Daily near my table steal,
While I take my scanty meal;
Doubt not, little though thou be,
But I'll cast a crumb to thee:
Well rewarded, if I spy
Pleasure in thy glancing eye,

And see thee, when thou'st had thy fill,
Plume thy breast and wipe thy bill.
Come, my feathered friend, again;
Well thou know'st the broken pane.
Ask of me thy daily store,
Ever welcome to my door.

a kind of sociableness with men. I had thought they lived upon crumbs of bread, or upon other such harmless matter. I like him worse than I did. . . .

The reason why Bunyan wrote thus, no doubt, was that in his day there were many superstitions believed about the robin. Happily most of them served to protect it from injury. It is notable that in ages when the brutes would not have been protected out of mercy, many were protected out of superstition. We shall be able to give many examples when we write of

66

We used to be puzzled by the way in which Bunyan wrote about the robin in the second part of the Pilgrim's Progress. Then, as they were coming in from abroad, they espied a little robin with a great spider in his mouth. So the interpreter said: 'Look here.' So they looked, and Mercy wondered; but Christiana said: What a disparagement is it to such a pretty little bird as the robin-redbreast is! he being also a bird above many, that loveth to maintain

the legends about birds. An illustration was given by Mr. Clemens in his letter printed in May last, and another in the notes about the toad. It is a saying in Suffolk, "You must not take robin's eggs; if you do you will get your legs broken;" and also, "If a robin dies in your hand, that will always shake." No doubt most of such sayings remain from days when Englandwas Roman Catholic, and when there was believed a beautiful legend about the red-breasted bird.

It was taught that it had hovered in love around our Lord as He hung upon the cross, and had ever after borne a token of the sacred blood which then dripped on its breast. In Wales it was called "Bronrhuddyn, the breast-burned

bird," and it was said that it visited the land of lost souls daily in its pity.

"He brings cool dew in his little bill,

And lets it fall on the souls of sin;

You can see the mark on his red breast still,
Of fires that scorch as he drops it in."

Very foolish these legends are to us now, yet very beautiful and full of teaching to those who will learn of them. We hope to quote the poem holding the above verse in future notes about the legends of the birds.

It must be confessed by the robin's friends, however, that he is often a great bully to other birds. Probably many of us have seen a flock of sparrows, &c., all eating away as fast as they could at scattered crumbs, suddenly fly up as another bird alighted on the spot, and that bird has generally been a robin. He will allow no other to feed with him if there is enough for fifty birds, and will sometimes seem to stop longer just to keep others away. Probably the same courage and self-consequence which make a score of sparrows fly before him make him so bold in his approaches to man, into whose houses or on whose sholders he can readily be coaxed.

However this may be, he will always be a favourite for that trust which brings him to man's dwelling for help in time of hardship.

We thank a correspondent for sending us some verses about robins, which we shall use in the nesting time to which they refer.

ABOUT CATS.

Since last month the Annual Cat Show has been held at the Crystal Palace. The Illustrated London News for the week before gave a page of amusing sketches about two cats, one of which was sent to the show and got a medal, and the other, having been shut out of doors with cruel carelessness for the time that its mistress was at the seaside, was not fit to be sent. We could not go. Can any London member tell us about it? Such shows, like all other things making people take greater interest in the animals about them, will help on the cause of the Guild. Poor pussy! she has been tormented by cruel people ever since men have been her masters. On most days we can find in the newspaper a tale of torture inflicted on her by somebody, and very often by children. In old days she was illtreated, probably because evil spirits were said to live with witches in the shape of black cats. People thought most very old women who kept black cats,

especially if trouble had made them ill-tempered, had sold themselves to Satan, and often murdered both woman and cat. Thank God, such things are no longer possible. In Lent cats used to be thrown from church towers in Flanders, and, on Midsummer Eve, into bonfires in France. They were as badly treated in the Highlands. Even now many sailors object to their being on board ship. Their affectionateness and intelligence certainly deserve for them places of honour among our pets. We now print the first half of the extracts sent us out of White's Natural History of Selborne.

"My friend had a little helpless leveret brought to him, which the servants fed with milk in a spoon; and about the same time his cat kittened, and the young were despatched and buried. The hare was soon lost, and supposed to be killed by some dog or cat. However, in about a fortnight, as the master was sitting in his garden in the dusk of the evening, he observed his cat with tail erect trotting towards him and calling with little notes such as they use towards their kittens, and something gambolling after, which proved to be the leveret that the cat had supported with her milk, and continued to support with great affection." White also tells a story of a cat that nursed three young squirrels which a boy had taken and put under her care. So many people went to see this strange sight that pussy, growing alarmed, hid the little squirrels over the ceiling, where one of them died.

We shall print the remaining extracts from White next month.

GUILD NEWS.

We shall be glad to receive very brief reports of meetings, &c., for insertion under this head each month.

Unfortunately, the joint meeting of the Bethel and Brunswick Bands (London) had to be postponed from October 27 to November 10. As the JUVENILES must be ready for binding about the middle of November, this date is unhappily too late for the insertion here of the detailed account of the meeting intended; but such account, and the results of the experience gained, will be offered to the Band of Hope Monitor for the benefit of Guild officials. Although it was "Lord Mayor's day," and the distance six miles, ten Brunswick members and several friends helped the members and friends at West Kensington to nearly fill the schoolroom there. The numbers of the two bands were said to be: Brunswick, 17 Juniors, 22 of the Middle Division, and 15 Seniors, total 54; Bethel, 6 Juniors, 31 Middle Division, and 12 Seniors, total 49; without counting several who joined as members and honorary members at the close of the meeting. The rules as to honorary members, which will be printed next month

in the large magazine, were read. Songs, Nos. 57 (Anniversary Song), 9 (Only a Little Sparrow), 6 (The Song of the Bee), 1 (The Sparrow's Petition), 18 (My Dog Dash), 26 (The Old Black Cat), were well sung by Misses L. Trollope, Prestage, Raynor, Ball, Thomas and Symes, and Messrs Cass, F. Williams, A. Williams, Dowse, Hobson, and S. Trollope, aided by other Bethel members. We will send samples of these songs to intending Band formers on receipt of a halfpenny stamp. Ten recitations were all carefully delivered by Misses Clayton, Barlow, Radlett, L. Trollope, Holman, Moreland, and Corner, and Messrs. S. Trollope and Flecknell. Amongst these were Rhymes Nos. 1 and 3, the first of which was specially well recited by Miss Corner, and repeated. Most of the remaining pieces will probably appear in the JUVENILE next year.

Short addresses were given by the Editor, Dr. Ward, who is also the President of the Guild, and by the Rev. G. W. Crutchley. The meeting occupied about an hour and a half. A return meeting will be held at Brunswick as soon as possible.

GOOD RESOLUTIONS.

With the next number a New Year will start, with all its new purposes and good resolutions. I dare say many of us save up our good resolutions this month to make a fresh start with them in the New Year. One of them should be carried out at once, if it has been made-and made and carried out if not yet made-viz.:

All readers under 21 should send to A. C. C. their full name, address, and month and year of birth, with 2 stamps, that they may become members of the Guild; and all over 21 should send their names, addresses, and first year's subscription of not less than 6d., in order to become honorary members. If teachers send up more than 24 names, the pledge-cards will be sent post free. If no stamps for postage are sent, cards will be forwarded in the magazine parcels.

Subscriptions to the Prize Fund will be gladly received by the Editor; but all letters about the Guild should be sent to A. C. C., 38, Avondale Square, Old Kent Road, London, S.E.

NE beautiful day in autumn, when the waving corn-fields and the richly-laden fruit trees showed the goodness of God to his creatures, a poor woman sat in her little parlour with a sad heart. On that day she had to pay a small sum of money, but she knew not where or how to procure it. Many times during the day her lips moved in prayer, and in secret she raised her heart to God. In pure faith she sought His guidance. Presently a knock was heard at the door, and the good woman's maid entered.

God.

the wine as usual was freely circulated :-" First silent, then talky, then argumentative, then disputatious, then unintelligible, then altogethery, then inarticulate, and then drunk!"

Dr. Chalmers once asked a woman what could be done to induce her husband to attend Kirk (church). "I don't know," she replied, "unless you were to put a pipe and a pot of porter in the pew."

In Napoleon's celebrated retreat from Moscow, Count De Quickville was one of the few officers who survived that expedition. He stated that he attributed his fortunate escape in a great

measure to his having never drunk any intoxicating drinks during the retreat, but only water.

The Rev. Richard Knill, after many years' missionary work in Russia, observes that it was customary in cold weather for the officers to smell the breaths of the soldiers before they went on an expedition, and those who had taken any ardent spirits were sent back.

A well-known newspaper gives prominence to the following fact: "Unpopular as all proposals to tamper with the orthodox menu have been, we have lived to see the despised teetotalism of our boyhood assume the garb of gentility. Whether from motives of noble or ignoble nature, from the desire to influence the enslaved, or from the latest novelty, whether because of the contagion of fashion or as the protest against the mania for fantastic drinks, or, more probably, from a combination of these reasons, we see princesses and peers, bishops, parsons, doctors, and eminent laymen parading their conversion to pledgesigning, which used to be regarded as the formal confession of moral weakness in the illiterate."

Shakespeare puts the following lines into the mouth of one of his characters :

"Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty,
For in my youth I never did apply
Hot and rebellious liquors in my blood;
Nor did not, with unbashful forehead, woo
The means of weakness and debility;
Therefore my age is as lusty winter,
Frosty but kindly."

The Duke of Wellington, during the Peninsular war, heard that a large magazine of wine lay in his line of march. He feared more for his men from barrels of wine than batteries of cannon, and instantly despatched a body of troops to knock every wine barrel on the head.

Dr. Guthrie, speaking on the advantages of total abstinence, says, "I have tried both ways. I speak from experience. I am in good spirits because I take no spirits. I am hale because I use no ale. I take no antidote in the form of drugs because I take no poison in the form of drinks. I have these four reasons for continuing to be a total abstainer:-First, my health is stronger; secondly, my head is clearer; thirdly, my heart is lighter; fourthly, my purse is

heavier.

In the time of Oliver Cromwell, the magistrates in the north of England punished drunkenness by making the drunkard carry what was called the "drunkard's cloak." This consisted of a large barrel, with one end out, and a hole in the other, through which the offender was made to put his head, while his hands were drawn through two small holes, one on each side. With

this he was compelled to march along the public streets.

A drunkard was often urged by his wife to sign the pledge. He would reply, "I'll sign it after a while, but I don't like to break off at once. The best way is to get used to a thing." "Very well, old man," said she, "see if you don't fall into a hole one of these days, with nobody to help you out." Strangely enough, as he returned home drunk one day, he fell into a shallow well, and shouted for help. His forbearing wife came to his rescue. "Didn't I tell you so? It's lucky I was in hearing, or you might have drowned." Then she let down the bucket and told him to "take hold." She tugged at the windlass, but when he was near the top, her grasp slipped, and down he went into his cold bath again. This was repeated till he grew suspicious and furious, and screamed, "Look here, you're doing that on purpose; I know you are." "Well, now, I am," said the woman, conscious of her opportunity. "Don't you remember telling me it's best to get used to a thing by degrees? I'm afraid if I bring you up suddenly you would not find it wholesome." He could but laugh at this application of his own logic, but he felt his case growing desperate, and promised to sign the pledge at once if she would lift him out. This she did, and started him off immediately to sign the pledge, warning him, that if he ever fell into the ditch again she would leave him there.

By one of the laws of Pittacus, one of the seven wise men of Greece, every fault committed by a person when intoxicated was deemed worthy of a double punishment.

A gentleman, boasting that he belonged to the respectable class known as "moderate drinkers," was on one occasion seated at dinner and partaking of his usual beverage. He had, at different times, resisted numerous appeals and arguments in favour of total abstinence; but when closely pressed his only answer would be the very candid one, that "he drank because he liked it." It was reserved for one of his boys, a bright little fellow of six or seven years of age, to make him almost a teetotaler. During dinner the little boy said, " Papa, I saw a tipsy man today, and he walked so (here he imitated the unsteady motion produced by intoxication), and if you drink beer you'll be tipsy too."

That

man," replied the father, "had drank too much, and that caused him to be tipsy; it is not good to drink too much." After a short silence the boy said, "If it is not good, papa, what do you drink it for?" This closed the father's lips, and thinking the child could not understand those subtle distinctions by which he had attempted to shield himself, he resolved not to allow his children to see him drink again.

And now, my boys and girls, let me finish