though he could not speak in a very confident tone, that he certainly had heard a noise.

"Run again," said his brother, "and tell me whether you hear it now."

The coward did as he was requested, and blushed as he said he did hear it. Mark suspected by his looks that he was no longer afraid of the noise; and he said, "Come, Jack, be honest, now, and tell me what you think the

noise is."

John rubbed his head with his hand, and looked down with his face, and looked up with his eyes, after the manner which people call sheepish, and stammered out, "I guess it was the creaking of my new shoes."

Mark could not refrain from a hearty laugh. When they came in sight of the farm-house, he bade his brother good night, and added, "You have been frightened almost to death to-night with your own shadow, and the creaking of your new shoes; I tell you again that when you hear or see anything worse than yourself, I will bring you home an elephant."

LINES ON A SUN-FLOWER.

BY THE REV. FRANCIS SKURRAY.

WHAT love is borne unto the sun
By this expansive flower!
It turns its aspect to the skies,
Whether they shine or lower.

And, as the luminary speeds
His progress through the day,
This heliotrope inclines its head,
To greet him on his way.

And when the sun withdraws his light,

And seeks his ocean-bed,

The plant contracts his flowers, and droops As though his life had fled;

And when the sun has ceased to sleep

Beyond the Western main,

And peeps above the earth, the plant

Erects its head again.

Whene'er the Sun of Righteousness

Shines on me from above,

Mine eyes are lifted, and my
Is lighted up with love.

heart

Sometimes a vapor shrouds the sun,
And grief and sickness brings :
I wait—the radiance re-appears,
With healing on its wings.

When earthly objects tempt my heart
Midst grovelling scenes to stray,
This plant will teach me to look up,
And choose the brighter way.

Whatever love thou mayst profess,
My friend, for other flowers,
Be sure to let this heliotrope
Be planted in thy bowers.

The fragrance of the blushing rose
From cares may set thee free,
And the shy lily of the vale
May preach humility;

But the sun-flower will teach thy soul
Where Christians should aspire ;

It points above, whence thou mayst draw
A spark of heavenly fire.

Then strew the sun-flower seeds abroad, And may the frequent shower Nurture each plant, till it produce

The fringed and yellow flower:

Add so this heliotrope will smile
On every spot around,

And

every

border where it grows

Shall seem like holy ground.

And may its heaven-directed look,
And pensive air, impart

An elevation to thine eyes,

And grandeur to thy heart.

And may the blue, inviting sky,

And brightness from above,

Sooth angry passions when they rise,

And fill thy soul with love.

THE PICTURESQUE.

BY MRS. ELLIS.

"WHAT is the meaning of picturesque said little Jessy to her sister Jane; and she hesitated and blushed as she spoke, for all the young ladies of her acquaintance talked about this thing and the other being "picturesque," and yet Jessy could never tell exactly what they meant. Perhaps Jane, though several years older, was not much wiser; for she looked as if the question had never occurred to her before, while drawing her chair close to her sister's, she glanced over the same set of pictures, most prudently waiting to make up her mind what picturesque really meant, before she gave her

answer.

"Perhaps you don't know either," said Jessy, rather pleased to suppose any one as ignorant as herself.

"Yes;" said Jane, looking still more earn