We gave him unwillingly, wifey,

And oh! how our poor sad hearts bled When the little blue silver-nailed coffin Was brought, and our darling lay dead.

How lonely our house seemed then, wifey,
How sorely we longed for him back;
But our God, who alone knows the future,
Saw what would be best for our Jack.

The sheep were far from the fold, wifey,
The Good Shepherd pleaded in vain,
Till He took up our lamb in His bosom,
Then we turned to the right path again.

Jesus took to Himself our babe, wifey,
To keep for us, knowing that we
Were not fit to be trusted to lead him
To that haven where we would be!

If God should call me home first, wifey,
You'll lay my old bones near the stile,
And set up a small stone above me

With these three words-"A little while."

'Twill be but " a little while," wifey,
And then on yon bright, happy shore,
You and I, and our bonnie wee baby,
Will meet where all partings are o'er,

To live with that dear Saviour, wifey,
Who gave His life's blood for us here,
That we in our trials and troubles

Might turn to Him, knowing He's near!

Knowing!-'Tis a precious thought, wifey-
Our sins are all cleansed and forgiven,
And I long sorely now in my weakness,

For the "Rest that remaineth" in heaven.

E. S. P.

OME, rouse up, rouse up," cried Farmer Arnold, knocking lustily upon the wide, open staircase that led to the sleeping apartments of the old farm-house of Trycourt. "Rouse up, all of you," he repeated, as he left the house and took his way towards the hay-field, where the men were already at work.

It was quite early in the morning, and the fresh, sweet air was filled with the sound of singing birds, and laden with the profusion of many flowers; but the farmer, not seeming to notice the beauty of the scene, looked anxiously at a streak of tiny clouds that appeared in the southern sky. "There will be rain before the day is out," he muttered, as he walked along; we must get the "three acres' carried

to-day."

Very soon the farmer was among his men, and ere long the boys and women, whose work it was to turn the grass that had been previously cut and was almost ready to carry, came into the field.

"Come, you lads and lasses," cried Mr. Arnold; "the work waits, and there is rain coming. There is work for you all to-day."

"True for you, master," said one of the younger women, and then added in an undertone to the companion who walked by her side; "there is work for us all to-day: 'Work while it is called to-day, for the night cometh when no man can work.'

"There you go again, Polly," responded the other; "you are always lugging in the Bible; why can't you let it alone now and then? You are none the better for always having a text at your tongue's end."

"Perhaps not, Hetty; but I love to think of the words our Saviour has spoken; and you know He has said we are to work while it is called to-day."

"Yes, I know that; but He didn't mean this sort of work; He was speaking of something more serious than that."

"And I was thinking of something serious. Shall I tell you what it was ?" asked the other, with a smile.

"If you like; only make haste, for here we are in the field." Hetty spoke a little impatiently, as though she would rather her companion kept her thoughts to herself; nevertheless she waited to hear the answer.

"Well, I was just thinking of what Christ said about

the grass, that to-day is in the field, and to-morrow is cut down and cast into the oven; and I was wondering how soon our lives might end and our day be over, when the master said: 'There is work for you all to-day.' Ay, Hetty, there is work for us all in the Lord's great harvest field."

The two young women had now reached the long swathes of grass, and for some time were too busy with their work for much conversation, at any rate of a quiet and serious character; but Polly Green's last words continued to ring in the ears of Hetty: "There is work for us all." Yes, she knew it; and she felt conscious that she was not doing her share.

Hetty Freeman was, like a great many others, almost persuaded to be a Christian; she knew what was right, but unfortunately for her peace of mind she had not had the courage to forsake all and follow Jesus. The world, and the things of the world, had attractions too great for her, and she was as yet undecided for Christ.

Merrily and pleasantly the business of the day went on, and before the evening all the hay had been carted and securely stacked, without taking a drop of rain.

"There," remarked the farmer, as the men finished putting the tarpaulin over the newly-made stack; "we've done a good stroke of work; but we haven't finished a minute too soon; it is just beginning to rain."

True enough, it was beginning to rain; and before the night was passed such a storm burst over the district that, had the hay remained in the field, much of it must inevitably have been spoiled.

"We couldn't have worked to-night, Hetty," said Polly Green to her friend, as they watched the falling rain. "It was well that we had finished the meadow before this came on."

"Yes," answered Hetty. "I should have been sorry to see the hay spoiled after all the trouble the master has taken about it."

"And so should I ;" and then, after a pause, Polly continued: "You know what I said this morning, Hetty, about our Lord's words: 'Work while it is called to-day.'

"Yes, yes. I know," answered Hetty, hastily; "but if you are going to preach I shall just go off. I don't feel inclined to hear a sermon just now."

"No, I am not going to preach, Hetty; but I want to give you one more word to think on. You know the Lord says that all His servants are to work, and I'm sure no true servant would wish to be idle; but the Bible tells us, too, to 'work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.' Hetty, dear, are you doing that?"

This was a straightforward question, and went home to Hetty's heart. She felt that she could not truthfully answer it in the affirmative, and her pride would not allow her to admit that she was neglecting her duty in this respect; so she merely evaded it by saying that she did not care to talk of such things. She considered herself as good as a great many others who made more profession of religion; and, after all, there was time enough to think of such matters; she was young and healthy, and in all probability had long to live.

66 Don't say that, Hetty; you don't know what a day may bring forth; there is many a one dies younger than you are, and what if you should be taken, unprepared ?"

What more Polly might have said we cannot tell, for her companion abruptly left her. But though she would hear no more of her friend's wise counsels, she could not forget what had already been said.

Weeks and months passed by, and Hetty remained undecided for Christ; she was convicted, but not converted. Meanwhile Polly Green went on quietly doing her Master's work, and showing by her life how sincere and true was her belief. How much good she did by her holy example and loving advice can never be known on earth; but we may be sure of this, that work such as hers is accepted by the great Master, who has told His disciples to work for Him,