isda Beware atc Bellefonte, Pa., June 16, 1893 | c——— ROCK OF AGES, “Kock of ages, cleft for me,” Thoughtlessly the maiden sung, Fell the words unconsciously From her girlish, gleeful tongue ; Sang as little children sing; Sang as sings the birds in June; Fell the words like light leaves down, On the current of the tune— “Rock of ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee.” “Let me hide myself in thee,” Felt her soul no need to hide— Sweet the song as song could be, And she had no thought beside ; All the world unheedingly Fell from lips nntouched by care : Dreaming not that they might be On some other lips a prayer— “Rock of ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee.” “Rock of ages, cleft for me,” Twas a woman sung them now, Pleadingly and prayerfully, Every word her heart did know : Rose the song as storm-tossed bird Beats with weary wing the air, Every. note with sorrow stirred, Every syllable a prayer— “Rock of ages, cleft for me, Let me hid myself in thee.” “Rock of ages, cleft for me,” Lips grown aged sung the hymn Trustingly and tenderly, Voice grown weak and eyes grown ‘fim. “Let me hide myself in thee,” Trembling thongh the voice, and low, Rose the sweet strain peacefully, Like a river in its flow ; ‘Sung as only they cab sing Who life's thorny path have passed; ‘Sung as only they €an sing ‘Who behold the promised rest— “Rock of ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee.” “Rock of ages, eleft for me,” Sung above a edifin-lid ; Underneath, all restfully, All life's joys and sorrows hid Nevermore, O storm-tossed soul, Nevermore from wind or tide, Wilt thou need thyse!f to hide. Could thy sightless, sunken eyes, Closed beneath the soft, gray hair, Could the mute and stiffened lips Move again in pleasing prayer, Still, aye still, the words would be— “Let me hide myself in thee.” 'PURRING WHEN YOU'RE PLEASED. BY MRS. ALFRED GATTY. They had been licked over hundreds of times by the same mother, had been brought up on the same food, lived in the same house, learned the same les- sons, heard the same advice, and yet how different they were! Never were there two kittens more thoroughly un- like than those two! The one, with an open, ‘loving heart, which never could contain itself in its joys, but purred it out &t once to ail the world ; the other, who scarcely ever purred at all, and that never above its breath, let him be as happy or as fond as he would. It was partly his mother’s fault, per. haps, for she always set her children the example of reserve, rarely purring herself, and then only in a low tone. But, poor thing, there were excuses to be made for her; she had had se many troubles. ‘Cats generally have. Their kittens are taken away from sthem so often, and they get so hissed about the house when people are busy, and the children pull them about so heedlessly and make the dogs run after them— which is so drritating—that really the wonder is they ever purr at alli Nevertheless, not feeling inclined to purr much herself was no good reason for her thinking it silly or wreng in other people to purr when they were pleased ; but she did, and she and her purring daughter were always having small tiffs on the subject. Every morning. for instance, when the nice curly-headed little boy brought the kittens a saucer of milk from his breakfast, there was sure to be a dis- turbance over the purring question ; for, even before the saucer had reached the floor, Miss Pussy was suredo be there, tail and head erect and eager, singing her loudest and best, her whole throat vibrating visibly; while Master Pussy, on the contrary, took his food, but said very liutle about it, or if he ever attempted to express his natural delight, did it in so low a tone that nobody could hear without putting their ears close down to him to listen. Now this was what the mother cat «called keeping up oue’s dignity and self-respect, so it can easily be imagin- ed how angry she used to get with the other kitten. “You wretched little «creature:!” she would say to poor Miss Pussy, who, even after the meal was over, would lie purring with pleasure in front of the fire; “what in the world are you making all that noise and fuss about? Why are you always to be letting yourself down by thanking peo- ple for what they do for you, as if you «did not deserve it, and had not a right to expect it? Isn't it quite right of them to feed you and keep you warm ? What a shame it would be if they left you without food “or fire! I am ashamed to see you making yourself 80 cheap, by showing gratitude for every trifle. For goodness’ sake have a little proper pride, and leave off such fawning ways! Look at your brother and see how differently he behaves! — takes everything as a matter of course, and has the sense to keep his feelings to himself; and people are sure ‘to re- spect him all the more. ‘It keeps up one’s friends’ interest when: they are not too sure that one is pleased.” But you, with your everlasting acknowl- edgments, will be seen through, and despised very soon. Have a little more esteem for your own 'eharacter ! What is to become of self respect if people are everlastingly to purr whea they are pleased ?’ Miss Pussy had not the least notion what ‘would become of it in such a case, but she supposed something dreadful ; so she felt quite horrified at herselt for ‘having done anything to bring such a misfortune about, and made ‘a thousand resolutions to keep up ber dignity, save self respect from the terrible unknown fate in store, and purr no more. But it was all in vain, As soon as ever anything’happened ‘to make her feel ‘happy and’ comfortable, throb went the little throat, as naturally as flowers come out in spring, and there she was in a fresh scrape again! And the temptations were endless. The little boy’s cousin, pale and quiet and silent as she was, would often take Miss Pussy on her knee, and nurse her for half an hour iat a time, stroking her so gently and kindly—how coul any one help purring, Or the boy would tie ‘a string, with a cork at the end of it, to the ‘drawer- handle of a table, so that the kittens could paw it, and pat it, and spring at it, as they pleased—how was it possi: ble not to give vent to one’s delight in the intervals ot such a game, when the thing was swingieg trom side to side before their very eves, inviting the next bound ? And when there was nothing else to be pleased about, there were always their own trails to run after, and the fun was surely irresistible, and well de- gerved a song. Yet the brother very seldom com- mitted himself in that way—that was { the great puzzle, and Miss Pussy grew more and more perplexed as time went on. Nay, once, when they were alone together, and her spirits had quite got the better of her judgmeat, she boldly asked kim, in as many words, “Why do you not purr when you? are pleas ed ?”’ as if it was quite ‘the natural and proper thing to do. Whereat he seem- ed quite taken by lsarprise but an- swered at last: “It’s so weak minded, mother says; I should be terribly ashamed. Besides,” added he, after a but don’t say adytking about it—when I begin, there's something'that chokes tell—it would let me down so in moth- er’s eyes. She likes ue to keep up our dignity, you know.” Had Mother Puss overheard these words, she might have been a little startled by such a result of her teach- ing ; but, as it was, she remained in happy ignorance that her son was in- . . . Yet, strange to say, she had toat choking in the throat sometimes herself! .. .:. Bat, at last, a charge came into their lives. Ooneday their friend, the curly headed boy, came bounding into the kitchen where Mother Puss and her kittens were asleep, in raptures of delight, followed by the pale, quiet, silent cousin, as quiet and silent as ever. The boy rushed tothe