them of the Saviour who has died for them, and of a home in heaven, in bright contrast to the homes from whence they come and the surroundings in which their lives are passed.

LIFE IN FALSTAFF YARD.

NURSE is attending two mothers in the real Falstaff Yard, which is a large square plot of ground, with two-roomed cottages on three sides, and on the other side is a factory and the opening into the yard. Oh! the dirt everywhere. The cottages are mostly rented by costermongers who can let their barrows stand outside; and their goods, why they must be inside the cottages, or in the little yards behind, which are no larger than a good-sized cupboard. With some care we got up the narrow dark staircase and found Mrs. D still in bed. She is doing well, but everything is so dirty that Nurse had quite a work to find a few dry things to put on the infant after she had washed it. I found that, when well, the mother works at brush-making as so many do on this district. I was speaking of how much better it would be if a good block of Peabody Buildings could be built on the large plot of ground, the cottages pulled down, and the new buildings made suitable for costermongers.

"Well, yes, that would be nice, I have heard them sort of buildings is good, but you see, ma'am, we only pays 3s. 6d. a week for the cottage, because there is so many rats in the lower room and in the back-yard, but they never walk upstairs where we sleep."

A few weeks ago I went with Nurse to a tall, sullen looking man, a brush-maker at home from work with a bad leg, which Nurse has been attending, and which she dressed for him that day. His wife, who is very deaf, was nursing a young child, and working fast at making common kites; other children, too young for work, were quiet about the room. spoke to the husband about helping his wife with the kites until he could return to his own work, but he made no answer. I noticed that they all looked as if going very short of food.

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In these streets the neighbours are out at their doors and windows, and watch all our movements, so we went away to other cases for about an hour. Then, having spent 1s. 7d. on bread, butter, eggs, tea, and sugar, we went back to the kitemakers. When they saw what we had brought the man was astonished, and the poor woman most thankful, and told Nurse they had not a bit of food in the place. Since then the man has helped with the kites, and when we saw him was quite busy, having an order to make "Jumbo kites." His leg is almost well, and he looked brighter as he pasted away at the kites, while we spoke a few words to him about God's care and love for them, even more than for the elephants, birds, insects, and flowers.

TWO DAYS' WORK IN DRURY LANE.

The

SOME of the people we are now visiting reside in a court surrounded by such very queer old-fashioned houses. staircases are circuitous and perfectly dark, so we carefully felt our way, being first warned to avoid one dark recess which has a staircase leading downwards in another direction. Leaving this on the right, we at length reach the upper rooms, where we find the Y family.

The little woman who greets us so heartily seems to match the house and its surroundings for queerness-a tiny, thin woman, yet all brightness and vivacity. She talked and laughed as if in possession of a thousand a year instead of a lame husband and two or three sick children. She herself has a stye on her eye (so indicative of ill health), the baby she is nursing has sores on her head, a girl of about fourteen who works at making trimmings has a gathered finger on each hand, and the husband sits helpless in his chair by the fire, having had his leg amputated some twelve months ago. He suffers a good deal of pain, and is unable to work, but the wife makes sacks. Nurse had come to poultice the bad fingers and see to baby's head. A little of the carbolic lotion, so nice and healing for their many wounds, was joyfully received; they seem to think it a sovereign remedy for their various ills.

The poor man M, who has been so ill with rheumatism, started last week for Seaforth Convalescent Home. He took with him his letter of admission, 25s. in money, to pay five shillings a week for four weeks, and part of his railway fare, and also some warm clothing, which were all given him by the Mission, and for which he and his wife are very thankful. He has often been ill, but we hope the sea air may do him good and set him up for some while. The family are clean, steady people; while the father is away they will live on the money coming in to them from his club.

We arrived rather late to-day at Mrs. W's. Although only the eleventh day after her confinement, she was actually trying to wash clothes for the baby. She seemed quite relieved to see Nurse, as she had not attempted to wash the baby, so we made her rest on the bed while we were there. As she watched our operations a little brightness came back to her.

I found her to be one of those rare mothers who are thoroughly kind and devoted to their children. Yet her trials are not few nor small; husband is now earning eighteen shillings a week, but was out of work all last summer; five children to feed and clothe, and five and sixpence a week rent to pay. Very clean and tidy all the little ones are, with frocks and pinafores mended to the last. I think she is a very nice woman, and thoroughly deserving of help, and Nurse has given her all the cereal food she could.

Her husband's trade is that of a butcher, not of the ordinary kind, however, for on inquiry it seems his employment is to make black puddings! As these are not eaten in hot weather, he is generally out of work in the summer.

It was Nurse's farewell visit to the family P-to-day, and very thankful they appeared for her help.

The husband is a confirmed invalid, and they owe for rent 21. 8s. 6d., but their landlord is willing to remit the debt if they now begin to pay regularly, but at present they see no prospect of doing so. They have only two children, having lost two last summer. When we were leaving, Mrs. P said to Nurse, "I am very much obliged to you for your help; I don't know how it is but you seem to manage so well."

We looked questioningly at her, and she said, "I can't help feeling if my little ones that died in the summer had had different treatment they would have lived; but we did not know you then."

Mrs. S has been suffering from acute pleurisy, but is a little better now, thanks to Nurse's careful treatment. She said to me, "I think I must have died if Nurse had not attended me as she did last week, coming in three or four times a day to put on hot poultices."

One family, an exceedingly interesting one, has been on Nurse's book a considerable time, the, mother being in the last stage of consumption. The doctor who attends her from the Medical Mission gave her till last July to live, and that she has lingered on till now is a matter of wonder to him, but the mother herself thinks she is spared in answer to the prayers of her youngest child.

This mite of three years old, without ever being told, kneels by her mother's bed three or four times a day and asks the Lord Jesus "to let mother stay a little longer, and don't take her for a few days, please.'

She is a sweet, blue-eyed, fair-haired child, the pet and delight of the family.

Next to her is a girl of five years, so pretty, and bright, and intelligent that no one looking at her face and watching her movement could guess that she is deaf and dumb, yet such is the case. Doctors have been much interested in her on account of her sensitiveness and intelligence, and advise her being early put into an asylum. There are four other children; the eldest boy goes to work, and the eldest girl manages the house. She is thirteen years old, and does the work of a woman in getting the four little ones ready for school each morning and waiting on her mother. Nurse G has taught her many things as to keeping the home tidy, and certainly it looks much cleaner and neater now than when first I saw it. The husband works in a tanyard in the country, and only comes home once a week. He earns very little, but is steady.

The family has received a good deal of help from the Medical Mission, and the invalid is well looked after. When we went

in to-day she was very glad to see us, and I sat very close to her to have a little talk, as she is only able to speak in a whisper.

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I told her Nurse S- had come to take Nurse G place, and she said to her, "I like your face, I think you will be kind." Then commenced the usual operations of washing and dressing; Nurse did all very deftly and tenderly.

Late in the afternoon we saw M- another consumptive patient. She was most thankful to be washed and have her bed made. I was very pleased to see Nurse's manner, and trust she will be as much appreciated as her predecessor.

SEED BY THE WAYSIDE.

man

"ABOUT eighteen months ago I visited a young suffering from inflammation of the lungs, and I used to read to him; he seemed very ignorant and told me he did not know how to pray. I taught him two texts of Scripture, asking him as a favour to use them as a prayer. He got better and tried to obtain work, and I lost sight of him for I left the district. A year after I was going through the neighbourhood and a person ran after me saying, 'I am so glad I caught you ; my son is very ill and has been asking for you—the person that taught him a prayer.'

"I went back to see her son and found him much altered, he had been in the Hospital for Consumption, and had been discharged as a hopeless case. He told me he had never forgotten the prayer, which he then repeated to me. I have visited him often during the last month, sometimes twice a day. On Tuesday he sent word he wished to see me. I asked him if he was happy, 'So happy, and I thank you for all your kindness, for you are the woman that has brought me this happiness, you have led me to Jesus.' He then began the hymn, 'I lay my sins on Jesus.' He said he felt he had need of a changed heart, for since he had been ill in bed, he used to swear at his mother if she did not do what he wanted. While I was there he called his brother to his bedside, and made him promise that he would not strike his father and mother again, and begged him to come