THE GLOW WORM.
On a summer's evening about half an hour after bed time, as three
little brothers lay talking together they heard a gentle footstep on
the stairs. It was their sister Lucy. "Are you asleep," she asked.
"No, we are not asleep," cried the boys.
"I have brought something to show you" said Lucy, and going into the
darkest corner of the room, she opened her hand and the boys saw
something sparkle
"What is it," cried little Frank, jumping out of bed and running to
look. Lucy held out her hand, but told him not to touch it.
"Oh, it moves! It moves!" said he "It must be something alive."
"Ah!" said John, "it is a glow worm. I saw one last summer on a bank
in Sand Lee."
"Take care," said Frank, "that it does not burn the counterpane." The
two elder brothers laughed; but Lucy reminded them that they would
most likely have fallen into the same mistake, if they had not been
taught that the glow worm's light, though it shines so brightly, does
not burn. To convince Frank she told him to hold out his hand. The
little boy felt afraid, but as he knew that Lucy never deceived him,
he put out his hand, and soon, to his great delight, the harmless
glow worm lay in his hand. Lucy promised to tell him something about
the glow worm another time. Frank went back to his bed, and Lucy bid
her brothers good night, promising to put the prize under a glass on
the lawn.
So night after night, for weeks, the three boys saw the twinkling
light of the glow worm on the dewy grass. One evening they began to
quarrel about it, and none but little Frank was willing to give up his
claim to it. It grieved him to hear his brothers quarrelling and
saying unkind words to each other; and he also thought that the poor
glow worm ought not to be kept a prisoner under the glass, instead of
flying over the green turf or mossy bank. But when he tried to bring
John and Robert to the same opinion, they would not hear to him. So
Lucy, who was a kind sister, when she found that the pleasure she had
procured for them was the occasion of their naughty conduct, sat down
by the window and told them to remember that God, who made the glow
worm and caused its light to shine, could see them in their chamber,
and hear every sinful word. John and Robert felt the force of their
sister's words, and settled their quarrel without delay, and they gave
Frank permission to go early in the morning and let the imprisoned
glow worm creep away.
More
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HARVEST SONG.
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... LETTICE AND MYRA.
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... THE BROTHER AND SISTER.
(In three Stories.) ... THE CHILD AND FLOWER.
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We've no abiding city here: This may distress the worldling's mind, But should not cost the saint a tear, Who hopes a better rest to find, We've no abiding city here; We seek a city out of sight. Zion its name; the Lord is... THE SHEPHERD AND HIS BIBLE.
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