Sir, nobody knows me here."

"I cannot take you without a character."

"But I will be very obedient-I will do all that you tell me."

"That is fine talking, my boy; but I tell you I cannot take you without a character."

John looked thoughtful and sad for a moment, and then he bethought himself of his pocket Bible, which had been given him as a reward in the Sunday-school. Opening the Bible where the inscription was written, before the captain, he said—"Will that do, sir, for a character?"

The captain read the following: "Presented to JOHN REYNOLDS, for his good behaviour in Sundayschool,

date."

"Ay, ay, my boy; I will take you on this recommendation; come along with me."

John was accordingly shipped in a merchant vessel for St Petersburg. A few days after, a storm arose, and the wind blew a hurricane, and the waves dashed over the ship, and the danger became frightfully great. John took his pocket Bible, and read in a loud and solemn voice the 51st Psalm. On his bended knees did that rough sailor boy cry to that God who alone can appease the raging storm. And one by one, one after another, did the sailors and the mate and the captain kneel down by that sailor boy, whilst he read the psalm at the top of his voice. And it pleased God to hear their united supplication. Never was it said

to the seed of Jacob, "Seek ye me in vain.” The captain used to say to John, in the afterpart of the voyage, "It was a good day for me, my boy, when I shipped you. Your prayers saved my ship. When we get to St Petersburg, you shall have a holiday."

They came to St Petersburg. According to his

promise, John had the holiday. Boy-like, he must needs go to the emperor's palace, to see all the great people go to court. And as carriage after carriage passed by in John's wondering gaze, something dropt at his feet. It was a bracelet, which had fallen from a lady's hand. John picked it up, and called aloud to the coachman to stop, but in vain; the crowd and the noise prevented John from being noticed, and he returned to the captain with the bracelet.

"You are a lucky boy," said the captain;

"these

"I picked them up, and I called to the driver to stop, but he drove on, and did not hear me."

"You did, then, all that you could do under the circumstances," said the captain; "and they are clearly yours."

66

No, captain, they are NOT MINE."

John was too honest and simple-minded to be caught by the captain's guile.

66

Why, you fool, let me have the diamonds, and when I get to London, I will sell them for you; they will bring a high price."

"That may be, captain, but they are not mine; and, captain, suppose that we should have a storm as we go home, what then?”

Ay, Jack, I never thought of that; however, let us try and find out the owner.

John Reynolds recieved from the lady, as a reward of his honesty, the sum of thirty-five pounds; and this, under the captain's advice, was laid out in skins and hides, which turned out a profitable investment. Soon after the vessel returned, he set off as fast as possible to the well known village, and very soon he found him

self at the wicket-gate of the better known cottage. But here what a scene presented itself! The narrow pathway to the cottage door was all covered with grass and weeds; the windows were all closed; there was an appearance of desolation all around, and burning grief soon withered all poor John's hopes. He felt sure that his dear mother was dead Alas! how grievous his disappointment!

Just at this moment a woman came out of a neighbouring cottage; she knew him, and instantly saw what was passing in his mind.

"Your mother is not dead, John." "Where is she, then?" cried he.

"She is in the Union Workhouse."

"Is that all?" said John, and he brushed the tears away, and with a throbbing bosom he set off for the Union house, and knocked at the door.

"What do you want?" said the master, in a gruff, disappointed voice.

"I want my mother."

"Your mother!

"Mary Reynolds."

Who is your mother?"

"What do you want with your mother?" "Support her, to be sure."

"You support her!-That is very likely."

"I am a merchant," said John, "I have got lots of money, and I will have my mother."

"You must have an order first."

"Order! do not talk to me about orders! I must -I will have my mother."

And John succeeded.

triumph.

He carried off his mother in

Will not my readers agree with this poor woman's statement: "My John is the best John in all the world"? And will they not feel interested in what she

added at the end of her beautiful and true story: "And all this was through the Bible"? Yes, dear children, through the Bible, and God's blessing on His own Word

Will not you help in sending this blessed Bible through the length and breadth of the world? And can you do this better than by joining, heart and hand, the Bible and Missionary Societies?--The Standard Bearer.

"It is almost time for us to be thinking of our missionary beds," said a little girl to her brother, turning from the open window into which the bright April sun was cheerily shining.

"I am thinking so too," he answered, not looking off his work; for he was busy trying to mend a ilttle hoe.

"Missionary beds; what are these? Featherbeds, straw-beds, mattresses?" So thought a gentle

man who sat in the room reading a newspaper, and yet heard what the children said. "Missionary beds! At last he asked the

Is that beds for missionaries?"

children what they meant.

“My

66 Why, garden-beds," briskly answered the little boy, dropping his hoe and looking earnestly up. father gives us children a bed in the garden, to plant and take care of and do everything ourselves. Then we sell what grows, and so earn our missionary money. My bed is asparagus, and my father and uncle John bought it all. Jane's is a bed of herbs, and last year she sold almost all her sage to the apothecary. like to be gardeners first-rate: mother was afraid we should not hold out, but we did; for we like to be doing what is really something."

We

There is a great deal of meaning in this child's remark. Play does not always satisfy children. How often they hang around, and ask again and again, "What shall I do?" which means a great deal more than it seems. The fact is, they like to be doing, a part of the time at least, "what is really something ;" that is, exercising their mind, limbs, taste, ingenuity, for an object of sufficient dignity and importance to make them ashamed of giving it up, and to reward them for persevering.

Now is the time to think of gardening; and what a pleasant thing it is to have a garden! How many children are going to have missionary beds? It is a very nice way to earn their money for the Lord's blessed work; for children now-a-days may not only pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," but they can practice what they pray, like grown-up people. They can come into this heavenly kingdom themselves, and can help others to enter also.-Child's Paper.