rfume from a flower.

No one can live, and not have influence. Says Elihu Burritt: "No human
being can come into this world without increasing or diminishing the
sum total of human happiness, not only of the present, but of every
subsequent age of humanity. No one can detach himself from this
connection. There is no sequestered spot in the universe, no dark
niche along the disk of non-existence, to which he can retreat from his
relations to others, where he can withdraw the influence of his
existence upon the moral destiny of the world; everywhere his presence
or absence will be felt, everywhere he will have companions who will be
better or worse for his influence." These are true words. To be at
all is to have influence, either for good or evil, over other lives.

The ministry of personal influence is something very wonderful.
Without being conscious of it, we are always impressing others by this
strange power that goes out from us. Others watch us and their actions
are modified by ours. Many a life has been started on a career of
beauty and blessing by the influence of one noble act. The disciples
saw their Master praying, and were so impressed by his earnestness, or
by the radiancy they saw on his face, as he communed with his Father,
that when he joined them again they asked him to teach them how to
pray. Every true soul is impressed continually by the glimpses it has
of loveliness, of holiness, or of nobleness in others.

One kind deed often inspires many kindnesses. Here is a story from a
newspaper of the other day, which illustrates this. A little newsboy
entered a car on the elevated railway train, and slipping into a
cross-seat, was soon asleep. Presently two young ladies came in, and
took seats opposite to him. The child's feet were bare, his clothes
were ragged, and his face was pinched and drawn, showing marks of
hunger and suffering. The young ladies noticed him, and, seeing that
his cheek rested against the hard window-sill, one of them arose, and
quietly raising his head, slipped her muff under it for a pillow.

The kind act was observed, and now mark its influence. An old
gentleman in the next seat, without a word, held out a silver quarter
to the young lady, nodding toward the boy. After a moment's
hesitation, she took it, and as she did so, another man handed her a
dime, a woman across the aisle held out some pennies, and almost before
the young woman realized what she was doing, she