To which Margaret replied: "Never mind, brother; I will love you and
take care of you all your life," and she said these words with a
sister's love, as she put her arms around the neck of her helpless
brother. She loved him the more, and aimed to please him by reading
books to him which were his delight. This was a pleasant sight, and the
brothers always admired Margaret for her attention to their helpless
brother.




THE BIT OF GARDEN.


Young children like to have a small piece of land for a garden which
they can call their own. And it is very pleasant to dig the ground, sow
the seed, and watch the little green plants which peep out of the earth,
and to see the beautiful buds and fresh blossoms.

Every boy and girl has a bit of garden, and we are told in the good book
to take good care of it, and see that the weeds of vice do not spread
over it, and to be sure and have it covered over with plants of
goodness. This garden is the HEART. Such things as anger, sloth, lying
and cheating, are noxious weeds. But if you are active and industrious,
and keep cultivating this little garden, and keep out all the bad weeds,
God will help you to make a good garden, full of pleasant plants, and
flowers of virtue. I have seen some gardens which look very bad,
covered with briars and weeds, the grass growing in the paths, and the
knotty weeds choking the few puny flowers that are drooping and dying
out. Every thing seems to say--"How idle the owner of this garden is."