Year: 1878

Living upon such bed as only the
staryiny poor ever know Of-in such Il
bleak, gloomy and ghostly room MS the
poores, of Gods children inhabit, girl
of ten looked out through the cracked
and dirty panes at the great white moon
rising up from its bed SO far towards
eternity that man has never discovered
its location.


Was she ten or thirty1 One could hard
ly have told in the dusky room, lighted
only 10y the rays of the moon-by feav-
ems own lamp. The fingers were SO Trim
and long that you would have shuddered.
The face was so wan and pale that your
thoughts would have gone back to some
dark evening when you tremblingly
skirted graveyard and caught sight of
a head.stone standing out alone in the
gloom of night. And such eyes! Great
round eyes, which glstened and sparkled
as eyes never do till heavens gate has
opened just enough to let the living catch
glimpse of suca joys as man cannot
even dream of unless the angel of death
whispers in his ear.


Like great ship suddenly rising out
of the fogs of the ocean came the moor.
1t brushed away the dust and cobwebs
and crept through the window, every
beam aud ray and silvery streak seeming
to be FURNISHED the brighter in the strug.
gle. A haggard and despairing mother
was on the street, begging for bread.
The fire in the old stove slumbered. If a
cricket nestled in the old house, it was in
some warmer corner-in some of the
gloomy rooms where it now and ther
caught the laugh Of child or cheery
cry from the street. 1t was very still.


at is cold in here" whispered the
moon, as its beams danced over the rag
ged old quilt which covered the girl.


"We have not had warm fire for DAYS
ana days-we are very poor' replied the
child, as she put out her hand to catch
and detain one of the shivering rays.


"There is nothing in the old cupboard
nothing but few old dishesv' whis-
pered the moon, as it rose little higher
and looked in at another pane.


another was sick yesterday and could
not go out "explainedsth the child. II have
been i'll for weeks and weeks, and we
have come to be very poor"


mo tire-no food-no mediCine-no
light-no furniture but an old chair or
two and tablet is terriblew whis.
pered the moon. ~ have only been up
an hour, and yet can see into hundreds
Of rooms in this great town-see warm
rooms, tables spread with good things
fires burning cheerfully aud people smil-
ing and happy. Who comes to see you2"


mo one!' sighed the child. at is
weeks since saw any face but mothers"


A cloud crept between the old window
and the bright moon, shutting out all its
light. 1t sailed slowly on and on, and
after time all the glory came back to
the panes, and the moon said:


81 counted thousands of Christian men
and women. They are seated in warm
rooms, or are on the streetin costly cloth
ing. They look happy and contented.
They have plenty to eat and wear. Some
have given to something or other called
charity - something where one person
contributes loaf of bread, and it goes
through three or four hands and reaches
no one in particular. Some have given
to some foreign mission, as they call it.
don't exactly know what it is, but it's
something to buy Bibles for people who
cannot read, while you and scores of OH.
er intelligent and God-knowing and God
fearing children are dying of hunger in
the shadow Of u grand church spire. And
none of these people have brought you
food or fueli"


None" sI"wly answered the child.


"Anu you are codr


I'VE have only this old quilt"


Child! whispered the moon,a ,as it flung
more rays # silver over the pale face,
you are dying! Food aud medicine and
care would have saved you. There WAS
no one in such city as this--no one in
the tens Of thousands who have plenty
and to spare, who would step aside to
enter this door and give charity to the
deserving and suffering Has a clergy.
man been here to pray With your"


"No,' softly whispered tie child.