148

Little Ella.

At last, a heavy footstep

Came straggling up the lane,
And then a loud voice shouted,
"The hall is dark, again!
Here, Kate! bring down a candle
And just unlock this door!"
And then we heard him stagger
Across the entry floor.

"Hush, Albert," pleads the mother,
"Our Ella waits for you."
"O bother on the young one!
And stop your own ado!"
"But, now she wants her father,-
You'll grant her dying prayer ? ”
And with a curse half uttered,
He turned and entered there.

Her sweet face had grown pallid,
And still she murmured low,
"I see the happy children
Where all the white flowers grow;
O mother! how they call me," -
With such a wailing cry,一
" Till papa comes to kiss me,
His darling cannot die!"

His face changed when he saw her,-
He caught her to his breast;-
"Hush, Ella, do not talk so-
Lie here, my pet, and rest!"
Her white face flushed with rapture,
"I'm glad you're come," she said
"There's something I must tell you-
Remember, when I'm dead.

"I'll love you there with Jesus,
And pray that you may be
As kind and good to mother
As you have been to me;
Just as you were, dear father,
Before you drank, you know-
O father, are you coming
To see me where I go!"

What's Your Opinion?

Her low voice died in silence, -
He laid the bright head down-
"Of such," he sighed, "the conquerors
That wear the golden crown!"
He signed the pledge next morning,
And said with streaming eyes,

"I hope to meet my darling,
One day, in Paradise."

149

WHAT'S YOUR OPINION?
CHARLES SWAIN.

Is my belief, that if you show
Your heart to any one you know,

Or let your cheek with blushes glow,
You shorten Love's dominion:

But if you pause or seem to be
Indifferent to his urgent plea;
The colder you-the warmer he:
Now tell me your opinion,
Your opinion ;

Do tell me your opinion.

'Tis hard when feelings' pulse beats strong
To guard the word that seeks the tongue;
And hide the secret well-and long:
But who would lose dominion?

Who let a little word defeat
The hopes that in their bosoms beat?
Whate'er I felt he should not see't!

At least, that's my opinion,
My opinion;

At least, that's my opinion!

'Tis said that some are far too nice,
Too over-proud to take advice;
I only pray you to think twice

Before you quit dominion :
The more your looks, your lips, express,
The more you sigh, he'll sigh the less;
'Till he proposed I'd ne'er confess!

At least, that's my opinion,

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The Most Useful Machine.

THIS WORLD IS FULL OF BEAUTY.

T

GERALD MASSEY.

THE leaf-tongues of the forest, the flower-lips of the sod,

The happy birds that hymn their rapture in the ear of God,

The summer wind that bringeth music over land and sea, Have each a voice that singeth the sweet song of songs

to me:

This world is full of beauty, like other worlds above,
And, if we did our duty, it might be full of love.

A

THE MOST USEFUL MACHINE.

LICE.

"Annie, can you tell me the difference between a tool and a machine?"

ANNIE. "Yes, Alice. I think I can. A tool is generally a simple instrument, with few parts to it. A machine has many parts. I think too that I can tell you which is the most useful machine in the world."

ALICE. "Can you? Then I should like to hear of it. What is it used for?"

ANNIE. "Very many things. The woodman uses it in felling his trees, and the sawyer in sawing the timber into boards. Farmers could not get on without it anyhow, in plowing, and sowing, and reaping, and mowing: and they tell me that thousands of them are used abroad in cultivating the tea plant and sugar cane."

ALICE. "How big are they?"

ANNIE. "How big? Why, they are seldom more than eight or ten inches long; but some that I have seen will reach down to the bottom of a draw well, or up to the top of the church spire."

ALICE. "I never heard of such a machine! It must be a strange thing indeed! Is it made of wood or iron?"

The Most Useful Machine.

151

ANNIE. "Of neither. It is formed of different materials, some hard and some soft; and it has a great many secret springs in it, that require oiling."

ALICE. "How I should like to see one. What does it look like? What colour is it?"

ANNIE. "It has quite a common appearance and varies in colour. I have seen some painted almost every colour of the rainbow; generally they are either black or white, or of a mixture between them. I will show you one some day."

ALICE. "I hope you will. Where do they sell them?" ANNIE. "Not in this country. You may hire them here, but you cannot buy them. A great many are bought and sold in other countries. I will describe one of them for you. It is made of 27 hard pieces, most of them having springs or hinges, tied together with strings in a most curious manner and covered over with a soft substance. It often requires cleaning; and when carried out in the open air, especially in winter, it is commonly kept in a linen, worsted, or leathern bag. Most people who possess this machine set a very high value upon it; indeed, a good one is worth more than a thousand pounds to its owner."

ALICE. "A thousand pounds!"

ANNIE. "Yes. I know a man who has a capital one, and he would not sell it for £1000 money down."

ALICE. "What a machine! Why it must be a fortune to its possessor."

ANNIE. "It is, for more people get their living by using this machine than by any other means."

ALICE. "Why the carpenter's tools are nothing to it. He must be a rich man who can get hold of one."

ANNIE. "That does not follow; I know a man in the workhouse who has one."

ALICE. "Then it is a great shame. He has no business in the workhouse with such a machine as that. I wish I had one, I know."

ANNIE. "Wish you had one? Why you have one. If you 152

The Most Useful Machine.

were searched this very minute, I'll be bound one would be found in your pocket."

ALICE. "In my pocket! You may search me if you like and turn my pockets inside out. See, I have nothing but a penknife, a pencil, a purse, and my handkerchief in my pocket." ANNIE. "Have you nothing else?"

ALICE. "Nothing at all, but my hand."

ANNIE. "Nothing but your hand. Why the human hand

is the very machine of which I have been speaking."

ALICE. "The human hand! You said it was worth a thousand pounds."

ANNIE. "I did, and I hardly think that you would part with your hand for twice that sum."

ALICE. "Did you not say that these machines were bought and sold abroad?"

ANNIE. "They sell human beings for slaves abroad, and | they would not be worth much without hands."

ALICE. "You said it would reach up to the top of the church spire."

ANNIE. "Yes; and if it would not, how did the weathercock get to the top?"

ALICE. "What did you mean by saying that it was made of 27 hard pieces, and that it had springs, and that it had to be kept in a bag."

ANNIE. "The human hand has 27 bones in it. The joints are the springs, the muscles are the strings which tie the bones together, the flesh is the soft substance that covers the whole, and the bag is a glove which you know is commonly worn, especially in winter."

ALICE. "I never could have believed it was the hand." ANNIE. "Yes, the human hand is the most useful machine in the world, and we cannot be too thankful to God for the gift. Whilst we think of its construction and of its usefulness and value, let us not forget the Almighty Hand that formed it. David did not forget this when he said: "Thine hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may keep Thy law."

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