TALE OF AN ELEPHANT. "TELL my grand-children," said the late Right Rev. Daniel Wilson, writing home from India, "that an elephant here had a disease in his eyes. For three days he had been completely blind. His owner, an engineer officer, asked my dear Dr. Webb if he could do anything to relieve the poor animal. The doctor said he would try nitrate of silver, which was a remedy commonly applied to similar diseases in the human eye. The huge animal was ordered to lie down, and at first, on the application of the remedy, raised a most extraordinary roar at the acute pain which it occasioned. The effect, however, was wonderful. The eye was, in a manner, restored, and the animal could partially see. The next day, when he was brought, and heard the doctor's voice, he laid down of himself, placed his enormous head on one side, curled up his trunk, drew in his breath just like a man about to endure an operation, gave a sigh of relief when it was over, and then, by trunk and gestures, evidently wished to express his gratitude. What sagacity! What a lesson to us of patience!"

THE CHILD'S PRAYER.
INTO her chamber went
A little maid one day,
And by a chair she knelt,
And thus began to pray;
"Jesus, my eyes I close-
Thy form I cannot see-
If thou art near me, Lord,
I pray thee speak to me."

A still small voice she heard within her soul, "What is it, child? I hear thee; tell me all."

"I pray thee, Lord," she said, "That thou wilt condescend To tarry in my heart, And ever be my Friend. The path of life is darkI would not go astray; Oh, let me have thy hand To lead me in the way." "Fear not-I will not leave thee, child, alone."

She thought she felt a soft hand press her own.

66 They tell me, Lord, that all The living pass awayThe aged soon must die, And even children may. Oh, let my parents live, Till I a woman grow; For if they die, what can A little orphan do?" "Fear not, my child-whatever ills may come,

I'll not forsake thee till I bring thee home."

Her little prayer was said, And from her chamber now She passed forth with the light Of heaven upon her brow. "Mother, I've seen the Lord, His hand in mine I felt, And oh, I heard Him say, As by my chair I knelt, "Fear not, my child-whatever ills may come,

I'll not forsake thee till I bring thee home.""

LITTLE CHARLES. LITTLE CHARLES, "the only son of his mother," was favoured with a sister seven years older than himself, who was naturally kindhearted and affectionate, and in whom these dispositions had been heightened and strengthened by religion; for she was a child of prayer, one who loved the truths and precepts of God's Word. The birth of her little brother seemed the

joiced over the precious gift with a delight which was most beautifully expressed in word and action, and with evident gratitude to the Author of his existence.

She was unceasing and untiring in her attentions to the dear little boy, ever manifesting solicitude for his comfort and welfare, until he completed his third year. Then her delicate frame sunk, and after a year of suffering and privation, in which the Christian graces were strikingly exemplified, she died. Her ransomed spirit soared to the abodes of the blessed, leaving the impress of angelic purity upon her marble brow.

Little Charles was told that his sister Mary was dead. He immediately burst into an agony of grief, which seemed beyond control. He was taken aside, and told of the gain experienced by his sister in being removed to a world where she will have no more pain, or sickness, or sorrow, but will be ever happy. He listened attentively, and wiping away his tears, inquired of his mother

"Yes, my child."

"Why do you wish to have her buried?"

"Because her spirit, which thought and knew and loved, is away from the body now, and God requires that the body, when it is dead, should sleep in the ground till He shall make it live again, and cause the spirit to come back again into it."

The next day he stood at the grave of his loving and beloved sister, and calmly saw her fair form buried from his sight, until he, too, shall have rested in the grave, and with her shall awake at the "sound of the archangel and the trump of God." And the light which dawned upon his mind at the parting scene has never been obscured.

Truly, the consolations which the Gospel alone can impart are needed by "little children," and are attainable by such. Yes, they may, in the midst of privation and bereavement, sickness and death, to which they are always liable, be supported and comforted through practical faith in the truths of God's Word. Let parents believe practically that "little children" may come unto Christ, and they shall know by blessed experience the truth of our Saviour's words-" According to your faith be it unto you."

A GOOD SERVANT.

A GOOD servant considers himself bound by the laws of God as well as man to be strictly honest, just, and faithful, with regard to everything committed to his charge; he will not content himself with eye-service, but is as careful of his master's property as if it were his own, and that equally as much in his absence as when his master is present with him. He obeys all the just and reasonable commands of his master with zeal and pleasure. He does not stand in need of admonitions for the performance of his duty, nor reproaches for the remission of it. He treats his master with respect in his presence, and never slanders him

when out of his hearing. He endeavours to promote the same fidelity amongst his fellow-servants which he constantly practises himself, and if they will act otherwise, he thinks it his duty to acquaint his master with their conduct. If his master is a man of piety he respects him the more for it, and esteems it a great privilege to attend with him at public worship, and to have the benefit of his precepts and example.

THE BROKEN PIPE.

MR. KAINS, one of the London City Missionaries, states:-"I gave a hard-working man in Islington a copy of that excellent tract 'The Leather Almanac.' The anecdote about Penny Puffs' interested him exceedingly. After some deliberation, he took his pipe, and calling his wife's attention, he snapped the pipeclay over the edge of the table, exclaiming, There goes Penny Puffs.

"He then procured a wooden box, nailed down the lid, and bored a hole in it, through which money could be dropped. Now,' said he,' 'I shall put into this box the sum I have usually spent in tobacco; threehalfpence a-day shall be dropped through the hole of this box.'

"About fifteen months after, I received a very kind invitation to take a cup of tea with the man and his wife. After tea, I read a portion of the sacred Scriptures and engaged in prayer. My host then brought the heavy wooden box, and with a happy-looking face, said, 'The box is full, and I wish to have the pleasure of opening it in your presence.'

"The contents were poured on the table, and we counted, in pennies and halfpennies, the sum of

THREE POUNDS AND ELEVENPENCE.

"I have since attended another opening of this box, when the contents were not less than

SIX POUNDS NINE SHILLINGS AND FOURPENCE.

TOBACCO BLOCKHEADS.

THE pupils of the Polytechnic School in Paris have recently furnished some curious statistics bearing on tobacco. Dividing the young gentlemen of that college into groups, the smokers and non-smokers, it is shown that the smokers have proved themselves in the various competitive examinations far inferior to the others. Not only in the examinations on entering the school are the smokers in a lower rank, but in the various ordeals they have to pass through. In a year the average rank of the smokers had constantly fallen, and not inconsiderably, while the men who did not smoke enjoyed a cerebral atmosphere of the clearest kind.

CONDENSED SMOKE.

A WORKING man informs us that after smoking tobacco for about thirty years, he gave it up about five years ago, and became a member of a Five Years' Friendly Society." Into this Society he paid the amount which he had formerly spent in tobacco, and when the Society was broken up last month he had the gratification to carry home the five years' smoke, in the condensed form of £14 0s. 7 d.

MAXIMS.

"The lip of truth shall be established for ever."

As modesty is the brightest ornament of woman, the want of it is the greatest deformity.

A gentle disposition is like an unruffled stream.

An evil conscience is a most unquiet companion.

A clear conscience fears no accusation.

A mutual endeavour to please insensibly polishes the mind.

When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to man.-Wesley.