smiles on its glistening beauty and listens
lovingly to its song. "Doth God take care for oxen?" asks Paul, and
looking into the Bible, as well as abroad over the fertile fields, we
can but answer, yes; though Paul himself seems to incline to the
negative, and to consider the command not to muzzle the ox when he
treadeth out the corn as given altogether for our sakes. Partly for our
sakes, no doubt, but partly also for the comfort of the toiling patient
oxen; and so, probably, would Paul say, were the question fairly put to
him from the bovine side. So, indeed, in effect he does say, when
writing to Timothy with another end in view. Perhaps that "Original
Greek," to whom commentators and expositors are so fond of appealing in
an emergency, may yet be found to help us out of our difficulty by
proving, past a cavil, that _no_ means _yes_. At any rate, the Bible
shows that God does take care of all dumb, uncomplaining lives, and all
humble human creatures,--and shows it so conclusively, so minutely, and
so practically, that we can hardly be said to need any supplementary
revelation on that point, though the Reverend Edward C. Towne, evidently
thinking otherwise, has written what he modestly terms "a scripture"
about Timid Tom and Old Gurdy,--very tender and touching, yet he will
pardon me for saying I still think Matthew rather better adapted to the
rural districts.

So we will remember that to the birds cherry-trees are a true Promised
Land, where Nature herself invites them to enter in and take possession.
We will ever bear in mind that Molly and Brindle have no forecast of
full granaries to console them for present deprivation, and that the
waving cornfield rustles for them, and for them the rich rye quivers,
and they do but obey their highest law, when they pass through the
carelessly swinging gate and feast on the fatness of the land.

In fact, our three little calves always wrought their mischief with such
winsome grace as disarmed anger and amply repaid us in amusement what
they cost us of trouble. They were a source of unfailing interest and
wonder,--

"A phantom of delight,
When first they gleamed upon our sight,
A lovely apparition, sent
To be a moment's ornament."

And every day heightened their charms.

Mr. Henry James, illustrating some false conception of the relation
between God and man, somewhere says, "You simply need to recall the
relation of irksome superintendence on the