Look At This Picture


WILLIE AND THE APPLE.


LITTLE Willie stood under an apple tree old

The fruit was all shining with crimson and gold,

Hanging temptingly low; how he longed for a 

bite,

Though he knew if he took one it wouldn't be 

right.

Said he, 'I don't see why my father should say,

'Don't touch the old apple tree, Willie, today.'

I shouldn't have thought, now they're hanging so

 low,

When I asked for just one he would answer me,

 'No.'

"He would never find out if I took but just one,

And they do look so good, shining out in the sun;

There are hundreds and hundreds, and he 

wouldn't miss

So paltry a little red apple as this."

He stretched forth his hand, but a low, 

mourning strain

Came wandering dreamily over his brain;

In his bosom a beautiful harp had long laid,

That the angel of conscience quite frequently 

played:

And he sang, "Little Willie, beware, oh, beware!

Your father is gone, but your Maker is there;

How sad you would feel if you heard the Lord 

say,

'This dear little boy stole an apple today!'"

Then Willie turned round, and as still as a mouse,

Crept slowly and carefully into the house;

In his own little chamber he knelt down to pray

That the Lord would forgive him, and please not

 to say,

"Little Willie almost stole an apple today."


-------------


Look on This Picture, Then on That.



"WILLIE, please bring in some wood; this

fire is getting low."

"Oh! dear; I can't, I have got to get

my lesson yet; besides it is Ned's work to

bring the wood for this stove."

Aunt Anne looks grieved, and baby's

little pug nose gets red with cold; so aunty

has to put him down and let him cry

while she gets the wood herself,

Willie looks and feels quite ashamed and

unhappy, but tries to excuse himself by

thinking, "Well, it was Ned's work, and

he ought to have done it."


Now look on this: "Sadie, hand mamma

her scissors from that shelf. Quick, child,

mamma is in a great hurry."

Sadie flies to the shelf, and, standing on

tiptoe, tries hard, but in vain, to reach the

scissors. Susie, who is studying hard over

a long example in complex fractions, sees

her fruitless efforts, and says, kindly, "Wait,

sis, you are not tall enough; I'll hand them

to you." Mamma's heart is gladdened to

see her daughters so pleasant and obliging;

and Susie goes back to her example, and it

seems perfectly clear from beginning to

end. So in helping others we often reap

greater good ourselves.

Which picture do you like best, children?

Let each one try to cultivate a kind and

obliging disposition, and be always ready

to help one another, and bear one anothers'

burdens, and "thus fulfill the law of Christ;"

for 'tis

Little deeds of kindness,

Little words of love.

Will make our home like Heaven,

That dear, dear, home above.




LAURA BELL.