clothes. Pat Curran earned more than two guineas in a week; and George Young saved up £7 in his bank. But then that was "Exhibition time." Never mind, we get quite enough when we are not idle at our posts. Mine will be the National Gallery tomorrow. Come and let me polish your shoes there. J. M.

ΜΑΥ.

UP, up, my young friends, and enjoy the beginning of this beautiful month. The little sweep has been long roused from his sooty bed, and is preparing for his usual May-day gambols. Poor little fellows! I often pity them when I see their tiny feet skipping around their Jack-in-the-green. Many think this a joyous day to them; but they forget this gaudy labour is more for their master's profit than for their own pleasure. The day which is often begun thus mirthfully by them, is ended in drunkenness, quarrels, and fighting. Think of this, and pity these poor little neglected and abused ones.

What a beautiful month is May! Nature seems to be dressed in all her beauties. The earth is covered with fresh green grass and corn, and fruit-trees are covered with blossoms. It is very pleasant to walk out into the green fields, and see the horses, and cows, and sheep, enjoying new fresh food.

On the first day of this month it was the

custom of people in England, both rich and poor, to go out into the fields and gather May, and this they called "Maying." It was a holiday, and cheerful innocent sports, such as dancing round the "May pole," were carried on.

How happy would it be for the boys and girls of England, if public amusements were now as innocent and harmless as in those days. But the public amusements of the present day have so much evil and sin mixed with them, that it is not wise or safe for children to go to them; I mean such as fairs, theatres, penny plays, concert rooms, etc. Be advised, dear children go not to any of them; seek recrea tion where you may get good without evil, so that the evening's entertainment may bear the morning's reflection.

BIBLE QUESTIONS FOR MAY.

13. What particular men, living before the time of Christ, are so mentioned as to be certainly met with in heaven?

14. What women are spoken of with approval by St. Paul?

15. When did evil spirits pray to Jesus, and why did he grant their request ?

THE FLOOD.

THIS year is the year 1852, which means that it is one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two years since Jesus Christ was born.

I will tell you to-day about the great flood

which happened nearly four thousand years ago, and two thousand years before Jesus Christ was born.

I dare say you have often heard of it, and of Noah and his family, and a great many animals, being saved in the ark. If you have got a Bible you can read the history in the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th chapters of Genesis.

God sent this fearful punishment because men had become very wicked, and would not repent of their sins. The Holy Spirit had given them many opportunities for improvement, all of which they neglected, so at last God said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." But yet, in mercy, God gave them one hundred and twenty years more to repent in.

One man, called Noah, listened to the good Spirit, and tried to serve God. And St. Peter tells us, that he also tried to persuade others to repent and love God, but they did not listen.

God loved Noah, and told him to build an ark. And Noah did as God commanded him. But it took him a long time to build, for it was much larger than the largest ship in the world. All the time it was preparing the people were being warned to repent. And the very sight of it must have reminded them of the word God had spoken. At last the long-suffering of God came to an end, and he told Noah to go into the ark with all his family, and two of every living creature, for that in seven days the waters of the flood should be upon the earth.

And so it was. The flood came and destroyed every living thing that was not in the ark; and for a whole year no living creature put its foot upon the ground. At length the waters dried up, and then God told Noah to go out of the ark, with all that were with him. Then Noah built an altar, and offered burnt offerings to the Lord. And the Lord blessed Noah, and established his covenant with him; and told him that there should never be another flood to destroy the earth. And God appointed the rainbow as a token of the cove

nant.

And now what do we learn from this history of Noah being saved in the ark. Our Saviour says, "As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be," Matt. xxiv. 37. There will not be another flood, but the world will be destroyed again by fire. Oh!

shall we not want an ark to save us then? Indeed we shall, and the Bible is written on purpose to tell us that God has provided a sheltering-place for us, and how we are to be saved. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," 1 Tim. i. 15. "Come unto me," says our Saviour, "and I will give you rest," Matt. xi. 28.

Jesus Christ, then, will save us, if we will come to Him now with repentance and faith. Oh! let us all pray to God to help us to do

so; and then we shall fear nothing: for our blessed Saviour tells us not to fear, but "when men's hearts are failing them," and "there is great distress of nations on the earth," then wẹ are to "look up, and lift up our heads, for our redemption draweth nigh," Luke xxi. 26-28.

Redemption! What does that mean? Oh! my dear children, everything that is good is contained in that word. It means that "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away," Rev. xxi. 4. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is," 1 John iii. 2.

O Lord! keep us, we pray thee, as lambs within thy fold. Teach us day by day; and lead us safely through this world. And at last, when all sin and sorrow have passed away, may we live for ever with thee, for Jesus Christ's sake.

BIRDS' NESTS.

ANY of you, my dear children, have seen a bird's nest. It is a very curious thing. I once saw a little brown coloured bird, called the hedge-sparrow, who built its nest in a myrtle tree in a garden, and it had four little blue eggs in it. Under the hedge, in a hole in the bank, the little robin-red breast makes its nest. Above the chamber window, under the tiles, a bird called the martin builds its nest of