e you less sad
for the loss of your dear boy, but it will buy you food or a coat; we
beg you to take it."

With a look of love at those dear ones who were so kind, the old man
took the gold. "May God bless you!" said he. "You are His own lambs.
I will pray for you; and when you die and I die, may we all meet my
own dear Will, who is now with Him, safe from the pain and sin of this
life."

Then he bade them good-by, and went with slow and sad steps down the
road.

ANN, THE GOOD GIRL;

OR,

IS IT BEST TO MIND OR NOT TO MIND?

"O dear! dear!" said Ann, in a fret, "how it does rain! It is just
pour, pour all the time. When _will_ it stop? Why must it rain when I
want to go out? The sky is like a big gray pan up-side down, and so
low it will fall on top of the hill, if it does not mind. What is the
use of rain? O my! I do wish the sun was out."

"Come here, my dear," said her mam-ma, in a soft, kind tone, "will you
help me with this blue yarn? I want to wind it, and then knit it into
mitts for the good men who have gone to the war."

"O dear! yes, mam-ma, I am glad to do that; to be sure I will."

You see Ann was not a bad girl; but she had no work to do, and she did
not want to play just then with Miss Kate June, her new doll. Ann had
been born in June, and just as sure as each new June came, she got a
new doll for a gift from her mam-ma.

Miss Kate June made six dolls that she had; so you can tell by that
how old she was.

And now she held the blue yarn, and mam-ma soon made a big ball of it.
She had just got to the end, when down fell the ball out of her hand.
A gray kit was on the rug; and when the ball fell, she was sure it was
for her to play with; so she flew to get it, and Ann flew to get it
too; and both had such fun, and a real good romp!

Dear me! how the ball did roll! and how the kit did jump! and how Ann
did run to get it! and what a nice time they both had! Ann's blue
eyes were full of glee, and let me tell you, she did not look out once
at the rain.

At last she got the ball away from the kit, and gave it to her mam-ma,
with a kiss.

Then mam-ma said: "Do you care for the rain now?"

"Not a bit."

"Will you do some more work for me?"

"O yes! mam-ma, I like to work for you;" and a soft look of love came
into her blue eyes.

"Well, my dear, I like to have you. And now, for fear the kit will
want to jump up in my lap to get at my ball, just tie this bit of tape
to this cork, a