fter the excitement of the adventure was
over, the officer spoke of the moment when he rescued that mother and child
from the wreck as the proudest of his life.

"Afterward he took part in the bombardment of Vera Cruz, and had command,
in turn, of the naval battery, where he faithfully and energetically
performed his duty as an officer in the service of his country. He was
among the first of those who entered the captured city; but pain, not
pleasure, filled his mind, as he looked around, and saw death and
destruction on every hand. Victory had perched upon our banners; the arms
of our country had been successful; the officer had bravely contributed his
part in the work; but he frankly owns that he experienced far more delight
in saving the woman he had borne from the wreck, than he could have felt
had he been the commander of the army that reduced the city.

"Wherever duty calls, my lads," concluded the captain, "you will find that
brave officer. He will never shrink from the post of danger, if his country
have need of him; nor will he ever be deaf to the appeal of humanity; but
so long as he is a true man, just so long will he delight more in saving
than in destroying."

THE WORD OF GOD.

Henry, what book is that you have in your hand?"

"It is the Bible, mother,"

"Oh, no, it cannot be, surely!"

"Why, yes it is--see!"

"And my little boy to treat so roughly the book containing God's holy
word!"

Henry's face grew serious.

"Oh, I forgot!" he said, and went and laid the good book carefully away.

"Try and not forget again, my son. If you treat this book so lightly now,
you may, when you become a man, as lightly esteem its holy truths; and then
you could never live in heaven with the angels. No one goes to heaven who
does not love and reverence the Word of God, which is holy in every jot and
tittle."

HARSH WORDS AND KIND WORDS.

William Baker, and his brother Thomas and sister Ellen, were playing on the
green lawn in front of their mother's door, when a lad named Henry Green
came along the road, and seeing the children enjoying themselves, opened
the gate and came in. He was rather an ill-natured boy, and generally took
more pleasure in teasing and annoying others, than in being happy with
them. When William saw him coming in through the gate, he called to him and
said, in a harsh way,

"You may just clear out, Henry Green, and go