been taken, not only to make the language simple, but to exclude all complicated modes of expression beyond the intelligence of a child of this grade.

3. With the exception of one or two (in which the language has been carefully adapted), the lessons have been composed expressly for this work, and each sentence has been written with a special design for the end in view. They will be found to have a decidedly moral tendency, though the truths of Religion have not been ostentatiously inculcated.

4. It has been especially sought to make the book a pleasing one to the children. For this purpose a large proportion of the lessons are moral tales and historical anecdotes. Some simple lessons are inserted on the important subject of Health, but it has not been attempted to make them of a scientific or technical nature.

IT was a busy day at the Hurdsfield school. The examination was all over, the work had been done, and now the time had come for the prizes to be given

out.

The monitor, Ernest Barber, was carrying in the books and placing them on the master's table.

One book among them seemed to be quite bright with gilt, and larger than the rest. Ernest said he had seen the inside, and that it was such a nice book.

"Whose book will it be?" asked one of the boys. "Oh," said Ernest, "it is for the best boy in the school. I cannot stop to let you look at it now; I have to fetch some more books."

No doubt each boy thought himself the best boy in the school when he saw this book, but the question was whether the master thought so too.

Well, the hour came for giving out the prizes. All faces were turned towards the master and the books. The visitors were there, seated in front, and they seemed pleased as each boy went up with a CHEERFUL face to receive his prize. Then they would clap their

hands when the master spoke of some boy who had done well and brought credit on the school.

The master began at the least boy in giving out the books, and went upwards to the head of the school. He saw that the little ones wanted to have their books, so that they might look at the pictures and read the pretty stories. As he sent them home earlier than the older ones, he gave them their books first.

Then, as he came nearer and nearer to the chief prize, the boys became more EAGER to know who was the best boy in the school. They could almost tell who was likely to get it. They knew who stood near the top of the class at the lessons; but there were two or three who seemed equal, and it was hard to say which would have it.

The master now placed his hand on the head prize. "This prize," said he, "has caused me some little trouble to settle, as I wish to give it to the best boy in the school. There were three boys so nearly equal,. that I had to CONSIDER a great deal before I could settle who should have it."

The three boys were called up, and proud they were to be thought good enough to try for this prize, and to deserve the good word and praise of their master.

Their writing had been looked at, and each had done his work neatly, without blots or mistakes, or even a careless turn. Some of their writing was shown to the visitors, who praised it very much for being neat and plain. In this respect the three boys stood equal.

They had been TESTED in reading, and each read clearly and DISTINCTLY, as if he understood what he was reading. Every word was heard, and they kept their stops, and did not forget to sound the poor little letter "h." Indeed, it could not be said which was the best reader, they all read so well. Of course each

tried his best, in order to get the nice book and be at the head of the school.

They had done equally well in arithmetic, and had OBTAINED the same number of marks. Some of the sums were very hard, and had caused them to think a

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THE BEST BOY IN THE SCHOOL.

9

great deal before they could find out the answer ; but they had done them, and well, too. So, again, they seemed equal.

In the same way they were found equal in the other subjects in which they had been tried.

John had been to school three hundred and sixty times, Thomas three hundred and fifty-seven times, and William three hundred and fifty times. But Thomas had obtained leave for three times, and William had been so unwell that he could not attend for ten times. So in ATTENDANCE the master said he though he must place them equal as far as their trying for the prize went.

One must have the prize,

What was to be done? they could not all have it. One point settled it all. There was one thing which the master had not overlooked-it was the conduct of each of these boys.

It was true that Thomas was a quick boy, and worked hard at school; but then he had got a bad habit of saying what was not true, and so could not be trusted. When he had done wrong, and was asked by the master if he had done such and such a thing, he did not at once come forward like an honest boy and tell the truth, but would try to hide his fault, or, what is worse, throw the blame on another boy. This conduct, his master said, could not be lightly passed over; and till he got rid of this fault, which would ruin him in life, he could not hold him forth as the best boy in the school. I have no doubt it was a good lesson to Thomas, and that he got rid of this bad habit.

Now William was also a clever boy, and often at the top of the class; but he had some sad faults. He would often quarrel with the other boys, spoil their play, hit the little boys and make them cry, and hinder other boys when they were at work by careless tricks, which caused very often much mischief. Like boys of this kind, he was a coward himself. This conduct did not raise him in the good opinion of his master, who often told him of the sad troubles it would bring upon him in after-life, Till he got better in this respect, the

master said, he could not look upon him as the best boy in the school.

John was not without faults--he had many-but he tried his best to overcome them, and to PROFIT by the good advice of the master. It so HAPPENED that the master one day lost the key of his desk in the playground. The three boys whom I have named were playing there, and John saw the bright key lying on the ground, and picked it up. "Keep it," said Thomas, "I know whose it is-it is the master's. Let us unlock his desk and see what is inside."

"No," said William, "let us spoil it with this stone, and then he cannot unlock his desk."

You see how ready both these boys were to do wrong. But John, instead of LISTENING to them, took the key at once to the master, saying, "Please, sir, I have found this key, and I thought it right to bring it to you."

The master had been sitting at a window near the place where these boys were playing, and by chance heard what each boy had said.

He was pleased with the conduct of John in not LISTENING to bad advice, and this no doubt helped the master to settle who should have the prize. He thought to himself, "I see John can be trusted; he tells the truth, and he is honest. In this case he is the best boy of the three."

Then he went into school and looked in a book in which he had put marks for good conduct during the year, and he found that John stood highest there.

So when the prize was given, he told the visitors why he should give it to John. He said he should also give a book to the other two for their work, and he hoped they would see the need of learning to conduct themselves well.

John thanked the master, put the book under his arm, and walked to his place amid the claps of the scholars. He filled the high position of being the best boy in the school.

You see from this lesson that something more than