her Dr. Alcott's remarks upon late hours, which she promised to read; but I fear she will never be prepared to receive you as a friend. I made several other calls, and saw ample room for the labors of us both. The poor are suffering by hundreds, while those pickpockets, Appetite and Fashion, have robbed the rich of all power or wish to help them. The epicure indulges himself at his table, while the poor slave who toiled for his dainties, and the sailor who brought them, are forgotten. The lady's toilet groans beneath the weight of aromatic spices, and the lady herself is adorned with jewels and gold; but SHE cares not for the soul of the heathen who gathered them. Little does she consider that the blood of millions will be required at her hands." "How my heart bleeds when I think of the mental and physical suffering of those who are without the gospel!" replied Benevolence. "It seems as though I must go and teach them the way to peace." "Your influence is more needed at home," answered her mother. "We must endeavor to instil our principles into the hearts of the people; and if, by our moral power, we can influence the multitude to action, we shall thus benefit the poor and needy more than we could in any other way. We shall be like the wheels within wheels' of machinery, small, to be sure, and almost concealed by the larger parts; but the very main springs of action." 6 And they DID, and are still endeavoring to per form this noble and mighty work. They have preached and practised. Thousands have listened to their heavenly voices, and obeyed their sacred call; but, ah, MILLIONS have let their words drop unheeded! They have scattered their precious seed upon every path in life, and though much of it has fallen upon good ground, and produced abundant fruit, alas! more of it has fallen upon thorns and stony places; and if perchance some of it took root and sprang up, some evil influence has withered it away. The rich are still selfish and oppressive, and the poor are still miserably poor and oppressed. The daughters of the rich man may taste the delights that wisdom affords; but the thousand poor girls, who labor from early till late for a mere pittance, must live and die in their ignorance. So Fashion has decreed, and but few have natural strength of mind sufficient to break away from HER bonds. We are earnestly longing for the time to come when we shall not pay half we earn for expensive food that we do not need, and the other half for gewgaws that do us no good, but much hurt, but when the immortal mind, now famishing and tending to eternal death, will be cared for, and fed, and clothed, and trained for immortal life and joy. Loud is our cry for help to break the cramping fetters that bind us down to earth and vanity, that we may rise above our present state, and be, not what we now are, but what immortal spirits may and ought to be. GIVE ME THE HAND. GIVE me the hand that is warm, kind, and ready; Give me the hand that is true as a brother; Give me the grasp that is honest and hearty, Give me the hand that is true as a brother; Give me the hand that has wronged not another; Soft palm or hard hand, it matters not .never! Give me the grasp that is friendly forever. THE PALACE OF BEAUTY. IN ancient times, two little princesses lived in Scotland, one of whom was extremely beautiful, and the other dwarfish, dark-colored, and deformed. One was named Rose, the other Marion. The sisters did not live happily together. Marion hated Rose because she was handsome, and every body praised her. She scowled, and her face absolutely grew black when any one asked her how her pretty little sister Rose did; and once she was so wicked as to cut off all her glossy, golden hair, and throw it on the fire. Poor Rose cried bitterly about it; but she did not scold or strike her sister, for she was an amiable, gentle little being as ever lived. No wonder all the family and all the neighborhood disliked Marion, and no wonder her face grew coarse and uglier every day. The Scotch used to be very superstitious people, and they believed the infant Rose had been blessed by the fairies, to whom she owed her extraordinary beauty and exceeding good ness. Not far from the castle where the princesses resided was a deep grotto, said to lead to the Palace |