"SMALL SERVICE IS TRUE SERVICE."

THE brakes with golden flowers were crowned,

And melody was heard around;

When, near a stream, a dew-drop shed
Its lustre on a violet's head.

:

While trembling to the breeze it hung,—
The streamlet, as it rolled along,
The beauty of the morn confess'd,
And thus the sparkling pearl addressed :-
"Sure, little drop, rejoice we may,
For all is beautiful and gay;
Creation wears her emerald dress,
And smiles in all her loveliness;
And with delight and pride I see
That little flower bedewed by thee.
Thy lustre with a gem might vie,
While trembling in its purple eye."

"You may rejoice, indeed, 'tis true,"
Replied the radiant drop of dew;
"You will, no doubt, as on you move,
To flocks and herds a blessing prove;
But when the sun ascends on high,
Its beams will draw me to the sky;
And (I must own my humble power)
I've but refreshed a lowly flower."

"Hold!" cried the stream, "nor thus repine;
For well 'tis known a power divine,
Subservient to His will supreme,

Hath made the dew-drop and the stream.
Though small thou art (I that allow)—
No mark of Heaven's contempt art thou.
Thou hast refreshed an humble flower,
And done according to thy power.
All things that are, both great and small,
One glorious Author formed them all.
This thought may all repining quell,-
What serves his purpose serves him well."

A LITTLE boy knew nothing about an echo; but one day he cried out as he jumped about in the grass, "Ho! H-o-p!" and immediately, from a little wall close at hand, he heard," Ho! H-o-p!" Astonished, he cried out, "Who are you?" The voice at once answered: "Who are you?" "You're a stupid little fool!" cried the boy, beginning "Stupid little fool!" came back from the wall.

to be angry.

The boy grew enraged, and in his passion shouted all manner of abusive names; the wall gave them all faithfully back again. Then the child searched all over for the mocking boy, that he might take vengeance on him; but no creature could he find but a harmless pussy hunting sparrows.

Indignant and surprised, the child ran home and complained bitterly how a wicked boy, hidden somewhere behind the old wall, had been calling him hard names.

"There!" said his mother, "you have betrayed yourself! You heard only your own words reflected from the wall, as you have seen your own face, sometimes, reflected from a glass. If you had given kind tones and friendly words, kind tones and friendly words would have returned to you again."

And so it always is; the conduct of others is but the echo of our own. If we treat others kindly and considerately, they will treat us kindly and considerately in turn; but if we are rough and rude to them, we must expect nothing more ourselves.

A LITTLE girl who had a heart to do good, once became very much discouraged because, as she said, she was nothing but a little girl. If she were only a woman and had plenty of money, she could do a great deal of good in the world, she thought; but as it was, there was little she could do.

But when she went away alone to pray, God met her, as he meets all who pray sincerely to him, and he taught her how she might serve him.

She rose one morning with a new purpose in her heart-a purpose to make every one about her as happy as she possibly could. She soon found her hands full of work. She ran on errands for her mother, and she helped her little brothers and sisters, and gave every one a smile and a pleasant word, and all the house was full of the sunshine of the little girl's love. She began to see that love can accomplish a great deal; and when night came she was very happy, as she reviewed the day, and counted all the little things she had been able to do to assist and comfort others.

"I know now," she said, " why I have done more to-day than I've ever done in any one day before. I wanted to do a great deal, and I watched for the opportunities." The well-spent day convinced her that he had influence and talents too.

In all these efforts of the little girl she did indeed work many good works. She found that she had influence, and talents, and money—all she needed to work with. She learned, too, that a loving heart always finds a great many ways of doing good, and that those who love God will always find work enough to do in the world. The old man whose hair is white, and who walks with trembling steps, has often felt the power of a child, and been made better by it.

The strong, stout infidel, who says the Bible is not true, has been led by the simple words of a child to read the Bible and love it, and pray to God for the forgiveness of his sins.

The profane swearer, who dares to use the name of God lightly, has been induced by the gentle pleading of a child to give up his profanity, and revere and worship God.

There are innumerable instances showing that children have dore what others seemed unable to do. No one, my reader, is too small and unnoticed to do good!