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low all night. The story got wind, and from that time pcoplo were afraid to come where thoy were liable to meet such com pany.” “Pity! pity!” rejoined Dr. Gordon, “for these snakes are known to be excel lent rat-catchers, and they are harmless withal, but people have such a prejudice against every thing under the name of snake that we can scarcely account for it except by supposing that it came down to us from Adam and Eve. “ Guess I Know a Thing or Two.” Y dear boy,” said a father to onl y son ’ u j° ll are in bad company. — yjmmm The lads with whom you * associate indulge in bad habits. They drink, smoke,swear, play cards, and visit theatres. — CM* They are not safe companions for !f' you. I beg you to quit their society.” “You needn’t be afraid of me, father,” replied the boy, laughing; “I guess I know a thing or two. I know how far to go, and when to stop. The lad left his father’s house twirling his cane in his fingers, and laughing at the “old man’s notions.” A few years later, and that lad, grown to manhood, stood at the bar of a court before a jury which had just brought in a verdict of guilty against him for some crime in which he had been concerned. Before he was sentenced he addressed the court, and said, among other things: “My downward course began in dis obedience to my parents. I thought I knew as much of the world as my father did, and I spurned his advice. But as soon as I turned .my back on my home, temptations came upon me like a drove of hyenas, and hurried me to ruin.” Mark that confession, ye boys who are beginning to be wiser than your parents ! Mark it, and learn that disobedience is the first step in the road to ruin. Don't take it. Worth Knowing. —A poison of any conceivable description and degree of po tency which has been swallowed inten tionally or by accident, may be rendered almost instantaneously harmless by swal lowing two gills of sweet oil. An indi vidual with a very strong constitution should take twice the quantity. This oil will neutralize every form of vegetable or mineral poison with which physicians and chemists are acquainted. He who says what he likes, will be apt to hear what he does not like. BURKE’S WEEKLY. “ PLAYING SWEEPSTAKES.” HY! m -^ Bon ’” Bai(i rs looking for a string in Paul’s drawer, ond had picked up a bag full of marbles. “ You said you only had fifty the other day —where did these come from?” “ Won ’em,” said Paul, briefly. “ How so ?” “ Playing sweepstakes.” “ And was that what kept you out so late last night, when mother had told you to come in early ?” Paul’s handsome face sobered a little, and he said, “Well, I can’t help it, the other fellows make me.” “ How can they make you if you don’t want to ?” “ They’ll kick me ’cause I’ve got their marbles, and say its mean not to give them a chance to win back; and then there’ll be two folks kicked,” Paul added emphatically. “ But is it right, Paul ?” “I don’t know as it is,” said he, “ but I’m in for it; so here goes,” and off he ran to school. Mrs. Fielding carefully thought over the matter. She had aimed to train Paul to a thorough self-control, rather than mere submission to authority. So that evening, when Paul had laid aside his books, and sat beside her for his “ good night talk,” as he called it, she said : “Paul, what would you think of a drinking man who wanted to reform, and yet kept his cups and well-filled bottles constantly in sight?” “ I thould think it would take him a good while, besides making it much hard er for him.” “ And the only way in which he could reasonably expect to be delivered from the evil sin, would be by giving up what was constantly a temptation ?” “Yes, of course.” “ Could you do it ?” Paul lifted up his head, proudly, and said, “ T should rather think I could.” “Could you stop playing sweepstakes ?’’ “But where’s the harm ?” “Do you pay for them?” asked his mother. “ Course not, I win ’em.” “So does the gambler win the money staked on the game. Can you toll me any difference in the principle of playing for money, or playing for marbles?” Paul tried his best to think of some difference, but could not. At length life mother said: “ You have admitted that you did not think it right, and that alone is enough to make it wrong to you. Then it has become a passion beyond your control. Ought you to give it up ?” Ibis was a hard question. Paul was a skilful player, always winning, rarely losing, and the game had become so fas cinating as to keep him late after school. “But, mother,” he said, “Fred Kings ley is my partner, and he and all the other boys will say I am a mean sneak to stop playing now, when I’ve got all their marbles.” “It ivould be rather mean, too,” said she. “ What can you do about it ? Can you not give up the thing that leads you into temptation ?” “What! Give up my marblos ! The boys would all laugh at me.” “ Hasn’t my son the courage to do right when the laugh ?” Paul felt ashamed, for he had learned that true courage lies in the heart, and not in the fist. “ Can you truly pray: ‘ Deliver me from this evil,’ and keep the temptation in your hand ! I wish that you would decide that question before you lie down to-night; be assured it will be a great gain if you can make up your mind to control yourself in this, even though it should seem to you very much like losing a right hand.” Paul thought it did seem very much like that, and remarked that it was “tough business.” The struggle was se vere. For one minute he thought he could, and then the thought of tamely playing marbles “just for play,” seemed more than he could submit to, besides knowing how the boys would look upon it. Mrs. Fielding said nothing for a time, but at length spoke softly, “ Our Lord taught us how to pray, ‘ Lead us not in to temptation.’ Do you not need that prayer now ?” Paul sprang up, walked up and down quickly, then came and knelt beside his mother, while she in a few earnest words besought the strength and help so much needed. Afterward, as they set beside the fire, he said quietly, “ I’ll do it, mother.” The boys did laugh some, but Paul’s consciousness that he was doing right carried him through, and his manly ex ample did more to check this growing evil than all the teachers had said, and no boy really thought less of him for do mo- what they knew they would not have dared to do. Happiness is not an abstract qual ity, but consists in doing good to all. 111