verance. For a moment he stared at it unable to believe Remember, that perseverance will achis eyes; then he felt as though his heart would complish most things, not merely getting hoops break, too, with vexation and sorrow! No chance and running races. First see that the object upon now of winning the race or of running at all! All which you have set your heart is a good one, and his hopes blighted and broken, and all because he then never give up until you succeed. That's the had been so foolish as to hit so hard. Nay, per- way to get on. haps it was as well as it was, for might it not have been broken in the race! What would his mother say? would she not be sorry! But one word more. Remember the hoop was broken because of one little flaw! Ah, boys and girls, how often has a man or a woman lost chaAll his lively spirits were gone now, and clutch-racter because of one little flaw, one little fault! ing his broken hoop in one hand and his stick in the other, he sauntered on, weary and dispirited, feeling ready to sit down and cry. Walking along thus he passed the blacksmith's shop. Ah! how often he had leaned over the half-door and gazed within, watching the stalwart smith hammering the glowing iron! Then his heart leaped with joy. Perhaps the blacksmith could and would mend his hoop! Without a moment's hesitation he walked into the shop, and, holding it up by its two broken ends, looked entreatingly into the blacksmith's face, who was just blowing the bellows of his forge. "Want me to mend it, little man?" "Yes, please." "Put it down there, then." "Ah! but can't you do it now ?" "I'm very busy." 66 "Oh! do please!" said the boy, coaxingly and entreatingly, as if a fortune hung upon the reply. Why do you want it at once?-what for?" "Because I'm going to run in a race at three o'clock." "Ho! ho!" whistled the good-natured man ; "let's have it then." So saying, he took it from the boy's hands and thrust the two broken ends into the fire, laying aside the work he had intended to do. Ronald watched his proceedings with jubilant visage. When the ends were glowing hot, the blacksmith drew them out of the fire and skilfully bent each into a little hook: then, hooking them together, he plunged them into the fire again until they were sparkling hot, and then placing them on the anvil he rained such a shower of heavy blows upon them all round that the molten ends were fused and welded together and so joined in one; then lightly hammering the hoop into shape, he placed it in cold water, and giving it back to its owner, he said "There, my boy, now go and win the race." Ronald was profuse in his thanks and cheerfully paid his penny-the only one he had, and which had been given him by his mother that forenoon. But before going away, he said to the blacksmith, "Can you tell me why it broke? think I hit too hard ?" Do you "Well, I expect there was a flaw in the iron. Wrought iron hoops are best when they have been so heated and hammered that no flaw remains." Ronald hurried away. He was just in time to take his place when the race was started, and he won it. Of course from that day he was looked upon as the champion runner of the school. And no doubt he deserved his success as a reward for his perse Beware of little sins and little flaws, for they will prove your ruin quite as much as great ones. One flaw can and often does mar the whole. "It is the little rift within the lute MOTHER'S GRAVE. F. M. H. LITTLE boy, six years of age, on being asked where he had been, replied, "I went to see my mother." He had just visited his mother's grave. "WHERE have you been this afternoon ?" I tell her all, as I was wont, I go to see my mother." Yes, little one, thy mother's grave It holds the form of one whose love The future cometh, veiled and slow, Thou canst not fully know. Oh, treasure deep, till life's last hour, A safeguard on thy way; NINA, GRANDMOTHER'S PATTENS; OR, PRIDE LEADS TO MANY PITFALLS. (Concluded from page 11.) PART II. HE week passed very slowly away; Mark Benison thought it would never end. He was prouder than ever, although_grandmother had done little but shake her head at him, and several times he had been rather cross to little Tots. This seldom happened, for Mark was very kind to his little brother. The reason was, that Mark did not (or would not) stop to remember about little things, he was so pleased with himself because he had earned his sixpence. 66 Mark, have you fed your rabbits?" said grandmother to him on Friday morning, while he was lacing his boots for school. No, grandmother; but I will," Mark said, with a hard pull at his bootlace. "There! it's broken," he said, growing red and pulling harder at the other one. "Careless boy! I cannot think what you have got in your head, Mark; you don't try to please me at all lately," said grandmother. Ah, if grandmother could see what is in my head, she would not bother about rabbits and bootlaces, Mark thought. 66 Come, Tots," he said, "I'm going." "Oh, please, wait for me," Tots cried. 66 'It's very naughty to keep me waiting; we shall be late," Mark said, frowning. Mark did not remember that he was only pleasing himself, and not trying to be good. He was cross and forgetful-all for pride. "Oh, Mark, dear, when will you be a man?" Tots said, half-crying; "you know you said you wouldn't mind taking me about then; and there's the picture-book, too, Mark, that you're going to give me." "Oh, bother, Tots; can't you wait, like me?" Mark said, sharply; "wait till you see what I've got to show you. I say, Tots, you won't tell ?” "Won't tell what?" Tots said, running along at Mark's side. Mark was finding it hard to keep his secret. "Why, you know, I've got six pennies. Yes, I have," Mark said, holding up his head; " you needn't stare so, Tots, as if you didn't believe." Oh, but, Mark! Oh have you really?" Tots, asked in surprise. Oh Mark, what are you going to do with them? Where did you get them?" "I got a penny before," Mark began. "Before when, Mark ?" 66 "One of those primroses I asked you for," said Tots, looking up timidly. "Yes," said Mark, looking uncomfortable. "I couldn't have given you one, Tots; you're too small to have things yet. Now listen, I'm going to tell you something, it's a great secret; only me and Mr. Isaacs knows. I'm going to"Go on, please, Mark, dear." "I'm going to buy grandmother a pair of pattens!" Mark said slowly, in a loud whisper; and he squeezed poor Tots' little hand so tightly, as they ran into school, that Tots could only say"Oh, oh, may I go with you, Mark?" And Mark said "Yes." Saturday was a holiday, and Mark was up very early, and he tried to waken Tots, but Tots was very sleepy. "Come, get up," Mark said, shaking him; "I am going for the pattens!" "Mark!" grandmother's voice said. "Go back again to bed; it's only six o'clock; too early for such little boys to be up." So Mark had to wait till breakfast was over. "Have you fed those poor rabbits?" grandmother said, looking at him. "I'm going to now," Mark said, running off, when he met Tots. "Come," he said, forgetting the rabbits, "I'm in a hurry to be off. S'pose Mr. Isaacs forgot!" "Please, grandmother, may I go out with Mark?" said Tots, running in, his cap in his hand. Yes, dear; but, Mark! be sure you don't go through Bush Farm Meadows. There's a bull there that's dangerous, I'm told. Now mind,” grandmother said, holding up her finger. "And when you come back you must turn your hand a bit to the garden. Mr. Isaacs was down here yesterday; he said it was not looking like it used to, Mark." "Yes, grandmother, I will, when I come back; I'll do anything, only let us go." Mark only wished to get his own way first, and then he promised to do his grandmother's. Pride would not let him be satisfied to give up anything he had planned. So everything had been put aside in the thought of the pattens he was going to get to please grandmother-and to please himself, he might have added, but Mark did not like to think he could be selfish. As Mark and his little brother started off, they both looked very happy and good. 66 Good-bye, grandmother," they said; and grandmother looked after them and smiled. "Be good children; don't forget the Bush Farm Meadows," she said. Mark was in high spirits. He jingled his pennies in his pockets, and walked so fast that little Tots couldn't keep up very well. Mark went faster, and Tots' little tired feet went slower. But he did not complain. "I shall be able to go as fast as you soon, Mark," he called out. I say, do wait a little bit, Mark, dear." tired. Mark had to wait for him at the door after all. "Please, Mr. Isaacs, I've come for the pattens; here are the pennies; look Mr. Isaacs, please, six! Are they all right?" Mark asked. "The pennies or the pattens ?" Mr. Isaacs said, as he went to a shelf and took down a nice pair of pattens. "Both are right, I think. I am pleased to see that you have worked with a will for your present to grandmother. Look here, Mark." Mark came up, and looked as if he couldn't look enough. Oh, Mark," Tots cried aloud from the door. Why, little Tots, are you here?" said Mr. Isaacs; "why, you look pale. Come in and sit down.' 66 Oh, no, sir, please," said Tots. He knew Mark wished to get home with the pattens as fast as possible. Well, here they are," said Mr. Isaacs, "and a finer pair for sixpence was never sold. Don't thank me, little man; you deserve them, I think; run along." "Oh, Tots," said Mark, his face beaming as they came out of the shop, "aint they fine? What beautiful shiny tops! what iron hoops! and nice strings! everything's nice about them. Don't I wish we were home!" ་་ Yes, they're very fine; but, Mark, couldn't we go a little slower; my feet won't go along somehow." Mark turned round and looked at his little brother. Tots' feet were dragging along one after the other, as if it were a hard matter for them to go at all. 66 Dear me," Mark said, "how stupid! What a pity you came; here's the pattens and all! You ought to think of how pleased grandmother will be." He did not say that Bush Farm Meadows lay beyond. Mark thought to himself that very likely somebody had told grandmother wrong, and that there was not a bull there at all; or, he might have been put in another field. The little boys climbed over the stile, and soon forgot all about the bull. There were milkmaid flowers, and ragged robins, and primroses all about the hedges. Tots began to pick some for grandmother, but Mark held his parcel by the string, and marched on in front. When he reached the next stile, leading to Bush Farm Meadows, Mark stopped. "I'll get over and look round," he thought. "I don't see any bull." Mark had no fear of the bull. He thought he knew better about it than any one else. But he did not like to go back to Tots and say, "I was wrong; here's the bull field, let us go home the other way.' Why, they'd never get home with the pattens, and how foolish he would look, he thought. So Mark climbed over the stile, and looked round the meadow. "Why, there's no bull any where ! not in any of the corners, or in the middle, or anywhere. I knew I was right," thought Mark; " and he can't be behind the hill there, so he isn't there at all. Come on, Tots." "What Tots ran along and got over the stile. pretty fields," he said; "look at my bunch of primroses." Yes, make haste," Mark said, uneasily looking round the field, and holding Tots hand very tight. They were half way across the meadow when Tots said, "I say, Mark, dear, what's that black thing coming over the hill ?" Tots was not afraid of the bull, because Mark had told him that it was all safe. "Oh, my!" said Mark; "run Tots; don't cry; don't scream. It's only the bull, I think." Mark began to run, Tots began to scream, then he stopped, and choked his sobs. Mark held his pattens hard. The bull was only grazing at first. When Tots screamed, he looked up and snorted. When the children ran, he began to walk fast, whisking his tail. "He's coming, Mark," Tots cried, looking round. Tots' face was very white; his breath came quickly. Mark went bravely on, dragging his little brother with him. Presently the bull began to run. He was large and black, and he looked very angry. The children were close to the gate that led from the meadow. "Oh!" screamed Tots, falling down over a stone that was buried in the grass. He's going to eat us up.' 66 Mark Mark felt himself very wicked. He was more afraid for his little brother than for himself. The great bull was close to them now. could hear his heavy breathing. He could only say in his heart, "Please God, help us." Then he took his pattens-his dear, pretty pattens-and threw them in the angry bull's face. Tots was up on his feet again. It was but a moment. But Mark dragged him over the gate, just in time, and tumbled himself on to a great grey stone the other side. The last thing Mark heard was the bull bellowing, and some men's voices shouting loudly. When Mark Benison came to himself, the evening sun was shining upon him. He opened his eyes, and looked about. He was in his own little wooden bed at home! “Why,” said Mark aloud, "what a dream I've had. How funny my head feels. Tots, what are you doing there? Is it time for school?" His voice was weak, and when he tried to raise his head it was heavy and painful, and he was obliged to lay it down again upon the pillow. His little brother had been sitting by the bedside |