MOTHER: He has. Next to the master himself, he holds the most important position of all. Not only does Taste live in the tongue, but it is with the tongue that we talk. It is such an unruly fellow that it is fastened to the floor so that it can not get away; there are strong walls all around it; a double row of servants stand in front to guard it; and the double doors are made to shut closely, to keep out anything that should not go in, and to keep back anything that should not come out. Yet for all that it is so unruly that it often puts the master to shame, and wounds his best friends. The Bible says that if any one can control the tongue, which means, I suppose, their taste and talk, he can govern his whole body. AMY: Who would think that such a little fellow could do so much harm! MOTHER: Little things may do much good or evil. A bridle is a small thing, yet the bits turn the horse any way we wish him to go. I was once on a great ship at sea. There was a fearful storm. In the ship there was a little helm, which turned it any way the captain wished it to go. So it is with the tongue; life and death are in its power. [Illustration: “_The bits turn the horse._”] [Illustration: _A great ship at sea._] PERCY: But isn’t it a good thing to taste and talk, mother? MOTHER: Yes, indeed. Animals can taste, but they can not talk, or laugh. This is one thing that makes us of a higher order of beings than they. What a blessing kind, gentle words are! How thankful we should be for a keen Taste, which helps us to enjoy our food! On the other hand, what pain and sorrow come when angry words are spoken, and how much sickness and death are the result of letting Taste have his own way! What we want is that the master of the body-house should keep this servant as with a bit and bridle; for he will obey if he must. HELEN: I shall be more careful of my tongue after this. MOTHER: But the Bible says again, “The tongue can no man tame.” We can never master it in our own strength. We must ask God to help us; for we can never control our Taste or our talk without His aid. A FAITHFUL WATCHMAN AMY: Here are some violets for you, mother. I just gathered them in the garden. See how fragrant they are. MOTHER: They are indeed, and I thank the little girl who was so kind and thoughtful. Did you ever think of the sense which makes us enjoy the flowers and all pleasant perfumes? AMY: Why, yes; we smell them, do we not? MOTHER: Yes; and now let us see if we can learn a few things about this sense which gives us so much pleasure. You may each take a few of these violets. How shall we find out where Smell lives? PERCY: He must be in the nose. MOTHER: I suppose you think so because you do not put the violets to your ears, eyes, or mouth to enjoy their odor, but hold them near your nose. Now hold them quite close to it and breathe out. ELMER: But we can’t smell anything when we do that way.