LD NED, the white horse, walked into the stable one evening, last summer, with his head held very erect, and, without even saying "How are you?" to his two friends, Fred and Ted, who had got home before him, began nibbling away at his supper. "Well, old fellow," said Fred, the black horse, at last, "what's the matter with you?" "Old fellow," repeated Ned, with an angry snort; "don't call me old fellow' again, if you please. I'm Mr. Edward after this. I wore a hat to-day." "And what of that ?" asked Ted, the brown horse. "Why, don't you know, stupid," said Ned, tossing his mane, "that, as a general thing, only men wear hats? And if a horse is considered worthy to wear one, it cer tainly must be because he is a very extraordinary horse, in fact, as good as a mar. So don't be quite as familiar with me as you have been. Mr. Edward after to-day, if you please." The black and the brown horses burst into a horse-laugh. "It is you who are stupid, Mr. Edward,” said Fred; "that hat was only to protect your brain from the sun." "Yes, indeed, Mr. Edward," added Ted; "just wait until the summer is over, and you'll see how long your silly head will be covered." THE GOSPEL OF HOPE. OPE is the chief blessing of man; and that hope only is rational of which we are sensible that it cannot deceive us.Johnson. JOHNNY'S REPORT OF NEW YEAR'S DAY. OHNNY started out in life fully determined to neither drink liquor, smoke or chew tobacco, nor play billiards; and before he was many years old he had declared his intentions. New Year's Day had never been of any especial interest to him, for he was naturally shy and opposed to going among strangers, preferring also the "goodies" of home rather than those obtained elsewhere. But at eleven years of age we considered it time for him to begin his first lessons in this branch of etiquette, so on New Year's morning we said, "Now, Johnny, you must go by yourself and make a few calls." "I don't "Oh, I can't!" he exclaimed. know how to act, and I won't know what to say," and he danced the customary hornpipe and puckered his face until it wasn't much larger than an ordinary saucer. "There is May, and Rosamond, you can call on; you know them well enough." "What'll their mothers say?" he interrupted. They won't let me in the house." "Nonsense. Didn't Mrs. Miller invite you to call on Freddy, and Doctor Hurd say you must most certainly go to his house?" 66 "Ye-es," was the reluctant confession; "but I don't want to go; and I haven't any cards." He expected this to be a settler, but it wasn't. The cards were furnished, with name and address legibly written, and an old memorandum-book hunted up that was something like Johnny's courage, and had to be glued together. He went to May's first, and had a grand good time, so good that he had to run home and tell of it, passing by the street where Freddy and Rosamond lived, but not daring to go in until he had fortified himself a little, although somewhat encouraged by his first experience. Then a fresh start to Freddy's and back again, although Rosamond lived on the block above, and his own home was three blocks off. "I guess I'll go and see Jennie Hurd now," he said, after an interval appropriately filled with cake and lemonade; so off he trudged, returning speedily to report proceedings. "There was one lady there dressed in white, and she asked me if I was a novice at making calls. I said I usually made calls with my papa or my uncle." "Did you know what novice meant ?" we inquired, thinking it was rather a hard word to put to such a little fellow. "I thought she meant was I used to making calls alone; but I wish people wouldn't ask me such questions, anyway!" And, being irritated and embarrassed, Johnny was rather inclined to leave the dear little Rosamond out in the cold. We coaxed and persuaded, and finally succeeded in getting him to take a fresh start, and were quite as anxious to hear as he was to tell how he succeeded. He had been invited to partake of refreshments at each house where he had called, but had persistently refused, and made up the loss at home. Rosamond's mother, who has a peculiar faculty of getting around the boys, inquired if he had decided not to take anything on New Year's Day. "Not at every place," was his answer; and he was finally coaxed into the diningroom, where was a table invitingly set. "There were oysters and other things," he said in telling of it; "and ordinary waiters,' (we suppose he meant white, but didn't stop to inquire); "and there were three boys sitting at the table eating. One of the boys picked his teeth with a silver nut-pick right over the table, and I was disgusted. I suppose they were gentlemen's sons: they were dressed like gentlemen, but they ate like hogs! I didn't take anything, but came right out of the house!" We made no comments. The small boy was on a tour of observation, and what he saw for himself was better than any "Book of Decorum." The day was waning, and there was still another call we were anxious that Johnny should make, that he might know how old people with young hearts could receive little children. He nearly wriggled himself out of his clothes making up his mind, but finally darted out of the front door in his usual explosive style. Back again in less than fifteen minutes, with his tongue looser than ever. "I think Mr. Wood is real nice!" he said; "he wanted to know all about papa-what business he was in-and all about it; and he was so funny! I did like Mrs. Wood, too; but, mamma, what do you think? she offered me wine! pressed me to take it! and I wouldn't; and I don't think she can be a very nice lady!" We said nothing, although we knew that it was a sweet cordial that Mrs. Wood had proffered in her generous, old-fashioned hospitality, but blessed the boy for having firmness to resist temptation, and to stand by his principles even under an embarrassing fire. It was the right way to begin the new year; a brave beginning for the small boy of whose future we need not fear, since he has proved wise enough to make a vow, and strong enough to keep it. HAT THEN? A RECITATION. But still the old man shook his reverend head; "And when all this is gained, what then?" he said. "And then I will be rich, and in old age I will withdraw from all this legal strife; Known in retirement as an honoured sage, I'll pass the evening of an honoured life." Gravely again the old man shook his head; "And when you've done all this, what then?" he said. "And then!-why, then I know that I must die. My body then must die, but not my fame; Surrounded by the fallen great I'll lie, And far posterity will know my name.' Sadly the old man shook again his head; "And after all of this, what then?" he said. "And then-and then- "but ceased the boy to speak; His eye, abashed, fell downward to the sod, A silent tear dropped on each blooming cheek. The old man pointed silently to God, Then laid his hand upon the drooping head"Remember there's a place beyond," he said. Every man's virtue is best seen in adversity and temptation. When we are well we may do much good if we will; but when sick, no man can tell what he shall be able to do; it is not much good that is then to be expected from us. W BUSH. HEN Cousin Will was at home for vacation, the boys always expected plenty of fun. The last frolic before he went back to his studies was a long tramp after hazel-nuts. As they were hurrying along in high glee, they came upon a discouraged-looking man and a discouragedlooking cart. The man was trying to pull it up-hill to his own house. The boys did not wait to be invited, but ran to help with a good will. "Push! push!" was the cry. The man brightened up; the cart trundled along as fast as rheumatism would allow it, and in five minutes they all stood panting at the top of the hill. "Obliged to ye," said the man; "you just wait a minute;" and he hurried into the house, while two or three pink-aproned children peeped out of the door. "Now, boys," said Cousin Will, "this is a small thing; but I wish we could all take a motto out of it, and keep it for life. Push!' it is just the word for a grand, clear morning. "If anybody is in trouble, and you see it, don't stand back; push! "If there's anything good doing in any place where you happen to be, push! "Whenever there's a kind thing, a Christian thing, a happy thing, a pleasant thing, whether it is your own or not, whether it is at home or in town, at church or in school, just help with all your might! Push!" At that moment the farmer came out with a dish of his wife's best doughnuts, and a dish of his own best apples; and that was the end of the little sermon on Push. I. ARITHMETICAL. PUZZLES. worth, C. Taylor, T. E. Wakefield, and A. J. Haynes. The answer to one of the November puzzles has been sent by C. Bridge, W. J. Jarratt, T. H. Tom, T. Dale, R. T. Williamson, and M. E. Clegg. The answer to the first is that the first and second persons would receive 12s. 6d. each; the third, 25s.; the fourth, 50s. ; the fifth, 100s.; and the sixth, 200s. The answer to the second is, Pull-man-cars. Letters for the Editor to be addressedRev. R. GRAY, Heywood, Lancashire. London: T. NEWTON, Methodist Free Church Book-room, 119, Salisbury-square, Fleetstreet, E.C. UNWIN BROTHERS, PRINTERS, LONDON AND CHILWORTH. |