42 PLAYING WITH THE TORTOISE. PLAYING WITH THE TORTOISE. Look at this curious reptile creeping across the garden for exercise. It is a tortoise, and the great pet of this dear boy. Our young readers know how nice it is to have pretty pets-"living toys"-with which to amuse themselves. Some of you have fine birds, who sing sweet morning songs. Others delight to pat the soft coats of their little dogs. Many of you have timid snow-white rabbits. A few will no doubt have speckled pigeons. But we think there will scarcely any of you have a pet like this. The land tortoise, as well as the fresh and salt water ones, are encased in shields—that is, they live between two curious shells. These shells are so arranged that the tortoise can keep altogether out of sight. You might lift one and carry it about, or let it fall, yea even use it for a hammer, and yet its back would not be broken. All the while the living reptile would just be as snug and cosy as you are when sleeping in your soft, warm beds. How then can it be seen? Well, look at the picture, and you will see this tortoise taking a walk in the garden. It has the power to push its head and neck, legs and tail, out from between the shells, and when hungry is easily fed by a child. Then it can also draw itself so perfectly out of sight that nothing is visible except the outside shields. The upper shell which you see upon its back is made of the ribs, and the under one forms the breast-bone. The tortoise has no teeth, but has instead something horny, like what you see in the beak of a bird. One very wonderful thing is, that the tortoise can scarcely be killed. They hold so long to life, that even after the head is removed the reptile will move about for weeks, and the head will even bite long after it is severed. For months, and even years, they can live without food. The land tortoises perish when thrown into the water; but those that PLAYING WITH THE TORTOISE 43 live in the sea or in fresh water often land and lay their eggs in the sand. Men watch for them on the shore on fine moonlight nights, and see the large black-looking turtles coming out of the water; then they wait until the strong reptiles are asleep, when they take hold of them in a particular way, and turn them upon their backs. After this is done, the turtle cannot turn itself, and so it is caught alive. The colours of the tortoise shell are yellow and brown, and the more bright the colours, the greater their value. You will see tortoise shell dressing-combs made from these pretty shields, and also the handles of hair-brushes, as well as many other very beautiful things. We have thus tried to show our young readers something of the tortoise; so that whether they may see one or not, they may at least learn a little about its curious ways. And now let us draw from the tortoise some other lessons. There is within each of you an immortal spirit, which no This wonderful mind lives, and acts one but God can see. through means of the body. walk, and your tongues speak, that God has put within you. derful the tortoise is formed and protected; but you are far more so. When you think, too, of how long it retains its life-power, that is still more amazing. But, dear young readers, think how long you will live after your bodies die. You will live for ever, either in heaven with your "Father" and all the glorified, or in hell with the Wicked One and all the unholy who have ever lived. Let this teach you to prepare to meet your God. Escape to Jesus. He loved each of you so that he came and bore the punishment your sins deserved. He wishes your presence to be with him in heaven. He just died to bring you to God, and to have the great joy of forgiving, and saving you for ever. Your hands move, your feet can because of this living soul You think how very won 44 ROSE LEIGH'S FRIEND. Believe in his wonderful love and death for your sin. Consent to be his for ever, and the pleasure which you shall experience on earth will only be the beginning of the joys that are everlasting. ROSE LEIGH'S FRIEND. A STORY OF HILTON VILLAGE. By L. ST. C. "E'en for such little ones Christ came a child, And through this world of sin Passed undefiled." Rose A LITTLE girl lay sleeping on a straw pallet one cold March morning, when the clock of the old church struck seven. The sound awoke her from her slumber, and she hastened to get up, at the same time trying to wake a little sister, who slept by her side. "Lizzie," she said in a whisper, as she gently shook the sleeping child, "I want you to get up, and help me to light the fire, and make mother a cup of tea." But Lizzie would not get up, she only turned over again, and drew the scanty blanket round her more closely. turned away, and, in the dim light, began to dress herself noiselessly, lest she should awake her mother, who slept in the adjoining room, and had been ill for a long time. The room in which Rose and Lizzie slept was in reality only a large-sized closet, and was very cold and draughty; but the children had grown accustomed to poverty and hardship, and so did not complain; only sometimes Rose thought how beautiful it must be to be one of those children who had nice homes to live in, with plenty of food to eat, and warm clothes to put on. Poor Rose! hers was a hard life, and as she drew on her few bits of mended clothing, she felt very sad, and a large tear or two rolled down her face. But ROSE LEIGH'S FRIEND. 45 she brushed them away again—there was no time for her to cry, for there was her mother's breakfast to be prepared, and Tom and Willie to be washed and sent to school by nine o'clock; so Rose made haste, and after another vain attempt to wake Lizzie, she stole downstairs. A desolate room, indeed, it looked, as the child opened the door at the foot of the staircase. A round deal table occupied the middle of the room, and a few wooden chairs stood against the wall. A sack or two lay on the floor, in place of carpet, but there was no other furniture, except a picture which hung over the fire-place, representing a shepherd with a little lamb in his arms. Rose often looked at this picture, and thought it was very beautiful, but she could not stay to admire it this morning. She went to the fire-place, and took away the ashes, then she turned to the cupboard where the firing was kept. Alas! there was very little left, and Rose was half afraid to lessen it by taking the few sticks and bit of coal she needed for the fire. "But mother must have some breakfast," she thought, so she made a fire as economically as she could, and hung the kettle on the hook. Then, half fearfully, she opened another cupboard to see what there was for them to eat. Half a loaf of bread, a bit of dripping, and a red herring, were all she found. Rose cut a slice from the loaf, and put it on one side for her mother, then divided the rest into four pieces, for Lizzie, herself, and the boys. Then she stood for a moment thinking-"Mother can't eat herring," she said mournfully, "and there isn't a bit of butter to put on her bread. Oh, I wish I had a penny! I would run down to the shop and buy her an egg. I know she could eat that!" Rose then went to the shelf, and felt all along it, to know if, by any chance, a copper might be there, but it was all in vain. Suddenly a thought struck her, and she went upstairs to the room |