dust. "Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Rest assured, young as you are, that for every misspent moment, and for every idle word, you shall give an account in the day of judgment.

IN a small cottage at the foot of the hill, just as you enter our village, lives Tom Green, the widow's son, a steady little fellow of eight years old, and one that does credit to the Sunday school. His mother is an honest, hard-working woman; and she tries to teach little Tom, both by precept and example, to labour for his liv

ing, and to do his duty in that state of life to which it has pleased God to call him.

It is Tom's great wish to be of some use to his mother, and therefore he was glad when, on account of his good character, farmer Bright engaged him, at fourpence a day, to frighten the birds from his wheat-field. He was furnished with a large pair of clappers, with which he went marching down the village street, happy to be employed. Children who live in the country know what kind of things these clappers are; but, for the information of town children, it may be well to describe them. Clappers are made of three flat pieces of wood. The middle one has a handle, and the outside pieces are tied, one on each side of it, with a thong of leather, put through two holes made in each piece of wood. The noise that they make, and the shrill cry with which it is usual to accompany them, is enough to frighten away the boldest bird that ventures to fly across a wheat-field in early spring.

Tom Green perched himself on the gate-post one morning, and began to use his clappers with all his might. It was not a very comfortable seat; but he thought of his mother, and of the joy of taking home his wages on Saturday night. What a help two shillings a week would be to her, and how good it was of farmer Bright to choose him from all the boys of the village. He was resolved to do his duty to his master; and the sound of his clappers and his loud cry might have been heard a mile away.

It was getting towards noon, when two idle boys known to Tom came down that way. They were looking for birds' nests, they said;

and if Tom would go along with them, they promised to show him some bushes, where, in the autumn, might be found the finest blackberries in all the country round. But, only the Sunday before, Tom had learned the text, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not: and he knew it would be a sin to neglect his duty to farmer Bright. So he turned a deaf ear to the temptation, and began to use his clappers again, to make up for the time that he had lost. Upon which, William Frost, the elder of the two boys, went up to the gate, and knocked poor Tom off his seat on the post. They then ran away, laughing at his disaster, and calling him names, to which Tom said not a word in reply; but he made up his mind, as he picked up his clappers and climbed back to his seat, that William Frost and Harry Smith should never be his playmates.

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A pretty thing it would have been for me to go birds-nesting," said Tom to himself, as he sat there in the clear sunshine, while the fresh spring breeze blew over his face; a pretty thing, indeed, when farmer Bright is paying me fourpence a day to mind his wheat, and mother says it is a sin to take wages that you have not earned. How could I look farmer Bright in the face, I should like to know? No, no. Mother says that father was an honest man, and not afraid of work, and she hopes I shall be the same. Then what does my Testament say? 'Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.' I am glad I learned that text, and glad that my teacher told me what it

means where it says 'eye-service.' I hope I shall never forget that God sees me, and knows when I do wrong, if no one else knows it. Perhaps, if William Frost and Harry Smith went to the Sunday school, they would learn to behave better. I think I shall talk to mother about it. Perhaps, if some one were to ask them, they would go."

The long day passed away at last, and Tom Green went home. His mother came shortly after, and brought some news from the village. William Frost and Harry Smith had been caught trespassing by Farmer Thompson, who had given each of them a sound beating, and threatened, if he found them in his grounds again, that they should not get off so well. How thankful was widow Green when she heard of her son's good conduct, and how happy was Tom when she told him that he was beginning to walk in his father's ways! Since then he has continued to go on well; and though he remains firm to his resolution, that he will not be a playmate of William Frost or Harry Smith, while they maintain their present character, he at the same time tries to induce them, but as yet without success, to commence a different course of life by going to the Sunday school.

P. Q.

LITTLE CLARA.

Ir was a beautiful afternoon, when for the last time I took my little cousin by the hand, and strolled with her through the fresh green fields, and, after crossing the wooden bridge

thrown over our little river, we entered the quet shady wood and sat down to rest.

ittle Clara was eight years old, and as lively and affectionate a little girl as could be found. She had been my little visitor and companion for the past two months, and very sorry I was that this was the last ramble during this visit we were to take together.

But there must be a last of everything on earth, and so I told little Clara, and begged her to remember that she was not too young to feel that this world is not our rest, but that Christ has gone before to prepare a home for those who love him, in heaven.

Clara listened very attentively while I told her of Christ's love to the lambs of his fold, and of his saying, "Suffer little children to come unto me." I told her also of his dying on the cross to save sinful man. Presently I saw the tears on Clara's face, and then she threw her arms round my neck, and said, "Oh, how much I should like to be one of Christ's lambs; but I am often so very naughty." I told her that if she prayed to God he would help her to conquer all her evil thoughts and tempers; and then we knelt down together in the quiet wood, and I prayed aloud that God would make her his own child, would forgive all her sins, and at last take her to be happy with him for ever in heaven.

The next morning little Clara departed, with many promises not to forget us, and to come again and see us when the winter was gone, and when the flowers were bright, and the fields and trees fresh and green.

A few months after I took the same walk;