The Child And The Butterfly.


A LITTLE child was chasing a butterfly with

golden wings. Whenever it alighted near

her, she tried to seize it with her tiny hand;

but it always rose triumphantly, and fluttered

over her head, as if to mock her futile effort.

Wearied at last, she threw herself upon

the ground, and, with a look of sweet 

resignation, exclaimed, "Well, no matter; 

"it might have stung me."

While smiling at the little one's philosophy,

I could not but breathe the prayer that in

after years, when golden insects should flutter

round her and elude her eager grasp, the same

kind spirit might come to her aid, and whisper,

 “it might have stung me.”



Be Kind.


As I was passing along the street the other

day, I heard a boy call to one of his playmates,

"John, see that robin." I looked up into the

tree pointed to by Willie, and saw a robin

sitting on a limb. He looked at me, with a

pleasant, Good morning, in his eye.

The boy called John stopped, and picked up

a stone; but just as he was going to throw it,

Willie called out, "Oh! Don't hit the little

bird." John dropped the stone he was about

to throw, looked at Willie, and laughing,

went on his way.

Willie stopped to look at the little robin

once more, and then went his way.

I walked on slowly, thinking of the characters

of these two boys. I thought Willie

must have had good religious training, and I

think he must read his Bible; for in that good

old book we learn lessons of love and kindness

to all, even to animals. And I thought

of John, who, at one word from Willie,

dropped the stone he was about to throw, and

went his way.

A word rightly spoken will often do much

good. Do any of the readers  

ever think how that what they

speak will do either good or evil? Strive to

have your words few and well chosen; for

"by thy words shall thou be justified, and by

thy words shall thou be condemned."




VIRGINIE A. MERRIAM.