"O, Mamma! See that wicked-looking cat on the fence! She'll haveone of those dear little rabbits in a minute!" Mattie's sweet face grew pale with fear, and she trembled allover. "It's only a picture, my dear," said Mattie's mother. "The catcan't get down, and so the rabbits are safe." "But it looks as if she could--as if she'd jump right upon thedear little things. I wish there was a big dog, like Old Lion,there. Wouldn't he make her fly?" "But it's only a picture. If there was a dog there, he couldn'tbark nor spring at the cat." "Why didn't the man who made the picture put in a dog somewhere,so that we could see him, and know the rabbits were safe?" "Maybe he didn't think of it," said Mattie's mother. "I wish he had." "Perhaps," said the mother, "he wished to teach us this lesson,that, as there are evil and hurtful things in the world, we shouldnever be so entirely off of our guard as the children playing, withthe rabbits seem to be. Dear little things! How innocent and happythey are! There is not a thought of danger in their minds. And yet,close by them is a great cat, with cruel eyes, ready to spring upontheir harmless pets. Yes; I think the artist meant to teach alesson when he drew this picture." "What lesson, mother?" asked Mattie. "O, I remember," she addedquickly. "You said that it might be to teach us never to be off ofour guard, because there are evil and hurtful things in theworld." "Yes; and that is a lesson which cannot be learned too early.Baby begins to learn it when he touches the fire and is burnt; whenhe pulls the cat too hard and she scratches him; when he runs toofast for his little strength, and gets a fall. And children learnit when they venture too near vicious animal and are kicked orbitten; when they tear their clothes, or get their hands and facesscratched with thorns and briers; when they fall from trees, orinto the water, and in many other ways that I need not mention. Andmen and women learn, it very, very, often in pains and sorrows toodeep for you to comprehend." Mattie drew a long sigh, as she stood before her mother,looking, soberly into her face. "I wish there wasn't anything bad in the world," she said."Nothing that could hurt us." "Ah, dear child!" answered the mother, her voice echoingMattie's sigh, "from millions and millions of hearts that wishcomes up daily. But we have this to cheer us: if we stand onguard--if
we are watchful as well as innocent--we shall rarely gethurt. It is the careless and the thoughtless that harmreaches." "And so we must always be on guard," said Mattie, still lookingvery sober. "There is no other way, my child. 'On guard' is the watchword ofsafety for us all, young and old. But the harm that comes from theoutside is of small account compared with the, harm that comes fromwithin." "From within, mother! How can harm could from within?" "You read about the 'hawk among the birds'?" "Yes, yes--O, now I understand what you mean! Bad thoughts andfeelings can do us harm." "Yes; and the hurt is deeper and more deadly than any bodilyharm, for it is done to the soul. These rabbits are like good andinnocent things of the mind, and the cat like evil and cruelthings. If you do not keep watch, in some unguarded moment angrypassions evil arise and hurt or destroy your good affections; justas this cat, if she were real, would tear or kill the tenderrabbits." "O, mother! Is it as bad as that?" said Mattie. "Yes, my dear; just as bad as that. And when any of these goodand innocent feelings are destroyed by anger, hatred, jealousy,envy, revenge and the like, then just so much of heavenly good diesin us and just so far do we come under the power of what is eviland hurtful. Then we turn aside from safe and pleasant ways andwalk among briers and thorns. Dear Mattie! consider well the lessonof this picture, and set a watch over your heart daily. Butwatching is not all. We are told in the Bible to pray as well aswatch. All of us, young and old, must do this if we would be insafety; for human will and human effort would all be in vain toovercome evil if divine strength did not flow into them. And unlesswe desire and pray for this divine strength we cannot receiveit."