grasses, which are the best to preserve in vases during the winter, as their chaff, or glumes remains. They should be gathered just before, or during the time of their flowering.

Did you ever, my dear young friends, observe the manner in which the flowers are placed in different kinds (orders) of plants? Some, as the grasses and their allies, bear the flower near the point of each seed, or grain, which seed contains the germ of a future plant; some, as the genera rosa (rose) pyrus, (pear, apple) belonging to the order rosacea, have their five petals on the top of the seed vessel, which afterwards enlarges into a fruit; others, as the strawberry, blackberry, have their petals below the fruit, which consists of seeds embedded in a pulp; others, like the pea and tare, have their seeds in a pod, round or long, enclosed in the two lower petals; others, the order compositæ, (compound) including our constant favourite the daisy, and the noble-looking ox-eye, (chrysanthemum leucanthemum) which our neighbours, the French, cultivate in their gardens, have a number of little yellow florets crowded together, and surrounded with strap-shaped rays of various colours. The thistles, that, whatever the farmers may think, are many of them noble-looking plants, belong to this order. They have furnished painters, sculptors, carvers, embroiderers, and other artists, with some of their most beautiful and graceful designs. Had they no other use, they would not grow in vain but their feathered seeds feed the family of those tiny songsters, the finches. God made man the head of the living creation, but he has also made other beings to live and to enjoy life. In the streams and ponds on a still summer evening you may see a fish, as if in a sportive mood, leap out of the water, showing its glittering scales, and water-insects dance over the surface.

David, the shepherd-king of Israel, was a close observer of nature, as the psalms which he wrote show. He drew many of his grandest images from the scenes of his youth, where he learned to "look through nature up to nature's God." The thunder peals, echoing among the rocks and mountains of Judea, awoke ideas of Jehovah's majesty and power; the flowers, of his

gentleness; and with a heart filled to overflowing, he exclaims, "The valleys stand so thick with corn that they laugh, they sing."

AN EVENING SCENE IN GALILEE EIGHTEEN
CENTURIES AGO.

THROUGH the long summer day the increasing crowd
Around the Saviour gathered. Anxious friends
Brought their afflicted ones. There lowly bends
Among the poor and mean, the rich and proud.
His kind eye beams on all, his pity heals
And to the penitent who meekly kneels
He breathes the words of pardon; he reproves
Falsehood and vice, and they appear more vile.
How glows his face as on that theme he loves
He dwells-the Father's mercy-mark the smile
Of calm, firm confidence while he appeals
To noblest feelings in each listener's heart,
Points to high motives, shows man's better part:
The path of duty to their sight reveals,

The straight, unbending, upward path which leads
Through gloom or darkness, or through smiling meads,
Beset with thorns and briars, or smooth and even,
To endless peace and joy-to God and heaven.
Eager to teach and heal, the Lord sees not
The mountain's shadows stretch across the lake
That sleeps in summer calmness at its feet;
Hunger and weariness alike forgot,

He will not yet of rest and food partake.

But now the twelve approach. "Send them away
"To their far-distant homes, ere close of day,
"Lest on the weary road they faint and fail,
"Fasting and weak 'neath the chill mountain gale."
In the lone wilderness, in hunger's hour,
Christ tried not for himself his mighty power;
But now he views the crowd with pitying eye,
Marks the pale cheek, and hears the weary sigh,
And bids the twelve sit on the cool green grass;
They crowd in groups, and families. They gaze
On the great Teacher, as to God he prays,
Then breaks the food, and the apostles pass
Along their ranks. O did not thanks and praise
Flow from all hearts and lips, while wonder filled
Their minds, and every doubt and passion stilled!
The thousands homeward turn ere daylight ends;
O'er the calm lake the little vessel wends,
While Jesus, 'neath the cool soft evening sky
Holds with his God and Father commune high.

J. A.

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LOVE.

I NEVER was so impressed with the power of Love as when I heard the following story:-A woman had a deadly hatred against a fellow-creature. Now there lived near her, a child who was not polluted with the world's wickedness. Mortal man had taught that child only a simple prayer, but the angels talked to her soul, and the Lord's light shone clearly there. Now that woman once left her home burning with jealousy, and she stumbled and fell just where that little child lived. The woman was angry, and spoke bad words, when the child sweetly asked " had she been hurt?" Now the child was not afraid, but looked her in the face and said, Never mind! God will cure you: and I will ask Him." So she put up her little hands to the Lord, and said her little prayer. The tears of the woman started; the child was asking the Lord to bless her, and the Lord was looking at her through the child! She could not bear it: she screamed in agony. And then the child rose up, and the woman caught her and said, "Teach me to pray." The woman forgot her hatred,her fellow-sinner,- everything but that angel-child who fascinated her gaze. Her look was on her when the child said, "Do you love?" "Me! love? Me! Oh, who can I love?" Then said the child in a whisper, Love God, who loves you and me, and all the world.” "Yes," said the woman, "He loves you, but he cannot love me." Then said the child of love, You do not know our Father, then, for He is love." that woman felt I do not know; but she fell on her knees, and the power of love impressed her; and she let the child, the little child, lead her home, feeling an angel had been sent to keep her from great sin, and to tell her God was love, and loved her.

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Now what

Now this woman became transformed, not by fear, but by the power of love in a little child.

A SCHOOL-TRIP TO THE SEA-BEACH.

(Concluded from page 152.)

CHAPTER III.

As soon as Susan had seen the hunted terrier safe under Mr. Stevenson's protection, she hastened to rejoin Marianne, who had patiently returned to her former occupation of digging holes in the sand.

"How much nearer the sea is, than when we were here before dinner," said Marianne : "look, it has carried away that great piece of sea-weed we were looking at just now; but I suppose it will go back again soon: every wave as it comes up, seems to go back," added she, for her notions of the tide were as yet but indistinct, and she had but half comprehended Miss Stevenson's explanation.

'I don't want it to come nearer," said Owen, shrinking back; "it does make such a great noise."

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Nonsense, child, it won't eat you up," said a voice behind him: it was that of Eliza. "Oh! girls," she continued, I've found some shells, such beauties, they would just do for your basket, Susy; and if you'll come with me, I'll show you where they are."

Marianne looked up, and was about to speak; but before the words had passed her lips, Susan tripped merrily away, eager to find the shells; Eliza, however, turned back, as she was following her, to ask why Marianne did not accompany them.

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I don't think," replied Marianne, "it would be right: the teachers mightn't like our going any further, Miss Stevenson said we were not to go out of their sight."

"Nonsense, Marianne, it's only a little way; here, Owey, won't you like to come, and pick up pretty shells?"

"Yes! yes!" shouted Owen, "I like pretty shells, come along, Minnie, do please."

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No, no, dear," said poor Marianne, "I don't think I can; look, Owey, don't you see that beautiful castle wants making a little rounder on this side; come, then, put another spadeful of sand upon it."

But the superior attraction of the shells set Owey's mind against the castle; he now called it a “nasty castle," threw down his spade in a pet, and began to cry. Well," cried Eliza, who was tired of waiting, I did think that you, Marianne, who set yourself up for being so good, could never have been so hardhearted; come along, Owey dear, we'll leave cross Sissy to herself, won't we?"

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Poor Marianne, where was her martyr-spirit now? Owen's tears, and above all the dread of being laughed at and accused of making a pretence of goodness, overcame her sense of right, and taking Owen by the hand, she followed Eliza to the spot where Susan was already engaged in filling her little basket.

Picking up shells is to many a fascinating employment; and the four children, to whom it had the charm of novelty, soon became absorbed in it; even Marianne forgot her previous scruples in her eagerness to find pretty shells for her brother, till at length, having made an unusual prize, she exclaimed, “There, Owen, that must do, I'm not going to pick up one more, we must be going back; but look!" added she in a tone of alarm, "look! look! the sea is coming upon us."

The fact was, that the spot on which the children stood was slightly elevated above the rest of the sands, and the tide, which was fast coming up, had surrounded it, and had cut off all communication between it and the beach. Marianne's exclamation caused Susan and Eliza to look up in alarm, "We shall be drowned !” cried the former, clasping her hands in an agony of terror, "oh! we shall be drowned," and she threw herself upon the sand, and hid her face to shut out the sight of the advancing sea. Owen ran crying to his sister, who, pale but quiet, threw her arms around him, and pressed him closely to her. Eliza, conscious that she had led the others into mischief, endeavoured to be

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very cool and brave. Come, get up! and don't cry so," said she, angrily, addressing Susan, "that won't do any good; somebody will be coming along the beach in a minute, and then we can shout for help, so don't be a goose and cry.”

Poor little Susan got up, and pulling out her pocket