“Say!” he suddenly burst out.  “I’m going to have just such a place for mine—­big yard and all!”

“Oh, and I’ll help you!” cried Pauline.

The new pen brought about other improvements.  Tangled weeds and rubbish heaps seemed most unsuitable surroundings for so dainty a little maid as Pauline Randall; so John cut down the weeds and mowed the grass.  He raked up the brush and rags and tin cans.  Pauline gave him slips from her own geraniums, and he made a flower bed to put them in.

“Mother says she’s awfully glad you fed my rabbits,” he confided to Pauline, one day, “for if you hadn’t our yard would probably be the same old place it has been for all these years.”

Pauline looked up from the baby bunny she was petting.  “I’m glad, too,” she smiled.  “If I hadn’t, we might never have been friends.”

SERVING THE QUEEN.

By Mary E. Jackson.

“Once upon a time, there was a brave little worker bee, who lived in a big hive.  She was strong and willing, and was ready to do anything.  And what do you think was the only thing required of her?  She and a dozen other bees were placed at the door of the hive, and were told to keep their wings in motion, so as to send a steady current of air into the inner cells of the hive where the queen was.  The little worker bee was disappointed, for she had wished to do some great service for her queen.

“She could see other workers hurrying about and doing such important tasks!  Some were making wax, and building the comb inside the hive; others were providing food for the young bees, and still others were feeding honey to the queen herself!

“Day by day the little worker grew more discontented, until one day the queen sent a message to the tireless workers at the doorway.  ’Tell them,’ she said, ’that they are doing me a wondrous service.  Without the air they are sending me, I could never live.’

“When the little worker heard this message, she took courage, and her wings whirred as never before.”

—­Selected.

Our lesson.—­For April 26.

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Prepared by Marguerite Cook.

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Title.—­The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.—­Luke 15:1-10.

Golden Text.—­There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.—­Luke 15:10.

Golden Text for Beginners.—­God is love.—­1 John 4:8.

Truth.—­There is joy in heaven over every sinner saved.

1.  The poor and sinful liked to hear Jesus talk.

2.  The Pharisees and scribes found fault with Jesus because he let such people come near him, and even ate with them.

[Illustration]

3.  Jesus said that if a man had a hundred sheep and lost one, he would leave the ninety-nine safe in the fold and go to find the lost one.