YEARS ago Lieutenant Harding, whose regiment was stationed at Natal, received orders to explore the country 500 miles inland; so he started out on the expedition with six trusty soldiers and his servant Richard.
One day they came to a pool of water, where the footprints told that a large lion was wont to come down to drink, and Lieutenant Harding determined that he would go there in the evening and try to shoot it.
So away he started with his servant Richard, and they hid themselves near the pool. Soon the sun went down, and the cries of the wild beasts were heard, and at last the deep growl of the lion. The officer fired, but unfortunately only grazed its skin. The lion then bounded tard him and would have torn him in pieces, had not his faithful servant received the beast on his bayonet, but in so doing it gave Richard a dreadful stroke with its paw, which killed him.
Poor Richard was buried near that pool, and under his name are these words: “He died for me.”
T. HARDING.
Ought we not to love Him very much, and thank Him with all our heart?
ML-04/06/1969