they were children, if they had been treated in this manner! Careful education, as the African found, will change the character of a lion; and many other such animals have been almost as tame as that which he led to the eastern king. 5. Parents and guardians should recollect, when they have the care of a passionate or vicious child, that if they pursue the right course, they may hope to correct his fault, and make him a useful and happy man. QUESTIONS.-1. Why did the African lead the lion to the king? 2. Was the king pleased with the present? 3. How did he tell the king he had tamed him? 4. What did the king say to the officers, about training children? 5. Have children any bad passions to govern? 6. Can they expect to be happy unless they correct their vicious habits? LESSON XIV. Spell and Define.-1. SUB MIS' SIVE, obedient; humble. 2. TEST' I FY, to give testimony. 3. GRAT I TUDE, thankfulness. 4. FIERC EST, most violent; furious. 5. REBELL' IOUS, engaged in resisting authority. 6. PRO CLAIM'ED, announced. What Rule should be observed in reading poetry? MAN CONPARED TO A LION. 1. A LION, though by nature wild, He stands before his keeper, mild 2. He watches with submissive eye A sense of gratitude. 3. But man himself, who thus subdues 4. Though by the Lord preserved and fed, He proves rebellious still; And while he eats his Maker's bread, 5. O Savior, how thy wondrous power When thou dost bring the happy hour QUESTIONS.-1. Can a lion be tamed by man 2. Can a lion manifest gratitude to his master ? 3, Does he not then teach man to be grateful to his Maker? LESSON XV. Spell and Define-1. KIN' DRED, allied by birth; related. 2. SOLD' IER, a man in military service. 3. HE' RO, a brave man. 4. HAST' EN ING, moving rapidly. 5. SLUM'BER ING, dozing; sleeping. 6. RooN, a gift; a favor granted. THE SUFFERING OLD SOLDIER'S COMPLAINT. 1. ALAS! young friends, my youth is gone, 2. The joy and comfort of my life, 3. In manhood's morn I left my home 'Mid death and danger long to roam, 4. Ah yes! my friends, for you I fought 5. Then let a poor old soldier crave A soldier, hastening to the grave, QUESTIONS.-1. Should we not be kind to the poor and needy? 2. What is said of those that oppress the poor? See Prov. xiv. 31. 3. What is said of those that pity the poor ? See Prov. xix. 17. 4. Do we really pity the poor, when we are unwilling to relieve them? LESSON XVI. Spell and Define-1. PRANC' ED, leaped; bounded. 2. GRAN' A RY, a store-house for grain. 3. Re fu' sed, denied; rejected. 4. IN VI TING, asking; tempting. 5. FAN' CI ED, imagined; conceived. 6. DE CEIV' ER, one who deceives; an impostor. 7. GROOM, one who tends horses. THE GROOM AND THE HORSE.-A FABLE. 1. A GROOM, whose business it was to take care of a certain horse, let the animal go loose into the field. After a while, he wanted to catch him, but the brute chose to run about at liberty, rather than be shut up in a stable ; so he pranced round the field, and kept out of the groom's way. 2. The groom now went to the granary, and got the measure, with which he was wont to bring the horse his oats. When the horse saw the measure, he thought, to be sure, that the groom had some oats for him; and so he went up to him, and was instantly caught and taken to the stable. 3. Another day, the horse was in the field, and refused to be caught. So the groom again got the measure, and held it out, inviting the horse, as before, to come up to him. But the animal shook his head, saying, "Nay, master groom; you told me a lie the other day, and I am not so silly as to be cheated a second time by you." 4. "But," said the groom, "I did not tell you a lie, I only held out the measure, and you fancied that it was full of oats. I did not tell you there were oats in it." 5. "Your excuse is worse than the cheat itself," said the horse. "You held out the measure, and thereby did as much as to say, 'I have some oats for you. 6. Actions speak as well as words. Every deceiver, whether by words or deeds, is a liar; and nobody that has been once deceived by him, will fail to shun and despise him ever after. QUESTIONS.-1. What deception did the groom practice to catch his horse? 2. Did he succeed in this way the second time? 3. Do our actions speak as well as words? 4. If we deceive at one time, can we expect to be trusted at another? 5. Will you pronounce distinctly, rath' er, an i mal, in' stant, oats, whith' er? LESSON XVII. Spell and Define-1. SHEP' HERD, one who tends sheep. 2. Wan' der ING, roving. 3. FEAR' LESS LY, (LESS, without.) without fear; boldly. 4. IN STRUCT' ED, taught; educated. 5. CON' FI DENCE, trust; reliance. 6. CON CEAL'ED, hid; covered. 7. DE CEIV' ING, deluding; cheating. 8. Ex pe' RI ENCE, trial, or a series of trials. 9. DIS CRE' TION, knowledge and prudence. 10. PRAC' TIC ED, customarily used. Of what use are pauses in reading? See Rule IX. LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. 1. A SHEPHERD was wandering over the fields with his son, and a deep brook flowed between them. The boy wished to go over to his father, but was unable, for the brook was very wide. Then he cut a branch from a bush, placed one end of it in the brook, leaned fearlessly upon it, and, with all his might, gave a sudden spring. 2. But behold! it was the branch of an elder tree, and as the boy was swinging over the brook, the staff broke in the middle, and he fell; a splash was heard, and the waters closed over him. 3. A traveler saw what had happened, from a distance, and raising an alarm, ran toward the brook. But the boy blew the water from him, and swam laughing to the shore. 4. Then the traveler said to the shepherd, "It appears that your son has been well instructed, but one thing you have forgotten. Why have you not taught him to examine within, before he opens his heart to confidence? Had he discovered the weak pith |