emed to hesitate.

"You see there is nobody here but the good God and us; then you can say
it low."

"My God," said the child; "I love you. Keep me during my sleep; keep
little father and little mother too, good papa and good mamma, my sister
Mary, who is at boarding-school, and all my relatives, living and dead.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I give you my heart."

The mother and the child left. And I who had heard these things, I
thought of the sacred texts:--

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."

"I thank Thee, Father, because Thou hast hidden these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones."

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise."

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE BOYS.

"Please suggest a suitable Christmas present for a boy of nine."

The above, addressed to the _New York Sun_, elicited the following
reply, which may be read with much profit by all parents of young
hopefuls.

If your nine-year-old has developed any mechanical taste, gratify it by
a small kit of tools. The chests of cheap tools sold in the stores are
not good for much. Select a few tools of good quality at a hardware
store, and put a substantial work bench, such as carpenters use, in the
play room. Never mind an occasional cut finger.

Pet animals or birds, which may be found in great variety in the bird
fanciers' stores, always delight the boys. But city boys do not always
have room to keep them.

An aquarium of moderate dimensions, stocked with half a dozen varieties
of fish, turtles, snails, seaweed, etc., is a very useful and
interesting present for any boy or girl. In the spring add a few
pollywogs, and watch them in their evolution into frogs. You will be
interested in the process yourself.

What do you say to a microscope?

If your boy lacks muscular development for his years, get him a set of
apparatus for parlor gymnastics. He will have lots of fun and it will do
him good. A bicycle isn't bad either.

If he hasn't learned to skate yet it is time to start in. Get him a good
pair of steel runners.

Of course he has a sled?

Perhaps he has all of the things we mention. If so, get the housemaid,
or some other person whom he would not suspect, to ask him what he would
like best for Christmas, and get that if it is within the bounds of
reason.

Throw in a book. There are plenty of them.

Don't give him a toy pistol.

ROBIN REDBREAST.

All over Grea