many who hold a little of God's gold who have laid
it on the altar for His use! I wish some of the consecrated gifts I have
received and used for two poor children, with the accompanying letters,
were not so sacred; I should feel like mentioning some--where a poor
factory girl sent one dollar, with a "God bless you!" and where a good
mother in Israel sent fifty cents in stamps, saying, "This is my
consecration money of three months." So poor was she that the
accumulation was by a penny now and then. Many larger amounts I have
received, but all with the same cheerful "God bless you!" that so cheers
the heart of the missionary far from home and loved ones.

PRAYER WITH A BACKBONE.--The pastor of one of our smaller
churches in the South, describing the concert of prayer held in behalf
of the Association, tells this brief but pithy story about it: "The
objects and purposes and work of the American Missionary Association
were briefly reviewed at the prayer-meeting, and the prayers in its
behalf were fervent and earnest. But we shall not cease, but continue to
pray for your success. Inclosed please find one dollar as a sort of
backbone to our prayers."

FUNNY ANSWERS.

A teacher in the mountain field gives in a recent letter some of the
answers that came in from the pupils in their examination papers. Some
of them are amusing.

"Climate is the combined space of heat and moisture."

"The solar system is situated in that part of the heavens called the
Milky Way."

"The polar circle is parallel, running slanting round the earth."

"It is the wind's duty to refresh and cherish the earth."

"A volcano is the safety-valve of an earthquake."

Digestive organs are termed "dijective organs," and the different races
of men were given as "Indians, Negroes, Whites, and French."

FAMILY FEUD IN THE MOUNTAINS.

BY A MISSIONARY.

I have recently witnessed the result of a Kentucky riot, the first since
I came here. Two desperate factions met on the night of the 25th, at
eleven o'clock. Four men and a woman were engaged in it. The leader of
the first faction fired and shot the leader of the second faction in his
own house, and another of the first faction fired at the leader of the
second faction till he fell with two balls through his left arm, one
ball broke his right leg, and two balls went into his back. The leader
of the second faction shot the leader of the first faction in the right
leg and he fell; both men lying