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AN old man, who a few years ago sold vegetables in London, had a well-fed ass, which carried his baskets from door to door. Very often he gave the poor industrious creature a handful of hay, or some pieces of bread, or greens, for a reward. The old man had no need of a whip; and seldom, indeed, had he to lift up his hand to drive it on. His kind treatment was one day remarked to him; and he was asked whether the ass was ever stubborn.

"Ah, sir," said the man, "it is no use to be cruel. I cannot complain of his stubbornness; for he is ready to do

anything, or go anywhere. He is sometimes very playful, and rather tiresome; and once he ran away from me. You will hardly believe it, sir, but there were more than fifty people after him, trying in vain to stop him; yet he turned back of himself, and never stopped till he ran his head kindly into my bosom."

We hope that all our readers will, take an interest in promoting kindness to the poor ill-used donkeys. It is sad to see the poor animals so often overladen and cruelly beaten.

ADA'S LESSON.

"MAN'S chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him for ever." This was little Ada's lesson in the Catechism. "But," said she, "there is nothing here for children to do, it is all man's. I suppose because we are not big enough."

The children are not left out. is to honour him. It is trying hard to make people happy. children can do.

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Oh, no. To glorify God to please God. It is not That is just what little

Our doctor advertised for a boy. He was hard to suit. One boy after another went to live with him, and soon left. At last James offered, the son of a pious widow. "You won't stay," said the other boys, "he is a cross old James was almost sorry he was going. He went, however. I asked the doctor one day how he liked his new hand. "I would not part with him on any account; he does honour to his bringing up," said the doctor. You see his good behaviour was a praise to his mother. In a like manner the Christian conduct of a child may praise in other words, glorify him.-Children's Friend.

God;

FLATTERY IS POISON.

WHILE We listen to the din of our own praises, we shall feel a fire that consumes the heart, rather than a shower that refreshes it.—Campbell.

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DON'T WASTE THE CRUMBS.

FROST and snow have come again. Many poor families are ill prepared for them. How many fathers who last winter could buy food, and clothing, and shoes, and coals for their children, are this winter almost starving. From want of work they are in deep poverty. They see their wives and children pining away around them, in cold and hunger.

Let those of our readers who have comfortable houses be very thankful. Let them think on their poorer neighbours, and do what they can to help them. Let God's kindness make them kind even to the birds and beasts. Let them not waste even the crumbs. Here is a little bird getting some at a cottage door. How glad he seems to get them!

THE LITTLE OUTCAST.

"MAYN'T I stay, ma'am? I'll work; cut wood, go for water, and do all your errands."

The troubled eyes of the speaker were filled with tears. It was a lad that stood, one cold day in winter, at the outer door of a cottage on a bleak moor in Scotland. The snow had been falling fast, and the poor boy looked very cold and hungry.

"You may come in at any rate till my husband comes home. There, sit down by the fire; you look perishing with cold;" and she drew a chair up to the warmest corner; then, suspiciously glancing at the boy from the corners of her eyes, she continued setting the table for

supper.

Presently came the tramp of heavy boots, and the door was swung open with a quick jerk, and the husband entered, wearied with his day's work.

A look of intelligence passed between his wife and himself. He looked at the boy, but did not seem very well pleased: he nevertheless made him come to the table, and was glad to see how heartily he ate his supper.

Day after day passed, and yet the boy begged to be kept "until to-morrow;" so the good couple, after due consideration, concluded that, as long as he was such a good boy, and worked so willingly, they would keep him.

One day, in the middle of winter, a pedlar, who often traded at the cottage, called, and after disposing of several of his goods, was preparing to go, when he said to the woman,—

"You have a boy out there, splitting wood, I see," pointing to the yard.

"Yes, do you know him?"

"I have seen him,” replied the pedlar.

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