to him'? You know, if you were to let him fall, he might never be able to walk any more."

"I never let him drop," replied the child; "I always take care of the baby."

8. "And so do I';" "And so do I", repeated other shrill voices; and two more babies were thrust up for Can's inspection.

9. "But if you were to slip down yourselves on this hard pavement, you would be hurt; and the baby would be hurt in your arms. Look'! how can you be so careless as to throw all this peel about'? Don't you see how slippery it is'?

10. "We always fling it down,” said one.

"And I never slipped down but once on a piece," remarked another.

"But was not that once too often'?"

"Yes. I grazed my arm very badly, and broke a cup that I was carrying."

11. “Well, now, suppose you pick up all the peel you can find; and to the one who finds most, when I come back, I will give a penny.". They said they would do this, and, setting about it very cheerfully, promised that they would never commit this fault again.

12. Can then went on; and it is a remarkable circumstance that, just at that very moment, as Could was walking in quite a different part of the city, he also came to a piece of orange-peel, which was lying in his path.

"what

13. "What a shame'!" he said, as he passed on; a disgrace it is to the city that this practice of sowing seed, which springs up into broken bones, can not be punished'! There is never a winter that one or more accidents does not arise from it! If I could only put a stop to it, how glad I should be! If I had the power—"

14. "By your leave, sir," said a tall, strong man, with a heavy basket of coal on his shoulders.

15. Could, stepping aside, permitted the coal-carrier to pass him. "Yes," he continued, "if I had the power, I

would punish every body who throws orange-peel on the sidewalk." The noise of a heavy fall, and the rushing down as of a great shower of stones, made Could turn hastily around. The coal-carrier had fallen on the pavement, and the coal lay in heaps around his head. Several people ran to him, and some were trying to raise him. Could went near enough to see that the man was stunned; and he also observeds that a piece of orange-peel was adhering to the sole of his shoe.

16. "How sad!" said Could, as he passed along. "Now here is the bitter result of this abuse.

authority, I could have prevented this.

If I had been in
Poor fellow! he

is badly hurt, and has a broken limb; he is lamed, perhaps, for life. What the poet says may be true enough: "Of all the ills that human kind endure,

Small is the part which laws can cause or cure.'

And yet I think I could frameh a law that would prevent such accidents, or, at least, that would punish the people who cause them."

17. Could soon got into an omnibus, and as he was riding along he was thinking of how much good he could do, if he only had the means. "Now there," said he to himself, "is a 'Home for Consumptive Patients.' What a fine building, and pleasant grounds'! How I would like to be the founder of such a noble institution, if I only had the means. But it is my lot to sigh over the troubles of mankind, without being able to relieve them; for, alas! with only small means, I can do no more than provide for my own wants. I can not gratify my benevolent wishes; but how willingly I would, if I could."

18. The omnibus stopped, and a pale-faced man, in clean working-clothes, inquired if there was a seat inside.

"No, there is not one," said the conductor, as he looked in. Most of the passengers were women. "Would any gentleman," he asked, "like to go outside'?" 19. "Like"!" thought Could with a laugh. like to ride outside in such a wind as this'!

"Who would Thank Heav

en, I never take cold, but I don't want a blast like this to air the lining of my waistcoat, and chill the very shillings in my pocket!"

20. "Because," continued the conductor, "if any gentleman would like to go outside, here is a person who has been ill, and would be very glad of a place within." No answer came from within.

21. "I must ride outside, then," said the man, "for I have not much time for waiting." So he got up with the driver, and as the omnibus rumbled on, a hollow cough now and then was heard from the sick man, which told very plainly that he was not likely to trouble any one long.

22. After telling you so much about Could, his kind wishes, and grand projects, and regrets that he could not do some great good, I am almost ashamed to mention Can to you again. However, I think I will venture, though, poor little thing, her hopes and wishes are very humble, and she scarcely knows what a project means.

23. So, you must know that, having finished most of her business, she entered a shop to purchase something for her dinner; and while she waited to be served, a child entered, carrying a basket much too heavy for her strength, and having a shawl folded up on her arm.

24. "What have you in your basket'?" asked Can. "Potatoes for dinner," said the child.

"It is very heavy for you," remarked Can, observing how she bent under the weight of it.

25. "Mother is ill, and there is nobody to go to the shop but me," replied the child, setting down the basket, and blowing her numbed fingers.

"No wonder you are cold'," said Can; "why don't you put your shawl on', instead of carrying it so'?"

26. "It's so big," said the child, in a piteous voice. "Mother put a pin in it, and told me to hold it up; but I can't, the basket's so heavy; and I trod on it and fell down."

27. "It's enough to give the child her death of cold","

警

said the mistress of the shop, "to go crawling home in this bitter wind, with nothing on but that thin frock."

28. "Come," said Can, "I think I can tie a child's shawl so as not to throw her down."

So she made the little girl hold out her arms, and drawing the garment closely around her, knotted it securely at her back. "Now, then," she said, having inquired where she lived, "I am going your way, so I can help you to carry your basket."

29. Can and the child went out together, while Could, having reached his comfortable home, sat down before the fire, and made a great many reflections: and he thought over a great many projects for doing good on a grand scale. He made reflections on baths', and wash-houses', and model lodging-houses for the poor'. He made castles in the air'; and when, in imagination, he had made a great many people happy', he felt that a benevolenti disposition is a great blessing, and fell asleep by the fire.

30. Can was too busy to make projects: she only made two things. When she had helped to carry the child's basket, she kindly made her sick mother's bed, and then she went home and made a pudding.

a "OUT OF SPIRITS," dejected; sad.

b "SET OUT," departed; went forth. ES-TEEM', opinion; estimation.

d SÄUN-TER-ING, loitering; wandering lazily.

OB-SERV'ED, remarked; said.

JEAN INGELOW.

[ IN-SPEC'-TION, examination.
OB-SERV'ED, noticed.

h FRAME, make.

i PROJECT, plan; scheme.

J BE-NEV ́-O-LENT, kind; desirous of doing good.

[COULD takes a walk: his reflections. CAN sets out on an errand: her appearance and character. She finds a piece of orange-peel. What she thought, and what she did. Conversation with the children. What they promised. COULD, also, finds a piece of orangepeel. What he said to himself. The coal-carrier's fall and injury. COULD's reflections. His ride in an omnibus. His reflections about the "Home for Consumptive Patients." The sick poor man. More about CAN. The child with the heavy basket. How CAN aided her. COULD at home. What he made. What CAN made.

This story illustrates the characters of two opposite classes of individuals. First, COULD represents those who form numerous plans and projects for doing gat things, and who are always thinking about what they could do, and would do, if they had the means; while they utterly neglect to do any of the thousand little useful things which are within the power of every one. Secondly, CAN represents those who, modest and unassuming, and perhaps possessed of little means, neglect no opportunities of doing good on a small scale, and thus make themselves constantly useful. The latter are the real benefactors of mankind.]

LOSE no opportunity of doing a good action. Deeds are fruits words are but leaves.

LESSON XXII.

WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE.

1. HAVE & tear' for the wretched'; a smile' for the glad'; For the worthy', applause'; an excuse' for the bad'; Some help' for the needy'; some pity' for those

Who stray from the path where true happiness flows'. 2. Have a laugh for the child in her play at your feet; Have respect for the aged'; and pleasantly greet The stranger that seeketh for shelter from thee; Have a covering to spare, if he naked should be. 3. Have a hope in thy sorrow, a calm in thy joy; Have a work that is worthy thy life to employ; And, oh! above all things on this side the sod',b Have peace with thy conscience', and peace with thy God'. a AP-PLAUSE', approbation and praise. | Sov. Here used for the grave. [This little poem lays down certain rules and principles of moral conduct. they, as to the wretched? The glad? The worthy? The bad? The erring? As to children? The aged? The stranger? In thine own sorrow? In thy joy? Thy life-work? And, to crown all-? What kind of writing is this? What is didactic writing? (See p. ix.)]

What are

LESSON XXIII.

THE SPELLING-MATCH.

1. ONCE a neighboring school sent word to ours that on a certain day, in the afternoon, they would visit our schoolhouse for a spelling-match with us. As the time was short, most other studies were suspended, and at school, and at home in the evenings, all were busy, studying their spelling-books, in preparation for the approaching contest. 2. At length the day arrived, and, as our visitors were considered rather our superiors, our fears and anxietyb were great. The scholars were arranged in a standing position on opposite sides of the room, and the words were given out to each side alternately: the scholar that "missed" was to sit down.

3. It did not take long to thin out the ranks on both sides. In a short time our school had but eight on the

D