THE FLOWER PLUCKED. HE head-gardener of a nobleman had spent much time and labour in training a particular flower, a well-known favourite of his master. It had been his constant pleasure to watch it himself, from a seedling, and daily to water it with his own hand. Under this fostering care he had at length the satisfaction of seeing the flower upon the stalk, and of observing in it a rare degree of beauty and perfection. Judge then of his surprise and indignation when, one morning, on entering the garden, he discovered that the object of all this attention and solicitude had been rudely broken off at the stem. It seemed such an act of wanton mischief that, for the moment, he could think of nothing else but the malice of the individual who had so cruelly injured him. "What foul wrong," he thought, "what cruel spite have been shown! Can I help being angry?" His anger, however, was speedily softened down, and even gave way to pleasing gratification, when he saw the nobleman himself approaching, wearing the little flower in his breast! This at once put the matter in an entirely new light to him. It was exactly what he wanted; the very object he had in view in cultivating it; nor was he insensible to the silent compliment that he had succeeded so well. What a happiness it often is to be able to look at things from the right point of view! Full half of the misery and sorrow which we endure arises from our inability, or reluctance, to see our affairs from any standpoint but our own. How different everything appears when seen, not in man's, but in God's, light! Gaze only at the rod, at the trial, and the seeming mischief done-and the lost seems irreparable, so that we refuse to be comforted. But glance upwards, for a moment, to the Father's hand that appoints it, to the loving eye that discerns its necessity, and, above all, to the end in view in sending the affliction, and instantly the shadow of death is changed into morning, and we are compelled in our gratitude to acknowledge, "He hath done all things well." If parents, who have children to train for Christ, would only remember for whose bosom the little flowers are cultivated, and who will come to gather them when they are ready for His presence, their natural grief at separation might not be less sincere, but it would be, at least, sorrow after a godly sort, and not to be repented of. "For why should our tears run down, And our hearts be sorely riven, WENT HOME. We thank Him for the tender care That all through life her footsteps We thank Him for the grace that shone Farewell, dear mother! not less dear, Fond, fragrant memories softly twine NEVER judge by appearances as to the relative importance of duties. What seems the least important may be all-important. Had the widow not given her mite the day she did to the treasury, but delayed it for another week, how much she herself and the whole Christian world would have lost by the delay! Our only safe rule is, "Whatsoever our hand findeth to do, to do it with all our might." Let it be a subject of daily prayer, as well as an object of daily endeavour, to do our right work at the right time, and God in His providence will never leave you at a loss what to do and when to do it, but will lead you, if only you will be led by Him. Oh, will we learn the lesson so essential to our peace-to live well the one hour, and to do well the one work which God in that hour gives us! And thus, by attending to each short step, we shall reach the end of our journey, though the far-off horizon may be veiled in clouds. "STRAIGHT FORWARD MAKES THE BEST RUNNER."-A German duke lay dying. Anxious about his soul, he spoke to some around him. One advised him to pray to the virgin, another to Saint This, and another to Saint That, when a trusty, godly courtier said, "Your Highness, straight forward makes the best runner ! Go direct to Christ, and turn not aside for Virgin, saint, or pope. Jesus says, 'Come unto Me;' and 'Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out.' We need no spokesman, nor saint, nor angel, between us and our Saviour. He who bids us come, will bid us welcome. There is no impertinence in coming to the throne when we are called; but rather is it unmannerly to go to a servant when the Master invites us to Himself." B THE BOYS WE WANT. OYS, we want you. England wants True-hearted, noble boys, To stand among the leaders Boys, we want you. Patriots call Which surround your fellow-man. Shall the drunkard, lost for ever, In despair and anguish die? Boys, we want you. Jesus wants And we want you all to come. Boys, we want you. Glory wants Soon our life-work must be done, A DUTIFUL SON. POOR widow used to spin and work very hard that she might maintain herself and her little son. She could not read, but she wished her son to learn, and she sent him to school. As he took pains, he learned to read very well. When he was about twelve years old his mother had a paralytic stroke, and lost the use of her limbs. She was obliged to lie in bed all day long, and she could not spin nor work any more. As she had not been able to save any money, she could not hire anybody to clean her house, and she was much distressed. A poor woman, who was her neighbour, used to assist her sometimes, but her son was her great comfort. He said within himself, "I will work for my mother—I will maintain her. God, I hope, will bless me and prosper my work." He went to a manufactory that was in the town where he lived, and got some work. Every day he went and worked diligently, and he brought his wages to his poor mother. Before he went in the morning, he always cleaned the room, and got her breakfast ready, and did all he could to make her comfortable whilst he was absent. But this was not all; for he thought that if his mother could read, she could amuse and employ herself when he was not with her; so he took great pains and taught her to read. When she had learned, she said, "I am very happy; I am indeed confined to my bed, and I cannot work, but I can read my Bible, and that is a great comfort to me, and I have one of the best and kindest of sons." HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. CHILDREN'S TOYS. A little boy, eight years of age, has died very suddenly at Dundee. It has been found that he was playing with a coloured miniature balloon, which burst, and he afterwards chewed the skin. It is believed that he was poisoned with the paint used in colouring the toy. INFANT NURSING. A Cleanliness is the very wellspring of life to the babe. An infant must be kept clean, or it has small chance of life, and none of health. It must be carefully washed all over in tepid water morning and evening, and its clothing changed and washed frequently. It is a great mistake to put too many and too heavy clothes about a young child; also, it is a very fatal mistake to swathe it too tightly. Its limbs should be free, and its clothing very simple, loose, dry, and warm. little shirt, a warm flannel, and a little frock made to cover its little chest and the arms down to the elbow, is about all a baby needs. Do not suckle a child too long. This is a wretched plan, injuring the health both of parent and child. When a child begins to take food, take great care that the food be proper for it, and that it be fed at regular intervals, say, four times a day; that on an is sufficient. But much depends on the child, only let it be regular. Stale bread, well boiled in water, with a little milk and sugar added, makes a nice food for a baby; also, semolina or corn flour are excellent. But it is a very good thing, now and then, especially as the child grows average, a little older, to change the food; and nothing can be better, in such case, than a little broth, free from fat, added to the boiled bread; or boil the bread well in the broth, and add a little salt instead of sugar. Indeed, one reason why a little broth in the food does good is, that the salt in it is so very valuable; it acts as a tonic to strengthen the child's stomach. If a child suffers much when teething, be very careful; if it is feverish and confined in its bowels, let it have a warm bath, and give it a bit of manna, about the size of a walnut, or a little castor oil; but manna is sweet, and a child will easily suck it, whereas castor oil is very nasty; however, if you warm a tea-spoonful of castor oil in two dessertspoonfuls of milk, and put a little sugar and an idea of nutmeg to it, a child will generally take it easily. If a child on the breast suffer from gripes, I have known a little coarse moist sugar, dissolved in a spoonful of cold spring water, remove it immediately; also, a little carraway seed bruised, tied up in a bit of muslin and boiled in a small quantity of water. This carraway water, or tea, just sweetened with a bit of moist sugar, is but it is very good; dangerous to fly to spirits, and many things used to soothe infants are poisonous. STEWING MEATS AND HASHES. Cook them as slowly as possible. Let them simmer gently, not boil, for four or six hours. If cooked quickly, the meat will be hard. Hashes should be stewed in stock in a covered dish in the oven. |