Somebody does see us, Louis." "Who sees us?" said Louis, dropping an apple he had just commenced eating, and looking all around.

"The Lord sees us," answered Harold. "You know mother says the Lord always sees us."

Louis had two apples in his pocket, but he took them both out and threw them upon the ground, and taking his brother by the hand, said

"Yes, the Lord sees us-I forgot that." Then the two children hurried out of the orchard as fast as they could go, and went home and told their mother what they had done, and she said to them

"Yes, my children, the Lord always

sees you never forget that. But you should not do anything wrong, even if you thought the Lord could not see you. says, Thou shalt not steal, and because he says so you should never take any thing that belongs to another. It is evil

He

to do so; and you

should shun all evil

as sin against God.

I am glad you have told me of your fault. Always come to me and tell me when you do wrong, and I will help you to do right."

COURAGE AND PRESENCE OF MIND.

1

GEORGE WILLIAMS and Edward Jones, two boys living near together, obtained their parents' consent one Saturday to go to the mill-pond and skate. There had been some pretty cold weather, and as the ice had formed rapidly, Mr. Jones and Mr. Williams supposed that the surface of the mill-pond was as hard as the floor, and that therefore their boys would be entirely free from danger.

Away ran the two boys, with their skates hung round their necks, and their thoughts intent upon the pleasure they

were to have on the mill-pond. On reaching the top of a hill which overlooked the pond, they saw Henry Lee, a school companion, gliding along over the smooth surface of the ice as swiftly as a bird on the wing. Eager to join him, they ran shouting down the hill, and were soon occupied in strapping on their skates. But ere this was completed, the two lads were alarmed by a cry of terror from Henry; and on looking up, they saw that he had broken through the ice, and was struggling in the water.

At this, Edward Jones became so frightened, that he threw off his skates and started back, screaming, toward home; but George Williams, with more presence of mind and courage, seized a long pole that lay upon the shore, and went as quickly as possible to the assistance of the drowning boy. Henry had broken into what is called an "air-hole," where the ice is very thin; and as at every

attempt he made to extricate himself, the ice broke with the weight of his body, he was in great danger of losing his life unless speedy assistance came. If he remained still and held on to the edges of the ice, he could keep himself up; but then the water was so cold, that in a little while he would get benumbed, and lose all power to sustain himself. Before, therefore, the frightened Edward Jones could alarm his friends and bring assistance, he would, in all probability, have been lost under the ice.

As we have said, George Williams, who was much more courageous than Edward, caught up a pole, and ran as speedily as possible to the place where Henry was struggling in the water.

"Do not be frightened, Henry," he called; "do not be frightened-I am coming, and will get you out."

At this Henry ceased his violent efforts to extricate himself, and remained quiet

until George came up as near as it was prudent to come, and laid his pole across the broken place, so that each end of it rested upon solid ice.

"Now hold on to that," said he, coolly.

You may be certain the poor lad in the water did not wait to be asked twice to do as he was told.

With both hands

he grasped the stick. Then George lay down at full length, and keeping one hand for support on the pole, crept up so close to the broken place in the ice, that he could grasp one of Henry's hands.

"Easy-easy," said he, in a calm encouraging voice, as the boy in the water caught his arm, eagerly, and was in danger of dragging him in also. This gave Henry more confidence, and restored, in some measure, his presence of mind. After this, it took but a moment for George Williams to pull Henry out, and get him beyond all danger.

The two boys were more than half-way