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clever they are, from painting pictures to dressing a doll; bringing your dinner into a hungry mouth, or the clear, cold water to your thirsty lips. How ready to help you out of all danger, or to play with you at any game!

The Feet, too, how active they are in your service, from helping you over the stile that lay between you and the surly cow, or racing after the scarlet butterfly that is never caught; taking you long sunshiny walks to get the first primroses, or the late blackberries, and bringing you safely

home when tired out !

I have not told you a tenth part of what you owe to this troop of little servants, who wait upon you night and day, who in peace and harmony fulfil their several tasks for "If the foot should say, you. Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; . . . and if the ear should say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body," what confusion and distress would come upon you!

...

Then if they are so willing to wait on you, they are just as ready if you give them leave to do a thousand little kindnesses for others who may need their help. Let the bright eyes read to the blind, aged, and ignorant;

let the quick ears carry messages for the deaf; let the nimble hands work for the poor and fatherless; let the active feet go to the lonely and sick; and let the tongue speak sweet and gentle words to the sorrowful and mourner.

"Little deeds of kindness,

Little words of love,
Make this world an Eden,

Like the one above."

In wishing you a very happy New Year, let me affectionately remind you that you and your little servants belong, first and chiefest, to the Lord Jesus Christ; who will, if you ask Him with all your heart, receive you and them into His holy and happy service; who will "open your eyes to behold wondrous things out of His law; who will make your ears

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'quick to hear His voice; " who will "guide your feet into the way of peace;" who will be your shade "upon your right hand;" who will "keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile;" and who, in the last day, when "small and great shall stand before Him," will, in His exceeding love for you, remember that you have been "faithful over a few things," and will bid you and

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your little servants to enter into
His joy and service for ever.
"Eyes that shall never weep,
Life's tears all shed,
Its farewells said,
These shall be thine!

"A tongue that stammers not
In tuneful praise,
Through endless days,
That shall be thine !

"Limbs that shall never tire,
Nor ask to rest,
In service blest,
These shall be thine!

"A frame that cannot ache,
Earth's labours done,
Life's battles won,
That shall be thine!"

A. C. T.

FANNY'S SORROW.
LETTER came in early
June,

Dear Fanny seized it eagerly: "O, auntie, do be quick and read;

Tell me what news there is for me.

"Pray is my mother better now,

And does she name Miss Emily? And how are all my little friends, And do they send their love to me ?"

And so dear Fanny's heart was full; (Garlands of joy such young

hearts wreathe :) Alas! her joy too soon was dash'd,

One little friend had "ceased to breathe."

"The little boy with flaxen hair, Sweet cousin Basil, is he dead ?

O, surely, aunt, it is not true; Shall I not see him more?" she said. “No, Basil is an angel now,

Happier by far than we are here; His little life is quickly gone;

But he will live for ever there.

"The little boy has met in heaven Kind friends and little sisters dear;

He never can be lonely now,

And never shed another tear.

"In memory I shall often see

His bright blue eyes and curly hair; And when I'm tempted to do wrong, My heart shall humbly breathe a

prayer.

"Each evil temper I will shun,

And all my dangerous self-will; And in my loving Saviour's words I'll bid rebellious thoughts Be still.'

"Dear little Basil's angel-form

Will often be before my eyes: I'll pray to live a blessed life, That I may meet him in the skies."

NEW-YEAR'S THOUGHTS FOR SICK CHILDREN.

HAPPY New Year to all dear sick children! "How can we be happy?" we fancy we hear one and another little weary sufferer exclaim. "The sounds of merriment and fun reach our ears, but we cannot join the New

Year's party, or even enjoy the pretty gifts that come to our sick room from many loving hearts, who would cheer and give us pleasure. We have aching limbs, weary days, sleepless nights, and bitter medicines as our portion. How then can we hope for a happy New Year ?" From our hearts we pity and pray for young sufferers, and we write this little paper to tell them they are not forgotten.

Like the poor boy in the picture, we earnestly hope that those whose eyes rest on these pages have a tender mother, a faithful nurse, and a good doctor to send the medicines to cure pain. But all earthly comforts may fail, and sad and sorrowful may many youthful hearts feel, who last New-Year's Day were so gladsome and so gay. We want to give you a few thoughts to raise your spirits, to help you to be patient; and to enable you to rejoice in tribulation, as the Bible tells us we are to do. Does not a loving mother think most and care most for the child that is sick? Remember Him who was once upon earth, and bore our sicknesses and infirmities. A mother may forget, and cease to have compassion; but "I will not forget," are the words of God.

Believe that Jesus, your Lord and Saviour, loves you the most when most you need His care. His eye is upon you, His ear is open to listen to your complaints, and His heart beats with tenderness towards His feeble, suffering lambs. You know that He loved and blessed little children, and took them up in His arms; and when you have read that beautiful story, you have, perhaps, remembered those words of the prophet, who wrote so much about Jesus long before He came from heaven to earth: -"He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom." The Good Shepherd's kind arms will fold every lamb who wishes to know His voice and follow Him. Think, too, that Jesus is the Great Physician, who does not despise the body, more than He does the When He met with sick people He healed them all, whether old or young. True it is that He will not now bring back a little daughter from death to life, or raise from the dead another only son of a widowed mother. But we are quite sure that He does heal the sick now; and many a one will say that He has heard their prayers, and given them back their health

any

soul.

and strength. Never be afraid of asking Christ to heal you: He surely will, if He sees it to be the best for you.

There are some children Jesus loves so well, that He does not mean to cure them. He sees they might grow foolish and wicked, and He means them to be wise and good; and He shuts them out from the world; and in their room of sickness He takes up His abode, and teaches them faith and patience, and speaks so gently to their hearts, that they had rather be with Him, and apart from the busy world. And there are some precious ones on whom His heart is set; and He intends to call them early to His own bright and beautiful home in heaven, where they shall never feel another pain, or shed another tear.

We pray you to be glad and rejoice, little sufferers, who love Christ, and ask Him to make this the happiest and best year of your lives.

RICHARD II.

1377 TO 1399.

YOICHARD

R

was

only eleven years old when grandfather, Ed

his

ward III., died.

Prince, and the people were prepared to love him for his good and brave father's sake. His uncles ruled the kingdom for him; but they did not please the nation, and an unjust tax was imposed, which nearly caused a civil war. It was a poll-tax of a shilling each, levied on all who were above fifteen years old.

One of the collectors quarrelled with a tyler, and was killed. Wat Tyler, as he was called, stirred up the people to free themselves from the yoke of bondage, and an immense mob joined him. The King, then sixteen years old, had to take refuge in the Tower. The rebels sent a request that they might see him, and persuade him to alter many things which his uncles had imposed. Those uncles were then absent from the kingdom. The King agreed; but when he and his noblemen perceived the thousands of people assembled on the banks of the Thames, in a wild and riotous state of excitement, they returned in their barge to the Tower. Dreadful scenes of slaughter followed. The King showed great courage, and met the assembled mob the next day. The people demanded their freedom, and the King commanded charters to be

He was the son of the Black written out, and given to all

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