"And to-morrow he may be good again," returned Miss D-. "I, for one, am not going to give him up!"

"Well, you may do as you please, but I've done with him. I work, and work, to make him good, and what is the end of it all? Just as I settle down, thinking he is a changed boy, he flies in my very face with his wickedness, showing me he is as bad as ever."

"I know, Miss W-, that you have had a good deal of trouble with him. I suppose you do feel discouraged. It is very hard to work thus, week in and week out, and then see your work is a failure. But, you know, Johnny has a great many temptations to be bad. It is harder for him to do right than it is for some children."

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Certainly; but for all that I know it is harder for him to be good than it is for others. I've seen him try many a time not to yield to some wicked temptation. You know, Miss W-, that Satan has more power over some than over others."

"O, well, there's no use in wasting words over him! I tell you I'm tired of trying. We may as well say no more about it. I suggest that we go into the house and see what new mischief he is at.

Miss D- and Miss W-- were two of the teachers in a Home for motherless children. They had come out to enjoy a little talk in the quiet of the early evening, and as they seated themselves under a group of trees the little birds were just warbling their soft good-nights.

Poor Johnny had also sought the same spot. Tired out with his day's day's naughtiness, and feeling now repentant, he had stolen away from the other children, and come out to ask God to make him better. He could not tell what had made him so troublesome and wicked. He knew that when he first awoke that morning he felt much like teasing somebody, and everything had gone against him since.

He had accidentally tipped over his cup of milk at breakfast, for which he had received a severe rebuke, and been told he would have water at breakfast for a week. Then he had lost his pet plaything, a bright-coloured ball, and no one would help him to look for it. And last of all, he had found that his little rosebush, well filled with buds, had been trodden to the ground. So, by the time school opened, his patience was quite gone.

I should not like to tell of all the naughty things Johnny did that day. Bad as he had sometimes been, he was now surprised at himself; and when he overheard his teachers talking about him, he had not the courage to come out in their sight. He sat, with clenched fists, listening to their conversation, and thinking how he could manage to run away from the "Home." All the good resolutions he had just been forming were banished by the few words spoken by Miss W-. Even the little prayer that he had been making for forgiveness and for help to become better was forgotten as angry thoughts crowded themselves into his heart.

"There's no use in trying to be good. I hate every one here," he said to himself.

But it would have required a much harder heart than Johnny's to have long resisted the kind, earnest tones of Miss D-. Strange thoughts passed through his mind as he listened to what was being said. At one moment he was ready to fly out from his hiding-place and shake his fist at Miss W—, and the next he would feel like falling upon his knees and telling Miss D— how good he would be for her trust in him.

He sat for some time after his teachers had gone, struggling with his wicked heart, and trying to bring himself into a better and happier state of mind. While he was sitting thus the birds again twittered softly, and as he looked up he caught sight of the new moon just sinking beyond the distant hill-tops. Then his eyes wandered to the far-off sky, and the wayward boy began to wonder what was beyond it all. Surely, he thought, the great God who could so easily govern all these things, must be stronger than the wicked tempter. Yes, He could help him to conquer.

"I suppose Miss D-- thinks I'm bad because Satan wants me to be. But she won't find me bad any more. She has never spoken cross words to me,

nor struck me, and I will show her that I can be good in return."

Then Johnny again asked God to help him, for he had already learned how little strength he had in himself.

The sound of the children's voices had long since died away, and Johnny suddenly awoke to the fact that he was staying out long beyond hours. "There'll be a pretty rumpus now," he said, half aloud, "and just as I was going to be good, too. Well, there is no use in trying. I may as well give up now as any time." So saying, he slowly wended his way back to the house. Fortunately for him, he met Miss D- just as he entered the hall.

“O, here you are, Johnny!" she said, in her own pleasant tone. "I was beginning to think you were going to sleep with the little birdies to-night. What kept you out so late, dear?".

Johnny tried to give a careless answer, but the gentle tones proved too much for him.

"O! Miss D-, I heard all you said out under the trees. I didn't mean to hear, but I was afraid to come out. Andand "

"And what, my boy?"

"I have tried to be good, Miss D-, but sometimes it isn't any use trying. I didn't mean to be so bad to-day, but I couldn't help it."

"Why couldn't you, Johnny?"
"I don't know why.”
"Did you really try?'

But Johnny was puzzled to answer this question, and when he thought over his day's deeds, he felt that perhaps he had not really and truly wished to be good.

"I am afraid you cannot tell, Johnny. When you were giving Miss W- so much trouble, did you think for a moment how tired she must be of taking care of children all day longhearing lessons and helping them in so many ways? It is very hard work to teach little children, Johnny, even when they are all just as good as they know how to be. But O, how much harder it is when, instead of helping her, they add to her cares by being naughty!"

Johnny looked thoughtful. Perhaps, after all, Miss Wwas not to blame for thinking there was no use in trying to make him good.

"O, my boy! if you knew how much I want you to be good, I feel sure you would try as you have never tried before."

had died two years before, had taught him to love the good Father in heaven, and Robbie had promised her that he would try to love every one with whom

Then, taking Johnny to her room, Miss D- left him there, while she went to explain to the matron the cause of his absence, and obtain permission to keep him with her for a short time. She found him looking very thoughtful when she returned. "Miss D-, if I should die nobody would be sorry, would they? They would all be telling each other that I couldn't give them any more trouble. But if Robbie Morrison were to die they'd all feel very sorry, wouldn't they?"

Miss D― hardly knew what to say. She looked at Johnny, who had proved indeed a heavy burden, and she thought of the gentle-faced little cripple, who had won the hearts of all about him by his quiet, loving ways. When quite a young child, Robbie had been burned very badly, and now it was with difficulty he could move about at all. But his little heart was full of love, and from morning to night he was the joy of all about him. His mother, who

doing this they, too, had learned to love him. It was true that if he should die he would be sadly missed. There was not one in the Home, old or young, who would not weep Robbie's grave.

over

And what Johnny had said of himself was, in a measure, also true. There were very few who were likely to feel his death a great loss. And so it was that Miss D- did not know what to say.

"If I should get to be a good boy, then do you suppose anybody would care if I were to die ?" presently asked Johnny.

"Yes, indeed, my boy! I love you now, Johnny; and if you become a good boy, I shall love you more and more."

"I'm going to be good now." "Then you'll have just as many to love you as Robbie has. I know that Miss Wsays that you can never become a good boy; but it may be that she does not know you have asked God to help you. God is much stronger than Satan is; and He will help you if you try yourself."

"I will try; and I'll show Miss W- that you are right. She won't find me bad any more."

That's right, Johnny; I will not tell her, but we will let her find it out for herself. She will expect to find you as bad tomorrow as you have been today."

Johnny's eyes were very bright as he thought how nicely he would carry out this plan. And then Miss D- talked to him of the love which is so freely given to us all, and of the kind Saviour who is so ready to receive all who come to Him. Long and earnestly she talked to him, and then together they kneeled to ask God's blessing on the good resolutions Johnny had now made.

Six months passed by, and Johnny was again the subject of conversation between his two teachers. I think, could he have heard them, he would have been better pleased than he was before.

"Did you ever see such a change in a boy, as there has been in Johnny ?" asked Miss W-. "There's not a better boy in my room now. He studies, studies, studies all day long. I can hardly believe my eyes when I look at him. I

don't think I've seen him do one wrong thing in six months."

"He is, indeed, a good boy," returned Miss D—, smiling as she thought of the talk she had had with Johnny.

“You can't imagine how I love him. He is ready to do anything in the world for me," said Miss W-. "At first I thought his goodness could not last long, and every week I expected to see him as bad as ever. But now I do not feel at all afraid of a return to his old ways."

"I do not think you need. He has commenced to be good in the right way, so there is not much danger of his falling into his old track again."

"Well, I love the boy; I'm sure of that."

“I believe every one in the house does the same."

Yes; little Johnny had grown very rich in love within a few months past. And now that you have read this little history, I think you can tell how he gained his good character.

THE NAME OF JESUS.

ESUS is the Name we treasure, Name beyond what words can tell, Name of gladness, name of pleasure, Ear and heart delighting well;