t up to him purring, and rubbed herself against him.
He gave her such a blow that she flew out again, in angry fright, with
her back high above her head. And the rain rained faster, and the wind
began to blow, and the misery settled down upon his soul like lead. At
last he wept with his face on the floor, quite overmastered by the most
contemptible of all passions--self-pity.

Again the voice of his mother came to him. The wizard had in the
meantime come to see her, and had just left her.

"Get up, my boy," she said, in a more commanding tone than he had ever
heard from her before.

With her words the vision returned upon him, clear, and plain, and
strong. He started in terror, almost expecting to hear the chains rattle
about him.

"Get up, and make the room tidy. See how you have thrown the books
about!" said his mother.

He dared not disobey her. He sprung to his feet, and as he reduced the
little chaos around him to order, first calmness descended, and then
shame arose. As he fulfilled her word, his mother stood and looked on.
The moment he had finished, he ran to her, threw his arms about her
neck, burst into honest, worthy tears, and cried:

"Mother!"

Then, after a while, he sobbed out:

"I am sorry I was so cross and rude to my mother."

She kissed him, and put her arms around him, and with his mind's eye he
saw the flap of the white dove's wing. She took him by the hand and led
him to the window. The sun was shining, and a grand rainbow stood
against the black curtain of the receding cataract.

"Come, my child," she said; "we will go out together."

It was long years ere the boy understood _all_ the meanings of the
vision. I doubt if he understands them all yet. But he will one day. And
I can say no more for the wisest of the readers, or for the writer
himself, of this parable.

The Father of all the boys on earth and in heaven be with the boys of
America! and when they grow up, may they and the men of England
understand, and love, and help each other! Amen! Your friend,

GEORGE MACDONALD.

ANNIE AND THE BALLS.

(_A Story for the Kindergarten Children._)

BY H. E. H.

Little Annie had been quite ill, and her mamma thought best to keep her
at home from the Kindergarten; but she was now almost well again, and
had been promised she should return to her little companions in two more
days. Two days seems a long time to a little girl, and Annie seemed so
sadly to miss all the pretty amus