The  Prussian  Girl's  Treasure.



WE all  like  to  possess  beautiful  things, 

and usually  are  unwilling to  part with them. 

I have seen  children  who  had  collected  bits 

of colored  glass,  or  bright  beads, or  curious 

stones, and showed them as their "treasures." 

So I have seen grown people who had   

accumulated abundance of wealth, or costly 

vessels,  or  articles  of rare material, which 

 they, too,  exhibited as beautiful treasures.  And

 I have  also  known  another  class  of  people, 

 who  boasted of  a treasure they had  neither 

 seen  nor  handled,  and  yet  which  they prized

  so  highly that they would be ready to die 

sooner than  give it up.

There was a little Prussian girl who   

belonged  to  this  latter  kind  of  people.  Her 

father was  a gardener to Elizabeth Christina, 

the  Queen  of Prussia;  and  his daughter was 

so remarkable for her gentleness and wisdom 

that the queen had become greatly interested 

in  her,  and  often talked with the child in  her 

garden walks.

One day, as the queen was about  sitting 

down with  her ladies  to  eat, the  gardener's 

daughter was  brought into the room.  Being 

curious  to  know what  impression  would  be 

made  upon the little  girl by the sight of the 

dazzling  gold  and  silver  table  ornaments, 

Christina  ordered  her  to  be  placed  by  her 

side  at the table.

The  child  looked  all  around  her  in  silent 

amazement;  then  after  a moment, she folded 

her  tiny  hands  across  her  bosom,  and  in  a 

modest,  but steady  and  clear voice, repeated 

this  verse: 

"Jesus, thy blood  and righteousness, 

Thy  beauty are, my  glorious  dress; 

Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, 

With joy shall I lift up my head."

No  one had  told  this  child  of the  motive 

which  the queen  had in  causing her to  be set 

at her table.  But the gardener's little daughter 

possessed Jesus Christ.  To her He was 

a  "Pearl of great price,"  and  the  "One  al- 

together  lovely."  So as soon  as  her  eyes 

rested  on  the  beautiful  and  costly  things 

which were the queen's treasures, she was   

reminded  of her own  precious  possession, that 

was so  much  better than  all these.  And the 

thoughts of her heart found  utterance in such 

sweet  and  holy words.

The  ladies  at  the  table  were  moved  to 

tears.  And  one  of  them  exclaimed,  "Oh, 

how much  higher than  all  of  us she  is."

My little friend, you have some beautiful 

treasure.  What is it?  If it is  something 

that belongs to this world, it will  only please 

you  for  a  little while.  Should you lose it, 

and  grow weary of the sight of it,  it would no 

longer make  you happy.  But  if you  have 

Jesus for  your  beauty,  your  righteousness, 

and  your treasure, he will last forever.  And 

then,  though you  prize  and love him  all  that 

you  possibly  can  in  this  world,  yet  when 

you come to be like him, and  dwell with him 

in his  glory,  you  will  find  that  you  hardly 

began  to  know  the  exceeding  preciousness 

of the treasure.

"How far the heavenly robe exceeds

What earthly princes wear! 

The ornaments that Jesus gives 

What shall with them compare?"



Moss-Glade  Stories.



IT is a law of God that he who does good, 

others shall be happy and grow beautiful

by  the  process. Beauty casts her mantle

in the industrious  and good.