every where, in all places, and watcheth continually over all the families of the earth.

The eye that sleepeth not is God's; his hand is always stretched out over us.

He made sleep to refresh us when we are weary: he made night that we might sleep in quiet.

As the mother moveth about the house with her finger on her lips, and stilleth every little noise, that her infant be not disturbed; as she draweth the curtains around its bed, and shutteth out the light from its tender eyes; so God draweth the curtains of darkness around us; so he maketh all things to be hushed and still, that his large family may sleep in peace.

Laborers, spent with toil, and young children, and every little humming insect, sleep quietly, for God watcheth over you.

You may sleep, for he never sleeps: you may close your eyes in safety, for his eye is always open to protect you.

When the darkness is passed away, and the beams of the morning sun strike through your eyelids, begin the day with praising God, who hath taken care of you through the night.

Flowers, when you open again, spread your leaves and smell sweet to his praise.

Birds, when you awake, warble your thanks amongst the green boughs; sing to him before you sing to your mates.

Let his praise be on our hearts when we lie down; let his praise be on our lips when we awake.

The Adventures of a Bee.

A LITTLE bee was summoned one morning into the presence of the queen of the hive. Two officers of state, with their wands of office, walked before him into the royal presence.

Queen Melissa was seated on a throne of amber, sipping double-refined honey. Two of her attendants were employed in fanning her, and kept the apartment cool by the quick vibration of their wings, while two others scattered around the most delicate perfumes, collected from the jasmine and the rose..

"It is time," said the queen, addressing the little bee, "that you should begin to work for the community; your wings are well grown-your limbs strong; so you may enter upon your occupation forthwith. The day is mild-the wind hushed could not have a more favorable time for the commencement of your labors."

-you

The little bee was quite delighted to hear that he

was to begin his occupation, and spread out his wings, and would have set out in a minute.

"Stay!" said the queen; "you will require some instruction before you go. First, be particular to mark the spot where the hive is placed: you will easily know it by the lilachs and laburnums which grow near it. And do not go too far for the first day or two. Some little bees have set out in too great haste, and have gone so far that they had not strength to get home again. Secondly, keep close to your work; do not let any idle insects entice you from it; remember it is your duty to work, not for yourself only, but for the whole hive; and that each day you must bring home the regular quantity of honey."

The little bee promised that he would attend strictly to the queen's instructions, and respectfully withdrew backwards from the royal presence.

It was a delightful summer morning when the little bee issued from the hive. He sprang upwards into the air; but, remembering the advice of the queen not to go too far, he presently lighted on a rose-bush, and began to look around him. He was in the midst of a delightful garden. The early dewdrops glistened like diamonds in the morning sun, and the perfume of a multitude of flowers promised a rich abundance of delicious honey.

As he looked around, he heard a small, sweet voice of one singing on the lawn beneath him: —

"With a hop, skip, and a jump,

O, who so blithe as I ?

And who can spring so high,
With a hop, skip, and a jump?

"I sip the morning dew

From the clover and violet blue.

No want, no care, have I;

But I hop and whisk,

And dance and frisk,

With my hop, skip, and a jump!'

While the little bee was wondering who in the world it could be that sang so merrily, a grasshopper suddenly sprang upon a broad leaf close beside him.

"Good morning, Mr. Bee; glad to see you out this fine day; and where may you be travelling?"

"I am out in quest of honey."

"O, just like you bees, - always work, work, work, - drudge, drudge, drudge. Why, look at me! I never work at all, and have plenty to eat, and am merry all the day long! Do stay a minute, and sing me a song."

"I really do not know one."

"Well, then, I will sing for you;" and, without waiting for an answer, he began

"With a hop, skip, and a jump!"

and, taking hold of the little bee, whisked him und and round with a quick gallopade.

The little bee had no objection to this amusement, and thought the grasshopper a most agreeable companion for some time; but, after a while, he began to

get tired of doing nothing but dancing anu singing; so he wished the grasshopper a good morning, and, springing up into the air, was out of sight in a mo

ment.

Presently he came to a high wall, and saw a wasp feeding on a delicious apricot, tearing off great pieces of ripe pulp with his pincers, and swallowing them one after another.

"O, ho!" said the wasp; "you are out gathering honey, I suppose. Better stay here with me, and eat some of this apricot; there is rather more than I want just at present."

The bee thought he might as well follow the wasp's advice, particularly as he was rather tired with his exertion. So he set to work at the apricot, and, finding it very good, he stuffed himself so full of the ripe fruit, that he felt very unwell, and could hardly fly; so he was obliged to creep under one of the leaves and take a nap, until he had slept off the effects of his hearty meal.

How long he slept I do not exactly know; but when he awoke, the sun was beginning to sink in the sky, and the day was sultry. And then the little bee remembered that he had still to gather the allotted quantity of honey, and thought it was time for him to begin, if he wished to have any to take home with him.

So he set himself in earnest to work, but found it not so easy a task as he imagined. He poked his nose into a great many flowers, and found that some other bee had been there before him, and no honey