“He got out, right off, and nothing but him,” said Nathan. “Schoolmaster, isn’t it queer that when they look in and see the dead ones, and the bones and skins, or see other ones caught and kicking, and can’t get out, that they don’t learn better than to go in themselves? I should think they’d have sense to keep out!” “People do not have sense to keep out when the circumstances are just about the same. Now, all of you children, listen. You know that Nathan has told you of these little, gay palace-rooms, where the doors open in and not out, and the things which swim by seem curious to know what is inside. Some of these gay places hold struggling captives; others are full of the relics of the dead. Now, that is a little parable to you. Let the little green sacs stand for places where strong drink is sold. Those who enter such places form the drinking habit, and then they cannot get free from it. Persons, yet free, look into these dens for drinking. They see in them people all ragged, dirty, poor, unhappy, bloated, crazy, sick, wrecked and ruined victims of the habit. They see yet others who mourn that they are enslaved, who have a sense of shame and danger, and struggle to get rid of the appetite that makes prisoners of them, and will destroy them. In this little plant, when the little animals get into the sacs, the plant melts up their bodies and seems to suck up their juice and feed on it until nothing is left but the fine bony parts. So the unhappy person who goes into a grog shop finds that the dealer feeds on him until his health and happiness, and money and respectability are all gone, and perhaps nothing is left of him but the poor body that is ready for the Potter’s field. Is it not strange that when we see how many persons are utterly ruined by drink, any will venture into places where drink is sold, and will even begin to taste the fatal liquor? Whenever you see a place for selling whiskey, I want you to think of the little water-bears and other water creatures which enter the snares of the bladder-plant.”—_Selected._ Liu Tsi Chuin _Rioter and Evangelist._ REV. J. L. STEWART, M.A., B.D. “Ninety-five” is a date of dates among the pioneer workers in West China. All winter rumors of the doings of foreigners had been floating about the city of Chengtu, old stories of suspicion and superstition scarce heard to-day: “Foreigners ate children.” “Doctors pulverized eyes for medicines, hence their wonderful cures.” “Bodies were buried beneath the church floors.” “Foreigners having, many of them, blue eyes, could see into soil and discover hidden treasure as the dark-eyed people of China might see stones on the bottom of streams.” “Foreigners were there to seek treasure or territory.” Even high officials, ’tis said, fed the flame with the hope that it would soon become so hot the “foreign devils” would flee.