THE FEARFUL FAMINE IN INDIA. than two or three days old are constantly seen borne by the mother in the crowd, and the other day I came upon one not an hour old, the mother, a decent looking woman, sitting on the ground with the newly arrived lying beside her! The thoughtless crowd took no particular notice or interest in the affair. Lord, what is man!' The dead are found under the trees, on the paths to villages, in the huts, in the hospital, and indeed all around us. Two men are employed to carry off and dispose of the corpses. Last week's report gave 57 deaths. Last evening 15 were reported for the day! A farmer in America that would carry off rotten sheep in the spring of the year with as stolid indifference as these people remove their dead, would be regarded as a strange being. The other day a man with a large boy on his hip was pointed out to me as needing a measure of rice on account of his sick child. The rice was given. A few hours after, the boy was found stretched on the ground, cold in the arms of death, near where the rice had been given. To the inquiry, Where is the father?' it was coolly replied, Gone to cook his rice.' Our labour has been much increased since we have been supplied with rice for distribution. As yet we have not sufficient rice to supply more than the very feeble and women with small children. Once all are seated in the yard and counted, we pass through and distribute rice-tickets to such, who are required at once to fall back into a second enclosure and remain until the pice have been distributed. As we are finishing up the last few rows in the pice pen, there is often such a tumult raised as to beggar all description. The crying, brawling, bellowing, groaning, lamentation and wailing become terrible! Numbers who have received pice turn round and stoutly aver that they have had none; others, whom we have been compelled to refuse, pitch in and make a perfect breeze; while the storm is heightened by numbers who attempt to play a double game, having retained rice-tickets, conceal them, until the distribution of pice is over, and then present their tickets and demand admittance into the rice apartment. To add to the misery, this hideous howling comes from many walking skeletons that are here perhaps for the last time. Of course we have the very dregs and refuse of heathen society, together with very many usually well-to-do people. Occasionally I come upon a pert little fellow that would rival a Yankee pedlar THE FEARFUL FAMINE IN INDIA. The in his glib way of running over his tale of woe. 'Mo ma na he, mo bap na he, mo ke he na he, mu anatha pela, deya, deya.' 'I have no mother, no father, no anybody; I am an orphan, give, give.'-Generally, however, sadness rests on all countenances. The Santals ask in a more plaintive supplicating manner. appeals of the Santal mothers for their children are often truly eloquent, and almost irresistible, even after they have received their full quota. The Hindoos are more accustomed to beg and raise a more arbitrary, demanding tone, and but for their actual sufferings, would repel you at once. What with the thousand piteous cries of needy women and not starving, but starved, children, the bold, arrogant demands of common beggars, the flood of wants poured out with such earnest, confident supplications from the hungry multitude, as though I had only to will it, and all would be supplied, I am made to sympathise with poor Moses as I never did before. Numbers xi. 10-12 constantly occur to my thoughts as I encounter these scenes of wretchedness, and listen to the death-like entreaties from which we really have no escape. After doing all in our power to relieve their distress, and turning to come in, we are pursued and beset by those who declare that they have received nothing, and are actually dying, having been too late to gain admittance. This may be so, but who is to know? You hand a trifle to one, and forty are upon you in an instant. A guard must be stationed at our gate, and then we come in and sit down but to listen to the cry of distress from perhaps a hundred voices. Nor are our sleeping hours un disturbed. Should the gate be left, during the evening, crying children and starving women present themselves at the door and renew their suit. Recently a poor woman came and set up a tremendous noise about 3 a.m., complaining of having been robbed of her rice, and seeking redress. Plundering each other is very common among the kongalies, and a set of miserable wretches prowl around and rob the poor, right and left, of the trifle they are taking away. Ourselves and the native Christians also come in for a share of spoliation. Thieves lurk and conceal themselves in almost every nook and corner, and walk off with whatever comes in their way -and who can wonder? Our secluded little settlement has suddenly come to be a town of pollahs, or huts, and swarms like a camp. We are literally inundated, and must be for months to come." ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. Poetry. THE OLD YEAR'S GIFTS. WHAT have you brought to me, Old Year? Many a joy, and many a pain, Pleasures I ne'er shall know again. What have you brought to me, Old Year? Longings that mocked me, hopes that died, And instead of thanks, would not scorn be fitter What have you brought to me, Old Year? What have you brought to me, Old Year? Forgive, forgive, O sad Old Year! My tears are drooping upon your bier. One sweet hope broods like peace o'er my heart, Anecdotes and Selections. M. L. TRUST IN CHRIST.-If you would have Christ staying with you, you must put much in His hands, for Christ does not love to stay where He gets no employment. Hast thou any strong corruption to be subdued-tell Him of it, for this is one part of His work, to subdue the iniquities of His people. Hast thou no sin to be pardoned, the guilt whereof has many times stared thee in the face-tell Him of it; for His name is Jesus, because He saves His people from their sins. Hast thou no want to be supplied-tell Him of it; for there is all fulness in THE FIRESIDE. Him, fulness of grace and truth; He has a liberal heart, and He devises liberal things. Hast thou no doubts and difficulties to be resolvedtell Him thy doubts; for He is "an interpreter, one among a thousand." E. Erskine. BE AVARICIOUS OF TIME: do not give any moment without receiving it in value; only allow the hours to go from you with as much regret as you give to your gold; do not allow a single day to pass without increasing the treasure of your knowledge and virtue. The use of time is a debt we contract from birth, and it should only be paid with the interest that our life has accumulated. The Fireside. LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER. PARENTS, have you ever thought of this? And have you endeavoured to conduct the affairs of your family circle accordingly, so that the good influence of the home circle might be brought to bear on the social interests of your youthful family growing up around you? These are momentous questions to the parent of the present generation, when there is so much wickedness in the world. Let us, in this humble way, strive to advise Christian parents, with a view to the bringing up and nuture of their offspring with which God, in His infinite mercy and goodness, has blessed them. Every day should be commenced and closed with family devotion, the reading of the Scripture and the offering up of a prayer-and on this service every one of the family should be required to attend; for, unless you make it open and free to all-members of your immediate household and domestics-you throw away that influence, which, once lost, can never be regained. Never think of sitting down to your meals with your family without returning thanks to the Giver of every bounty for the gifts spread before you. This, too, goes hand in hand with family devotions, and will soon show its influence in after years, if not now. Make your homes pleasant for your children at all times, and, especially, when at that age when they are moulding their characters for their future life. How many young men have been ruined for life in this way! and when asked the reason, invariably reply, "My home has no attractions for me. My father_beats me, and my mother is always finding fault and scolding me. I would rather spend my time in the street among my fellows, than be the butt and jeer of my parents, from whom I should receive nothing but kindness." And there are many young men, also, on the downward road to ruin, whose career is to be attributed to the evil influences and unattractiveness of the family circle. Remember, you are rearing immortal souls, and just as you THE PENNY POST BOX.-FACTS, HINTS, GEMS, AND POETRY. faithfully act your part in the family, and train up your children in the way they should go, so will you receive your reward for the part thus performed. May God give all parents grace to act well their part toward the young intusted to their care, so that good seed sown in youth may spring up and bring forth good fruit in man and womanhood. The Penny Post Box. PUNCTUALITY. METHOD is the very hinge of business. There is no method without punctuality. Punctuality is important, because it promotes the peace and good temper of a family; the want of it not only infringes on necessary duty, but sometimes excludes that duty. The calmness of mind which it produces is another advantage of punctuality. A disorderly man is always in a hurry-he has no time to speak to you because he is going elsewhere, and when he gets there he is too late for his business, or he must hurry away before he can finish it. Punctuality gives weight to character. Such a man has made an appointment, then I know he will keep it, and this generates punctuality in you; for, like all other virtues, it propagates itself. Servants and children must be punctual where their leader is so. Appointment becomes a debt. I owe you punctuality if I have made an appointment with you; and have no right to throw away your time, if I throw away my own. Facts, Hints, Gems, and Poetry. Facts. An old proverb says, "There's nothing like leather." The annual value of leather goods made in England is only exceeded by the worth of cotton, woollen, and metal goods. Its total value is fourteen million pounds per year! Horse hides are brought from South America in large numbers. On its vast grassy plains the horse is now wild, and is only valued for its hide and hair. Ox and cow hides and calf skins, used for sole leather, harness, machinery, &c., besides the great home supply, are brought from South America, the Cape, and the East Hog skins are almost solely sent by Scotland, and are chiefly employed for covering saddles. Lamb and sheep skins are also sent from Italy, Spain, and the South of France. Swiss goats skins, also similar skins sent from Italy and France, are used to make morocco leather. Seal skins are brought from the coast of North America, Newfoundland, and the Arctic Ocean. They are made into black enamelled leather for ladies shoes. Deer skins are mostly sent from |