HABITS OF OBSERVATION. 5 



some wise, although often mysterious purpose of the 

 Divine Maker. 



As examples of what I mean, here are two very 

 common things for you to explain if you can. You 

 have often seen a fly walking on the ceiling of the 

 room, but perhaps you have never thought how it 

 can do this with its head and body downwards. 

 You could not do it, neither could the cat ; but the 

 little fly does it easily. Now, how is this ? Perhaps 

 you know ; but if not, you must try and find out. 

 Ask your teacher, or read some book, and you will 

 learn how very wonderfully its little legs are made, 

 with a vast number of ' sucker hairs ' clothing the 

 pad of each foot, exactly fitting it for what it has 

 to do. 



Again, as you walk along some country road you 

 pick up a little round stone, quite smooth, without 

 any sharp edges. Now, why is it smooth ? how came 

 it so .' Can you tell ? Do you know that once upon 

 a time it was in the sea and was rubbed about by the 

 great waves, one stone against another, till it became 

 quite smooth ? Ask the stone to tell you its won- 

 derful story. I am sure you will like to hear it. 



Even a drop of water could tell you a marvellous 

 tale of wonderful journeys and changes. Yes, listen 

 thus to Nature's voice, and, as the great poet, Shaks- 

 peare, says, you will find — 



' . . . . Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones, and good in everything.' 



Probably you know the old story called ' Eyes 

 and No Eyes' — about two boys who went out one 



