HELP IN TIME OF NEED.

 An Anecdote of the North of Scotland. A FEW years after the victory of the Duke of Cumberland over Prince Charles Stuart at Culloden, in 1746, a poor but pious peasant dwelt in an out-of-the-way part of Scotland, bordering on the Highlands. He and his Godfearing wife had a numerous family; and there being few inhabitants in the district, work was often scarce, and income scanty. To get the two ends to meet was at times a very hard task; but prayer and pains had hitherto carried them through every difficulty. A season more trying than any, since their married life began, came at length upon them. There was no demand, at the end of autumn, for labour such as the peasant could do. Provisions were very dear, and speedily the little savings of the pious couple were entirely spent. No food remained in the poor cottage where they lived. Dinnerless and supperless the children had to be put to bed, and there they cried themselves to sleep. The parents bowed together before the throne of grace, asking for food for their offspring and themselves; and then the husband, worn out with fruitless search for work, and utterly cast down, retired to bed. His wife, however, resolved to spend the night in secret prayer and meditation on the promises of her Father in heaven. Just when she was about to open her Bible, and was lifting up her heart with a desire for guidance and blessing, there darted into her mind these words of the fiftieth Psalm—“Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” She did not think them suitable for meditation at the moment, and tried to forget them; but read where she might, and pray as she did with all the earnestness which her family’s sad circumstances gave her, the words still came uppermost which had been first suggested to her. Five o’clock next morning found her wrestling with God for help in their time of need, when suddenly a loud knocking at the door of her cottage led her to inquire, “Who’s there?” “A friend,” was the reply. On her again asking who it was, the person outside said, “I’m a cattle dealer, and need help. Come quick, mistress.” Opening the door, she saw to her surprise a large drove of cattle from the Highlands, on the road a little way above her dwelling. One of the cattle had fallen over a precipice at an unprotected part of the path, and broken one of its legs. The drover had assisted it up as best he could, and got it along to the peasant’s cottage; but there it had fallen, and could not rise again even with help. The drover was sadly puzzled. It would detain him too long in that poor country district to try and find a purchaser. He must needs push on with the rest of his herd; and this he did after telling the peasant’s wife that he had to beg her acceptance of the beast which lay at her door. The husband speedily appeared on the scene, and could not but rejoice with the mother of his children over the abundant supply of flesh thus bestowed upon them. Their need of bread was also quickly met. Within an hour from the time when the drover’s knock was heard, a man on horseback appeared, bearing a large sack of oatmeal. His mistress was a lady of title, residing some miles away, in whose household the peasant’s wife had acted as a servant for years, to the great satisfaction of her employer. Knowing the trials of the poor at that season, the lady’s thoughts had been turned during the previous evening to the possibility that her former maid and her family might be in want. Without delaying, the lady had ordered the sack of meal to be conveyed to the cottagers, and thus a bountiful supply of bread, as well as beef, relieved them from all anxieties regarding the future. “Truly God is good to Israel;” and well, therefore, might the poet-king declare, “I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”