The Little Peach

——

220 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

mother loves me. She is capable of selling everything for me, even to her last article of clothing." Do you marvel that he attained greatness with such a mother's love behind him? The greatness of a nation lies in the goodness of its mothers; for in the goodness of its mothers lies the greatness of its sons. The greatest greatness is the greatness of love; and mother's love is the greatest of human loves. It is sacrifical love. It is a phase

of that greater love displayed by the All-Father in the gift of his Son as a vicarious sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary. Mothers have been known to suffer for that which they have not been guilty, in order to shield their sons from shame. How great a word is mother! And the greatest of our great men have not failed to do homage to They have added it.

their testimony to the sanctity of the union of mother and child.

In the two pure loves of child and mother, Two human lives make one divine.

Gateshead, England.

The Little Peach. {Selected.)

A little peach in the orchard grew A little peach of emerald hue; Warmed by the sun and wet by the dew It grew. One day, passing that orchard through, That little peach dawned on the view Of Johnny Jones and his sister Sue— Them two. Up at that peach a club they threw Down from the stem on which it grew Fell that peach of emerald hue. Mon dieu! John took a bite and Sue a chew, And then the trouble began to brew Trouble the doctor couldn't subdue, Too true! What of the peach of the emerald hue, Warmed by the sun and wet by the dew? Oh, well, its mission on earth is through, Adieu! Eugene Field.