66

'Oh, nurse!" Ella exclaimed; "look what Hettie and Mattie are doing!"

"It doesn't matter," composedly answered nurse, rocking herself to and fro.

"But mamma will be so angry," pleaded Ella, very much astonished at nurse's indifference to the mischief of the little ones.

"It doesn't matter," replied nurse quietly.

Ella felt very uncomfortable. The phrase was a familiar one, but started up unexpectedly and inconveniently to-day. More slowly than ever she went down again, feeling quite ready for luncheon; but she saw no sign of it. At last, going to the top of the backstairs, she called to Mrs. Morgan, the cook, saying that she should be late for school, if luncheon were not soon sent up.

"It doesn't matter," replied cook, from the depths of the kitchen, much to Ella's disgust and uneasiness.

A quarter-past two came, and she was obliged to leave home without eating more than a crust of bread. I cannot say Ella liked this, but strangely enough, on this particular day, it seemed to her as if every one combined against her to make things at home as uncomfortable as possible. Just as she left for school she saw the parlour-maid beginning to lay the cloth for luncheon; but she could not delay, as she had to be back again at her French class at a quarter-past

two.

It was a cold

Five o'clock came, and Ella went home. evening, and she anticipated, with pleasure, the bright school-room fire and hot cup of tea awaiting her. She was most grievously disappointed to find neither. Her mother was out, the servant said; and as to fire and tea, why she knew nothing about them, and "it didn't matter," she added, indifferently.

"But it does matter," said Ella, indignantly. "I can't think what has come over every one, I'm sure," and she wandered, forlornly, upstairs. By-and-by she heard her mother come in, and she hastened to her room.

"What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Merton, noticing her little daughter's downcast face.

"I don't know, mamma," sobbed Ella, falling on her mother's shoulder. 66 Everything seems wrong, and nobody

cares to do anything I want."

"Does that matter?" inquired Mrs. Merton, a mischievous smile playing round her mouth, which her daughter did not see.

"Matter, mamma! of course it does. I had no luncheon and no tea; and when I asked Emma, the maid, to mend my stockings, which were all in holes, she said the holes didn't matter. Oh! every one is so selfish and unkind today, mamma!"

"Little Ella," said her mother, as she tenderly folded the weeping child in her arms, "you are now old enough to understand all I want to teach you. I have noticed, with sorrow, that my dear little girl was growing up quite careless of other people's comforts, and only occupied with consulting her own; and it grieved me sorely, darling. I wanted you to see, for once, how unevenly the world would roll if every one's maxim was that you have adopted, It doesn't matter. A servant adhering to this, and consulting her own pleasure, instead of yours, found it did not matter' if you went hungry to school or not; nurse, careless of my interests, told you 'it did not matter' if my wall was spoiled by the children; I, who usually take a deep interest in all that concerns you, found to day 'it did not matter' if you were vexed, or hungry, or tired. Don't you see, Ella, if we are selfish, and think other people's needs and wants 'don't matter,' the world would be a very uncomfortable one?"

"Did you mean it all for me, mamma ?" whispered Ella, hiding her face on her mother's shoulder.

"I want you to judge for yourself, my dear. A little experience goes farther than years of precept," said Mrs. Merton. And Ella agreed with her in her own mind, as she slowly walked away to prepare her evening lessons.

I cannot say that one day's experience of the discomfort

of selfishness cured Ella of her fault; faults do not die in a day, and it cost her many a struggle against careless indifference to other people's opinions, and many a prayer to be made more like Jesus, Who pleased not Himself, before Ella gave up thinking, and saying, that "it did not matter."

Perhaps, girls and boys, you think too that many things you do, do not matter, and affect nobody. Those muddy. boots tramping in and out of the hall and over the clean passages, in spite of mother's prohibitions, entail upon a servant extra trouble and much annoyance; clothes unbrushed, gloves lost, hats spoiled, all may not matter to you, but they cause expense and anxious thought to your hardworking mother, who can ill afford to be continually replenishing these stores. A lesson badly learned "does not matter," you think; but it is the seed of a careless habit that may cause you much trouble by-and-by. It does not matter if you forget to pray, or hurry over your Bible, or if church is missed once in a way. Does it not? These things may not injure the interests of others, but may seriously injure your own soul's welfare. Now I don't want to preach to you, but I want earnestly to advise the young people around me to think for one moment what our world would be like for a single day, if every one carried out the maxim, "it doesn't matter." Try to imagine it, if you can, and end your imaginings by greater consideration for all around you.

EVA TRAVERS POOLE.

Salvation.

NO. II.

HAT must I do to be saved?"

"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." "-Isa. lxiv. 6.

"W"Aags filthy and vile are my dress: "I counsel thee to buy of

The Saviour will give you a robe that is Me gold tried in the fire, that

white,

'Tis the robe of His own righteousness.

thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed."-Rev. iii. 18.

Go, ask and receive of the true bread of life: he that cometh to Me

God asketh no price for the gifts that He have given thee living water."

A Morning Prayer.

LORD my God, I thank Thee for keeping me safe, and giving me sleep; and I thank Thee for all the comforts and blessings of my lot. I wish to begin this day with Thee. I wish to give Thee my first thoughts. Wash me from my sins in my Saviour's blood. Keep me to-day from all sin and evil. Fill me with Incline my heart to do Thy will. more.

Thy Holy Spirit.

Make

me to love Thee Show me what I ought to do today, and give me wisdom and strength to do it. Bless all whom I love, far and near: bless them, both in body and in soul. Forgive any who have ever done me wrong, or spoken against me; and turn their hearts. May I this day, by Thy grace, be a help to some, and a hindrance to none. I ask all for the sake of Jesus Christ my Saviour.

Amen.

A Prayer for the Use of the Sick.

HEAVENLY Father, for Jesus Christ's sake help me and comfort me! I am weak and ill, and I want Thy help and comfort very much; for I have no strength or goodness of my own, and in myself I can find no comfort. But I humbly come to thee for all. I am quite unworthy to come to Thee, or to speak to Thee; but I come in the name of Jesus Christ my Saviour, who taught me to call Thee my Father, and who is my Mediator and Advocate. Lord, for His sake look upon me; pardon all my sins, give me peace, give me Thy Holy Spirit in my heart, increase my faith; make me patient and thankful. If it be Thy will, ease my pain, strengthen me, and make me well. And may this time of sickness be a time of blessing to me, and draw me nearer to Thee than ever. Hear me for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

F. B.