the door of a little room which ingenious bird to be able to open communicated with the shop. the desk from the outside! You

“ Sit down here, Brown, and may go, boy. I'm quite certain work out these sums," said he. “I'll that you won't suit me. I don't come to you in a few minutes." approve of meddlers.”

Johnny Jarvis and Charley War- "So saying, he opened a door ner looked blankly at each other, which led directly out into the back then at the grocer.

street, and dismissed poor Louis “Please, sir, what are we to do?” Brown without further ceremony. said they.

“Now, Pearlie," said he to the “You are to wait," said Mr. little dove, wbo perched on his Peppergrass shortly. “ Your turns shoulder at once, “ you can go back will come in due time.".

to your nest. You have helped The suins were not especially me out of the difficulty this time.” hard, and Louis Brown was quick So he let the little creature fly at figures. He soon despatched into the yard, where it belonged. his task, and began to look round. Charlie Warner was the next

It was a stuffy, close - smelling one ushered into the stuffy, smelling little room, with one window close room, He, too, speedily finished up to the ceiling, and a curious, his sums, and began to look round old-fashioned book-case or desk, him for something to occupy his with glass doors, lined with faded attention. red silk, in the corner.

“Oh, my! What a lot of boxes," “I do wonder what Mr. Pepper- said he, “piled up one above grass keeps there," said Louis, to another like a Tower of Babel ! himself; and after he had wondered What can Mr. Peppergrass keep in a little while, he got up and went all of them?” softly toward the desk. “The key Charlie listened. No advancing is in the lock," said he; “ there footsteps were near. He looked can't be any harm in looking. cautiously about him, but he saw Perhaps there are story-books-or nothing. Then he rose from his maybe curious shells and stones-- chair, and crept toward the mys

terious pile of boxes. They were As these thoughts crossed his of all shapes, rather small, and mind, he opened the silk lined fitted with loose wooden covers. door. Buz-z-22—whew! out flew Charlie lifted the lid of one. It a beautiful pearl-coloured dove. was full of English walnuts.

Louis stood aghast. In vain were “Hello!” thought Charlie. "I'm his efforts to capture the little in luck! Old Peppergrass will creature. It fluttered from the top never miss two or three of these,” of the book-case to the pile of boxes and he pocketed a handful. beyond, and thence to the top The next box was full of beautiful moulding of the windows, as if it Malaga raisins. Charlie nipped enjoyed the chase; and in the two or three bloomy, wrinkled midst of it all in came Mr. Pepper- fellows off the stem, and ate them. grass.

66 What next?” he said tugging "Eh? What?" said he. “How at the cover of the third box, which did this happen?".

seemed to fit a little closer, "Please, sir," said Louis, hang- All of a sudden, however, it flew ing his head, “the bird got out, off with a jerk, filling the air with and I was trying to catch it again.” | cayenne pepper, and setting poor

"Got out, did it?” said Mr. Charlie to sneezing as if he meant Peppergrass, “It must be a very to sneeze his head off,

Mr. Peppergrass bustled in case, where Mi. Peppergrass had

" Ah !" said he. “I see! But shut up his pet kitten, but he never you needn't have been in such a thought of opening it to see what it hurry to examine my stock, young all meant. man. I haven't engaged you yet, He saw a glass jar of mixed and I don't intend to." .

candies on the mantle (sly Mr. And poor Charlie sneaked away Peppergrass had counted every one, through the back door, whichi Mr. besides covering it with a dusty lid, Peppergrass held politely open for so that the least finger-mark would him, feeling that his curiosity had have been quitə visible), but he sat ruined his cause.

there quite still, until Mr. PepperIt was sometime before the grass bounced into the room. cayenne pepper was sufficiently The old grocer looked at the cleared from the atmosphere for candy jar, he glanced at the unJohnny Jarvis to take his turn at molested boxes, and opening the the suns in decimal fractions, but desk, saw the kitten fast asleep in he worked them patiently out, and the corner. then sat looking round him, as the “Ah!” said Mr. Peppergrass, others had done. But he was too with a long breath. “Yes, exactly! honourable to dream of meddling. You are the boy I want. Come He, too, wondered what was in the back into the shop, and I'll set boxes, but he didn't do anything you to work weighing out tea and more than wonder. He heard a and coffee.” mysterious rustling behind the And that was the way Mr. Pepperfaded silk doors of the old book- l grass snited himself with a boy.

FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS.

FAITHFULNESS is born of faith, and faith is a fruit of faithfulness. Many persons desire more faith, when in fact what they need is more faithfulness. They desire to be free from doubts and fears, when in fact their doubts and fears are almost the only thing which is true and genuine in their whole religious experience. The things which they doubt are the things which really appear doubtful. Many of them long for a full assurance of faith, and would like to know that they are approved and accepted of the Lord; but it is of no use for people to know anylbing which is not so. Of what earthly use would it be for a thorough rogue to have a full assurance that he was an honest man ? Where would be the advantage in a worldling, whose treasures were all here, persuading himself that his treasure was laid up in heaven ? Or what possible use would it be for a man who had wronged his neighbour, who was unchristian in bis business and dishonest in his trade, to talk about the blessed hope of a glorious immortality ?

The quickest way to get rid of doubts is to get rid of the things which cause them. If a man wishes to be certain that he is a Christian, let him be a Christian out and out in all his life, and then he will know whom he serves, and others around him will know it also.

Here is a man who sings :

And quite likely his wife longs to know that same thing; and his neighbours are in the same state of perplexity. They see him on Sundays and on communion days, and the indications are that he is pious; but on Mondays and through the rest of the week his thorough worldliness dispels the fond delusion. They witness his craft and trickery, and see how many things he has done which are not in accordance with a Christian life : and they are sorely perplexed to know just where to classify a man who talks one thing and acts another; whose professions are religious and whose practice is irreligious; whose Sunday worship and weekly walk are irreconcilably opposed to each other.

Let the man swing his life and his profession into line, and then these doubts will speedily be dissolved. Let him bring down his profession to the level of his life, or raise his life up to the level of his profession; and when he exemplifies the religion which he professes, and lives the life that he should live, he may bid adieu to his doubts and fears, and his friends and associates may bid adieu to theirs. But so long as a man's course is doubtful, let him doubt. So long as his course is in the darkness rather than in the light, let him fear; and when he has had enough of doubts and fears, let him turn to God with purpose of heart, and, consecrating himself to the service of the Most High, prove "what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

THE ONE-EYED SERVANT.

Do you see those two pretty cot- little curtain in her casement, which tages on opposite sides of the com- had once been fresh and white, had mon? How bright their windows a great rent in it. are, and how pretty the vines trail She sat some time gazing across over them! A year ago one of the common, when all of a sudden them was the dirtiest and most she heard a little noise, like stitchforlorn-looking place you can ima- (ing, near the ground. She looked gine, and its mistress the most down, and sitting on the border, untidy woman.

under a wall-flower bush, she saw She was once sitting at her cot- the funniest little man possible, tage door with her arms folded as if with a blue coat, a yellow waistcoat, she were deep in thought, though and red boots: he had got a small to look in her face one would not shoe on his lap, and he was stitching have supposed she was doing more away with all his might. than idly watching the swallows as “Good morning, mistress," said they floated above in the hot, clear the little man. “A very fine day. air. Her gown was torn and shabby, Why may you be looking so earber shoes down at the heel; and the nestly across the common ?"

"I was looking at my neigh-' “A servant!” repeated Bella. bour's cottage,” said the young “ My neighbour has a servant! no woman.

wonder, then, everything looks so “What, Tom, the gardener's neat about her; but I never saw wife ? little Polly, she used to be this servant; I think you must be called ! and a very pretty cottage mistaken; besides how could she it is, too! Looks thriving, doesn't afford to pay her wages ?”.

I “ She has a servant, I say,” re“She was always lucky," said peated the cobbler—" a one-eyed Bella (for that was the young wife's servant-but she pays her no wages name); "and her husband is always to my certain knowledge. Well, good to her.”

| good morning, mistress, I must “They were both good husbands go.” at first,” interrupted the little cob. “Do stop one minute,” cried bler without stopping. “Reach me Bella, urgently; "where did she my awl, mistress, will you, for you get this servant ?" seem to have nothing to do:it lies “Oh, I don't know," said the close by your foot.”

cobbler; “servants are plentiful “Well, I can't say but they were enough, and Polly uses her well, I both very good husbands at first," can tell you." repeated Bella, reaching the awl "And what does she do for her?” with a sigh; “but mine changed “Do for her! Why, all sorts of for the worse and hers for the things—I think she's the cause of better; and then look how she her prosperity. To my knowledge thrives. Oh, she's a lucky woman!” she never refuses to do anything

" Why, mistress, isn't your keeps Tom's and Polly's clothes in husband in work ?” asked the beautiful order, and the baby's.” cobbler.

"Only think," said Bella, almost “No; he's at the ale-house." ready to cry with vexation, “and I

“Why, how's that? He used have not got a soul to do anything to be very sober. Can't he get for me ; how hard it is !” and she work?"

took up her apron to wipe away “His last master wouldn't keep her tears. him because he was so shabby.” The cobbler looked attentively at

"Humph!” said the little man. her. “He's a groom, is he not? Well, “ Well," said he, seeming to conas I was saying, your neighbour sider, “well, then, I should not thrives wonderfully; but no won wonder if I could meet with a oneder! Well, I have nothing to do eyed servant for you, like your with other people's secrets; but I neighbour's; but it may be several could tell you, only I'm busy, and days before I can; and mind, mismust go."

tress, I'm to have a dish of curds." "Could tell me what?” cried the The cobbler then took up his young wife. " Oh, good cobbler, tools, wrapped them in his leather don't go, for I have nothing to do. apron, walked behind the wallPray tell me why it's no wonder flower, and disappeared. that she should thrive ?”

Bella was so delighted that she “Well,” said he, "it's no business could not sleep for joy. Her husof mine, you know; but, as I said band scarcely knew the house, she before, it's no wonder people thrive had made it so bright and clean; and who have a servant-, hard-work- by night she had washed the curing one, too—who is always helping tain, cleaned the windows, rubbed them."

the fire-irons, sanded the floor, and

set a great jug of hawthorn in blos. brightly now through the clear som on the hearth.

glass; and what a sweet smell of The next morning Bella kept a hawthorn!” sharp look-out for the tidy cobbler, "Well, and my one-eyed serand on her neighbour's house, to vant?” asked Bella. “You rememsee whether she could possibly catch ber, I hope, that I can't pay her a glimpse of the one-eyed servant. any wages; have you met with one But, no-nothing could she see but that will come ?” her neighbour sitting on her rock “All's right," replied the little ing-chair, with her baby on her man, nodding. “I've got her with knee, working.

me." At last, when she was quite tired, “Got her with you ?” repeated she heard the voice of the cobbler Bella, looking round, “ I see nooutside. She ran to the door and body." cried out

“Look, here she is !” said the “Oh, do pray come in, sir; only cobbler, holding up something in look at my house."

his hand. “Really," said the cobbler, looking Would you believe it ?—that the round, " I declare I should hardly one-eyed servant was nothing but have known it--the sun can shine a NEEDLE !

CHILD CONVERTS. WHEN the history of redemption in this age shall be written, one of its most brilliant and satisfactory chapters will be devoted to the con. version of children. The Church of Christ bas outlived the prevailing usages which, within the memory of those who are now only in middle life, kept young children out of the communion of saints.” Robert Murray M'Cbeyne sadly ended bis beautiful memoir of little James Laing-entitled " Another Lily Gathered”—with these words: “Let us seek the present conversion to Christ of our little children. Jesus has reason to complain of us that He can do no mighty works in our Sabbath-schools because of our unbelief.” That was thirty-six years ago. But we are living in a new era, when the largest accessions to all of the Evangelical Churches are coming from the children and youth in our Sabbath-schools and families.

Yet when we glance at the history of conversions in past centuries, it seems strange that there could ever have been the least doubt, or indifference, or hesitation on the subject. Jeremiah and John the Baptist were sanctified unto the Lord from tho womb. King Josiah feared the Lord when he was but eight years old. Children sang, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” in the Temple, and Christ vindicated them out of the Old Scriptures, saying, “ Yea, have ye never read, Out of the months of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise." The world will never forget His “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Polycarp, the disciple of St. John, and the martyr, who died for