of her scholars, and said, “Can you tell me, Bessy, who is your neighbour ?"

"Yes, ma'am," replied Bessy, promptly-" Mrs. Perkins."

A general laugh went round the class; and Bessy's sister Ellen, who sat next to her, gave her a little push with her elbow, and whispered something about "stupid."

"No; Bessy is not stupid," said Miss Chester, kindly; "her answer was, in one sense, quite correct. We always call those persons who live next door to us our neighbours. But the parable that we have been reading teaches us that the name belongs also to other people who do not live at all near to us. Who spoke this parable ?”

"Jesus Christ," said several little voices together.

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'And why did Jesus tell this parable ?” The children hesitated.

“What is a parable?” asked their teacher.

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A short story, to teach us something," said Ellen.

"Yes; and if you look at the chapter you will see what it was that our Saviour was explaining by this parable of the Good Samaritan. Once when he was talking to a wise man about the Commandments, and about loving our neighbour as we love ourselves, the man, wishing to show that he had already done so, said, 'And who is my neighbour?' Jesus answered his question by telling him this parable :

"A poor man was travelling from Jerusalem to

Jericho, when he was overtaken by thieves. The road in that part was very lonely, and there were high hills on each side of it, behind which robbers could easily conceal themselves. As this man was going along, they rushed out upon him, took everything he had away from him, and left him lying on the road half dead.

"After some time he heard footsteps. He just opened his eyes, and saw a priest coming towards him. He was glad, for he thought he should now get some help; but as soon as the priest saw him he crossed over to the other side. What a disappointment! Then after that, as the poor traveller was perhaps thinking that he should be left there to die, he heard some one else coming. It was a Levite, who stopped to look at him, and took no further trouble about him, but went comfortably on his way.

"I think the poor man must have felt very sad. No one seemed to care for him. But as he was giving up all hope, the sound of a kind voice made him look up once more, and he saw a Samaritan bending over him with a face full of pity. He did not turn away and pass to the other side, but he stayed and put oil on his wounds, and bound them up very carefully. They had become very painful, for he had been lying there, perhaps a long time, in the burning sun. And the good Samaritan afterwards conveyed him to an inn, told the people to pay every attention to him, and paid them for his

wants.

"When Jesus had finished this parable he asked

the young man who he thought was the poor man's neighbour. He said, the one that showed mercy on him.

"Now, Bessy, can you tell me who is your neighbour ?"

"I can, teacher," cried Ellen. said two or three more.

"And so can I,"

"No, girls; I wish Bessy to try and answer me." Bessy waited for a moment, and then said, slowly, "Somebody who helps us when we are in trouble."

"Yes, Bessy: I was sure you could tell me if you took time to think." Then Miss Chester pointed out to the children how the whole human family are our neighbours, and how we ought to try to do them all the good we can, and to comfort them when they are in distress. I have not copied for you what she said, because you would, perhaps, be tired of so much grave reading in the midst of a story. But she talked to them very nicely; and the girls answered very well, especially Ellen Taylor, little Bessy's sister. She had always a reply ready, and it was generally a correct one; while Bessy seldom attempted to speak, and when she did, she often got confused, and gave a wrong

answer.

"What a difference there is between these two sisters!" said Miss Chester to herself, as the children were leaving the schoolroom. "Ellen is not much older than Bessy, but she is twice as clever. She is the most thoughtful and brightest of any in the class, and seems to feel, as well as

understand what she learns. I wish they were all like her."

How true it is that, God seeth not as man seeth! We judge others by their outside appearance, but he looks at the heart: our opinion is frequently a wrong one, but God is never mistaken in what he thinks about us.

When the girls were dismissed from school, Lucy Carter was going to join Ellen and Bessy on their way home, for she lived in the same direction; but Ellen would not have her with them, and told her she had better go along with Emily Jones and Martha Field. It did not seem as if they wanted her either, for as Bessy looked back she saw Lucy walking slowly on by herself.

"Why didn't you let her come, Ellen? She would not have hurt us; and you know she does not like to go home alone."

"Well, then, she can find somebody else to go with," said Ellen, sharply; "for I do not care to be seen with such a shabby dressed girl as she is. Her old cotton froek is so short; and her large, coarse straw bonnet makes her look quite a fright I wonder she does not wear better things."

And Ellen glanced with a self-satisfied air at her own nice blue frock, and black silk mantle; while poor, shy, little Lucy trudged on behind, without a companion, and wished that she had a sister, or some one to be kind to her. I do not know whether she thought of the question which had formed that afternoon's lesson, "Who is my neighbour ?" but I am afraid Ellen did not.