HIS OWN WAY. morrow. He and Willy Brown had agreed to meet at twelve o'clock and go to Pelsall Wood to gather blackberries—a ramble of several miles. He was just going to ask his mother for some lunch in a little basket when she spoke. What was he to do now! Why, obey his mother, of course, you say: what else could he do? That is what a good boy would have done, of course, but-well, Jimmy Barras was not a bad boy, but he was known to everybody as 'the lad who would have his own way '-if he could anyhow manage it; and very often Jimmy found that his own way brought him neither pleasure nor profit; yet still he was not cured. He had two sisters a good deal older than himself, who lived away from home, so perhaps he was a little spoilt, although his father and mother were wise people, and tried to guide him well. Jimmy looked across the strip of garden, and then up to the blue sky, very discontentedly. It was such a splendid day, and Pelsall Wood must be quite dry, and full of splendid blackberries; and the holidays would soon be over; and Willy Brown would be waiting for him presently at the corner of the road. The more he thought of it, the more unwilling he was to give up his plan. 'What will you want me for, mother?' he asked, presently, putting his head inside the kitchen door. 'I can't tell you just now,' she replied; but I shall want you in the afternoon. You can go and play now, but come back to dinner at two o'clock.' And she went upstairs to make the beds. Jimmy muttered to himself that he did not believe he would be wanted at all; at least, not for anything of consequence; and the sight of the pantry door suggested to him that here was a chance to help 61 himself to some lunch, and be off. He peeped in to see what there was. Bread and cheese and some apple-puffs. In a few minutes he had stuffed a supply into a small basket, and slipped outside with it. Then, keeping out of sight as well as he could of the front windows, he stepped down the road to meet Willy Brown. It was a very hot day, and the walk to Pelsall Wood seemed longer and dustier and less interesting than Jimmy could have thought possible. They both got so tired of it that they sat down to rest and to eat their lunch as soon as they were under the shade of the first trees, and then they were so thirsty that they sauntered about in search of water, and, being a long time in finding any, had spent a good part of the day without getting near to the heart of the forest, where the blackberries were finest and most plentiful. Then Jimmy grew very cross. The expedition was not giving him half the pleasure he had hoped for: his conscience smote him for playing his good, kind mother a trick; and being vexed with himself, he was vexed with Willy too, and with the heat, and with the long road, and the scarcity of berries. He had meant to take home a basketful, besides having a royal feast there 62 PAGES FROM A LITTLE GIRL'S LIFE. and then; and really there were scarcely any, he declared. At last, impatiently tugging at a branch he could not well reach, he lost his footing, and tumbled amongst the brambles, getting his face a good deal scratched and his jacket torn. Poor Jimmy! it was not a success, this scheme of his. It was nearly dark before the boys reached home, and Jimmy felt rather afraid of what his father might say or do. He slunk round to the back of the house and peeped in at the window. His mother was alone in the kitchen, putting the best tea-set away in a closet. There had been company to tea, then, and he had been wanted. Jimmy felt pretty much ashamed of himself, and limped in as quietly as possible. 'Well, my son, you have had your own way again, and I hope you have enjoyed it,' said his mother, in her driest tone. There was no answer. Presently she asked where he had been, and on hearing, laughed a little, and showed him a large basket of fine blackberries, asking him if he had done as well as that. Jimmy stared, and when he heard his mother's news he went out into the garden and cried for vexation. For his aunt, of whom they were all so fond, had come from the town in her carriage, and had taken his mother a beautiful drive to the best part of Pelsall Wood, and Jimmy was to have gone with them. What vexed Jimmy the most was that his aunt should have found him to be such a disobedient boy; but he really did try, after this, to be less fond of 'his own way.' PAGES FROM A LITTLE GIRL'S LIFE. HERE is a very great danger of children falling into the error of thinking there is no real work they can do for Jesus while they are little they think they must wait till they grow older, and can take a class in the Sunday-school, or have Ga Tract district of their own, or visit : poor people, and a great deal besides. What a mistake you make, dear girls and boys! As soon as you begin to love the Saviour, and know yourselves to be His children, He puts you into His vineyard, and says, 'Go work, while it is called to-day;' and you must know that the morning hours are the very sweetest and best for work of any kind. Perhaps you are saying, 'I should like to do something for Jesus, to show my love to Him, but what is there I can do?' I cannot attempt to tell you here all the many things which are close at hand and ready for you to do; but if you ask Jesus to show you, and really wish to be shown, you will soon have your hands full. He found work for Issie to do, although she was younger than most of the children who will read this. A poor woman was in the habit of coming to the house where she lived. After a time Issie asked a sister, 'Does Mrs. K―― love Jesus?' 'No, dear, I think not,' was the answer. 'O, poor Mrs. K-,' said the child, with pitiful voice and filling eyes; 'she doesn't love Jesus, and can't go to heaven.' Her grief could by no means be soothed. She went to her father's room, and found him hastening to start for his business. 'O, papa !' she pleaded, won't you stay and ask Mrs. K- to love Jesus?' 'Darling, I cannot,' said papa; 'I have to go to my business.' 'But, papa,'-said the dear child, trying in vain to conquer her emotion, that she might successfully urge her plea-'isn't it more consekence than your business that Mrs. K- doesn't love Jesus, and won't go to heaven ?' 'Yes, my dear child, indeed it is,' answered her father; but I have talked to Mrs. K- before; and I am afraid she will not listen to me.' 'O, won't you try her again?' asked the little pleader; and the father promised to take a later train that he might urge the woman once more to accept his child's ANSWER TO PUZZLE-PICTURE: III.—BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. 63 The Scripture reference was unanswerable, and Issie was silent and convinced. But after a time it was seen that this frequent use of text or quotation from the Book of books was not good for the little ones; for several times the elders of the family were distressed to find that uncon Saviour. But the woman, contrary to her usual custom, did not come that day, and Issie's grief on the woman's account, and her disappointment at her non-appearance, found vent through the day in frequent bursts of sobs and tears, which she vainly sought to check. The next day when the elder members of the family were absent, Mrs. K-sciously there had mingled with this innocent came, and Issie herself lovingly talked to her, begging her to love her Jesus, because He died for her, that she might go to heaven. Thus early was the burden of souls laid upon the sweet child, that, though gathered early to her eternal home, she might yet share the reward in the great harvest-home of those who, going forth weeping, bearing precious seed, will doubtless come again, bringing their sheaves with them. All who watched the little life were convinced of the fact, that in its first bright beauty she had dedicated herself and alike been dedicated to Him to Whom she realized her more than all was due. To Issie and Sydney Bible history and facts had been from their babyhood as familiar as the events daily transpiring around them; and they perpetually lived over again the sweet stories of old; they acted, in childish fashion enough, the scenes through which their favourite heroes had passed; they adapted their line of action to their own small but intensely real life, and more often than not spoke in the language of Scripture, -for instance, a well-known knock at the door being heard, and the little ones being in the way, both scampered. Issie was first, but Sydney, with that want of chivalry peculiar to boyish years, if no others, pushed her aside, and reached the door first. 'Ah, Sydney, you know I was first,' was her complaint, to which he made answer : 'Yes; but, Isabel, you know the Bible says, "The first shall be last."' play something like irreverent carelessness of the sacred Word. So after one day overhearing Sydney threaten the life of his little sister with the sword of the Lord and of Gideon,' it was thought best to check the constant drawing upon Bible truths and words for their own fun or mischief, and the text, 'Now therefore, be not mockers, lest your bands be made strong,' was taught and carefully explained, and from that time, so thoroughly did they learn their lesson, no more was heard of such careless trifling with Holy Writ. If there was the least sign of it, the instant reminder would be, ""Now therefore," Sydney,' or ""Now therefore," Isabel,' and the answer would come, 'I didn't mean to mock, did I, mamma?' It was Issie's daily custom to go to her mother for a text, which was explained to her in simple language such as she could easily understand. The bread thus cast upon the waters has constantly been found in times of dearth. One day, anxious and sad at heart, the mother's faith was drooping, and prayer itself seemed for a time to be in vain, when Issie came to her, and stooping tenderly over her bowed head, said: Mamma, shall I give you a text to-day?' 'Yes, dear, if you like,' said the mother. Sweet and inspiring, a message from heaven itself, came the answer in the words of the text that she herself had learned a few days since: 'Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us.' ANSWER TO PUZZLE-PICTURE. NO. III.—BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. Buckinghamshire, with an area of 738 sq. miles, is finely diversified with hill and dale, wood and water. The Chiltern Hills extend across the county in a N. E. direction. In the N. is the fertile vale of Aylesbury, where the meadow lands give fine pasturage for the fattening of cattle. The sheep are noted for heavy fleeces. Large numbers of ducks are reared. The chief dairy product is butter, of which about five millions of pounds are annually sold. Wheat and beans are the principal crops. The chief rivers are the Thames, Ouse, and Colne. The chief towns are Aylesbury, Buckingham, Marlow, and Wycombe. |