WAITING TILL THEY ARE MENDED.

HAs the poor lad only one pair of trousers, and, when they get torn, has he to be kept indoors till they are mended? I believe he has got another pair, but they are for Sunday use, and must on no account be taken from the drawers till Sunday comes. His parents are honest hard-working persons, but very poor, and require to use care and contrivance to make both ends (income and outgo) meet. And so, when this young rattlescamp tears his trousers (as he is often doing), he has just to sit on his bare legs till his mother mends them. I don't think the less of him for this, and I hope you don't. I believe he is a real good lad, and, poor though he be, he has the making of a man in him.

FATHER'S GRAVE.

"JUST a year since he was taken from us, my ever dear and honoured father! His death nearly broke my poor heart, and even yet the wound is far from healed. And I may well grieve, for his loss to me is greater than can be told. How often have I, since his death, missed his wise counsel and strong sympathy. How often have I felt as if without his strong arm to lean upon I must be swept on to ruin. And but for Thy grace, O Almighty Father, there would have been small chance of my escaping the dangers which have threatened me. Here, as I sit near to the grave where my dear father's ashes repose, my heart is flooded with the memory of his great love to me, his only daughter. I deeply feel my loneliness, and but for the comforting remembrance that God can be to me even more than the dear father I have lost, I would utterly sink. My trust and hope is in Him."

JEST AND EARNEST.

DURING the Seven Years' War Frederick the Great accompanied his soldiers on a mountain march. Count Schmettau was his lieutenant, and a very religious man. The king, impatient over the tedious route of the artillery on foot, up the narrow mountain pass, indulged in jesting to drive away ennui—he liked a little to tease Schmettau. He knew of a confessor in Berlin whom the count would visit, and allowed a stream of jokes and derision to flow freely.

"Your majesty is more witty and much more learned than I,” answered Schmettau, at last finding utterance. "More than this, you

are my king! The contest is in every respect unequal; nevertheless, you cannot take from me my faith, and if you could you would certainly injure me immeasurably, and at the same time not make yourself insignificant."

Schmettau; a flash of in"What does that mean,

The king remained standing in front of dignation came from his majesty's eye. monsieur? I injure you by taking your faith! mean?"

What does that

With immovable tranquillity answered the general: "Your majesty believes that in me you have a good officer, and I hope you are not mistaken. But could you take from me my faith, you would have in me a pitiful thing—a reed in the wind: not of the least account in council or in war.

The king was silent for a time, and after reflection called out in a friendly manner, 66 Schmettau, what is your belief?"

"I believe," said Schmettau, "in a Divine Providence; that the hairs of my head are all numbered; in a salvation from all my sins; and everlasting life after death."

"This you truly believe," said the king; "this you believe is right, with full assurance?"

"Yes, truly, your majesty."

The king, moved, seized his hand, pressed it strongly, and said, "You are a happy man.”

And never from that hour did he deride Schmettau's religious opinions.

BROWN BESS.

SHE was a beauty, this proud Brown Bess! She was quite a stranger as yet, for she had only been on the farm a few days, and Mr. Windham told the boys they would better look out for her a little, as she might have some bad tricks.

But who ever knew boys to be afraid of a handsome young horse. It is just a new world to conquer, and they are only too glad to undertake it.

Elmer, the younger of the two boys, was especially in love with the high-stepping, queenly Bess, and when his mother begged him not to trust her too far, he only laughed, and said,

"Why, mother, she wouldn't hurt a fly!"

But Elmer found to his sorrow that she would hurt a boy, even if she wouldn't a fly, if the fancy seized her!

One morning the boys were leading the horses to water.

“I'll take Bess and Roan out together," said Elmer.

"Guess you'd better take one at a time. You don't know what Bess might do," said George.

"Nonsense! you're always expecting Bess to play some trick! She's the kindest horse on the farm," Elmer replied.

So he started out of the stable, leading the two horses. Bess ran playfully on to the length of her halter, while sober old Roan walked slowly and steadily behind Elmer.

Suddenly, the "kindest horse on the farm" lifted her hind foot and kicked poor Elmer, and getting her freedom thus, ran gaily on, leaving him lying pale and senseless on the ground.

George found him there a little later, and calling loudly for help, the poor boy was carried into the house. Blood was streaming from his mouth, and a cut on his forehead was bleeding, too.

There was a great fright, you may be sure, but when the doctor came it was found that there was no very serious harm done. Two of his teeth had been knocked out, which caused the flow of blood from the mouth, and the cut on the head was not very deep.

There were a few days of confinement to the house, and then all was well again, excepting that Elmer had two teeth less. After this he was rather more inclined to listen to the advice of others about strange horses! But he was sure that Bess didn't mean any harm, even if she did need to be watched a little !

HELP YOURSELF.

SOME children are spoiled by being helped too much. They thus become lazy and good for nothing. God has given you hands to work with, and you are to use them. Never ask any one to do for you what you can do for yourself. What you have to do may seem to be hard at first, and it may really be hard, but do you not know that if you wait until it becomes easy you will never do it? Do your work as well as you know how the first time, and the second time it will not be so hard to do. The best way to learn how to do a thing is to try, and keep on trying.

There was once a full-grown boy by the name of Dennis, who hired

himself out to work for a man. Dennis was a lazy fellow, and of course did not get along very well with his work. Because he was lazy nobody cared for him, and he often complained that he had no friends. One day he said to Mr. Jones, his employer:

"I wish that I had some good friends to help me on in life!" "Good friends! why, you have ten!" replied Mr. Jones.

"I'm sure I haven't half so many, and those I have are too poor to help me."

"Count your fingers, my boy," said Mr. Jones.

Dennis looked down at his big, strong hands. "Count thumbs and all," added the employer. "I have-there are ten," said the lad.

"Then never say you have not ten good friends, able to help you on in life. Try what those true friends can do before you go grumbling and fretting because you do not get help from others." That was good advice for poor Dennis; but whether or not he ever acted on it we do not know.

Learn to help yourself when young, and it will come easy to you when you grow older. Why should a little boy leave his clothes, his toys, or his books scattered all over the house, and expect his mother to pick them up? Why should a little girl leave her room in disorder expecting that "mother" will put it to rights? Ah! these good, dear, patient mothers! How much they do for their children! and it is because they do so much that the children should do what they can for themselves, and thus lighten their parents' load.

THE WHITE WAGTAIL.

THESE Wagtails may frequently be seen in summer time bathing and washing themselves upon some shallow shore. They also, like the other kind, delight at times in running along the tops of houses, walls, and buildings, and perch on stacks of wood and piles of stones; doubtless they find "good in everything." At night they roost among branches of low trees, as also among reeds and various kinds. of brushwood; and are said to collect together for the purpose in considerable numbers, and with some degree of clamour. They are ever active and restless by day, and would seem to have discovered the great secret of "perpetual motion." They run along the ground with a quickness whose steps the eye cannot follow, and this from morning

to night, with but very few intervals of equivocal rest. Their heads, too, as well as their tails, are in motion-their legs and their whole bodies. Often they may be seen chasing each other in some fitful humour, and again uniting with aliens in attempting to repel some common foe. One of these birds has been noticed by M. Julian Deby to come for a month to a window, knocking itself against the pane of glass. Another similar instance has been recorded by James Cornish, Esq., of Black Hall, Devonshire. A wagtail came in the like way to his window, and after some days it was opened to let him in; he became very tame, and used to alight even on the dressing-glass, which he took apparent pleasure in inspecting himself in his mate would not venture inside the window. In June he disappeared, but returned again for a short time, after an absence of a few weeks. The next year a pair, of which he probably was one, came again to the window, but did not advance any further.

GOOD RULES FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

We do not know who wrote these rules, but they are good enough to be printed, and also to be remembered and practised :

1. Shut every door after you, and without slamming it.

2. Never shout, stamp, or run in the house.

3. Never call to persons upstairs or in the next room; if you wish to speak to them, go quietly where they are.

4. Always speak kindly and politely to servants, if you would have them do the same to you.

5. When told to do or not to do a thing, by either parent, never ask why you should or should not do it.

6. Tell of your own faults or misdoings, not of those of your brothers and sisters.

7. Carefully clean the mud off your boots before entering the house. 8. Be prompt at every meal hour.

9. Never sit down at the table or in the parlour with dirty hands or tumbled hair.

10. Never interrupt any conversation, but wait patiently your turn to speak.

11. Never reserve your good manners for company, but be equally polite at home and abroad.

12. Let your first, last, and best confidant be your mother.