The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-05-15
The Grasshopper on the Royal Exchange.

Whenever l 20 to London always stand
at the corner of the Bank of England for
minute or two, watching the crowd of busy
men hurrying everywhere. What thousands
of cares they carry How many anxieties
Then look at the Royal Exchange. 1t is
pleasant to see the London spsrrows, though
they are little black and grimy, chirping
on the massive cornices, as free and happy
as possible, above the din and hurry of the
great city. They have no cares, no ankle
ties. They seem to know what the grest
letters mean, which are cut in the stones on
which they hop The earth is the Lords
and the fulluess thereof" God keeps the
8parrows and they are happy. l wish the
busy city men would watch the sparroWs,
and read the great city text.
But the sparrows and the text are not the
most attractive things about the Exchange,
and l am sure if you look at it, you will
think as | dO-that the weathercock is the
most singular aud curious thing about the
building. 1t is not like any other weather
cock in England, or should think in the
world; for there, twisting on the pinnacle Of
the spire, is monster grasshopper; and III
tell you how it came to be there.
About three hundred and fifty years ago,
woman with little baby in her arms, was
rudgDg along country lane. Presently.
after looking to see that no one was watching
her, she climbed over gate into the field.
and wrapping the baby in its little shawl, she
laid it down 10 the grass, 80 gently as not t.
awake it, aud then never even looking be
hind her, she climbed over the gate sgain into
the lane, and went on her journey.
The baby soon awoke and began to cry ;
and it cried for long, long time. And at
last, tired and hungry, and hot with the sun,
for it was fac summers day, it was wea-
ried out. and dropped off to sleep again
f" But God had heard the voice of the lad"
and see how simply he brought help for the
little one.
By-and.by, down the lane came school,
boy; he was whistling away, as happy as
ever he could be. He had come out of
school and was going home. He lived at the
farm, house little way further up the lane.
Now he gathered few primroSes, now he
scampered after butterfly, now be had 8
shy at bird but just as he came to the
gate over which the woman had climbed, he
heard grssshOpper chirpiug away so loudly,
that he sprang over the gate to catch him /;
and there was the baby, fast asleep Far
more pleased than if he had caught hun
dred grssshoppers, the boy took up the little
fellow, and ran home With his PRICE, The
kind farmers wife, although she lad many
children of her OVID, at once determined to
keep the little orphan who had been saved
from death by grasshOpper.
Years passed away and the baby became
.atrong boy; the boy grew to be man ;
he went to London, and became merchant.
God blessed all he did, and he rose to be the
most noted man in the city. Queen Eliza
beth was then on the throne, and often did
she send for Sir Thomas Gresham, for the
little deserted boy had become knight, to
consult him on the great affairs Of state.
Just three hundred years ago Sir Thomas
Gresham founded the Exchange. The Queen
came to dine With him, and to lay the first
stone; and there, upon the topmost pinnacle,
Sir Thomas placed o grasshopperI and there
it is to- day, to tell the busy, toiling city, and
to tell you and me, when We go to see the
city, that Almighty God will hear the in
/ FAINT CRY, and can cave valuable lBIe by
even such little thing ag q grssshopper.
So it was that God heard the voice Of
the lad."-Presbyterian.