During a famine in Germany, a family became so poor that they were in danger of starving. The father proposed that one of the children should be sold, and food provided for those that remained. At last the mother consented; but then the question arose which one of the four should be selected. The eldest, their first-born, could not be spared; the second looked like the mother, the third was like his father, and they could not give either of them up; and then the youngest--why, he was their pet, their darling, how could they give _him_ up? So they concluded that they would all perish together, rather than part with one of their little ones. When those children knew of this, they might very well feel sure that their parents loved them. But Jesus did more than this for us, he was willing to die upon the cross, and he did so die, that "not one of his little ones should perish." "Being Loved Back Again." Little Alice Lee sat in her rocking chair. She was clasping a beautiful wax doll to her bosom, and singing sweet lullabies to it. But every little while she looked wistfully at her mother. She was busy writing, and had told Alice to keep as quiet as possible till she got through. It seemed a long time to Alice; but after awhile her mother laid down her pen, and pushed aside her papers, and said:--"Now I am through for to-day, Alice, and you can make as much noise as you please." In a moment Alice laid down her doll, and running to her mother, threw her arms round her neck, and nestled sweetly in her loving bosom. "I'm so glad," said Alice, "I wanted to love you so much, mamma." "Did you, darling?" and the mother clasped the little one tenderly in her arms. "I am very glad that my little girl loves me;" replied her mother, "but I thought you were not very lonely while I was writing; you and dollie seemed to be having a good time together." "Yes, we had, mamma; but I always get tired of loving dollie after awhile." "Do you, dear? Tell me why?" "O, because she never loves me back again." "And is _that_ why you love me?" "That is _one why_, mamma; but not the first one, or the best one." "And what is the first, and best?" "Why, mamma, can't you guess?" and the little girl's blue eyes grew very bright, as they gazed earnestly into her mother's face. "It's because you loved me when I was too little to love you back; _that's_ why I love you so."