66 66 inform him. Presently after, however, George came with the hatchet in his hand into the place where his father was, who immediately suspected him to be the culprit. George," said the old gentleman, “do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry-tree yonder in the garden?" The child hesitated for a moment, and then nobly replied, I can't tell a lie, Father;-you know I can't tell a lie! I did cut it with my hatchet!” “Run to my arms, my boy," exclaimed his father, " 'run to my arms! Glad am I, George, that you killed my tree, for you have paid me for it a thousand fold! Such an act of heroism in my son is of more worth than a thousand cherry-trees, though blossomed with silver, and their fruit of gold!, Now, my boy, you I mean who are now reading this, what indications do you give that you will turn out to be a good man. To begin with one thing— Do you hate lying? ROBERT, READ YOUR BIBLE. BETWEEN thirty and forty years ago there was a lad who had a sister, and this sister was a missionary's wife, She was ready to leave England and go to Africa, and was on her way to London. She passed through the town where her brother was at school. It was early in the morning, before the boys were up; but she was going to set sail, and she could not think of passing through without seeing her brother. She knocked at the door of the house, and awoke the servants. They called out "Robert Noble!" Up he sat in his bed. His sister went to him and wished him good-bye, and gave him a kiss, and said, "Robert, read your Bible;" and again, as she parted from him, she said, very earnestly, "Now, Robert, read your Bible." She sailed for Africa; and in six months more she was in heaven, for God LUTHER AND HIS DYING CHILD. took her. Robert, read your Bible," sunk into her brother's heart like snow into the ground. He could not shake them out. And sometimes when that wicked, wilful heart got the master of him, one of his schoolfellows would say, "Noble, you've forgot what your sister said to you;" and he would be checked and stopped. Well, at last he did read the Bible; and the great change, the happy change, was wrought in him also. And he is now, and has been for some time, a missionary, and a laborious and useful missionary, too, in India; and is engaged in winning souls to Christ. But these words of hers, 66 LUTHER AND HIS DYING CHILD. He approached the bed, and said to her, "My dear little daughter, my beloved Margaret, you would willingly remain with your earthly parent; but, if God calls you, you will also go to your heavenly Father." She replied, "yes, dear father, it is as God pleases." "Dear little girl," he exclaimed, "oh how I love her! the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." He then said, "my daughter, enter thou into thy resting place in peace." She turned her eyes towards him, and said, with touching simplicity, "yes, father," and departed. THE YOUTHFUL PENITENT. GREAT GOD, Thou knowest well my grief, Oh send my spirit some relief 'Tis for my sins my heart now bleeds. Lord, once again Thy word I plead, Oh, help me, Lord, or I shall die Look down from heaven with pitying eye- Have mercy on a trembling worm, I feel my vile ingratitude; My sins all stare me in the face; And in the night, in solitude, Alone, I oft bemoan my case. But 'tis a mercy that I feel My sins to be a load and thrall; Did I but know what words to say Send one sweet gleam of light divine- Then will I speak abroad Thy grace Which moves my doubts and fears away, And hope to see Thy glorious face, In regions of eternal day. MARY, aged 16. CROSSING THE ALPS IN A BALLOON. M. ARBAN, the aeronaut, ascended in his balloon from the Chateau de Fleurs, Marseilles, at half past six in the evening of September 2, and alighted at the village of Pion Forte, near Turin, the following morning, at half past two, having accomplished the distance, about 400 miles, in eight hours. The particulars of this ærial voyage are thus related by Mr. Arban himself: The "I ascended from the Chateau de Fleurs on the evening of the 2nd September, at half past six. At eight, I was over the Wood of Esteret, where I ascertained I was at a height of 4,000 metres. The temperature of the air was cold, but dry; my thermometer marked four degrees below zero. wind was south-west, and sent me over Nice. For nearly two hours surrounded by very dense clouds, my cloak no longer sufficed to keep me warm: I suffered much from cold feet. I nevertheless, determined to proceed and traverse the Alps, from which I knew I was not far distant. "My provision of ballast was enough to raise me above the highest peaks. The cold gradually in creased, the wind became steady, and the moon lighted me like the sun. I was at the foot of the Alps; the snows, cascades, rivers, all were sparkling; the ravines and rock produced masses of darkness, which served as shadows to the gigantic picture. "The wind now interrupted the regularity of my course. I was occasionally obliged to ascend, in order to pass over the peaks. I reached the summit of the Alps at eleven o'clock, and as the horizon became clear, and my course regular, I began to think of supping. "I was now at an elevation of 4,600 metres. It was indispensably necessary for me to pursue my journey, and reach Piedmont. Chaos only was under me, and to alight in these regions was impossible. After supper, I threw my empty bottle into the snow beneath, where possibly some adventurous traveller will one day find it, and will be led to conclude that another before him had explored the same desert regions. At half past one in the morning, I was over Mount Misso, which I knew, having explored it in my first journey to Piedmont. There the Durance and the Po take their source. I reconnoitred the position, and discovered the magnificent plains of the mountain. Before this certainty, a singular optical delusion, occasioned by the shining of the moon upon the snow, was like to make me think myself over the open sea. But as the south-west wind had not ceased to blow, I was convinced by this fact, as well as by others I had noticed, that I could not be over the sea. The stars confirmed the accuracy of my compass, and the appearance of Mont Blanc to my left, on a level with the spot in which I was, being far above the clouds, resembled an immense block of crystal sparkling with a thousand fires. "At a quarter to three, Mount Viso, which was behind me, proved to me that I was in the neighbour |