Year: 1865

! In the north OF Europe Is mountain
Gus country called Sweden. Its winter;
are long, snowy and cold. It's summer;
are short, but very lovely and sweet air
ed, especially in the valleys between the
high mountains.


The inhabitants of that country are
noted for their industry, virtue and their
contentment. One morning, long while
ago, a certain king of Sweden, called
Gustavus the Third, was riding through
village in one of the beautiful valleys
not far from Stockholm, the capital city.
As he passed along, he saw young girl
filing her pitcher with water that gushed
from the cool rocks which overshadowed
the roadside. He stopped at the foun,
tain and asked the girl for drink. She
knew not the stranger, but gracefully
stepped forward and lifted her pitcher to
his lips as he sat upon his horse. She
was evidently very poor, but her kind
ness, so tenderly expressed upon her
countenance, together with her artless,
unembarrassed politeuess, at once at
tracted the kings attention and touched
his heart. Judging from her appearance
that she was a child of poverty, he told
her that if she would 60 TO the city, he
would find her a pleasant home.


"Ah, good sir!" answered the girl ;
providence placed me here, and ! am
not anxious to change my position in life.
| am content, and if / were not content,
it would be impossible for me to accept
your kind offer"


"Indeed Why not ?" said the king in
some surprise.


"Because my mother is poor aud sick
Iy," she replied.


"And you remain at home to take care
of her?'


81 am her only help and companion" F"
said the girl, looking upon the ground
with a genuine modesty that won the
sympathies of her royal auditor.


Il am happy 10 my lot, and am thank
ful that l can take care Of and comfort
the one so dear to me. No offer, how
ever tempting, could ever induce me to
leave my mother"


Where is your motber?' inquired
the king, becoming more and more inter-
ested in the noble girl.


"In yon little hut by the side of the
road" said she, pointing toward the hum
ble dwelling. 1t was a low, thatched
building, covered with moss and vines,
very neat and clean, but so old and wea-
ther worn that it afforded but a poor
shelter in time of cold and storms.


Gustavus alighted from his horse and
followed the girl into the hut to see her
mother. He found her sick aud suffer-
ing, lying upon bed of straw---a pale,
thin woman--sinking under her iufrmi-
ties, and looking forward only to the
grave as bed of rest. The king was
almost overcome at the pitiable sight, and
said, while tears came into bis eyes--ah,
yes, and those tears were more beauti-
fully radiant and glorious than the bright
est dazzles that ever glanced from his
crown of diamonds.


81 felt sorry. mother, to find you so
destitute and afflicted"


"Yes, yes, my dear sir, said the lady
in feeble voice "but am so glad that
God has given mo an adtctiouate daugh-
ter. She is always trying to relieve me
and is my constant comforter. May God
in His love remember her and bless her
my dear child! r and her voice was
choked back by sobs, aud her face cover.
ed with tears.


The good king wept with the poor
widow. What a sight How the an
gels of heaven lowered over the lowly
hut, breathing JOY unspeakable into three
hearts-the suffering woman's, the sym
kings and the filial daughters.
The monarch never received such bles-
sing on bis throne in the palace, as there
in the lone hut by the wayside J He
haaded the daughter purse of gold, and
directed her to better house where she
and her mother might be comfortable,
saying, as he departed:


"Go on, my young friend, in your way
of dutiful love and care, and you shall
lack for nothing while l have the means
to help you. l am your king. Fare
well p


Gustavus ever remembered the poor
family, and made provisions to have sum
of money regularly sent to the woman
for her support and at the mothers
death he presented the daughter with a