close in their waxen cells. The sheep rest upon the soft grass in the meadow, and their loud bleating is no longer heard amongst the hills. There is no sound of voices, or of children at play, or of the trampling of busy feet, or of people hurrying to and fro. The smith's hammer is not heard upon the anvil, nor do we hear the harsh saw of the carpenter. All men are resting quietly on their beds, and the little babe is asleep by the side of its mother.

Darkness is spread over the sky, and darkness is upon the ground; every eye is shut, and every hand is still.

Who takes care of all people that are asleep, when they cannot defend themselves, nor see if danger is approaching? There is an eye that never sleeps—an eye that can see as well in the dark night as in the bright sunshine. When there is no light of the sun nor of the moon, when there is no lamp in the house, nor any little star twinkling in the heavens; that eye sees everywhere, and watches over all the families of the earth. eye that sleeps not is God's; His hand is always stretched out over us. He made sleep to refresh us when we are weary; He made night that we might sleep in peace.

The

Then let His praise be in our hearts when we lie down, let His praise be on our lips when we awake.

THE SUN AND THE MOON.

THE Sun says, with a loud voice, 'I am the king of day. I rise in the east, and the dawn comes a little while before me to announce my arrival to the earth. I peep in at your bedroom window with my bright golden eye to warn you of my presence, and I say to you, "Sluggard, arise! I do not shine so that you may remain sleeping in your bed, but I shine for you to get up and work."

I am a great traveller. I travel, like a giant, across the whole of the sky. I never stop, and I am never tired. Around my head is a crown of glittering rays, which I scatter over the universe, and everything they strike shines with splendour and beauty. I give heat as well as light, and it is I who make the fruit and the corn to ripen. If I were to cease shining nothing would grow, and every living being would die in darkness of hunger and despair. I am very high up in the sky, higher than the mountains, higher than the clouds. If I were to come nearer the earth my great heat would scorch it up in an instant, like straw is consumed when thrown into the fire.

'What a long, long time I have been in the sky, and have spread joy on the earth. Some years ago, and you were not in the world; but I was shining the same as now. I was in the sky when your father and mother were born, and even many thousands of years before that time, and I have not grown old yet. Sometimes I remove from

your sight my crown of dazzling rays, and surround my head with silvery clouds; then you are able to look at me. But when I disperse the clouds and shine forth in all the splendour of noon-day, you dare not gaze upon me, for I should then dazzle your eyes, and blind you. Only the king of birds-the eagle-can, with his strong piercing eye, behold all the brightness of my glory. This bird, springing upwards from the tops of the highest mountains, flies towards me with his strong wings, and is lost to sight amongst my rays. The lark rises from his grassy bed in the morning to meet me, and hovering amidst the dawning clouds, sings his sweetest songs, and awakens the other birds sleeping in the woods. The cock, resting on the earth, proclaims, in a shrill voice, my return; but the owl and the bat fly from my face, and take refuge amidst the ruins of lofty towers and in hollow trees. Lions, tigers, and other beasts of prey betake themselves at my approach to their dens and caves, where they sleep all the day long.

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My kingdom has no bounds like the kingdoms of the earth: I reign and shine over the entire universe. I am the most beautiful and glorious thing that was ever created.'

The Moon says, with a gentle voice, 'I am the queen of night. I send my mild and soft rays to give you light, when the sun shines no longer for you. You may always look at me without danger, for I am never bright enough to dazzle your eyes,

and I never burn you. I permit even the little glow-worm to light and show its tiny lamp amongst the grass and along the hedge-rows; whereas the sun is so powerful that he robs this small creature of all its brightness. The stars shine around me, but I send forth more light than all of them together; and I appear amidst them like a large pearl surrounded by a host of sparkling diamonds. When you are asleep, I glide upon a silver ray through your bed-curtains, and I say to you, "Sleep, little friend, you are weary and I will not disturb your slumbers." The nightingale sings to me; and, of all birds, his song is the sweetest. Perched upon a bush, he fills the woods and groves with the music of his notes; while the dew descends and rests lightly upon the herbs and flowers; and everything else is calm and silent in my kingdom.'

THE LION AND THE ASS HUNTING. A LION and an ass agreed to go out hunting together. By and by they came to a thicket, in which the lion commanded the ass to hide himself and then to bray as loudly as he could. The ass, proud to show his skill, soon made the forest resound with the frightful noise he made. This so terrified the other animals that they ran about here and there, and thus many of them fell an easy prey to the lion.

When the hunt was ended, the ass came out, and going up to the lion, asked him if he had not per

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formed his part well. Yes, indeed,' said the lion, ' and I confess your braying would have frightened me too, if I had not known you to be an ass. You should remember, however, that boasting cowards are only laughed at by those who know them.'

THE CROW AND THE PITCHER. A CROW, almost dead with thirst, flew with joy to a pitcher, which he beheld at a distance. But when he came up to it, he found the water so low, that, with all his stooping and straining, he was unable to reach it. In despair, he tried to break the pitcher; then to overturn it; but he was not strong enough to do either. At last, seeing some pebbles lying near, he dropped a number of them, one by one, into the pitcher. Thus he caused the water to rise to the brim and quenched his thirst. Skill and patience will often succeed, when force fails.

SHAN'T AND WON'T.

SHAN'T and Won't were two sturdy brothers, Angry, and sullen, and gruff;

Try and Will are dear little sisters,

One scarcely can love them enough.

Shan't and Won't looked down on their noses,
Their faces were dismal to see;

Try and Will are brighter than roses
In June, and as blithe as the bee.