Alice had had in bringing on her illness was almost more than she could bear. She recovered at last, to find her eldest daughter a different person, humble, and thoughtful, and affectionate, and though not neglecting her home lessons, always making much more effort to do her home duties. THE WOMAN AND THE BIRD. 66 BY ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF CHILD-WORLD." I'LL tell you a story, children,- Whose life was saved by a bird;- With nothing to make life sweet, Walking for work to the village, To get her dinner that day; And she made the bird her darling,She was so poor and alone, That she thought it a lovely wonder She hung the cage in her hovel, Weary and weary with walking, With which her bird-king is fed The bird sang out sweet and eager It flew around and about her; It sang what it could not speak; It perched on her head and shoulder, Or laid on her lips its beak. So the wind blew rather softly, The sun shone rather more bright, And love was the little secret That gave to her life some light. And you with whom love is plenty, For a woman made less unhappy And when she was faint with hunger, O bird, of what were you thinking? And sang with a frightened cry, And then you rushed through the window Away between earth and sky. And every creature that met you For how could they guess or know The young were so gay and idle, With hearts so eager and light; And the grown-up people so busy, Planning from morning till night; And all were thinking and speaking Of things they had seen and heard; And all of themselves or each other, With never a thought for the bird. Back flew the bird in its terror, The girl with the innocent grace, And the hand that was always ready, And the sweet little pitying face. And it fluttered and flew about her, And flew away to the hovel, And back to the girl did fly. And the girl looked up with wonder, But able to understand, For the quick perceptive spirit Still goes with the comforting hand. So the two went into the hovel, And life went in with them there; For death could not hold the creature Of whom a bird took such care. And all who heard the sweet story And love for the kindly heart. From "CHILD NATURE.” THE WHALES' BALL. DEEP, deep, down in the sea, miles and miles further down than you ever went, is the palace where Whale, the King of the Fish, lives. Such a beautiful cool palace, made of rock, and fitted up inside with coral! Now in case no fish ever asked you to dine, or to drink salt water with him, I am going to tell you about the ball which King Whale gave when the Prince of the Whales came of age. Whales usually live in great state, and do not care to see their neighbours; but the queen persuaded the king that solitude is no better for fish than for man or beast, and at last he gave in and said that he would give a ball. Then all was bustle in the sea. You never saw such waves as were kicked up. The dust on the land is nothing to them. In fact, two or three ships were wrecked in consequence. Salmon, the butler, said that he could not pretend to get through the waiting without more help. All the shells wanted cleaning, and several of them were chipped. As soon as Salmon's wishes were known, a good |