A SEALED POSTMAN.



You have all heard of sealed letters, of course, and seen some, too, no doubt; but did you ever hear of the letter-carrier, also, being sealed? Well, a bit of news has come saying that, among the Himalaya Mountains, the men who carry the mails on horseback are sealed to their saddles, in such a way that while they can ride easily enough they cannot get down from their seats; and what is more, the mail packages are sealed to the men! Once started on the route, the seals are not allowed to be broken, except by the postmaster at the next station; and, if they happen to get broken otherwise than by accident, the carrier is severely punished.

The result of this sealing is that a mail-carrier who wishes to steal the letters in his charge is obliged to steal also the saddle and horse and himself as well, I suppose.

Nice places these carriers have to ride through, at times! Why, in some parts the road is so steep that, in going down, the rider is kept upright by a rope passed under his arms and held in the hands of two men who are above him on the mountain. If it were not for this, the rider would fall over the head of his horse, or else cause the horse himself to go over head first. Altogether, the postmen of Himalaya must have a hard time of it. 





Jack in the Pulpit.





COMFORTING ASSURANCE.


A MISSIONARY once asked the question at a mission school, 'Where does Jesus live?' A little boy who had lately found the Saviour, answered, 'Please, sir, he lives in our alley, now.'" As we read the above incident our attention was particularly attracted by this little boy's assurance. 

Such a change had been wrought in his feelings and in his life, and perhaps in the lives of others who lived in the same alley, that his confidence was equal to Job's when he said, "I know that my Redeemer liveth." 

Dear children and youth, we have begun a new year. Can any of us say that Jesus lived in our hearts last year? It was well with us if his abode was with us then, but that will not suffice for the present. The important question with us should be, Does he live in our hearts now? It is well with us now if we have the assurance that he is a present Saviour. Let us resolve that if our lives are spared till the close of the present year we will be able to say at all times, as confidently as did the mission boy, He lives in my heart now.




M. J. C