HOME-SICKNESS-not the worst or most dangerous sickness, but pretty bad after all, as many a poor sailor-boy knows, tossed in his bunk on his first voyage; as many a school-girl knows, her first week at boarding-school; as poor Bob Richards felt, when he shouldered his bundle and started from the old farm to seek employment "below," as the land by the sea-coast was called.

He was on foot, and on the afternoon of the second day was tired enough; so he turned into a field, and went down to the banks of a little stream to rest himself. Oh, how home came back to him. He saw the cows at the gates, ready to go home from pasture; he saw the men

hoeing in the field; he heard Watch barking; he saw his mother gettings upper; he saw the children down by the brook; and he said it seemed as if every time he had disobeyed his father, or been disobliging to his mother, or angry with his brother or sisters, was like a serpent biting him. "Oh," he said, "I wished I had been a thousand times better boy in my dear, dear home, where everybody loved me so.'

Poor Bob! I suppose many and many a young person feels so, and many a tear of penitent love is shed over shortcomings at home. Oh that I had been a better son -a better daughter! But you cannot recall or restore the past. That sorrow of heart will not be useless, however, if it soften and nerve you to fulfil present duty with more fidelity and kindness. From hour to hour, and from day to day, the great source of happiness is small kindnesses. That you can do; that you will never be sorry for.-American.

"I'LL TELL YOU A FACT."

"Do you think the missionaries have done any good in the Pacific Ocean?" was once asked of a sailor, after cruising in those seas. "I'll tell you a fact, which speaks for itself," answered the sailor. "Last year I was wrecked on one of those islands where I knew that, eight years before, an American whaler was wrecked and the crew murdered; and you may judge how I felt at the prospect before us--if not dashed to pieces on the rocks, to survive for only a more cruel death. When day broke, we saw a number of canoes pulling for our poor ship, and we prepared for the worst. Think of our astonishment when we saw the natives in English dress, and heard them speak in the English language. On that very island the next Sabbath we heard the gospel preached. We sat down at the communion-table, and sung the same psalms I used to sing in old Scotland. I don't know what you think of missions, but I know what I do."

INFANT-MURDER IN CHINA.

MR. CULBERTSON, a missionary at Shangai, mentions an incident shockingly illustrative of the horrid cruelties of which the dark places of the earth are full :

"While moving slowly along in our boat a dark object was seen floating on the water; and as it drew near, it proved to be an earthen jar, in which was seen an infant which seemed to be alive. It was carried rapidly past us by the current, and it was with some difficulty we succeeded in securing it. On reaching it we found, sure enough, that it contained a living child. It was a large, strong child, evidently born during the previous night. It was entirely destitute of clothing, and had a little white cloth thrown over its face, probably to shield it from the It was of course a girl, for boys are not often thus

sun.

abandoned.

"Our boat being crowded we hung a sheet overhead as a hammock for the little stranger. Next day we arrived at Amoy. The friends there were rather astonished at our baby; but measures were at once taken to place it in the care of one of the Christian women of the native church. May this little one, thus saved from death, grow up to be a blessing to her countrywomen!"

YES OR NO.

"COME! come! I would not stay in school all day; there is grand skating on the pond. You've got your skates; now, a fig for school! Come, go with me and skate. Come; say yes or no; quick, or I'm off!"

So said a big boy to a little boy, not far from my window. The little boy looked, but did not quickly

answer.

"Come, you coward! say yes or no; quick!"

The little boy was evidently hesitating. How I hoped he would say

No!"

"Yes," answered he at last.

"Yes! hurrah! away for the ice!" shouted the great boy; and away they scampered together.

I have thought much of that; the "Yes" of that little boy. It was a very little, but a very important word. It made him a truant. He ran away from his books and his school, without the consent of his father or mother; it led to disobedience, and perhaps lying. Who knows but that little "Yes" will make a bad boy of him, and a bad man? Poor little boy! ah, it was a wrong thing to say Yes."

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And now, boys, have you ever thought how very much may hang upon these two bits of words, Yes and No? If you use the one when you ought to have used the other, it may make a difference for you which you can never get over. Be careful never to misplace them. Consider well, and never say Yes, when you ought to have said No, in a clear, manly tone; or No, when conscience urged you to say Yes.

PRINCE ALFRED THE SAILOR.

PRINCE ALFRED, the second son of Queen Victoria, paid a visit to Athens in 1860. The famous Olympic games, which had been given up ever since Athens became Christianized, were about to be held again, and the committee of arrangements, in honour of the young prince's visit, put off the horse-race of the Hippodrome from Monday until Sunday, when he could be supposed to be present.

Alfred promptly declined the invitation, saying that "he could not be present at the race on the Holy Day of the Lord;" and the committee were obliged to prepare it anew the next Tuesday.

Though Alfred is yet a boy, we rejoice in his manly stand on the side of his English Christian education.

"WAS IT OUR JESUS?"

A LITTLE girl of three years old stood at the window one pleasant Sabbath, "watching for papa," who was at church. Soon she spied him coming; and as he entered the door, she raised her eyes to him, and said, "Papa, what did Mr. R― preach about this morning?" Her father replied, "He preached about Jesus." "Papa, was it our Jesus?" she asked. "Yes," said her father, "it was our Jesus." The eyes brightened at the thought that papa's minister knew her Jesus, and talked about him to his congregation.

BE CONTENTED.

"I NEVER complained of my condition but once," said Sadi, "when my feet were bare, and I had no money to buy shoes; but shortly I met a man without feet, and I became contented with my lot."

THE LION AND THE DOVE.

THERE are horrible beasts called lions, tigers, wolves, and bears. Perhaps you have seen them shut up in cages. Wicked people are like wild beasts.

There is a gentle bird called the dove. The Holy Spirit of God is like dove. If this Holy Spirit come into your heart, you would grow gentle like a dove, and then you would be happy. But will the Holy Spirit come? Yes. Jesus has promised to send him into the hearts of all who ask him. What a happy child you might be, if your sins were forgiven, and the heavenly Dove was with you. Even now you would be happy. But you would be happier still one day, for one day you will live with God in heaven.