Then with a bound, in childish glee,
She ran in, shouting, "Aunt, come see!
Come see this wasp before he goes,

And look! how nice the dirt he throws!
His claws he uses for a spade;
How funny! What a hole he's made!"

Most willingly her aunt did go,
To see what master wasp would do ;
And just as sure as I'm alive,
That little creature did contrive
To make what proved to be a grave,
In which a victim slain to save.

We watched him close, and saw him go
Straight down the path, some ways below;
And, with an evil eye intent,

Seize a grasshopper as he went,

And pierce him with his deadly sting;
Then strive across his back to bring,
Over the grass and over the lea,
A creature twice as big as he.
And 'twas a marvel how he bore

So great a weight twelve yards or more.
Stately and slow, he travelled on,
As conscious of the victory won.
We all the while, in much amaze,
Did with admiring wonder gaze.

Ah, well! thought I, you'll lose your way, Then, master wasp, what will you say? But no such thing: on, on he went,

And to us all a lesson sent

Of patient, persevering toil,

Which no obstruction e'er could foil.

At length, within three feet, or so,
Of that new grave to which he'd go,
He laid his burden down with care,
And went and took a measure there.
But 'twould not do: he dug again,
Again went over to the slain;
But still the grave most surely was

Too small, on measuring with his claws;
For not till thrice most strange to tell!
He'd viewed them both, full long and well,
Each time enlarging 'hopper's grave,
Did he bring on the fallen brave.
Then solemn paused, and, entering in,
Took the dead body by the chin,
And gently drew him under ground;
But was too cunning, we soon found,
Therein to sacrifice himself;

For out he jumped, the sly old elf!
And went to work, much as before,
The grasshopper to cover o'er.

It was most neatly done, and well,
As little Lucy, too, could tell.

We both the wondrous scene surveyed:
The forethought that was there displayed;
The patient industry and skill;

A victim seized, for food, at will.;
With such a deal of prudent care,
Secreted for his winter's fare.
Sure 'twas a lesson deep to learn,
Enough to make our "hearts to burn"
With love's controlling, quickening fire,
And holy truth's intense desire;
And faith which never doubts His power,
Whose wonders fill each little hour.
My little friends, do strive and pray,
That God will help you every day
To make his spirit grow within,
By doing right and conquering sin.
This do, my little ones, and prove
The blessed influence of love.

E. B.

THE CHILD AT THE TOMB.

"A little child

That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?"

I MET one morning a little girl with a half-playful countenance, beaming blue eyes and sunny locks, bearing in one hand a small cup of china, and in the other a wreath of flowers. Feeling a very natural curiosity to know what she could do with these bright things in a place that seemed to partake so much of sadness, I watched her light motions. Reaching a retired grave covered with a plain marble slab, she emptied the seed, which it appeared the cup contained, in the slight cavities which had been scooped out in the corners of the level tablet, and laid the wreath on its pure surface.

"And why," I inquired, "my sweet little girl, do you put seed in those little bowls there?"

"It is to bring the birds here," she replied, with a half-wondering look; "they will light on

this tree, when they have eaten the seed, and sing."

"To whom do they sing,—to you, or to each other?"

"Oh no," she replied, " to my sister; she sleeps here."

"But your sister is dead."

"Oh, yes; but if she hears the birds sing-" "Well, if she does hear the birds sing, she cannot see that wreath of flowers."

"She knows I put it there. I told her, before they took her away from our house, I would come and see her every morning.

but ;

"You must," I continued, "have loved that sister very much you will never talk with her any more, never see her again.”

"Oh, yes," she replied, with a brightened look; "I shall see her in heaven."

"But she has gone to heaven already, I trust." "No; she stops under this tree till they bring me here, and then we are going to heaven together."

TRAVELS IN THE EAST.