnedmen much study to find it out, and theyhave discovered that the way in which theeye of a bird is made is in some respectsmore curious than our own.""Well, mamma," said Jamie, "you haveconvinced me of one thing; and that is,that there is a great deal more to be learnedabout a little bird than I ever supposed.""But, Jamie, I have not yet told youhalf. Every bone in this little bird's body


58 LESSONS OF LOVEis as carefully made and finished as if tkatbone were the only thing the Creator hadto make; and the joints of them arecuriously contrived, so that the little fellowcan hop, and spring, and turn all day, andyet nothing grates or gets out of order.They all move so springy and easily, thatI doubt whether he ever thought that hehad a joint in his body or not.- Then hehas contrivances in his little stomach fordissolving his food, and turning it intoblood, and he has blood-vessels to carry itall over his body, and he has nerves to feelwith, and muscles to move with.""Now, mother, I don't know what nervesand muscles are," said Jamie."Nerves are what you feel with. Youeat, and the nerves of your mouth give youyour taste. The nerves of your nose giveyou smell. The nerves of your eyes see;and the nerves of your ears enable you tokear; and the nerves that cover your wholebody enable you to feel. These nerves allcome from a very large nerve that runsdown through the middle of your back-bone, and which is commonly called thespinal marow; and they go through the


A TALK ABOUT BIRDS. 59whole body, dividing and branching out,till they form a net-work covering over thewhole of it, so. that you cannot put thepoint of a pin anywhere without touchinga nerve.""Mother, has a bird just such nerves,?""Very much the same.""And what are muscles ?""Did you never pull a piece of lean meatinto little strings ?" said his mother."Yes," said Jamie."Well, a muscle is a bundle of suchlittle strings, and these strings generallyend in a strong tough cord, called a tendon.This muscle has the power of shrinkingup short, like India-rubber; and when itshrinks it pulls the tendon, and the ten-don pulls whatever it is fastened to. I canshow you some tendon in a moment. Pullthe back of your hand; don't you find thatthere is a tough, hard cord runs down fromevery finger ? These are tendons. Now,take hold tight round your arm, and shutup your hand."Jamie did so, and exclaimed, " Oh,mother, when I shut up my hand I feelsomething move up here by my elbow I"


60 LESSONS OF LOVE."That is the muscle," said his mother."You feel it drawing up short, and it pullsthe tendons, and these tendons pull downyour fingers."Jamie amused himself sometime withopening and shutting his hand, and thenhe said, "Well, are all the movements thatwe make done in the same way, by musclesand tendons ?""Yes," said his mother; "and all themotions of the animals. There are dozensand dozens of muscles, shrinking, andstretching, and pulling about in little Cherryevery few moments, and yet none of themwear out, or break, or get out of order, orgive him the least trouble.""I imagine Cherry don't think muchabout them," said Jamie, as he watchedthe little fellow hopping about in hiscage."Poor little Cherry!" said his mother;"he cannot understand how much God hasdone for him, with what watchful care hehas made his little body, how carefully hehas guarded it from all kinds of suffering,and how many beautiful contrivances thereare in it to make him happy."


A TALK ABOUT BIRDS. 61",No, indeed," said Jamie; "if he did,he would love God.""Well, Jamie," said his mother, "howshould you feel, if you had contrived somecurious and beautiful little plaything, andjust as you had it all nicely finished off,some boy should come along with a greatstick, and knock it all to pieces ?"": Feel!" said Jamie; "why, I should bemad enough.""And suppose that some gentlemanshould invite you and two or three otherboys to his house, and should show youinto a large hall full of most beautifulpictures, and looking-glasses, and flowers,and every kind of beautiful things, andyou should amuse yourselves with breakinghis looking-glasses and beating down hisflowers, and pulling to pieces all his curi-ous and beautiful things; how do youthink he would feel ?""Why, I should think he would feel veryangry, to be sure.""Well, Jamie, when little boys go outinto the woods and fields, which God hasfilled with beautiful trees and flowers, and-with hundreds of little happy birds, all so


62 LESSONS OF LOVE.curiously and beautifully made, and amusethemselves only with throwing stones atthem, and killing them, must not God bedispleased ?"" Certainly; I should think he must," saidJamie. After a few minutes, he added," And it is a great deal worse to kill littlebirds than it is to break looking-glasses,and such things; because little birds canfeel, you know.""Yes," said his mother; "and the carewith which God has made them shows howmuch he has thought about them, and howcareful he has been to do all he can to'make them happy. The Bible says, histender mercies are over all his works; heis not merely good to everything, but heis tender and careful in all he does, as amother is tender in taking care of a littlehelpless infant."THE YOUNG TRADERS.WO country lads came at an earlyhour to a market town, andarranging their little stands, sat


THE YOUNG TRADERS. 03down to wait for customers. One of theboys had a stock of fruits and vegetables,nearly the whole of which had been cul-tivated by himself; the other lad had asupply of fish, which his father, who livedin a fishing village near the town, hadcaught.The market hours passed along, and eachlittle merchant saw with pleasure his storessteadily decreasing, and they rattled themoney, which they had received in ex-change, with great satisfaction.The last mellon lay on Harry's stand,when a gentleman came up, and placinghis hand upon it, said, " What a finelarge melon! How do you sell this, mylad ?""It is the last one I have got, sir; andthough it looks very fair, it is unsound,"said the boy, turning it over."So it is," said the gentleman. "But,"he added, "is it very business-like topoint out the defects of your stock to cus-tomers?""It is better than being dishonest, sir,"said the boy modestly."You are right, my little man; always


64 LESSONS OF LOVE.remember that principle, and you will findfavour with God, and man also. I shall-remember your little stand in future. Arethose fish fresh ?" he continued, going on afew steps, to the other lad's stand." Yes, sir, fresh this morning; I caughtthem myself," was the reply, and a purchasebeing made, the gentleman went away."T Harry, what a fool you were to showthe gentleman that mark on the melon.Now, you can take it home, or throw itaway. How much wiser is he about thesefish father caught yesterday ? Sold themfor the same price I did the fresh ones.He would never have looked at the melonuntil he got home.""Ben, I would not tell a lie, or act oneeither, for twice what I have earned thismorning. Besides, I shall be better off inthe end, for I have gained a customer, andyou have lost one."And so it proved, for the next day thegentleman bought nearly all his fruit andvegetables of Harry, but never investedanother penny at the stand of his neigh-bour. Thus the season passed; the gentle-man, finding he could always get a good


HAPPY HANS. 65article from Harry, continually patronizedhim, and sometimes talked with him afew .minutes, about his future hopes andprospects.To become a merchant was Harry'sgreat ambition, and when the winter cameon the gentleman, wanting a trustworthyboy in his own warehouse, decided ongiving the place -to Harry. Steadily andsurely he advanced in the confidence of hisemployer, until, having passed throughvarious gradations in clerkships, he becameat length an honoured and respected part-ner in the firm.IAPPY HAND.77-HE parents of happy Hans werepoor people; his father was ashoemaker, and his mother was awasherwoma.Wfians, at twelve years ofage, was a broad-shouldered little fellow,with a great curly head set on a short neck,and a pair of bright twinkling eyes peepingout from his long flaxen hair, which hungE


66 LESSONS OF LOVE.over his brows like a kind of rough thatch.He had the sauciest little turn-up nose inthe world, and round chubby cheeks. Hismouth was wide enough at any time, andhe seemed to be always making it widerwith laughing. It was pleasant to look atHans, for hls poor clothes covered a healthyactive body, and showed a pair of strongbrown arms; and his face, though notexactly pretty, wore such a cheerful, good-humoured look, that it did one good to seeit; and so he quite deserved his merryname.When Hans was quite a little child, hevery seldom cried, but, on the contrary,laughed a great deal. His mother used totake him with her when she went to hangout the clothes to dry, and she often laidhim down under an apple-tree whilst shewas busy. There he lay as happy as couldbe in the fresh long grass, looking, with hisrosy cheeks, very much like an apple him-self.If a butterfly chanced to fly over him, ora bird to sing in the boughs of the apple-tree, he would kick his little fat legs, andcrow with delight, though no one was


HAPPY HANS. 67taking any notice of him. But there was agood old poodle-dog, which belonged tothe neighbours; his name was Moor, andhe often came and lay down on the grassclose by little Hans; he would let the littleboy pull his ears or his tail, and even thrusthis tiny feet almost into his eyes.So Hans learned to love Moor, and forhis sake cared for dumb animals all his lifelong, loving them next after men.Hans soon learned to talk, and shortlyafter to sing; no sooner could he walk thanhe tried dancing -and leaping; and what-ever he did, he did right merrily, andpeople said he certainly deserved his name.There was enough for Hans to do whenhe grew a little older; he had to carry outshoes and boots for his father, to watch theclothes on the lines, to buy bread for hismother: and wherever he went, Moor wasfound at his side.The people in the street all knew little xHans, and often tried to please him forthe love of his pleasant looks and smiles.The baker would give him a cake thathad been scorched in the oven; his father'scustomers sometimes gave him cast-off


68 LESSONS OF LOVE.clothes or old toys; and many a brightpenny did he take home to his mother tobe put into his savings-box.Hans savings-box was made of earthen-ware, so there was no way of getting themoney out of it except by breaking thebox when it was full.Hans was a great favourite among thevillage children; and as he grew older hebecame the leader in all the old games,and invented many new ones beside. Thechildren used to gather together in theevenings under the old chestnut-tree; andlet them be as dull as they might, no,sooner was Hans's shrill voice heard amongthem than a good game of play was begunwith plenty of fun and frolic. The gamiesnever went off half so well without Hans;and if two children quarrelled he was sureto rush and part them, making such funnyfaces that both were obliged to laugh andmake friends.None of the children could cut suchgood figures out of carrots as Hans. Hemade them with such odd faces, gave-them peppercorn eyes, and dressed themup in bits of gay cloth. Sometimes he


HAPPY HANS. 69made the figures talk and dance together,and perhaps in the end they disputed andknocked off each other's carroty heads.When the boys played at soldiers, Hanswas sure to have the tallest helmet andthe best plume of parsley, and the finestepaulettes made of orange-peel; and notone of the others could imitate the trumpetand bugle like Hans.Hans's father was now growing an oldgrave man, and was sometimes tired of hislittle son's merry pranks.Then he grumbled and said, "He'llnever make a good shoemaker, a little up-start: with his nose in the air instead oflooking down modestly at people's feet."But the mother soothed him, and said,"Nay, let the boy be; it is better to lookup to the sky than down on the ground;there will be time enough for that whenhe is old." And the old man smiled, andlet Hans have his way.By-and-by the time came for Hans tochoose a trade, and as his father said hewas spoiled for a shoemaker, he was sentto learn chimney-sweeping under his god-father, who was known in the village as


70 LESSONS OF LOVE.an honest master-sweep. Hans was quitesatisfied with this plan.His mother said, " I always foretold thatHans would rise in the world." And so itwas, for very soon the brave little fellowwas seen creeping out of the chimneys ofthe highest houses in the village. He neverwas giddy, but gallantly flourished hisbrush, turned up his sooty face joyously tothe bright blue sky, or sang like a bird ina green tree-top..He felt so light-hearted uip there that hewas almost grieved to come down againamong men in the streets. He began towish he could live in the high church-tower,where the old warder had a snug littleroom. "What a happy life it must ke,"thought Hans, "to be a watchman, a&in blowthose three solemn tunes on the horn, inthe morning, at noon, and at night; andto give the alarm when there's a fire."When Hans came down again to thestreets, he still did credit to his name. Ashe sauntered along with ladder and brush,sooty and ragged, with his stockingless feetin slippers, which his father had cut downfrom an old pair of boots, he had still the


HAPPY HANS. 71most good-humoured face in the world, andwas always ready to lend a helping handto anybody in trouble.Grown-up people liked Hans, and evenlittle children were fond of him. If anyone wanted to make them afraid of the"black man," they laughed, because theyknew very well it was only good Hans,who never hurt anybody, but was alwayskind and merry; and many a little onecheerfully gave him a shake of the handin spite of the soot upon it.In this way Hans grew older andstronger. He was industrious and active,and could climb like a cat. There wasonce a great fire when the town-hall wasburnt. The old warder neglected to givethe afarm (but he could not be blamedfor he lay on his death-bed), and so thebuilding was all in flames before thedanger was known. Hans was the first onthe spot, and boldly rushed into the burn-ing hall and succeeded in saving a strongbox, full of valuable papers.The day after Hans was summonedby the town-council, and received thanksand praises in the name of the town,


72 LESSONS OF LOVE.and then was asked to choose his ownreward.He immediately begged that his fathermight have the vacant situation of war-der, and this was promised him. Who cansay which was the happier, Hans, whohad procured this good place for his father,or the father, who was provided for lifethrough the courage and goodness of hisson ?So the old shoemaker in his high towercobbled the shoes that his fellow-townmenwore out below.Hans, who was very fond of music, nowbegan to practice the horn; he was sopersevering that he soon made good pro-gress. On summer evenings he went outinto the forest, where only the birds couldhear him practice. There never had beensuch good music from the church-towerbefore Hans blew the horn.At that time all the young men inGermany had to serve several years assoldiers when they are old and strongenough, and in process of time it was Hans'sturn to go. In the very same year he lostboth his parents; but they blessed him.


LESSONS FROM A WATCH. 73before they died, for he had been a helpand comfort to them all his life.Hans blew the horn so well that he soonbecame one of the regimental band.In the town where his regiment isstationed, many nursemaids and childrengo at noon to hear the band play. One ofthe men beats the time; to see him in hisuniform, you would never guess he hadonce been a sooty chimney-sweeper-yetthis is Happy Hans. He is leader of theband; but to his old friends and comrades,Happy Hans is still as worthy as ever tobear the name.LESSONS FROM A WATCH.." re H, grandpa,. do show me yourwatch, and tell me the storyyou promised about it," saidAnnette Farley, running into her grand-father's room one bright May morning, andcarelessly throwing her hat into her grand-mother's arm-chair."."Well, Annette," said the old man, as


74 LESSONS OF LOVE.he took out his large old-fashioned watch, -with its heavy chain and seal, "do you sup-pose that there is anything new which I cantell you about a watch ?""Why, yes," said Annette; "you pro-mised to tell me something; and, of course,you know that I can tell the time, and allthat, by the watch.""Oh yes, Annette; I know you are avery bright little girl, and perhaps youknow all I am going to tell you. Look atme, and see if you can tell me what timeit is by my watch."" Of course, it is two o'clock in the after-noon by your watch," said Annette, quickly."By this watch, yes," said her grand-father; "but this is not the one I mean.""Oh, well, the clock says five minutespast two," said Annette, looking up at theold clock in the corner."I don't mean that either," said hergrandfather, smiling."I did not know that you had anotherclock," said Annette, looking curiouslyaround; "but if it is right, it must sayabout the same time that these do-mustn't it ?"


LESSONS FROM A WATCH. 75" Yes, if it is the same kind of clock; butthe one I speak of is not exactly the same.""Isn't it, grandpa? oh, do let me see it.I like so much to see new strange things,"cried Annette, eagerly."How do you know that this watch isgoing?" asked the old man."Because I hear it tick, and tick, andtick," said Annette, bending her head closeover the watch."Well, Annette, I have heard my watchtick, and tick, and tick all day and all nightlong; ever since I can remember.""And where is it grandpa?" askedAnnette; "show it to me, and I will tell youthe time.""I'm afraid you can't do that till I tellyou how," said her grandfather. Thiswatch of mine is very singular; its handsgo round only once in about seventy years;and when it has been ticking away aboutthirty years, the hands point to twelveo'clock at noon.""Why, grandfather," exclaimed Annette,"do show it to me. It must be a verycurious watch.""It is very curious, Annette. Just look


76 LESSONS OF LOVE.into this watch, see how many little wheelsare flying round and round, and the main-springs and hair-spring all needed just tokeep the thing in order for a day. Mywatch has a much more curious and deli-cate mechanism to keep it going for somany years.""But I should think it would grow old,and rusty, and worn dut in so many years,"said Annette."It does grow old; and when the handshave gone round once, the watch stops forever-every wheel and spring is completelyworn out.""Oh, grandpa, can't it be wound upagain ?" asked Annette."No," said the old man, musingly, "neverSwound up again."Annette paused a moment, watching hergrandfather's face, for he seemed to haveforgotten what he was speaking of, and tobe thinking of something far away; but shewas too restless and busy a child to be longsilent, so she said gently:"Grandpa, don't such strange watchesstop sometimes before they have gone solong, and when they are not worn out ?"


LESSONS FROM A WATCH. 77" Oh yes, Annette; they stop at all hours-some hardly seem to tick at all," said theold man."Well, then, you can wind them up andset them going again," said Annette, "be-cause they are not worn out.""No; you can never wind up one ofthese watches after it once stops ticking,Annette," said the old man, sadly."I don't understand you," said Annette,with an earnest look. "What time doesyour watch say?""The hand has past the eleventh hour ofthe night," Annette, said her grandfather,gravely."Oh, grandpa, it will stop very soon; dolet me see it first," cried Annette."You have the same kind of watch your-self, Annette," said her grandfather."Have I, grandpa," said Annette; "Inever saw it.""I see it," said her grandfather, drawingher gently to his side, and looking kindlyinto her upturned face, "and its hands pointto an early morning hour."" Oh, grandpa, why don't you show it me,and tell me all about it?" asked Annette.


78 LESSONS OF LOVE." My dear, I can't show it to you; butgive me your hand-there, don't you hear ittick ?" and he took her little hand and laidit on her heart, while he repeated softly,"'There is a little mystic clock,No human eye hath seen,That ticks, and ticks, and ticks,From morning until e'en."''"Oh, grandpa, I know what you meannow," said Annette, "you mean my heart,that beats just as long as I live. I wishyou had not told me, it frightens me.""But, Annette, you must not be fright-ened at such things," said her grandfather,gently; "the little watch will tick just aslong and steadily if you do think of it;and if you live aright, your whole life willseem like a long pleasant day, and a gayrosy morning of pleasure-a clear noon-dayfor work, and a calm twilight and eveningfor rest.""And that is why you said the hands ofyour watch have past eleven at night," saidAnnette.That night, as Annette heard the oldclock in the corner ticking, she thought -ofwhat her grandfather had said, and so, day


LESSONS FROM A WATCH. 79after day, the old clock taught her a lessonof life. But soon the weather becamewarmer, and she found enough to. amuseand instruct her in the garden. Her grand-father loved to walk with her through thewoods, and tell her about the trees andflowers. Sometimes he would rest himselfunder a tree, while she climbed up the hillsfor some wild flowers which would be prettyto plant in her garden.One day he did not get up to breakfast,and when Annette went to see him in hisroom, he said, "Annette, dear, my watchhas almost run down; it will tick but alittle longer, and it can never, never, bewound up again.""Oh, grandpa, grandpa!" cried Annette,convulsively throwing herself on the bed,and bursting into tears."."Annette, darling," said her grandfather,soothingly, "don't grieve for me; it is onlymy body that is worn out. My soul isstrong and bright, and it is glad to be freefor a new and better life." Thus, with kindcheerful words, he comforted her till shewas calm, and the few days that he stilllived she was ever by his side.


So LESSONS OF LO VE.Little Annette grew up to be a lovelywoman. She never forgot her grandfather'steaching, but'tried always to live for thebetter land where he had gone, and whereshe hopes one day to meet him.THE THREE BROTHERS.ST was one day in the early springof the year that Gerard Steimercalled his three sons, Adolphus,Henry, and the little Bernard to his side.In his hand he held an open letter. Thetears stood in his eyes, and his voice was.very sad, as he addressed them:"You have often. heard me speak, myi"children, of my brother Bernard, who i::home many years ago, to go into busins .6.in a distant country ?""Yes;" they replied, and they gazedwonderingly at their parent."Well, my sons," he continued,. yourincle Bernard, having at last amassed a con-siderable fortune, determined to return tohis native village and take up his abode with


THE THREE BROTHERS. 81me; for we are the only two that remain ofa happy family of seven brothers and fivesisters"-he added, as he drew his handhastily across his eyes."And is uncle coming soon?" inquiredHenry, in an animated tone." He should have been here by this time,my son," replied his father, "but an all-wiseProvidence has ordered it otherwise; andnow," he added, " I fear that you will neversee him, for this letter informs me that heis lying very ill in a distant city, and hedesires me to come to him, that he maysee me once more, and that I may assisthim in arranging his affairs.""And will you go, father?" said Bernard,anxiously.""Certainly, my child. And during my' sence cousin Jacob Reimmer and his wife1il come and take care of the house, for Ii all probably not return until the autumn,as I shall have to travel some distance, andin the case of your uncle's death, there maybe a great deal for me to attend to.""Perhaps he will get well, and then youwill bring him home with you.""I fear, Bernard, that that may not be,F(


82 LESSONS OF LOVE.for he writes me word that the doctors sayhis case is hopeless. Listen now attentively,my children, to what I am going to tell you,for it is a message to each of you from yourdying uncle. He says-' Give a handful ofgrain to each of your three children, whenyou leave them to come to me, and tell themto do with it what they think best duringyour absence; and when you return, youwill decide who has made the best use ofit, and will reward that one according as Ishall tell you."It is autumn. The little Bernard stoodwatching at the open window, when a car--riage drove hastily up to the door, and theaged Gerard stepped from it, holding inhis hand a small tin box."Oh, there is papa there is papa!" heexclaimed. Then the three children rushedfrom the room, and threw their armsaround him, saying, "Oh, we are so gladto see.you, you have been so long away.""And I am glad to see you, too, mychildren, and all looking so well," repliedthe aged man, as he bent forward and gavethem each a kiss.Cousin Jacob Reimmer and his wife now


THE THREE BROTHERS. 83approached to welcome him, and he in-quired of each of them how the childrenbehaved during his absence."Oh, they have been very good boys,"he replied.They all now entered the house, GerardSteimer then placed the tin box that heheld in his hand upon the table, and takinga small key from his pocket opened it, anddrew from thence the last will and testa-ment of his brother, Bernard Steimer.All gazed sadly upon the old man, aswith trembling hands he unrolled it, andsaid :"I had the sad pleasure, my children, ofclosing my brother's eyes in peace, and lay-ing his remains in their last resting-place.In this will he bequeathed the whole ofhis property to the one that I shall de-cide has made the best use of the handfulof grain that I gave each of you before Ileft home. Let me now hear, my children,"he added, "what you have done with it.""I," said Adolphus, "have saved mine.I put it in a small wooden box, in a dryplace, and it is just as fresh as the day yougave it to me."


84 LESSONS OF'LOVB."My son," said his father, in a sternvoice, "you have laid by the grain, and whathath it profited you ?-nothing. So it iswith wealth, hoard it, and it yieldeth neitherprofit nor comfort. And you, Henry," hecontinued, "what have you done with yourhandful ?"" I ground it to flour, papa, and had a nicesweet cake made of it, which I have eaten."" Foolish boy," he replied, "and it is gone,having given you but a moment's comfortand support. So it is with money, spendit upon your pleasures, they also are but fora moment." The aged Gerard now turnedtowards his youngest son, and, drawing himtowards him, said:"What use has my little Bernard madeof the handful of grain that I gave him ?"The child smiled, and, clasping his father'shand between his own, said:"Come with me, papa, and I will showyou."They all followed the boy, as he led theway toward a field that belonged to hisfather, but which was situated at somedistance from the house."See, papa," exclaimed the happy child,


EDITH SULLIVAN. 85see what has become of my handful ofgrain," pointing with delight towards a cor-ner of the field where grew the tall slendercorn, which, laden with its golden ears, wavedand rustled beneath the gentle breezes.The aged Gerard smiled, and resting hishand upon Bernard's head, said, " You havedone well my son. You sowed the grainin the earth and it has brought forth abountiful harvest! To you must I awardmy brother's fortune. Use it as wisely asyou have the handful of grain. Neitherhoard it up nor spend it merely upon yourown pleasure, but bestow it upon the poor,upon the fatherless, and widow, upon thelittle ones of Christ, and he shall rememberit with a plenteous reward."EDITH SULLIVAN.DITH SULLIVAN was an orphan.It had been a long time since herfather's eyes closed in death, andher dear mother's lips ceased to smile uponher; but she had neither forgotten them


86 LESSONS OF LOVE.nor their holy teachings. All the beautifullessons which they had impressed uponher infant mind she had treasured up as somany priceless gems; and now that theywere gone, she thought these lessons over.and over again, until they became, as itwere, a part of her very being.Little Edith tried very hard to be goodalways; but there were times when thiswas exceedingly difficult, and she sadlymissed the loving words, cheering smiles,and fond hands, which used to smooth allthe rough places in her baby pathway,making it so pleasant. At such times shewould always go away by herself, and prayas her angel mother had taught her. Thenthe smile would come back to her lips, andthe joy to her heart; for she knew thatJesus, who loved little children, and blessedthem while on earth, would not fail to hearher earnest prayers in his heavenly king-dom.Mrs. Jackson, the woman with whom-Edith lived, was a very singular being.She had been twice a widow, and was nowliving with her third husband, who was adrunken, reckless dature, and, as a matter


EDITH SULLIVAN. .87of course, very poor. She had seen a worldof trouble, but her heart was not right; soher trials, instead of doing her good, onlymade her disposition, which was never veryamiable, still more irritable, until, at thetime Edith went to live with her, she wasone of the most fretful and wretched per-sons in existence. A smile seldom lightedup her sombre features, and she stormedand scolded from morning till night. Every-thing went wrong with her; and little,gentle, inoffensive Edith, had to bear theblame of it all.At first it came very hard for the poorchild to bear so much, for while her parentslived she had never received a harsh orunkind word; but she soon became so usedto cruel treatment that she came to regardit almost as a matter of course.One day, when Mrs. Jackson had beenmore than usually cross, and had bothscolded and whipped the child severely fora trivial fault, the little thing crept up tothe garret, and, kneeling behind an old box,prayed for her persecutor! She had donethe same thing many times before, but nowshe prayed very earnesy. She asked the


88 LESSONS OF LOVE.good Father to forgive her foster-mother'ssins, and make her a good woman, as goodas her own dear mother used to be. A hope-less prayer, perhaps you think; but Edithhad true faith, for she had early beentaught that all things were possible withGod.After she finished her prayer, she wentdown into the back yard, and found therea little girl named Betsy Pool, who lived inthe next house."So you've had to catch it again," saidBetsy, as she saw Edith's red eyes. "Ithought I heard old grannie at it, the meanold thing! I tell you what, I wish I wasin your place; I wish I could live with hera while! I'd show her a thing or two !"and doubling her fist, the little girl shookit menacingly, while her black eyes flashed,and she set her feet defiantly together." No, no, Betsy, you wouldn't be naughty,would you, just because somebody else didwrong ? That would be very foolish indeed,for it would not do any good, and onlymake bad matters worse. My own dearmother taught me to read the Bible beforeshe died, and she marked many beautiful


EDITH SULLIVAN. 89passages which she wished me to takeparticular notice of, and among them arethese : 'Render good for evil;' 'Love yourenemies;' 'Bless them that curse you, andpray for them that despitefully use youand persecute you:' so, when Mrs. Jacksonscolds and beats me, I go away and prayfor her.""Now, Edith, you don't mean to say youpray for that old woman! I don't believeyou are really in earnest.""Yes I am, Betsy; I pray for her manytimes a day. Oh, I do want her to repentof her sins, and give her heart to theSaviour, but sometimes I'm afraid shenever will.""There's not much danger of that," saidBetsy, with a bitter laugh. "She has gotsuch a heap of sins to repent of, that if sheshould begin now, and keep hard at work awhole year, she wouldn't be a half decentChristian !""Hush, hush, Betsy, you mustn't talkthat way; it's wicked. Besides, I don't liketo hear you say such things about her," saidEdith, softly."I wouldn't call her mamma, after I'd


90 LESSONS OF LOVE.had such a good lady for a mother as youused to have," said Betsy; "what makesyou?""Because she likes to have me; I do itto please her.""Pshaw! you are foolish, Edith you arefoolish," said Betsy with warmth; and risingfrom the rude bench where she had beensitting, she continued: "Well, I declare, Ihave staid a great deal longer than I meantto, and I must go back now; for if mothershould come home and find me out, I shouldhave to catch it too. Come over and seeme when you can, and don't fail to let meknow when you get Mrs. Jackson converted!"and with another laugh the naughty girlwent out of the yard.Edith sat for a while looking sorrowfullyafter her, and then went to the garret again;and this time she prayed for Betsy Pool,too, poor Betsy, in whose .heart the poi-sonous' weeds had choked out nearly allthe flowers, because religious training andculture had neither uprooted the one, norfostered the other.Two or three days passed, then, for somefancied offence, Edith received another


EDITH SULLIVAN. 91cruel beating, and went as usual to prayfor her persecutor."I wonder what upon earth that crea-ture goes to the garret for every time I whipher," said Mrs. Jackson to herself, as sheheard the child's feet on the stairs; "somemischief, I '11 warrant !" and while the frownon her brow grew darker, and the bitterthoughts in her heart more bitter, shefollowed the child softly up the stairs. Butbefore she reached the top, Edith's mourn-ful voice fell upon her ears, and she pausedto listen. At first the frown on her darkbrow grew more terrible, and she made amovement as if to spring forward and in-flict another punishment upon the child, forhaving dared to pray for her; but as thegentle voice kept pleading the evil lookwent away, and long before Edith hadconcluded her petition, the conscience-stricken woman crept as noiselessly downthe stairs as she had ascended them; Andwhen she reached'her own room she satdown and covered her face with bothhands, while tears, the first she had shedfor many a day, trickled through her fingers,and fell upon her lap like rain.


92 LESSONS OF LOVE.Poor woman! No wonder she wept, forEdith's prayer had called up a. host of ten-der, but almost forgotten, memories fromthe far away past. She once had a gentlemother, who blessed her childish years withreligious instruction and godly counsels;and when that mother's eyes grew dim indeath, she promised her that she wouldlive so as to meet her in heaven. Andhow had she kept that promise? Alas,alas! her life had been one great wrong,one mass of errors for many years; andnow she saw it, felt it all, and resolved,with prayers and tears of bitter agony, toturn from the broad road of sin and shame,which she had been treading so long, andwalk in the narrow but beautiful pathwaythat leads to the Celestial City.For a long time she sat there, with herhead bowed upon her hands, unmindful ofthe lapse of time. But she was arousedfrom her deep thought, as night came on,by a heavy fall against the door, and a mut-tered curse, which told that her drunkenhusband had come. Always before shehad met him with harsh reproaches andbitter upbraidings; but now, acting under


EDITH SULLIVAN. 93the new impulse, as she opened the doorshe took him gently by the hand, and ledhim in without saying a word.Half sobered by this strange reception,the poor drunkard stared at his wife fora moment in strange astonishment, thenrubbed his eyes right hard to be sure hissight had not failed him, and put his fingersto his ears to convince himself that he hadnot lost the sense of hearing. Becomingsatisfied on these points, but still lookingstrangely puzzled, the poor creature mut-tered some unintelligible words, and tum-bled upon the bed, where he soon fell intoa deep sleep.Then Mrs. Jackson went noiselesslyabout, and put the supper, which was coarseand scanty, upon the table, and calledEdith, who crept quietly down stairs,wondering much that for once her namehad been spoken without a harsh epithetattached. But she wondered still morewhen she entered the room, and receivedneither hard words, frowns, nor blows, but,instead, a kindly smile. Oh what a greatbound her little heart gave! How thesunshine of that one smile lit up the gloom


94 LESSONS OF LOVE.within, and as she sat at the table, shecould not eat from very joy as she thoughtof it. And no wonder, for never before, inall the time she had lived with Mrs. Jackson,had she known a smile to cross her gloomyfeatures; and it was strange, it was wonder-ful to her, that such a thing should happennow.When Edith went up to bed, she kneltand poured forth the fulness of her heartin prayer and thanksgiving; and when shelay down upon her hard couch, and theangel of sleep overshadowed her with hisbalmy wings, her mind went out into theland of dreams, and she was very happy.Soft arms were about her with lovingcaresses; smile-wreathed lips pressed herown, and angels eyes, beaming with glory,looked down upon her approvingly, andoh! so fondly; while the glad beats of herown little heart kept time to the notes ofheavenly melody that floated everywhere.At the usual hour Mrs. Jackson went tobed too, but she could not sleep; so shearose, and hunting up an old moth-eatencopy of the Bible, which had lain undis-turbed in a chest of rubbish for years, she


EDITH SULLIVAN. 95sat down and began to read; and as sheread she wept, and while she wept sheprayed; and .then the Comforter came.Is it any wonder that little Edith, whowas the cause of it all, had such blissfuldreams ?When the morning dawned, its rosylight fell upon a new being; yes, a newbeing;-for the heart that was crimson withthe stains of sin before, had been washedand made white in the blood of the Lamb ;and the soul that was full of bitterness wasrejoicing now in the consciousness of aSaviour's love.I will not try to tell you of Edith's greatjoy, nor of the husband's wonder and sur-prise, when they fully understood the greatchange tlV had come over Mrs. Jackson,for you can imagine it all better than Ican describe it No more cross words, nomore angry frowns, no more cruel blows,were meted out to Edith, and the drunk-ard's home, which had heretofore been avery Babel of discord and confusion, wassuddenly changedkin point of peace andquiet, into ap earthly paradise.The neighbours saw the change and


96 LESSONS OF LOVE.wondered. It was a great mystery to them,and as they talked the matter over amongthemselves, some thought the poor womanhad gone crazy, and ought to be carriedstraightway to the lunatic asylum; othersthought she had been demented all alongand had just recovered her reason; whilenot a few insisted ,that it was only a freakwhich would wear off in a few days. Butall were united in saying that it was thestrangest thing that had happened sincethe flood.As the days grew into weeks, andWilliam Jackson left off drinking, andwent to work like an honest man, and theplace, once so desolate, began to take onan air of quiet and home-like comfort,people wondered still more. when,a few months later, Ruth ainWilliamJackson stood up one Sunday to askadmission to 'the Church, declaring thatthey were fully determined to devote theremainder of their lives to the service ofthe Lord, the great mystery was solved,and the neighbours said one to another:"Strange, we had not thought of thisbefore; we might have known that no-


EDITH SULLIVAN. 97thing but Divine grace in the heart couldever have made such a change in anyone!"And little Edith all this time was .veryhappy; and when Betsy Pool's father,profiting by his neighbour's example, leftoff drinking too, and stood up like a ra-tional man once more, her heart was fullto overflowing with joy. But she neverthought of taking any credit to herself: ohno, she was too meek and humble for that.And when Betsy told her one day- thatshe was an angel, and that it was all herdoings, you may be sure she opened hereyes wide with astonishment, as she re-plied:"No, Betsy, it is not my doings, itis the s work; and though I try tobe good 'm not an angel, and nevercan be, though when I die I hope I maygo to live with my mother and theangels."Several years passed, years of peace andprosperity to the reformed families; then,just as the roses of early womanhood werebrightest in her cheeks, and life seemedmost desirable, Edith Sullivan bade all herG.


98 LESSONS OF LOVE.earthly friends good-bye, and went to livewith her mother. And when they foldedher white hands over her pulseless bosom,and laid her away in the narrow housewhich the sexton built for her in the"silent city," though their hearts were fullof sprrow, and their tears fell fast, theysaid, "It is well, she hath done what shecould."Gentle reader, do you admire the lifeand character of Edith Sullivan ? If so,will you not "go and do likewise ?"THE GOLDEN RULE.HARLIE GREY had for one ofhis weekly texts, "Therefore all"things whatsoever ye would thatmen should do unto you, do ye even sounto them." He went to school with thiscommand lying on his conscience. There,in the darkest, loneliest corner, all by him-self, sat poor Silas Johnson, without bookor slate of his own, and much of the time