Chapter X: Conclusion (3)

I approached it, and tried to make it come to me by calling, and by holding out the bread in my hand; but it took not the slightest notice. Then I threw some bread to it, when I saw its feathers rising as if it was growing angry. But I wanted to make it, either come to me, or go into the water, that I might see it swim; so at last I threw a piece of hard crust at it, calling out at the same time,--"You stupid thing, get up." It did get up, and more quickly than I expected, for it ran at me as fast as it could waddle, hissing angrily, flapping its wings, and with all its feathers raised up. I was a tall child of eight years old, and could easily have escaped by running, but unluckily I stumbled and fell just as I turned to run away. The swan instantly seized my dress in his bill, while he beat me cruelly with his wings. My screams soon brought a gardener to the spot, who drove the swan away, but I was already dreadfully bruised. Then the gardener warned me solemnly never to go near a sitting swan again: I had disturbed the poor swan while she was sitting on her eggs.

At the top of this page we have a picture of a black swan. I daresay you have seen them, for they are common in England now. They were found in Australia, and are handsome birds with scarlet bills, but their long necks have not the graceful curve seen in the white swans.

CHRISTMAS EVE.

Christmas Eve! the bells are ringing,--
Ringing through the frosty air,
Happiness to each one bringing,
And release from toil and care.

How the merry peal is swelling
From the grey old crumbling tower!
To the simplest creature telling
Of Almighty love and power.

Ankle deep the snow is lying,
Every spray is clothed in white;
Yet abroad the folk are hieing,
Brisk and busy, gay and light.

Now fresh helps and aids are offered
To the agèd and the poor,
And rare love-exchanges proffered
At the lowliest cottage door.

Then while Christmas bells are ringing,
Rich and poor your voices raise,
And, your simple carol singing,
Waft to heaven your grateful praise.

MAMMA'S SUNDAY TALK.
MIRACLES OF OUR SAVIOUR:

HEALING THE EAR OF MALCHUS.

We come now to the last miracle that Jesus did before His crucifixion, and with that I shall finish my description of them. But you must not suppose, my dear children, that I have told you all, or nearly all, the miracles He performed.

The crucifixion itself was marked by miracles: darkness overspread the land; the veil, or curtain, which hung before the sanctuary in the temple, was rent in two; an earthquake tore asunder rocks and opened graves; but all these were signs and wonders sent by God: they hardly can be classed among the miracles performed by Christ Himself.

Our Saviour's last miracle, then, which I am going to tell you of to-day, took place at the time of His seizure by the soldiers and people the night before the crucifixion. I have already told you, my children, the sad story of our Saviour's trial and crucifixion: I have told you how He was arrested during the night in the place called the garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of Mount Olivet, just outside Jerusalem. He was there with several of His disciples, and was praying--perhaps for those who He knew were about to inflict upon Him the suffering of a cruel death--when some soldiers and a crowd of people, led by the traitor Judas, approached. What followed is thus described by St. John:--

"Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, 'Whom seek ye?' They answered Him, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus saith unto them, 'I am he.' And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them. As soon, then, as He had said unto them, 'I am he,' they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked He them again, 'Whom seek ye?' And they said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus answered, 'I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.'"

You see even at that moment Christ thought of the safety of His disciples, and in saying, "let these go their way," He was requesting that they might not be arrested with Him. When He advanced towards the soldiers and people saying, "I am he," they were at first so impressed with the composure and majesty of His Divine presence, that they started back, and fell prostrate; or, as St. John says, "fell to the ground." This impression, however, passed quickly away; and, urged on, we may suppose, by the priests and Pharisees who were with them, they kept to their purpose of arresting Christ. The miracle which Jesus then did is thus related by St. Luke:--

"When they which were about Him saw what would follow, they said unto Him, 'Lord, shall we smite with the sword?' And one of them smote the servant of the High Priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, 'Suffer ye thus far.' And He touched his ear, and healed him."

Peter was the disciple, as we learn from the other evangelists, who cut off this man's ear, and the man's name was Malchus. He was probably one of the most forward in rudely seizing Jesus: but when he was wounded, the compassion of the Saviour appeared. "Suffer ye thus far," He cried amidst the strife. They were probably binding Him with cords, and He asked for a moment's liberty, that He might touch and heal the wounded man.

A word of reproof was addressed at the same time to the rash disciple. Our Saviour reminded Peter how easily He could obtain the protection of legions of angels, if He wished for any protection or defence at all. "But how then," said He, "shall the scriptures be fulfilled?" And He added:--"The cup which my Father hath given me to drink, shall I not drink it?" He would exert no power to help Himself, but He performed a miracle--His last miracle--to do good to an enemy. After this the disciples fled, and Jesus was conducted bound into Jerusalem.

We are surprised to find that this miracle did not produce any conviction of the Divine mission of our Saviour upon the minds of the priests, Pharisees, and others who witnessed it: We can only suppose that they had become familiar with miracles, and that those men whose interest or pride led them to oppose the teaching of Jesus, tried to persuade themselves that these miracles were not done through a power derived from God. Yet the character of the miracles ought to have removed the possibility of doubt. Christ exercised His power to do good to the suffering and afflicted: the sick were healed; the blind and deaf restored to sight and hearing; the dead brought back to life.

BABY'S GRACE.

Our little baby is such a darling! He has curly golden hair, and great blue eyes, that he opens very wide. He looks up so earnestly, with such a solemn look in his eyes sometimes, that you would fancy he had all the cares of the world to think about, instead of only what his dinner will be, and when it will come, like other babies of two years old. Baby can talk nicely; he says his prayers night and morning, and before nurse feeds him with his beef-tea, he will fold his hands, and say his grace after her, as well as he can in his baby lisp. This is what he says,--

"Lord, that givest all things good,
To whom the ravens look for food,
Deign to look on us from heaven,
And bless the food that Thou hast given."

THE STORY BOOK.

What shall we read to-night?
Of lord and lady bright?
Of the babies in the wood,
And the little robins good?
Of the man with beard so blue,
Or of Cinderella's shoe?
Of Beauty and the beast,
Or, last, but not the least,
The Belle who slept so long,
Told in story and in song?
When the Prince a kiss did take,
She was "Little Wide-awake."

INDEX.

Some of My Little Friends--
Rosie, 1
Stephen, 52
Jack and Jerry, 66
Ruby, 97
Frank, 129
Lena, 162
Alec and Elfie, 194
Dora, 226
Sammy, 258
Margaret, 289
Charlie, 321
Janey, 354

Puzzle Pages.--6, 49, 87, 113, 141, 169, 217, 241, 261, 293, 325,
357.

A Story of a Wooden Horse--
I. In which we make the acquaintance of a Nice Little Boy, and
a Pretty Wooden Horse, 7
II. A Spoilt Child.--Jeanne.--Maurice makes Comparisons, 41
III. Journey to Paris.--Cressida in the Garden of the
Luxembourg.--Maurice's Uncle.--A Great
Temptation.--Maurice Keeps his Word, 77
IV. Maurice's Father is Ill.--A Rich little Girl.--A Family in
Distress.--What ought Maurice to do?, 102
V. A Man of Science.--Maurice Parts with the Horse.--Journey
to Nice.--Return Home.--An unexpected Visit, 142
VI. A Philosopher at Home.--The Horse is Stolen, 170
VII. Eusèbe at Paris.--How he Becomes the Owner of Cressida,
198
VIII. How Eusèbe Treats the Horse at Dieppe.--Maurice Recovers
it.--The Thieves are Arrested.--Return of Fritz.--His
Gratitude to Maurice.--He Mends the Horse., 233
IX. A Friendly Party.--What Adrienne did with her Ten Pieces
of Gold.--Unexpected Visitors.--A Happy Meeting., 264
X. Conclusion, 268

Natural History Pages--
Cats, 17
The Sparrow-hawk, 39
Squirrels, 71
Herons, 119
Deer, 135
Woodpeckers, 167
Hares, 215
Grouse, 231
Goats, 275
The Shriek, or Butcher Bird, 297
Lions, 339
Swans, 369
Peter's Raven, 19
Otto in the Water-bottle, 21

Mamma's Sunday Talk--
Water Turned into Wine, 30
The Nobleman's Son Healed, 62
The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, 94
The Man with the Withered Hand Healed, 126
Stilling the Tempest, 158
Raising the Daughter of Jairus, 190
The Two Blind Men restored to Sight, 222
Christ Walking on the Sea, 254
Cure of a Deaf and Dumb Man, 285
Ten Lepers Healed, 318
The Raising of Lazarus, 349
Healing the ear of Malchus, 372
St. Valentine's Day, 34

Music--
Chipperee, Chip, 50
Come Rosy, my posy, 69
Spring Voices, 100
Spring Showers, 132
Flower Bells, 164
Morning, 196
The Hen and Ducklings, 229
The Rabbits, 263
Song of the Squirrel, 294
A Song for Autumn, 327
The Doll's Tea-party, 358

Aunt Totty's Pets--
Moko, 56
Coco and Marquis, 121
Tiger, 277
Jacquot, 337

My Lily, 89
The Mother Chamois and her Little ones, 91
Do as you are Bid, 152
The Child among the Wolf-cubs, 154
The Giant Hand, 178
Old Tom, 186
Scenes in the Life of Mr. Lovesport, 208
The Fox and the Goat, 218
Jack and Dobbin, 245
Uncle John's School-days, 246
Little Peter Pryor, 282
A Fable, 299
Tiny and the Fairy, 302
Getting up in the Morning, 313
Tiny Tasteall, 334
Tit for Tat, 346
Asking Pardon, 360
Baby's Grace, 375

Poetry--
The Robin's Song, 4
What News?, 14
Winter, 15
Nursery Rhyme, 20
Christmas Time, 28
The Fairy Queen, 37
The Crying Boy, 55
To the Lady-bird, 61
Pumpkin-head, 75
The Seasons, 88
Children, 93
The Summer Shower, 114
Cowslip Gathering, 124
"Two Legs sat upon Three Legs", 137
Dame Duck's Lecture, 139
The Butterfly, 150
Little Lambs, 156
Baby's Ride, 177
"Multiplication is Vexation", 185
Idle Words, 188
Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, 206
Mother's Pets, 213
Angels, 226
Early Lessons, 243
Treasures, 253
Little-doll Hall, 272
"When I go walking Along", 281
Flowers, 284
See-saw!, 301
Nursery Rhyme, 312
After Sunset, 316
The Little Girl to her Dolly, 333
Cross Tommy, 345
Good-bye, Sun, 348
A Happy Party, 365
Christmas-Eve, 370
The Story Book, 376

Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, London and Aylesbury.

Transcriber's Notes

--Copyright notice provided as in the original--this e-text is public
domain in the country of publication.

--Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and
dialect unchanged.

--In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the
HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.)

--In the text versions, added brief captions to unlabelled images.