The Distrustful Bird.



A BRIGHT little canary bird, a very sweet

singer, had often cheered and brightened my

room during a long illness; and sometimes

its sweet, rich notes soothed and diverted me

when my nerves, shattered by an illness of

years, would not permit me to enjoy the 

companionship even of the tenderly-loved ones,

who, by every means in their power, sought

to alleviate the suffering and brighten the tedium

of my sick-room.

As my strength returned, I lavished upon

my little feathered companion all the attentions

he was capable of appreciating; and he

had become very tame, and seemed to recognize

me when I approached his cage.

One day, when I offered him from my finger

some delicacy, instead of taking it with

his usual confidence in me, he appeared

 frightened, and fluttered about his cage. 

Surprised and disappointed, I exclaimed, "My 

little bird, can you not trust me?" as the thought

of my long-continued kindness to it recurred

to me.

A dear young sister, in my room at the moment,

said to me: "O sister, do not be impatient

with the little bird. If you feel so sorry

because it does not always trust you, and now

seems to have forgotten you, how grieved our

Heavenly Father must be that we so continually

forget him, so constantly do not trust him!" 



Pastoral Visitor.



Wings By-and-by.



"WALTER," said a gentleman on a ferryboat

to a poor, helpless cripple, "how is it

when you cannot walk that your shoes get

worn?"

A blush came over the boy's pale face; but

after hesitating a moment, he said:

"My mother has younger children, sir, and

while she is out washing, I amuse them by

creeping about on the floor, and playing."

"Poor boy!" said a lady standing near, not

loud enough, as she thought, to be overheard.

"What a life to lead! What has he in the

future to look forward to?"

The tear started in his eye, and the bright

smile that chased it away showed that he did

hear her. As she passed by him to step on

shore, he said in a low voice, but with a smile

that went to her heart: "I'm looking forward

to having wings some day, lady!"

Happy Walter! Poor, crippled, and dependent

on charity, yet performing his mission,

doing in his measure the Master's will. Patiently

waiting for the future, he shall by-and by

"mount up with wings as eagles; shall run

and not be weary, shall walk and not faint."

Walter's hope of Heaven made him happy,

as it will make any one happy who possesses it.





A PROMPT acknowledgment of a fault is the first

step toward getting rid of it.