THE reed-wren is not found in all countries in Europe. We must look for it where fens or marshes, abounding in reeds and long grass, give it food and shelter. It is very common in parts of England, though not easily found, as it keeps in the thickest recesses of the reed beds. Its curious nest is attached to the stalks of the reeds,

a safe support for it. The The back of the bird is a AUNT EMILY.

SO

HEY were three bonny children who stood beside the broad, shallow brook running through Brandon Wood, and looked doubtfully at the loose, uneven stepping-stones, and wistfully at the opposite bank thickly jewelled with blue forget-me-nots; sweet English peasant children all three, though very unlike: tall Kate Bell, with her clear, pale face and gray eyes, and little dark-eyed, rosy Annie Foster, and her tiny brother Harry like a golden-haired cherub, with whom she had been wandering in the delightful wood for half the April morning. Surely if there is a child's paradise in this world, it is a sunny, flowery wood in spring-time; and Annie and Harry had

found it so; but the tall, twelve-year-old Kate had misgiving enough in her mind to spoil any Eden. She knew very well she had no business there; that her mother lay. ill in their cottage home outside the wood, unable to do the house-work, and needing attention herself; and that dinner could not be got ready without the milk and eggs which Kate had been sent to fetch an hour ago. But the sight of her neighbours and playmates wandering happily in the green wood as she passed through it, had been a sore temptation; and when little Annie called, Come and help me with Harry, Katey; there are forget-me-nots on the other side of the brook,' she went at once at the call, promising herself to return in five minutes.

But their path was beset with delightful snares; there were marsh-marigolds in this hollow, there were blue-bells in that glade; and many five minutes had passed before they came in sight of the water-loving forget-me-nots. Here, however, they were

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by the brook, and now little Harry had no mind to cross it. He saw the swift, brown water running between the mossy stones, and shrank from it. Annie could not coax him beyond the first stepping-stone, and Kate's uneasy conscience, urging her to haste, made her speak so sharply and angrily that Harry began to cry, and sobbed out, Harry is tired; Harry will go home. by himself. Go, then, you little plague!' said Kate; leave him at this side, Annie; he cannot get far away. I shall cross, whatever you do.' And light-footed Kate had soon sprung over the stones, and was seen busily gathering the coveted blossoms on the farther shore; then spying another cluster, she strayed after it. Annie lingered a little, but the evil example was tempting. She kissed Harry's tear-stained cheeks, made him promise to wait for Sissy,' and followed in Kate's footsteps. She filled her basket with flowers-there were more than she had thought, and so beautiful!—then she heard Kate's voice calling, 'Here is something so queer, Annie,' she said; 'it's more like snow than anything, but how could that come here?' It looked indeed like a wreath of soiled snow, lying deep in the grass under a hawthorn bush ; but as the girls drew near they saw it take a fixed shape, and resolve itself into a little dead lamb.

They were both unacquainted with the aspect of death, but quickly they knew the meaning of the stiff limbs, the quenched, half-shut eyes, the forlorn look of this lifeless creature. 'I saw some sheep and lambs far off in the wood,' said Kate; 'it must have strayed from its mother, and died alone here of cold and hunger.' Annie burst into tears at the words, which pierced her heart with fear. She darted off by the way she had come, sobbing, 'I must go back to Harry at once;' and Kate, hurrying after her, saw her springing across the stepping-stones; but she could not see Harry on the green bank where he had been left. Indeed, the little creature, between fear and anger, when he found himself deserted, had set off manfully to find his way home; and but for the fortunate weariness which made

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him soon sink down in a grassy hollow and fall asleep, his little feet might have carried him from the right path. As it was, Annie was half distracted with fear before she found her lost lamb. Kate did not follow her. She felt angry with herself and with her little friends also. 'I will trouble no more about them,' she muttered; and she went off to do her own neglected errands. She was very late in reaching home, and her feeble mother murmured, 'You have been sadly long, my girl; I can't think what has kept you;' but Kate muttered a hasty word her mother could not hear, and bustled about her work again. It was late in the afternoon before she could run into the Fosters' and satisfy her remorseful longing to hear of her two playmates' safety.

Aye,' said Mrs. Foster, in answer to ner questions, they have got home safe, sure enough; but I don't know what you and my little lass have been doing-she's rather light-headed, I think. She lost sight of Harry somehow when you parted, and had hard work to find him; a pretty thing it would have been if between you my little lad had been lost in that wood-it's miles long and miles wide; and now she is talking about stray lambs and lost lambs so queerly, that I thought she was best in bed.' it proved that poor little Annie's slender powers had been so overtasked by the lonely terror she had undergone, that fright and exhaustion had brought on a feverish attack; happily it was neither severe nor long; but the little one's innocent ravings all ran on the sight that had so startled her 'the dead lamb, the lost lamb,' which she seemed to identify with her baby brother.

And

"There was more than one stray lamb in that wood to-day, my girl,' said Kate's father to her, when, coming home in penitence and fear, she confessed her fault to her parents. John Bell was a quiet, pious man, sparing of speech, but his few words had weight with all who knew him; and the wilful, pleasure-loving Kate feared his disapproval more than any punishment. any more, father?' she asked, see one now, Katey,' he said.

'I

'Did you see timidly. 'Don't you

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think you went sadly astray from your duty, child? and see what has come of your straying-and what might have come of it. It seems a little fault, I know; but if the Fosters had lost their little Harry through it, that would have been dreadful, wouldn't it? You would never have led Annie away to leave that baby by himself, if your uneasy

DO THE RIGHT, BOYS.

BY THE REV. JULIUS BRIGG.

ARE you tempted wrong to do?
Do the right, boys,
Do the right, boys.
Those who evil paths pursue,
Soon or late are sure to rue,
With the many or the few,

Always do the right, boys.

Are you tempted lies to tell?
Tell the truth, boys;
Liars never will succeed,
Lying must to ruin lead,
Howsoe'er the tempter plead,
Always tell the truth, boys.

Are you tempted aught to steal?
Run away, boys,
Run away, boys.

If you look upon the thing,
Thought may into action spring,
From the heart the evil fling,
Always run away, boys.

When inclined cross words to say,
Keep them in, boys,
Keep them in, boys.

Words of kindness speak instead,
Unkind words no sunshine shed,
They can only mischief spread,
Always keep them in, boys.

When disposed to disobey,
Stop and think, boys,
Stop and think, boys.
Think of what the Scriptures say,
Honour to your parents pay,
Ere from their commands you stray,
Always stop and think, boys.

Howsoe'er the tempter plead,
Do the right, boys.

Do the right, boys.

Would you conquer on the field, Grasp the Christian's sword and shield,

Never to the tempter yield,

Always do the right, boys.

conscience hadn't spoilt your temper. And now the poor little lass is suffering for you. Mind that you can never tell what the end of a fault may be-but you can see the beginning always, and you can stop it then. Remember that always, my girl; I think you will, won't you?' And Kate did remember it.

WAITING FOR A

CHANCE.

They

SOME people are always looking forward to a time when every thing they do will succeed. But they do very little towards bringing about that happy conjunction of circumstances. They are dreaming when they might be doing. make promises of help, when they might be giving substantial assurances. The boy says, 'When I'm a man I'll do just as Uncle Richard does;' and already he sees himself grown old, rich, and benevolent, the friend of humanity. But men don't become good all at once, any more than a tree has its boughs laden with fruit when it hasn't shown a green leaf or bud all summer long. No, indeed! If you want to be a good man, you must begin young, when goodness will become a part of you, just as the grafted branch becomes a part of the original

Waiting for a chance to be somebody! Why, you are having chances every day, if you will only take advantage of them! Lazy folks like to excuse their laziness by complaining that they

never had a chance.

Be watchful for op

portunities to do good and to be good.