And the traveller awoke from his pleasant dream, and began to think of many things. His life was not an easy one. Things often happened to vex him,-things which he might have prevented himself and things which nobody could have prevented, and he longed to be like the peaceful river, flowing over rough ground as contentedly as over smooth; never drying up; 66 never murmuring, and always reflecting heaven in its face." Then he thought of his own question, "What makes it always flow ?"

He thought of the steadfast cedars, too; how many, many years they had been growing where they did—some perhaps even from King Solomon's days; how faithfully they, too, did their work in all seasons, looking just the same, winter and summer, for so many ages, shading and sheltering birds of the air and flowers of the mountain -the noblest emblems on earth of Him who made them, and who is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." "Oh, that I, too, could be always the same!" said the poor traveller. "It would be happiness for me, and better for those belonging to me, I dare say. Well, I must look upward, as the spirit silently bade me. I know where the snow comes from that feeds the mountain streams. I know where the dew comes from that nourishes the lordly cedars; and I know that if the stream flows and the evergreen flourishes all the year round, it is only because they are fulfilling the law of their being, and using day by day the gifts they day by day receive from above!

"Day by day!" He was in a thoughtful mood, and the echo of his own words fell upon his ear with fresh meaning. "Days are made of hours and minutes," he thought. "Every moment the river and the tree are receiving, and using what they receive. Am I always quick to see, and prompt to do, the duty of the moment as well as of the day ?"

The traveller was a practical man. He started from his bed as a recollection crossed him of something left undone the night before. It was not so easy to do now as it would have been then; but he put all the more will into the work, and besides, he was the braver and stronger for his dream. Each effort that he made increased his strength for the next, and it was not long before he realized on earth the truth long known by experience in heaven, that He who made angels and men has for ever linked together obedience and peace.Penny Post.

A Stanza.

A STANZA.

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STANZA composed on seeing a Lilac Primrose in bloom, under a yew tree, in my garden, West Acridge, Barton-on-Humber, January 1st, 1872.

Hail! firstling of the new-born year!
Beneath the spreading yew,
How lovely dost thou now appear
With beauties seen by few.
Say, lilac gem of tiny growth,
How durst thou venture here ?
Where winter stern, with iron rule,
Breathes death both far and near.
And wilt thou unto Boreas say
I'm here in spite of thee;
And, joyous still, will fear no ill
Beneath this green yew tree.

So, children young, who love the Lord,
And Jesus long to see;
Are safer far than primrose gay,
Screen'd by a verdant tree.

From realms of bliss Messiah comes,
His blood-bought lambs to save;
And death and hell before Him bow,
He's victor o'er the grave.

'Mid beauties bright, in regions fair,
Christ's flock shall always feed;
Stern winter ne'er can enter there,
But all are blest indeed.

O, may I love my Saviour more!

Who paints the primrose here:

HIM, with the hosts of heaven adore,
Midst scenes for ever new.

THE general cry is against ingratitude, but sure the complaint is misplaced; it should be against vanity. None but direct villains are capable of wilful ingratitude; but almost everybody is capable of thinking he hath done more than another deserves, while the other thinks he hath received less than he deserves.

THE EXACT TRUTH.

Two young masons were building a brick wall-the front wall of a high house. One of them, in placing a brick, discovered that it was a little thicker on one side than on the other.

His companion advised him to throw it out. "It will make your wall untrue, Ben," said he.

"Pooh !" answered Ben. "What difference will such a trifle as that make? You're too particular."

"My mother," replied his companion, "taught me that 'truth is truth,' and ever so little an untruth is a lie, and a lie is no trifle.” "Oh," said Ben, "that's all very well; but I am not lying, and have no intention of doing so.'

66 Very true; but you make your wall tell a lie; and I have somewhere read that a lie in one's work, like a lie in his character, will show itself sooner or later, and bring harm, if not ruin."

"I'll risk it in this case," answered Ben; and he worked away, laying more bricks, and carrying the wall up higher, till the close of the day, when they quit work and went home.

The next morning they went to resume their work, when behold, tho lie had wrought out the result of all lies. The wall, getting a little slant from the untrue brick, had got more and more untrue as it got higher, and at last, in the night, had toppled over, obliging the masons to do all their work over again.

Just so with ever so little an untruth in your character; it grows more and more untrue, if you permit it to remain until it brings sorrow and ruin.

Tell, act, and live the exact truth always.

MISSION SCHOOL AT MANDALAY, NEW CAPITAL

OF BURMAH.

WHO has not read of Judson's introduction to the late king of Burmah at the Palace of Ava, and of the scornful rejection by that potentate of the Burmese Scriptures? And which of our young readers does not rejoice to hear that the present king has become a Bible-reader, and desires that his sons should be trained in Christianity? The subject of our illustration is the Mission School, built

Mission School at Mandalay, New Capital of Burmah.

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at the king's expense, so that his sons may receive Christian instruction from the missionaries.

The house is built of teak wood, the foundation being strong posts or wooden pillars. The interior consists of sitting-room, study, bed, and bath-room. Adjoining is an upper room, and under it the pantry and surgery. The cook-house and servants' rooms are detached. The chapel forms the eastern front room. Altogether it is a very pretty building, and Christian services are frequently conducted in it.

Included in the group, in front of the house, are four of the young princes. When they come to school they are attended by about a hundred followers. Two goldea umbrellas are carried over each prince, to indicate his rank. Great deference is paid them by the Burmese; no one approaching them, except on hands and knees. This hindered the work of the school, so the missionary told the princes, they must leave their rank at the door, and that when they entered school they were to be treated like the others, and that their superiority over their companions must be that of merit, gained by diligence and good conduct. They agreed to this, and from that day all ceremony has been dispensed with.

Shortly after, the king asked the missionary if he would allow the princes to be absent on the days of Buddhist worship. The missionary replied, that as a Christian Hypoongee, he could not sanction his pupils' absence for such a purpose; but that it was competent for His Majesty, as a father, to keep his sons from school whenever he chose. The king replied, "Quite right; I know that you wish to teach my sons what is good. I wanted you to recognise my authority, but you will have no cause to complain of their irregularity." Since then they have never been absent except from illness.

The other pupils from the palace are called "sons of the tea," because they hand tea to the king. They each have a yellow silk umbrella, and a dozen or so of followers. Most of them are over twenty, and are married men.

The school is open daily with reading the Bible and praying in Burmese; and the scholars read and study the truths of our holy religion.

It is a pretty sight to see the boys come to school in the morning. Some come on richly-dressed ponies, some in beautifully carved little carts, drawn by bullocks, some on elephants, and some on men's shoulders.