My new aim in life made me anxious concerning the boy who was to be my helper.  I took the deepest interest in all his plans in regard to me and listened attentively when he bargained with his father for a fourth of a cent’s worth of yarn and the use of a needle with which to darn his father’s socks.  I thought that a boy of sixteen who was willing to increase me by undertaking to darn his father’s stockings, deserved all the aid that I could give him.  I looked on with interest and admiration, while he, with earnest toil, completed his task.  When the task was ended, I found myself increased from one to three cents.  This small beginning was in reality the most important of all our transactions and demonstrated that we could work harmoniously together.

While he went to the St. Lawrence for his vacation, he did not give me a vacation nor wrap me in a napkin, but left me where I grew to four cents.  Then we invested my whole increase in hickory nuts, which transaction increased me to fifteen cents.  I here discovered that I had not only multiplied but had become of a more precious metal.  I was now silver.  We now invested in peanuts and hickory nuts and I was increased from fifteen to thirty cents.  The community in which we lived manifested such a fondness for peanuts that we again invested and I found myself increased to seventy-five cents.

Coming in contact with one who mourned over sleepless nights, we undertook to add to her comfort by making a hop pillow.  Having invested in materials, and the boy making the pillow himself upon the machine, we realized an increase of twenty-five cents.  Now to my great surprise and still greater delight, I found that I had again been transformed into a more precious metal.  I was now gold.  As I could attain no higher degree in precious metals, it was decreed that in this form I should go forth on my career as a missionary.

Good-bye to you, Lottie, and Rose, and Marion, and John, and Carl, and Waldo.  Our association has been very pleasant together, and I hope that in taking leave of you I am not to pass altogether from your knowledge.  I should desire that this history of my growth and increase may accompany me, that in time to come I may be able to report to you of the good that through me you have been able to accomplish.  Once more good-bye.

YOUR HAPPY MISSIONARY GOLD DOLLAR.

CHILDREN’S PAGE.

THE STORY OF THE BULLETS.

Among some unpublished papers of the late Rev. Dr. Pike, we find the following story, which we know will be of interest to our readers, both from the sketch itself and the association with its author: 

A few years after Gen. Hooker fought his famous battle of the clouds, I visited Lookout Mountain, and, while searching for some memento on the battle-field, picked up a slightly bruised rifle bullet.  This to me was a real prize.  It was not too large, it would keep.