andsome rod and line, and was showing
it off all the time. His pride hindered his usefulness as a
fisherman. The farmer's boy had nothing to show off; so he kept
himself out of sight, and thus his humility helped his usefulness in
fishing.

"The Thames' Tunnel Teaching Humility." Most strangers who visit the
great city of London go to see the famous tunnel under the river
Thames. This is a large, substantial road that has been built, in the
form of an arch, directly under the bed of the river. It is one of
the most wonderful works that human skill ever succeeded in making.
The man who planned and built it was made one of the nobility of
England. His name was Sir Isambard Brunel. He was so humble that he
was willing to learn a lesson from a tiny little ship worm. These
worms bore small round holes through the solid timbers of our ships.

One day Mr. Brunel visited a ship-yard. An old ship was on the
dry-dock getting repaired. A quantity of worm-eaten timber had been
taken out from her sides. He picked up one of these pieces of timber,
and saw a worm at work, boring its way through. If he had been a
proud man, he might have thrown the timber aside, and said--"Get away
you poor little worm. I am a great master builder. You can't teach me
anything." And if he had done so that famous tunnel under the Thames
would probably never have been built. But Mr. Brunel had learned the
lesson of humility. He was willing to learn from anything that God
had made, however insignificant it might be. So he sat down and
watched the worm at its work. He studied carefully the form of the
hole it was boring. The thought occurred to him how strong a tunnel
would be, that was made in the shape of this hole! And when he was
asked whether it would be possible to build a tunnel under the
Thames, he said he thought it could be done. He undertook to build
it. He succeeded in the work. But, in accomplishing the great
undertaking that little ship-worm was his teacher.

And now, if any of my young friends who may read this book should
ever visit London, and go to see the great tunnel, as they gaze in
wonder at it, let them remember Sir I. Brunel, and that little
ship-worm; and then, let them say to themselves: "This mighty tunnel
is an illustration of the truth that humility helps to make us
useful."

"George Washington and His Humility." Here is a story connected with
the great and good Washington--"the Father of his country," which
illustrates ve