THE BOY AND THE PUMP.
C. C.

A LITTLE boy had sought the pump

From whence the sparkling water burst,
And drank with eager joy the draught
That kindly quenched his raging thirst;
Then gracefully he touched his cap-

"I thank you, Mr. Pump," he said,
"For this nice drink you've given me!"
(This little boy had been well bred.)

Then said the Pump: "My little man,
You're welcome to what I have done;
But I am not the one to thank,

I only let the Water run."
"Oh, then," the little fellow said
(Polite he always meant to be),
"Cold Water, please accept my thanks,
You have been very kind to me."

"Ah," said Cold Water, "don't thank me;
Far up the hill-side lives the Spring
That sends me forth with generous hand
To gladden every living thing."

"I'll thank the Spring, then," said the boy;
And gracefully he bowed his head;
"Oh, don't thank me, my little man,"
The Spring with silvery accents said-

"Oh, don't thank me--for what am I

Without the Dew and Summer Rain?
Without their aid I ne'er could quench
Your thirst, my little boy, again."
"Oh, well, then!" said the little boy,
"I'll gladly thank the Rain and Dew."
"Pray, don't thank us-without the Sun
We could not fill one cup for you."

"Then, Mr. Sun, ten thousand thanks
For all that you have done for me.
86 Stop!" " said the Sun, with blushing face,
My little fellow, don't thank me;

'Twas from the Ocean's mighty stores
I drew this draught I gave to thee."
"Oh, Ocean, thanks!" then said the boy.
It echoed back, "Not unto me--

Dare to Stand Alone.

"Not unto me, but unto Him

Who formed the depths in which I lie;
Go, give thy thanks, my little boy,
To Him who will thy wants supply."
The boy took off his cap, and said,
In tone so gentle and subdued:
"O God, I thank Thee for this gift-
Thou art the Giver of all good."

DARE TO STAND ALONE.

BE

E firm, be bold, be strong, be true,
And dare to stand alone;
Stand for the right whate'er ye do,
Though helpers there be none.
Nay, bend not to the swelling surge
Of popular sneer and wrong:
"Twill bear thee on to ruin's verge,
With current wild and strong.

Stand for the right! Humanity
Implores, with groans and tears,
Thine aid to break the festering links
That bind her toiling years.

Stand for the right! Though falsehood reign,

And proud lips coldly sneer,

A poisoned arrow cannot wound

A conscience pure and clear.

Stand for the right, and with clean hands
Exalt the truth on high;

Thou'lt find warm sympathising hearts

Among the passers-by.

Men who have seen, and thought, and felt,
And yet could hardly dare

The battle's brunt, but by thy side

Will every danger share.

Stand for the right, proclaim it loud:
Thou'lt find an aswering tone
In honest hearts, and thou no more
Be doomed to stand alone.

25

26

Good Night! and Good Morning!

IVY-WREATHED BACCHUS.

T. J.

ELL might the men of classic fame
The head with ivy twine

Of him the Bacchanalians name
The deity of wine!

For ivy climbs the crumbling wall
To grasp its helpless prey,

And spreads its dark deceitful pall
To decorate decay.

And wine will circle round the brain,
And bind the loftiest mind,
Till what could penetrate the stars
Lies desolate and blind.

Then spurn the cup, it is not worth
A soul's great sacrifice:

The wine will sink into the earth,
The soul will heavenward rise.

GOOD NIGHT! AND GOOD MORNING!

LORD HOUGHTON.

A FAIR little girl sat under a tree,

Sewing as long as her eyes could see;
Then smoothed her work, and folded it right,
And said, "Dear Work! Good night! Good night!

Such a number of rooks came over her head,
Crying "Caw! caw!" on their way to bed;
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
"Little black things! Good night! Good night!"

The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed;
The sheep's "Beat! bleat!" came over the road;
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
"Good little girl! Good night! Good night!"

She did not say to the sun "Good night !"
Though she saw him there, like a ball of light;
For she knew he had God's time to keep
All over the world, and never could sleep.

"

Lost, and Found.

The tall pink foxglove bowed his head--
The violets curtsied and went to bed;
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said, on her knees, her favourite prayer.

And while on her pillow she softly lay,
She knew nothing more till again it was day,
And all things said to the beautiful sun,

27

"Good morning! Good morning! our work is begun!"

[By kind permission of the Author.]

LOST, AND FOUND.

ALICE CARY.

AROOF so tight, and a hearth so bright,

In the time of the rain and frost; And a nice soft bed for his weary headAh! these are what he has lost!

Neighbours and friends, to make him amends
When his sky with clouds was crossed,
And the honour and trust of the good and just,-
Ah! these are what he has lost!

A wife whose love shone rubies above,

When his heart was torn and tossed;

And children whose ways reflected his praise,-
Ah! these are what he has lost!

A purse without gold, a hearth that is cold,
And a heart that aches like a wound;
The signs of disgrace in his eye and face,-
Ah! these are what he has found!

A mind that is wrecked by his own neglect,
And a will evil habit has bound;

A tongue slow to speak, and a hand that is weak,—
Ah! these are what he has found!

Some ragged clothes, and a great ied nose,

And the right to be called a sot;

A big brown jug, and a pewter pint-mug,
Ah! these are all he has got!

28

Moderation versus Abstinence.

MODERATION VERSUS ABSTINENCE.

COUSIN ALFRED.

A DEBATE FOR SEVEN BOYS.

[Question for discussion: "That the moderate use of intoxicating drinks is injurious both to the body and the soul."]

CHA

HAIRMAN: "Gentlemen,-We have met together this evening to discuss a most important question; it will be my business as chairman to do my best to maintain order, and to gain for both parties a fair hearing. I will simply ask you to speak with moderation, and to bring forth as many facts as possible. I have much pleasure therefore in calling upon the first speaker, who will open the debate on the question: That the moderate use of intoxicating drinks is injurious both to the body and the soul.'"

FIRST SPEAKER: "Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,-I think the question before us is one of extreme simplicity, and my remarks will therefore be as brief as possible. I rise to maintain that what is usually termed the moderate use of intoxicating drinks has an injurious effect upon the physical and spiritual faculties of man. Does not everyone know that the man that is stimulated for the moment, suffers afterwards a great depression, and that he is compelled to drink again to keep up the excitement. There is a subtle poison in the drink-alcohol-which corrupts the blood, and a man who has alcohol in his system is more liable to take a fever, or to suffer from the effects of accident, than the teetotaler. Gentlemen, for these simple reasons, I say that moderate drinking is injurious to the body. On the other part of my subject I might say a great deal, but time will not permit me. First: Moderate drinking is injurious to the soul, because it often leads to immoderate drinking-all drunkards were once moderate drinkers. Secondly: Moderate drinking is injurious to the soul, because by its influence many young people are led to the dancing-room and other evil places, and thus the