"Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days." Eccl. xi, 1. This scripture is an allusion to the manner in which the people of the East sow their seed. At the time of the rising of the rivers they go out in boats, and scatter the grain over the face of the waters. As the waters subside, the seed is gently buried in the earth, and in time the grain thus flung broadcast is returned in a plentiful harvest. The meaning of the passage seems to be that we are to bestow our gifts with liberality, even upon those who may not appear able to make returns for our kindness. Thus the Turks have a proverb, "Do good; throw bread into the water; even if the fish does not know, yet the Creator knows it." Some years ago one of the preachers among the Mohegan tribe of Indians, was preaching upon the above text, and to illustrate his subject he mentioned the following circumstance which occurred in his early days. A certain man was going from Norwich to New London with a heavy loaded team. On attempting to ascend a hill where an Indian lived, he found that his team could not draw the load up; so he went and asked the Indian to help him with his oxen. After the load was up, he inquired of the Indian how much he was to pay him. "Do as much for somebody else," replied the Indian. Some time afterward an Indian wanted a canoe. He went up the Shetuck river, and found a tree and made him one. But when he got it done, he could not get it into the river; so he went to a man and offered all the money he had if he would draw his canoe to the water for him. The man willingly did so; and after the canoe was got to the river, the Indian offered his pay. "No," said the man, "don't you recollect having once helped a man draw his load up the hill by your house?" "Well, I am the man, so take your canoe and go home." "And so I find the 'bread after many days,'" replied the Indian.