Give but his horns the slightest touch,
His self-collecting power is such,
He shrinks into his house with much

Displeasure.

Where'er he dwells, he dwells alone,
Except himself, has chattels none,
Well satisfied to be his own

Whole treasure.

This Hermit-like his life he leads
Alone, on simple viands feeds,
Nor at his humble banquet needs

And though without society,

Attendant.

He finds 'tis pleasant to be free,
And that he's blest who need not be

A little Chimney-Sweep was once sent to sweep a chimney in a large house. It was the chimney of a Lady's dressing-room. The little boy went up the chimney, climbed to the top, scraping down the soot as he went; and when his job was done, came down again into the room. There was no one there when he came down, and he looked round the room before going down stairs. On the Lady's table lay a gold watch, and the little boy went near to look at it. I

think he took it into his hand, but I am not sure. But whether he did this or not, while he was looking at it, the thought came into his heart that he could steal it, and hide it in his soot-bag; and that, when he got away, he could sell it for a great deal of money. But another thought came into his mind. He thought of those words, "Thou God seest me," and he burst into tears, and prayed aloud that God would forgive his wicked thought, and keep him from being a thief. He then went down stairs. Ah! that was the turning point in that little boy's life; for, though he did not know it, he had been seen and heard all the while. The Lady was in the room next to the dressing-room, and saw the boy look at the watch, and heard the words that he had prayed. If he had taken the watch, the Lady would most likely have sent him to prison as a thief. But as he did not take it when he thought he could have done so unseen, and as he had prayed to God for help in his time of trial, she felt kindly towards him, and had him put to a good trade; and he became rich, and, what is better, grew up to be a good man.

Now, I have only three short remarks to make about this story. The first is, that the little chimneysweeper ought not even to have gone to look at the watch. By doing so, he put himself into great danger of being a thief. The next thing is, that such turning points as this are not rare to any of us, only we do not often see them. This boy did not know, at the time, that it would depend upon how he acted, whether he should be a wicked and lost boy and man from that time, or an honest boy and a good man. The last remark is, that though God suffers us to be tried, that we may know what is in our hearts, He is always near to help us if we ask Him, as He was near, and did help, this little boy. Will you think of this? Lamp of Love.

The Cat is a very useful animal, because it helps to kill the mice and rats, which eat our food.

Pussy is gentle, but sly and not to be trusted. Her feet are soft, but then she has sharp claws with which she will scratch any creature that annoys her, or tries to hurt her.

You have often seen her sitting in the sunshine, licking her paws, and then rubbing them over her face; this is the way she washes her paws, and also her face.

At one time there lived a cat in a house where a bell was always rung before breakfast or dinner, to tell the family that every thing was ready. The cat knew what the bell meant, and always came to be fed. But one day at the hour for dinner, she happened to be shut up in some place, out of which she could not get.

After some hours, when she was let out, away she ran to the room where she used to get her food, but there was nothing for her. Then the people of the house heard a bell ringing, and a servant went to the room to which the bell belonged, to see what was wanted. When the door was opened, the cat was found hanging on by the bell-pull. Poor Pussy wanted some dinner, and knowing that it always was brought to her after the ringing of the bell, she thought she would ring for it herself.

There was a widow poor,

Who four poor children had ;
The eldest was but six years old,
A gentle, modest lad.

And very hard this widow toiled,
To feed her children four;
An honest pride the woman felt,
Tho' she was very poor.

To labour, she would leave her home,
For her children must be fed ;
And glad was she, when she could buy,
A shilling's worth of bread.

And this was all the children had,
On any day to eat;

They drank the water, ate the bread,
But never tasted meat.

One day, when snow was falling fast,
And piercing was the air;

I thought that I would go and see,
How these poor children were.

Ere long I reached their cheerless home,
"Twas searched by every breeze;

When going in, the eldest child
1 saw upon his knees.

I paused to listen to the boy,
He did not raise his head,
But still went on, and said, "Give us
This day our daily bread."

I waited till the prayer was done
Still listening as he prayed;
And when he rose, I asked him why
The Lord's Prayer he had said.

"Why, sir," said he, "this morning when

My mother went away,

She wept because she said she had

No bread for us to day.

"She said we children now must starve,

Our father being dead;
And then I told her not to cry,
For I could get some bread.

"Our Father, sir, the prayer begins,

Which made me think that He
As we have got no father here,
Would our kind Father be.

"And then you know the
prayer, sir, too,
Asks God for bread each day;
So in the corner, sir, I went,
And that's what made me pray."

I quickly left that wretched room,
And went with fleeting feet,
And very soon was back again,
With food enough to eat.

"I thought God heard me, said the boy,"
I answered with a nod;

I could not speak; but much I thought
Of that boy's faith in God.

Anon.