Thou didst the cross endure, Thy grace led us to see While life endures, Thy love N None like Jesus. ONE can be compared with Jesus, He is "altogether lovely," Grace and truth in Him we find. Would such love to mortals show? When the willing slaves of Satan, Would have thus for sinners died? While the guilty world despise Him Would so long with sinners bear? Ah! and oft the souls that love Him, Who like Jesus Would such faithless ones still love? None but Christ my loving Saviour, Can my heart so justly claim J. D. J. D. Frosted Buns; or, Where did Father get them? A CHRISTMAS STORY OF GREAT LOVE IN LITTLE THINGS. T is not often, perhaps, that one sees so big and burly a man as Jabez Ward staring in at cake shops, even though it be at Christmas-time, when the windows of such shops are worth looking at, by reason of their liberal display of good things, from the monster cake which hides a hundredweight of confection in its bulky circumference, to the frosted bun which makes its possessor a happy child, pro tem., of course. The frosted buns seemed to possess a strange fascination for Jabez, whilst towards their purchasers he evinced a furtive interest by turning to watch them as they emerged from the shop, either admiring or munching their bonne bouche, or else sharing it with less favoured companions. At last a little girl, with a whole parcel of Christmas buns, was about to start off merrily with her prize, when Jabez arrested her, whispering, of 66 I say, little maid, tell us how much them frosted buns yours cost." The child examined his countenance silently. Then, seeing nothing but kindness in the big face that looked down on her, she replied, "What for does you want to know, man ?” "Because I've got some kids at home "Father calls me kid when he's pleased," put in the child; then, bursting into a joyous laugh, she said, thrusting her forefinger and thumb into the bag, "Here, man, if you wants one, take dis, will you? They're all mine." "Nay, nay, my pretty dear; Jabez Ward isn't greedy, I hope. I've got just this to spend. How many buns can I buy for it? See, can you count 'em ?" The "'em was four halfpennies, which the little girl set herself to reckon up with the studious air of a skilled arithmetician. "Why, 'tisn't only tuppence!" she cried; "not a bit more than father gave me !" Poor Jabez felt himself actually reddening under the imputation of "only twopence." 66 'Well, isn't that enough for a little maid ?" "Yes, but you are a 'mendous man, and have got lots of money, lots to buy evely thing, sudar and 'pice and all that's nice!" Ah, little one, you don't know nothing about it," sighed Jabez, as he hurried from the dagger-thrusts of the child's innocent prattle into the shop in question. It was, however, so crowded that his presence commanded no attention, and his eyes had time to revel on sweets of all kinds, though ever faithfully returning to the frosted buns, as they adhered by dozens to the long rows of bakers' trays, arranged within sight of the window. Thus gazing, he suddenly remembered that his wife had begged him to bring home a couple of soothing powders for their poor teething infant, whose piteous moans had deprived them of sleep for several nights. Now which should it be? Powders or buns? An out-of-work workman could not buy both; so, with a feeling of satisfaction that he had remembered the medicine in time, he escaped before his entrance had been noticed by the master; not, however, without a pang of sorrow when he thought how his little ones, who could not be made to estimate the whys and wherefores of poverty, would watch for some trifling lovetoken befitting Christmas eve. If the disappointment to them would be only a twopenny one, to his fatherly heart it was very much more, for big and burly as was Jabez Ward, he had a father's heart to match, and he loved his children with every throb of that large heart; so this twopence was to him what a much larger sum would be to you or me. Besides, in his almost childish simplicity, he had the genuine "coach and four horses" idea of the amount of sweetstuff this sum would purchase; and, whilst baby's powders were in the background, he had pictured himself returning to his little Meta, a very bee for the sweets he should carry in his pocket; and now, what should he do? Go empty-handed, and at once brave her little expectant face with truth, and confess that father had no money for sweets; or should he deceive her with promises for the morrow? Now Jabez Ward was a God-fearing man, and this thought of deceiving Meta had no sooner bubbled up in his mind than he indignantly broke it with the exclamation, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against If, indeed! Is not that poor weak God." Then, turning round on his heel, he shook his fist, as though at some invisible foe, muttering as he did so, "Out upon ye, off with ye, for a sneaking rogue, for tempting a fellow in his weak moments. Out upon you, I say. Shall Jabez Ward receive good at the hand of the Lord three hundred and fifty days in the year, and then go and turn liar because he can't get a sugary bun on the next day? Nay, nay, old sneak, afore the child shall be quieted by a lie from her father's lips, she must want something better than that, and even then she shouldn't get it, if God's grace would keep him safe from such a sin. Why, of course it will keep me safe if I seek it. just what His blessed grace is for, to keep such ones when sin is like to gain the upper hand? Is not the Holy Spirit given for that very purpose, and doesn't the Lord promise to give this Holy Spirit to all who ask it ?2 Then I have but to seek to find! A blessed finding, that will bring all a poor sinner needs to strengthen him to fight the good fight." Then, as if refreshed in spirit, though still physically unrecruited, Jabez exclaimed with sudden energy, "And trust Him I will, too. The Lord don't feed His children up one day to starve 'em the next! Christmas can't come in on a cloud to them as sees the true light a-shining beyond; and if I go back empty-handed to my darlings, I don't go with an empty heart, or if I do, it's my own fault, for don't the Lord promise to satisfy the hungry soul ? 3 Then, to come back to little things, didn't He open a pretty babe's hand to offer me a fine sugary cake just now, and couldn't He as easily open a bigger hand with a bigger mercy? Oh, out upon you, Jabez Ward, take heart and wait a bit. His hand isn't shortened, if yours is!" By this time Jabez had left the town behind, and was now sauntering as men out of work only can saunter, through the long lane leading to the village which he had left at daybreak, partly in the hope of finding employment, and partly to be out of the way when his wife portioned the 1 Gen. xxxix. 9. 2 Luke xi. 13. 3 Psa. cvii. 9. |