Year: 1879

One cold day in winter, lad stood at the
outer door of cottage in Scotland. The
snow had been falling very fast, and the poor
boy looked very cold and hungry.
tMayn'tI stay, ma'amr ne said to the wo-
man who opened the door. IN work, cut
wood, go for water, and do all your errands


You may come in at any rate, until my
husband comes home, the woman said.


There, sit down by the fire, you look per-
ishing with the cold; and she drew a chair up
to sthe warmest corner; then suspiciously
glancing at the boy from the corner of her
eyes, continued setting the table for supper.
Presently came the tramp of heavy boots,
and the door swung open with a quick jerk,
and the husband entered, wearied with his
days work.


A look of intelligence passed between his
wife and himself. He had looked at the boy,
but he did not seem very well pleased; be
nevertheless made him come to the table, and
was glad to see how heartily he ate his sup
per.


Day after day passed, yet the boy begged 10
be kept until Tomorrow so the good couple,
after due consideration, concluded that, as
long as he was such good boy, and worked
so willingly, they would keep him.
One day in the middle of the winter, ped
dler, Who had often traded at the cottage,
called, and, after disposing Of some of his
goods, was preparing to go, when he said TO
the woman:


eYou have boy out there, splitting wood,
l see, pointing to the yard.
Yes, do you know bim2'
4 have seen him. replied the peddler.


where? Who is he? What is he?
"a Jail Bird and then the peddler swung
his pack over bis shoulder. That boy, young
as he looks, saw in the court room myself,
4 II ira gfar. months You'd
do well to look after him carefully
OH there was something so dreadful in the
word jail The poor woman trembled as she
lald away the things she had bought of the
peddler, nor could she be easy till she called
the boy in and assured him that she knew the
dark part of bis history.
Ashamed and distressed, the boy hung down
his head. His cheeks seemed bursting with
hot blood, and his little lips quivered.
WELL he muttered, his frame shaking.
there's no use trying to do better; everybody
hates and despises me-


Tell me, said the woman, how came you
to go, so youEg, 20 that dreadful placer
Where is your mothcrT


sOhr exclaimed the boy, with burst of
grief that was terrible to behold-'Oh /
hadn't any mother, ever since was baby!
If only had q mother, he continued, while
tears gushed from his eyes, 4 wo1ldn't have
been bound out, and kicked and cuffed, and
horse-whipped. wouldn't have been saucy
and got knocked down. and run away, and
then stole because was hungry. Oh, if I'd
only had a motherls


The strength was all gone from the poor
boy, and he sank on his knees, sobbing grea.
choking sobs, and rubbing the hot tears away
with the sleeves of his jacket.
The woman was mother, and, though all
her children slept under the cold sod in the
church-yard, she was mother still She put
her hand kindly on the head Of the boy, and
told him 10 look up, and ssid from that time
he should find in her mother. Yes, even
put ser arms around the neck of that forsaken,
deserted child. She poured from her moth
er's heart, sweet, kind words-woris of coun-
sci and of tenderness. OH how sweet was
was her sleep that night-how soft her pillow
she had plucked some thorns from the path OF
little SHINING but striving mortal.
That poor boy is now promising man. bis
foster father is dead. His foster mother is
aged and siekly, but she knows no want The
poor outcast' is her support. Nobly does he
repay the trust reposed in him.


when my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord viii take me up