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THE PLEASURE PARTY.

THE boys of Mr Ellwood's school were all in fine spirits, for their teacher had invited them to accompany him on a fishing and boating excursion to a lake about six miles from the village where they all lived.

They started early in the morning, with their fishing

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lines and their dinner baskets, and a very pleasant ride they had in the large farm waggons hired for the occasion.

The lake on which they were to spend the day was a beautiful sheet of water completely surrounded by trees; so it was cool there in the middle of the hottest day in summer, while its mossy banks afforded pleasant seats for any who might desire to rest.

Of course, there were plenty of fish waiting to be coaxed from their hiding-places, and a fine boat for those who preferred rowing, while the cool, clear water looked inviting to all who loved swimming-and what school-boy does not?

Arrived at the lake, Mr Ellwood called them all together to decide upon the plans for the day. Some preferred to fish, while others were eager to explore in the boat the opposite side of the lake or some of the islands which dotted the surface. These were soon off, with the agreement that they were not to row where the sound of the oars might frighten the fish from the quiet anglers. At twelve o'clock they were all to meet under a large tree for luncheon.

With so many means of amusing themselves, the boys must have had a day of unlimited enjoyment, but for one thing which made them all uncomfortable. But we will let Charlie Bruce, one of their number, tell us about it.

"Did you have a pleasant time, Charlie?" said his mother to him as he came into the house after his day's excursion.

"Why, yes, mother," was the reply, "for Mr Ellwood was very kind, and there were plenty of fish, and it was delightful sailing upon the lake; but that Edward Winslow is the most selfish boy I ever saw, he almost spoiled all our fun."

"Why, what did he do?" said his mother.

"In the first place," said Charlie, "when we were arranging who should go in the boat, and who should fish on the shore, Edward said nothing about wanting to go, but busied himself about his fishing-line, so we supposed he was going to stay. But just as the boat was full, and we were pushing off, he insisted upon getting in. There was no room for him, but we did not like to make a fuss when Mr Ellwood had been so kind, so Frank Merwin gave up his seat to him. Then Edward wanted to steer, and because we would not let him do that, he kept throwing water upon us, until we told him we would put him out of the boat if he didn't stop; then he was angry because we wouldn't row where the boys were fishing-he said he didn't care if the oars did frighten the fish. He was so disagreeable that we were glad when it was time to return to luncheon. All the other boys spread out what they had brought, and we ate together; but Edward went off by himself, and devoured his sandwiches and tart and cake as if he was afraid some one would take it from him. He was the only boy, too, who had a drinkingcup, but he never offered to lend it to one of us. Though, to be sure, I liked a great deal better to drink from my hands-it was more like being on a pic-nic, you know-yet still I think he might have offered it.

"Then when we went to swim, he chose the very best place for his clothes, and in the water he tried to duck all the little boys, frightening them almost out of their wits, until Mr Ellwood made him stop. Now, was not that enough to make any one uncomfortable?"

"Certainly," said Mrs Bruce, "Edward was very disagreeable, and I am afraid he will never have any friends if he grows up so selfish. But then we can

make some excuse for him, for you know he is an only child, and his father is rich, so he is accustomed to have all he wants, and from his cradle his parents have made his wishes their law,"

"Yes, but he need not expect others to do so,” said Charlie.

"You see now," said his mother, "how much the happiness of all depends upon one in a party of pleasure. I dare say Frank Merwin made every one around him happy."

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'Yes, indeed, and I was very sorry when he left our boat, he is so kind and obliging, and yet so merry." "And I've no doubt he was much happier himself than Edward Winslow, though he did give up his sail to him. Ah! Charlie, he who follows the Bible rule, 'Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another,' adds not only to the happiness of others but to his own."-Selected.

THE MINER'S CHILD.

From the Teachers' Offering.

You have no doubt all heard of that frightful accident which has recently taken place in our colliery districts. More than a hundred human beings, men and children, have been killed. They went to their work in the early morning, fresh, hopeful, thinking little, I dare say, that when they descended the shaft they left the sunshine for ever, and would never more see those objects which had been familiar to them all their lives; that they, who were now so full of life, would, ere long, be brought up from the mine charred and disfigured by the explosion and the fire, and that of their village

it might soon be said, "There was not a house where there was not one dead!" It was an awful accident, and an awful scene which was presented at the pit's mouth. The crowds of women and children, pressing nearer and nearer as another body, and another, and another were brought up; crowds, anxious to know the worst, to raise the wail of sorrow as they recognised -sometimes scarcely recognised, so terribly disfigured was the corpse-a father, a brother, a husband, a son. And then the workmen, busy at the doleful toil of coffin-making, working hard at the rough shells that were to contain the bodies. We cannot tell, cannot feel, the real terror and agony of the scenes which took place that day. May God preserve us from ever knowing or feeling it as those poor people did who wailed for the dead that day; and may the lesson which the awful event is calculated to teach be deeply impressed upon us. May we remember always the certainty and uncertainty of death-the certainty of its approach, the uncertainty of the time of its approach-and may we, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be prepared to meet death, not with such words as "Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?" but rather with the glowing language of the apostle-"O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory!"

The colliery accident has reminded me of a French story which I heard the other day, and which, remembering as well as I can, I am going to tell you.

To one of the mining districts, where the people were very rough and savage-for they passed nearly all their lives in very laborious employment down in the mines, and had little to comfort or to cheer them —there came a new hand, that is to say, a new workman. This man was a widower, but he had one child, and all the love of his heart was centred in her. When

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