But when I told him how much pain it gave the poor creature, he opened his little hand to let the butterfly escape.
Alas! poor thing, it was so hurt it could not fly at all; so we were obliged to kill it, to put it out of pain. The little boy was very sorry; so were the other children who had gathered round.
Then I showed them the dust upon the wing, and told them if we could only see it distinctly, how it would look almost like feathers, and how it hurt the poor creature to have it brushed off. I explained to them about the caterpillar, and that some of them spin beautiful webs, and then come the butterflies, which fly about in the bright sunshine, but die when winter comes.
Then we talked about the great God, who made all these beautiful creatures, and how he loved dear children to be kind to one another, and to poor dumb animals that could not tell when they were in pain.
Children may run about the fields, and gather the beautiful flowers, and bright green ferns; which the little boys and girls said they would do, and never catch butterflies any more, but only watch them fly about, so happily basking in the sunshine.”
THE TWO PICTURES.
Will you look at two pictures, and see if either one belongs to you?
The first is of a little boy. I will not tell you his name, nor his age, nor where he lived, nor who are his parents. I am sure he would not like to be known; but I must tell you about him, that you may avoid his faults, and take good warning by his conduct.
This little boy has a kind mother, and she wishes that he should grow up to be a useful and pious young man. Yet, sad to tell, he does not himself care to do right, or to obey his parents, or to please God. There can be no doubt that he has a very hard and wicked heart; for when he is naughty, and grieves his mother, he does not care for her tears. And when he is told of a fault, he is stubborn, and will not ask to be forgiven, nor show any desire to amend.