abyss. At the risk of sharing his fate, if I did not succeed in saving him, I dragged him from the fearful spot.'

8. "Take the jewel, my son,” exclaimed the delighted old man, "that was truly the spirit of the gospel of Christ, who has said, 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and do good to them that hate you.' 9. It can not be revenge is sweet

To those who learn at Jesus' feet, The words that breathe so much of heaven, "Forgive as ye would be forgiven." 10. How happy they, within whose breast Revenge is ne'er allowed to rest;

But who like Christ himself would live, Who e'en his murderers could forgive! QUESTIONS.-1. To which of his three sons, did the father propose to give a precious jewel? 2. What noble and generous action did the eldest son suppose he had done? 3. What did his father say to him? 4. Have we any right to keep any thing which a friend may have lent us? 5. What generous action did the second son think he had done? 6. What reply did his father make him? 7. What noble and generous action had the youngest son done? 8. Which received the precious jewe!? 9. Is it right to take revenge for injuries received? 10. How did Christ pray for his murderers on the cross? 11. What is said in the Lord's prayer about forgiveness?

LESSON XXIII.

Spell and Define-1. AT TEN' TIVE LY, carefully; diligently. 2. HID' E OUS, frightful; terrible. 3. RE GARD'. LESS, heedless; careless. 4. IN SULT' ING, abusive; treating with contempt. 5. DIF' FI CULT IES, perplexities;

troubles; hinderances. 6. SCORN FUL LY, disdainfully; contemptuously. 7. DE LI' CIOUS, highly pleasing to the taste. 8. AC QUIRE MENT, attainment; gain. 9. KER'NEL, the seed of fruit; a grain.

To what part of this piece does Rule XII. apply?

THE SQUIRREL AND THE WEASEL.-A FABLE.

1. A SQUIRREL had taken his seat under a large hickory, in order to eat a nut which he had plucked from the tree. At a little distance a weasel was seated, observing the squirrel very attentively. The nut was covered with an outside, green rind, and it was necessary for the squirrel to take this off, before he could possibly get at the kernel.

2. The taste of this outside covering, was very bitter; and the weasel broke into a loud

laugh, to see the hideous faces which the poor squirrel made, gnawing through the bitter

crust.

3. "What a silly dunce," said the weasel to the squirrel, "to take so much trouble with that ugly nut. You might get along with much more comfort, if you were to select a better kind of fru."

4. "But other fruits," said the squirrel, "are not half so weet as this nut. It is true, the taste of this rind is bitter, and it is very troublesome to open, but I know that it covers a kernel that tastes very sweet and nice.”

5. The squirrel kept on working busily, regardless of the insulting laughter of the weasel. At length the outside coat was entirely removed, and then new difficulties presented themselves; for a second, very hard and woody cover surrounded the kernel of the nut.

6. Now the weasel laughed still louder. "Is this the beautiful sweet fruit which you spoke of?" inquired he. "Well, I think you may as well enjoy yourself in eating it. For my part, I don't like such food; and it appears to me that no one in his right mind, would think of eating it."

7. "Do not judge quite so rashly," answered the squirrel, "this is merely the second shell, but within, the sweetest kernel is hidden."

8. "Another shell," exclaimed the weasel, scornfully, "of what use is a fruit to m

which is entirely hidden. I never should take so much trouble!"

9. "Then you will never taste the sweetest of nuts, the taste of which is now twice as good, on account of the trouble I have had to get it."

10. Thus the squirrel replied, when he had succeeded at length in removing the hard coat, in which the nice kernel was covered, and its delicious taste richly repaid all the trouble he had in opening it.

11. This fable should teach us, that the acquirement of useful knowledge is difficult and very troublesome in the beginning, and that industry and application in useful pursuits, are often as bitter and hard as the outward rind, and the second hard shell of the nut; but finally, when we diligently persist, and undergo willingly every trouble, we are rewarded by the most exquisite fruits for our labor.

QUESTIONS.-1. What do squirrels feed on? 2. What kind of food do weasels like? 3. Which is represented as talking the more reasonably, the squirrel or the weasel ? 4. Did the squirrel regard the insulting laughter of the weasel? 5. Should we, then, be deterred from doing right, if the wicked do ridicule us? 6. Can we expect to reap the fruits of knowledge, without trouble or laber? 7. What does this fable design to teach us?

LESSON XXIV.

Spell and Define-1. IM' PLE MENTS, tools; instruments. 2 WEL COM ING, receiving with kindness. 3. RE CESS', suspension of business; retreat. 4. COM MEND' ED, praised; recommended. 5. DIS COUR' A GED, disheartened. 6. Ev'

I DENT LY, clearly; plainly 7. Fo' LI AGE, leaves of trees; flowers; branches. 8. SUG GEST' ED, hinted; intimated. 9. RE LEAS' ED, freed from obligation or restraint. 10. BUOY' ANT, that will not sink; light; joyful. 11. TRIUMPH' ANT LY, with triumph; exultingly. 12. IN' TERVIEW, a meeting; conference. 13. CON SCIOUS NESS, the knowledge of what passes in the mind.

EMMA IN THE SCHOOL ROOM.

1. "Он dear!" said Jane Somers, as she stood beside her desk, in the school room; "I do wish I had my pen-knife with me; this pencil is so dull, it will take till noon to copy the answers to my sums upon paper."

2. " There," said she, "I will try it no longer; pencil and sums must go together, and once more must I bear to hear my teacher say, 'order in all you do, Jane, would save us both much trouble.""

3. "Jane, you can have my knife a moment," said Emma Clifford, taking it from a box, well stored with kindred implements; "and you will have time now, before school shall begin, to have your lesson all prepared."

4. "That's a good girl, Emma; you are the one that can help any body out of trouble; but I do not see how you can always have just what you want with you.

5. "Why, it was not more than two weeks ago, that I had paper, and quills, and penknife, and pencil, and every thing that you have in vour desk; but now, my paper is at home, my quills are all gone, my pen-knife is lost, and my pencil is worse than if I had