Why!

Whiit iliil tlie baby corac foi? That was the questlon trite The neighbora asked of each ut her That stormy winter night. Wlmt was the Deed of children? 'TwaH hard enough before To keep care out of Ifae wlndow,- Aud the gray wolf from the door. What dld the baby come forf A woinan 's heurt cnuld teil: At touch of ttie tlny fingere, I.lke to a fulry spell, A beart tnat was hard wlth doubtlng, A .soul that was barred wlth sin, Opened a tlde from Uod's oceao, Aud tbe inother-love swept In. What dld the baby come for? A strong imin's heart had grown. Through poverty's constant grlnding, Ah hard as the nether stoue. Ouly a baby's prattle, And yet, ü wouderful song, It ninde a man '8 beart grow lighter, It mude u luan's hands grow strong. Wns ever a spring or sammer That vanlshed on wlugs so fleel? Ah! 'twas a Joy to labor, When living had grown so aweet. Care never came near the wlndow, Aud poveny, gaunt and grim. Never stepped over the threshold,There was uo place for ulm. Obl thank God for the children! Ay. Rlve thankH though we luy Under the "sod of the valley" The faireet of all away. Thmik II i ii i for thoge that leave 113, Tliunk him for those that stay. - Maude Moore. President Harrison has Just preSfinted a gold medal provided by Congress to the venerable Mr. Joseph Francis, in appreciation of his services rendered to mankind. He is in hit Oütli year, and has invented the metallic Hfe-boat and life car. Mr. Francis was born Ín Boston, March 12, 1801. His inventlve turn of mimi manifisted itself at a very early age. When eleven yearsold he rendered a boat unsinkable by fitting it up with cork. Froin 1812 lo 1816 he was employed as a pnge in the Massachusetts legislatura. When hut 19 years of ngp, he received a premium for a fast row-boat of his which was exhibited at theJMassachusetts llechanics' Institute Falr. After such success, it was an easy matter for him to estahlish himsdf as boat builder in New York. He was called to construct life Lo;its for two of our war vesseU at the Portstmouth navy yard. Between 1838 and 1842 after liavlng discovered a valuable meihod of corrugating 8teel-i)lates, he applied it to the construction of his famous Ufe-car with which lo land people from wrecks. He also succeeded in constructing a boat which could be taken apart, and others which it was imponible to upset. S me years ago he visited Europe where he was received with distinguished honor. Ruagia made him a Knight of St. Stanislaiis, and Napoleon III was so pleased with an exhibition of his o the Seine that he dedicated him a valuable diamond-studded gold snuff-box. Now, he has been uwardvd a medal by an act of congress, dated August 27, 188S. The mediil is of pure gold, three pounds in weight and worth about $(!,000. The real valué of the gold is f760. "Papa," said Hazel, "I had a rlde on a boy-cycle. It was a 'spensive one, and didn't hurt me." "What do you mean, Hazel?" inquired papa. "Well, I feil off; but it was a 'spensive one, and didn't hurt me." "Hazel," paid papa, "I want you to keep off those bicycles. If I hear of you being on one again I shall certainly punlsh you." "Well, then, papa," said Hazel, "won't you get me a girl-cycle?" Mr. Edison has a new novelty on whlch lie is tvorking - a clock to talk the time. Instead of a blank sound it will say "one" "two" and etc., at the proper hours. For an alarm it will say in so many words, "Get up," in a stentorian and cominaiuling voice.