THE BEST REFERENCE.
"HAVE you a recommendation?"
"Yes, sir."
Robert had been seeking a situation for almost a week, and now that he had at last met with some- .
thing that promised success, he was nervous as a boy can be. His hand went down into his jacket pocket — a handkerchief, a strap, but no recommendation. He emptied another pocket, and another, and another without success. "Ah, there it is, I suppose; you have dropped it on the floor,"
said the gentleman who was standing by, waiting, as a bit of paper fluttered to the floor.
"No, sir; that's only my pledge," Robert answered, stooping to pick up the paper.
"Your pledge?"
"Yes, sir. My temperance pledge."
"May I see it?"
Robert handed it to him, and continued' his search for the missing paper, growing more nervous as the search proceeded.
"Never mind, my boy.
I don't need any further reference," said the gentleman, after reading the pledge. "I am willing to trust a boy who puts his name to a promise like this. That boy is his own reference."
—Royal Road.
"IF YOU PLEASE."
"IF you please," makes people willing to help you and serve you.
“If you please," makes people sweeter and happier.
"If you please," is the key which unlocks more doors of kindness in family life than all the cross and ordering words in the whole dictionary. See if it does not.
HELPING THE MINISTER.
"ONE thing helped me very much while I was preaching today," said a clergyman.
"What was that?" inquired a friend.
"It was the attention of a little girl who kept her eyes fixed on me, and seemed to try to under-stand every word I said. She was a great help to me."
Think of that, little ones, and when you go to church fix your eyes on the minister, and try to understand what he says, for he is speaking to you as well as to the grown-up people. He is telling about the Lord Jesus, who loves the little ones.
BE gentle.
Strength of character and sweetness of disposition are in nowise incompatible. Doubtless the most winsome nature on earth is that which combines the naturalness and dependence of a child with the strength of a true woman. There are people whose touch is balm to us; restful persons, whose companionship is a benediction, who draw out the best of our natures, whose presence we may scarcely note, but whose absence creates a void, which the heart hungers to have filled.
SATAN'S CHAIN.
Do you ever think, boys and girls, that each sin indulged in is one of Satan's links, which he is sure
to slip into the chain by which he will hold you? Satan delights to see those chains lengthen day by day, for they are thus binding you the more surely for him. You must watch every day and hour if you do not want him to hold you. We must beware of the little hidden sins, for Satan's small links are often the most dangerous because we do not notice them.
There is another thing to do, and that is, pray. God is stronger than Satan. If we get the Lord's help every day, we shall be able to keep Satan from adding to the chain, and to loosen those links that are already around us. We must not think the least evil too small to pray about or to watch against.
Then, if you are to keep free from this chain, which brings so much trouble and sorrow, you must remember to watch, and pray.