have in me-how it gathers up juices from the warmth of the earth, and catches floating particles from the balmy air, and weaves them all into a form so pure; and then, see! how I am lifted up to the glorious sun, who shines so far and bright above me-and, see! when I catch his rays in my nicely moulded form, what a gay colour he gives me. O, glorious sun! how good it is in thee to shine upon me, a humble, earth-born little flower, and deck me with such a wondrous beauty." And thus, as the little flower whispered in her living joy, she opened out her finely tinted petals to the glowing sunshine, and the heat caused a delicious odour to exhale from the bosom of the flower. Ah, this was a new delight! the little flower expanded herself more and more, and while she luxuriated in her beautiful colour and dainty perfume, lo! a dew-drop glistened in her cup. It was her life's sweetness concentrating into a use. And now the little flower's joy was too great for utterance. This precious dew-drop was her treasure, and she longed to bestow it upon some living thing.

"Ah!" said she, "to make another of the children of the sun happy, what a blessedness that would be."

Then came a bee along, buzzing about in an eager, intense desire. The little flower saw the bee, so earnest and busy, and she said, "O, thou bright, golden child of the

sun! come sip the dew from my heart," and then she threw out her soft perfume; and O, ecstacy! the bee lighted in her bosom, and folded his weary wings and drank the honey. dew, while the little flower quivered with delight, and pressed him lovingly with her soft, bright petals.

The dreaming child felt the happiness of the flower, and said: "O, how pleasant it is to be useful!"

Then sang the bird in the tree, with such a gushing song of delight that the child, in her dream, looked up and said, "O, birdie ! birdie! what is thy use?" Then the bird,

swelling with its joy, mounted up, up, in the far blue sky-far, far away, to bathe itself in the golden sunshine; and lo! the spirit of the child followed the bird, floating in a calm, heavenly joy, and then in the blue ether of heaven, she found a land blooming with flowers so wondrously bright, and birds that sang love-songs to listening mates; and the sun of this fair heaven-land was quite different from the sun of earth, and the child smiled in her gladness; and, lo! the bird, whose wing had seemed to waft her up, was gone! and a shining angel laid her soft, bright hand upon her, and spoke in a voice as of a heavenly harmony:

"Little one, I watched thee sleeping under the green-wood tree, and through the growing,

happy flower, I taught thee the uses of thy earthly life; but through the singing, soaring bird, I wafted thy thought to Heaven, where spirit-flowers bloom, and spirit-loves rejoice in the golden light of God."

Then the child felt the presence of the Lord's love: and as she knelt in the Divine sunlight it bathed her in beauty, as the earthly sun had bathed the flower of earth, and all glowing in the light of a new beauty, and surrounded with an odorous halo of innocence and purity, the angel kissed her, and said, "Waken! daughter of earth! and perform spiritual uses."

Thus did the child return from heaven to earth-but, even, like the flower, she valued her beauty and sweets only in making others happy; and, like the bright-winged bird, her thought was ever soaring heavenward, in a glad and beautiful blessedness, like the voice of a sweet song.-Dew Drop.

The flowers which thou pluckest shall die in thine hand; and the truths which thou takest to thyself will be deprived of life. Let the flowers remain on the tree and they will multiply a thousand-fold. Ascribe thy wisdom to the Lord and there shall be no end to it.

THE MOTHER'S BIRTH-DAY.

It was my happiness to be present at a scene in a family which gave me inestimable pleasure, and sent a thrill of joy through every avenue of my heart.

Being invited to take tea with a family with whom I had for many years been intimate, I observed the countenances of the daughters brighten up with smiles rather more cheerful than usual, at the same time exchanging sly glances at each other, as if they had some secret among themselves. Presently the youngest whispered to me, "It is mother's birth-day." That mother had been very ill for some weeks, but was now recovering. No sooner was God's blessing invoked than a tray, with a white cloth gracefully thrown over it was introduced, and a beautiful cake presented to the mother, which had been privately made, that their beloved mother might be surprised as well as gratified by this humble token of their affection. Nor was this all; after the cake had been removed, other trifles, the gifts of loving hearts were there, and offered to that mother, which she well knew were the fruits of the impulse of hearts which were full of gratitude for the recovery of their parent to health.

This mother had for many years adopted the custom of writing to her children on each

of their birth-days, when by her pen she could delicately and affectionately urge upon them the great importance of remembering their Creator now in the days of their youth. How far these letters influenced them in seeking the one thing needful, God and their own hearts know. The plan is certainly an excellent one, and worthy the example of every parent.

INFANTS IN HEAVEN.

AWAY they have gone from the sorrows of time,
To the home of the angels, their own natal clime,
And beautiful cherubs, who welcome them there,
With evergreen garlands have braided their hair.

Away they have gone to the land of the blest,
Where the wise and the good shall eternally rest;
And there, where the dew-gems of Hermon distil,
From the flower cups of Paradise quaff they their fill.

Away they have gone to the evergreen bowers,

To breathe the fresh fragrance exhaled from their flowers;
And there they have found their immortal abode,
Where they feast on the fruits of the garden of God.

Away they have gone to the free-schools above,
Where seraph instructors receive them in love;
And there shall they learn, of the good and the wise,
To carol the anthems that gladden the skies.

Ah, beautiful forms, and enchanted they rove
Through flower-scented meadows, the garden and grove;
And blest are the mortals, whom heaven shall prepare,
To join in the pastimes of innocence there.

SELECTED.