about, she at once said that she would not stay any longer, she would go home; she would not stop there to be talked about.

Some of the others began to laugh at her, but this only made her worse.

She turned from the table in a pet, and began to cry. This made Lizzie vexed that she had spoken SECRETLY to Nelly, and she began to cry too.

As Rose was moving from the table, she caught her arm, by ACCIDENT, against one of the toys with which Willie and Charlie were playing. It fell on the ground and was broken to pieces.

This caused more trouble between the children, for the boys became sadly vexed at the loss of their toy, and they said they would not play any longer. While they were picking up the broken pieces, Nelly moved some of the toys, which they had left on the table, and this was a fresh cause of offence when they found it out.

In fact, the play was all broken up; and, in a short time, this party, which before was such a happy one, came to a SORROWFUL turn, through that simple thing-a whisper.

But Lizzie's mother, coming in at that moment, wanted to know what it was all about. Then the truth came out, that Lizzie was only telling Nelly that she would give her a piece of stuff to make her doll a frock.

This being told, their little sorrows soon came to an end, and the little folks ENJOYED themselves till it was time for the visitors to leave Lizzie and go home. They soon forgot all the troubles of the evening, and each one thought they had enjoyed themselves very much.

But still we see what troubles will come from little things, even from a whisper, and how we should avoid giving any reason for a feeling of jealousy in others. It was foolish of Rose to have thought so much of a trifle, for a trifle it turned out to be. She should have waited, and then, no doubt, Lizzie herself would have soon told her what she had been talking about, and

THE PET LAMB.

37

then the troubles of the evening would have been AVOIDED. Let us learn from this lesson to avoid whispering before others, as it often leads to UN

PLEASANT RESULTS.

EXERCISE.

What was the cause of the troubles? What should we learn from this lesson not to do? Why was Rose foolish in thus acting? Why is it not a good thing to whisper before

others?

LESSON XIV.

THE PET LAM B.

[This poem was written by William Wordsworth, who died 1850. He was Poet Laureate before Mr. Tennyson.]

THE dew was falling fast, the stars began to BLINK;
I heard a voice: it said, " Drink, pretty creature, drink!"
And, looking o'er the hedge, before me I ESPIED
A snow-white mountain lamb with a maiden at its side.

No other sheep were near, the lamb was all alone,
And by a slender cord was TETHERED to a stone;
With one knee on the grass did the little maiden kneel,
While to that mountain lamb she gave its evening meal.
The lamb, while from her hand he thus his supper took,
Seemed to feast with head and ears, and his tail with
pleasure shook.

"Drink, pretty creature, drink," she said, in such a

tone

That I almost RECEIVED her heart into my own.

'Twas little Barbara Lewthwaite, a child of beauty rare. I watched them with delight, they were a lovely pair. Now with her empty can the maiden turned away; But ere ten yards were gone her footsteps did she stay. "What ails thee, young one? What? Why pull so at thy cord?

Is it not well with thee? well both for bed and BOARD? Thy PLOT of grass is soft, and green as grass can be→ Rest, little young one, rest; what is't that aileth thee? "Rest, little young one, rest; thou hast forgot the day When my father found thee first, in places far away; Many flocks were on the hills, but thou wert owned by

none,

And thy mother from thy side for evermore was gone. "He took thee in his arms, and in pity brought thee home;

A blessed day for thee! Then WHITHER would'st thou roam?

A FAITHFUL nurse thou hast; the DAM that did thee

YEAN

Upon the mountain tops no kinder could have been.

"Thou know'st that twice a day I have brought thee in this can

Fresh water from the brook, as clear as ever ran; And twice in every day, when the ground is wet with dew,

I bring thee DRAUGHTS of milk, warm milk it is and

new.

"It will not, will not rest-Poor creature, can it be That 'tis thy mother's heart which is working so in thee? Things that I know not of belike to thee are dear, And dreams of things which thou can'st neither see nor hear.

Alas, the mountain-tops that look so green and fair, I've heard of fearful winds and darkness that come

there;

The little brooks that seem all PASTIME and all play, When they are angry roar like lions for their prey.

WORKING AND PLAYING.

39

66 Here thou need'st not dread the raven in the sky; Night and day thou art safe-our cottage is hard by. Why bleat so after me? Why pull so at thy chain? Sleep--and at break of day I will come to thee again." EXERCISE.

What is a pet lamb?

How was this lamb treated?

Did he seem content in his condition?
What may we suppose he was longing for?

LESSON XV.

WORKING AND PLAYING.

COR-RECT-LY, without errors | STUD'-IES, work for the mind.

or mistakes.

EX-AM-IN-ED, tried as to

We know that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," and neither our parents nor our teachers desire that we should become dull. The right way is to do our work first, and then play afterwards. Those boys and girls who work the hardest enjoy their playhour the most. Whatever we have to do we should do it with all our might. If we are learning our lessons we should put all play on one side; and if we are playing we should not trifle with our books.

We often see boys counting their marbles, or looking at their tops, when they ought to be doing their sums or learning their spelling. At the end of the lesson the sums are done wrong, and the spelling is not CORRECTLY said. When these children go out to play, we should CERTAINLY suppose that, as they seemed so fond of it in school hours, they would enter into it with great spirit. But we find ourselves MISTAKEN.

They LOITER about in the corners of the playground, and don't seem to know what to do. Those who have honestly done their work are playing at all sorts of games, and enjoying themselves very much, while they stand with their hands in their pockets, foolishly looking on.

We should be earnest in everything that we doearnest in our work and earnest in our play. We should never give half our mind to any subject; but, leaving all other things alone, devote ourselves WHOLLY to it. The boy who is idle and LISTLESS in school, will be idle and listless in the playground.

In all our STUDIES we should have a clear and steady aim. We should not do things by fits and starts. John Jones was a boy who did not attend to his lessons during the greater part of the year, but just before the school was EXAMINED he was very active and diligent. He wanted to win a prize, if possible, as he was very fond of reading. But he had got so far behind by his former idleness, that all his efforts failed to make up for lost time. So when the day came at which the prizes were given out, he saw with sorrow that there was no prize for him.

If we wish to get on with our lessons, we should come every day to school. John Pitt was a clever boy, and worked well when he was at school; but he was very often absent. He was wanted to mind the baby, and run on errands at home. It was very likely his own fault; for if he had told his mother he would rather go to school, she would perhaps have MANAGED without him. Sometimes he was away for whole weeks together.

When the school was examined, the boys had to answer questions on a subject upon which the master had given them lessons before. John was not at school when these lessons were given; he, therefore, was unable to answer the questions. And so, although he was a clever boy, he failed to obtain a prize.

Emma Robinson was a good girl in some respects, but she had one sad fault. She was very IMPATIENT. In doing her NEEDLEWORK, when she came to one bad