rises unbidden, and is pushed away by the
quick, sad thoughts that will not listen to it. For under all the
laughter and nursery frolic and happiness, we cannot but remember why
these little ones are here. Round about the compound in a great triangle
there are three Temple towers. They are out of sight though near us, but
we cannot forget they are there. They stand for that which deprives
these children of their birthright. Oh for the day when those Temple
towers will fall and the reign of righteousness begin! There was a time
when it seemed impossible to desire that the fire should be allowed to
touch the stately and beautiful things of the world. Now there is
something that satisfies as nothing else could in the vision of that
purifying fire; and the promise that stands out like a light in the
darkness is that which tells that the Son of Man shall send forth His
angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom, all things that
offend.

In the tiny babies' nursery many a crooning Indian lullaby is sung
to the babies in their swinging white cradles; but in the Taraha
nursery we sing sweet old hymns, in Tamil and English, and then all
sensible people are supposed to go to sleep. But one evening after
the singing, two little tots settled down for a talk. Said one lying
comfortably on her back with her two hands clasped behind her head:
"Who takes care of us at night when we all go to sleep?" Said the
other in a mixture of Tamil and English: "Jesus-tender-Shepherd takes
care of us--Jesus-loves-me-this-I-know." The first baby rolled over upon
her small sister with a crow of derision. "It is not! It is Accal! I
woke one night and saw her!" The other baby insisted she was making a
mistake. "Accal sleeps, all people sleep; they lie down like us and go
to sleep. Only Jesus stays awake, and never, never goes to sleep."
"Never, never?" questioned the first, and was quiet for a minute
considering the matter; then with a sceptical little laugh, "Did you
ever wake up and see Him?"

If the babies were always in a state of calm repose, the Taraha's pet
name, Parrot-house, would be inappropriate: but for nearly ten hours of
the day they are awake and talkative. Talk, however, is a mild word by
which to describe their powers of conversation. Sometimes we wonder if
they never tire of chattering, and then we remember they have only
lately learned to talk. They have not had time to tire.

[Illustration: CHILDREN WADING]

Once we liste