and culture, it was no wonder that Miss Preston should
feel it a matter for earnest consideration what parting words she
should say, which, even if unappreciated at the time, might
afterwards come back to their minds, associated with the remembrance
of a teacher they had loved, to help them in the conflict between good
and evil which must have its place in their future lives. But she felt
she could not possibly do better, in bidding farewell to her young
pupils, than to direct them to Him who would never leave nor forsake
them,--who was nearer, wiser, tenderer, than any earthly friend,--who,
if they would trust themselves to Him, would guide them into all
truth, and in His own way of peace.

She had brought them each, as a little parting remembrancer, a pretty
gift-card, bearing on one side the illuminated motto, "LOOKING UNTO
JESUS," a text the blessed influence of which she herself had long
experimentally known. And in words so simple as for the most part to
reach even little Nelly's comprehension, she spoke earnestly of the
loving Saviour to whom they were to "look,"--of that wonderful life
which, opening in the lowly manger of Bethlehem, and growing quietly
to maturity in the green valleys of Nazareth, reached its full
development in those unparalleled three years of "going about doing
good," healing, teaching, warning, rebuking, comforting; not
disdaining to stop and bless the little children, and at last dying to
atone for our sins.

She explained to them, that although withdrawn from our earthly sight,
He was as really near to them now as He had been to those Jewish
children eighteen hundred years ago; that their lowest whisper could
reach Him; that if they would but ask Him, He would be their truest
Friend, ever at their side to help them to do right and resist
temptation, to comfort them in sorrow and sweeten their joy. Her
earnest tone and manner, even more than her words, impressed the
children, and fixed even Nelly Connor's bright hazel eyes in a
wondering gaze. It was very new and strange to her to hear about the
mysterious, invisible Friend who was so loving and kind; the idea of a
_friend_ of any kind being novel to the lonely, motherless child, more
accustomed to harsh, unsparing reproof than to any other language.
Miss Preston, glad to see at least that her interest was excited, was
fain to leave the germs of truth to take root and develope in her
mind, under the silent influence of the divine Husban