Year: 1874

| TIE BEGGAR Boy OF LUcERSE.-Mort


than half a century ago, before the


walls were built about the old city oi


Lucerne, certain Austrian noblemer


formed great conspiracy to conquer


town and land for Hapsburg. Now the


emerald-green waters of the Reuss


flowed swiftly past the town. They


have had a long journey from their


home among the awful glaciers that


bolt and bar the glories of the Alp-land.


They have bounded over barren rocks,


sprinkled the moss and heather above


the realm of beast and bird, leaped


fearless down the black Devils Gorge,


dashed over and around the boulders


with which the giants used to play, and


SO ever on and ever down have held


their course, till the Wonder Lake, the
Lake of the Four Cantons, has received
the painting fugitives. She has washed
them clean of the earth-tint with which
they were born. Her depths, the color
of daintiest robins eggs, quietly hide
the wanderers imperfections and send
them on their way, glad in their purity,
loudly singing their untranslated song.
Down by the bed of the Reuss there
stood an old arcade, dim and obscure,
tit place for murderous council. Here
the scarlet-sleeved conspirators met in
the darkness of night. After much
consultation it was finally determined
that with the swords and daggers with
which they were armed, the mayor and
councillors of the city should be slain.
Before day shall break the doomed
town shall be in their power.
Silently starting on their deadly mis-
sion one of the noblemen discovers a
poor boy lying upon a bench in the
darkness of a corner. He is only a
beggar boy, and he has no home, no
friends So the hand of the heavenly
Watcher, whose glance pieIces the veil
of night, had led him here to guard the
town. He had listened to the treacher-
GUS plot, and determined to reveal it
as soon as he could escape undiscov-
cred. But suddenly he is seized by the
desperate men. They declared that
they will instantly kill him. The sword
Is raised, but the boy, wild with terror,
entreats their mercy, and promises he
will never reveal to any man what he
has heard. Believing the promise,
with many threats they let him go.


Out into the dark the boy dashes.
He sees far off the light in the cot of
the village butcher and hastens toward
it. There is careless feasting and mer-
riment here, and group of men are
telling stories of daring in the olden
time. The boy, with breathless haste,
rushes into the room. The tears are
rolling down his cheeks. He looks not
into the face of any one, but hurries to
the great stove and cries:


go stove! what l have promised
never to tell to any man must quickly
tell to thee y dear, good stove L
was compelled to swear but listen well
while | show to you the danger of the
beloved ely. The murderous are has.
tening even now to stay the rulers and
to conquer Lucerne once more. They
p


But not only the stove is there to
hear the story of the bright, sly boy.
The strong men have quickly taken the
alarm very soon the conspirators are
seized and hastened to Justice. The
foes of the good town are driven out
with strong hand, and still Lucerne is
free.


They sought for the child whose
loyal cunning had saved them, but they
never found him. Even to this day the
Switzers tell the story with admiring
gratitude in their tones, but no man
knows his name. The senseless stove
that heard the warning is still preserved
in the old hall where the butchers
guild was wont to meet.


What think you OF the bravery and
artifice of the nameless beggar boy of
Lucerne ?"


A WHOLE DAY To Do NoTHING.-"If
could only have whole day to do
nothing-no work and no lessons, only
play all day. should be happy" said
little Bessie.


'To-day shall be yours" said her
mother. "You may play as much as
you please; and will not give you any
work, no matter how much you may
want ii"


Bessie laughed at the idea of wishing
for work, and ran out to play. She was
swinging on the gate when the children
passed to school and they envied her
for having no lessons. When they were
gone, she climbed up into the cherry
tree, and picked lspful for pies but
when she carried them in, her mother
said:


''That is work, Bessie. Don't you
remember you cried yesterday because
1 wished you to pick cherries for the
pudding? You may take them away.
No work to-day, you know"


The little girl went away rather out
of humor. She got her doll, and played
with it awhile, but soon tired. She
tried all her toys, but they didn't seem
to please her any better. She came
back and watched her mother, who was
shelling peas.


'Mayn't L help you, mother ?" she
asked.


"No, Bessie; this isn't play"


Bessie went into the garden again,
and leaned over the fence, watching
the ducks and geese in the pond. Soon
she heard her mother setting the table
for dinner. Bessie was quite cheerful
during the meal but when it was over,
and her father away, she said wearily:


"Mother, you don't know how tired /
am of doing nothing. II you would
only let me wind your cotton, or even
sew at that tiresome patchwork, would
be so gladl''


81 can't, little daughter, because 1
said 1 would not give you work to-day.
But you may find some for yourself, If
you can."


So Bessie hunted up pile of old
stockings, and began to mend them
for she could darn very neatly. Her
face grew brighter and she presently
said:


"Mother, who do people get tired OF
play ?"


because God did not mean US to be
idle. His command is, Six days shalt
thou labor He has given all of us
work to do, and has made us so that
unless we do Just the very work that he
gives us we can't be happy. He has
very hard work who has nothing to do.