AN ELEPHANT IN A BATTLE.

AN ELEPHANT IN A BATTLE.

You have been told what a grand show the people in India will often make with their elephants. In this there might not be much harm, but they do worse things than these with them; they teach them how to fight, and that is very bad. Many sad tales have been told of the dreadful things they have done when they have been made to run upon ranks of soldiers who could not withstand the great strength of such a huge creature. But they have been known, when wounded by a cannon ball, to turn round upon those who sent them, and then, full of rage with pain, they would trample down all who stood in their way, as that elephant is doing in the picture.

The people know when the elephant is mad, for then he lifts up his long trunk high in the air, and woe be to any one of them whom he lays hold of with it, for he will dash him on the ground, and kill him by stamping on him with his big heavy foot.

It is a very wicked thing for men to fight with one another; and it is very wrong indeed to set dumb animals, like the horse or the elephant, to help them to fight; for we cannot believe that the Lord made them for any such bad purposes. Both these animals

AN ELEPHANT IN A BATTLE.

are very useful, and willing to help men when they treat them kindly; but if any one should use them ill, though they cannot speak, they will show in their own way that they do not like it, for the horse will kick at him, and the elephant will crush him.

When I was a boy I read a tale about an elephant that I have not forgot. It was this. In one of the cities of India, a keeper of some elephants was driving them down a street to the river to drink. On the way they passed by a tailor's shop. One of the elephants poked its long trunk into the shop, when the tailor, out of fun, pricked it with a needle. The elephant seemed to take no notice, but went on to the river; where, having had a good drink, he went among some rushes, and having stirred up the mud with his feet he filled his great trunk with muddy water, and on his way back he spouted out the dirty stuff all over the poor tailor, who, you may depend upon it, never played any more tricks with an elephant again.

And so I would advise you never to tease or play tricks with dumb creatures, such as dogs or cats, or

they may turn savage and bite or scrat you. Always treat them kindly, and then they will not hurt you.

THE SAILOR-SCHOLAR.

THE SAILOR-SCHOLAR,

TEACHERS in Sabbath-schools sometimes think they are not doing any good, for their scholars seem to take no notice of what they say.

I dont know whether he was thinking so just then, but a teacher in a village near the sea, was sitting at his own fireside one winter evening, when a knock was heard at the door; it was opened, and a smart young sailor walked in, who, looking at the teacher with a smile, said

"Dont you know me, Mr. Ray ?"

"No, I dont, Sir," was the reply. The sailor smiled again, and then Mr. Ray said, "Why, it's Joe Stearns, my old scholar. Sit down, Joe, sit

down; I am very glad to see you."

Joe sat down, and they began to talk.

“You gave me a great deal of trouble when you were in the school, Joe; but I am pleased to see you looking so well."

“I did, and I am sorry for it, Mr. Ray; but you need not regret it, and I am come to tell you so.", "Indeed. Well, I am glad to hear that. Now tell me all about it."

"You know, Mr. Ray, that I ran away from home

THE SAILOR-SCHOLAR.

and went to sea. In the night watches on the ship, when walking the deck, I often thought of the good advice you gave us. Your words stuck fast in my heart, though I might pretend to care nothing about them; now they sprung up again, for I could not keep them down."

"God would not let you, Joe; it was the Holy Spirit who brought them back into your mind."

"So I found after a time, Mr. Ray. Well, when we got back into port, the first thing I did was to go and buy a Bible just like that which you used to teach us from at school."

"You could have done no better thing, Joe." "I found that out too.

For the more I thought of my former bad ways, the more I felt that God must be angry with me. This made me very unhappy, until I thought of your words, 'When you are in any trouble, go to the Bible, my lads; it will set you right.' I did; and it set me right: for it told me that the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.' I believed it, and it made me happy."

"Bless God for that, Joe! Bless God for that!" said Mr. Ray, as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I do, and I hope I ever shall," said Joe. "But my Bible also told me that I must be sober and