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HONESTY THE BEST POLICY.

1. LEONARD was twelve years old when he had the misfortune to lose his father. He had now none to provide for him; for his mother was so infirm that she could not possibly support him.

2. Leonard, therefore, resolved to seek his own livelihood, that he might not be a burden to his mother. "Have I not learned to read, write, and cipher?" said he to himself. "Why should I not make my way in the world, if I am industrious and honest ?".

3. Taking leave of his mother, Leonard walked to a neighboring town, and called on Mr. Watson, a wealthy shop-keeper, who had been one of his father's friends.

4. Leonard solicited employment. "Gladly will I work from morning till night," said he, "if you will but take me." Mr. Watson said that he would take him into his service, on his promising to be honest and faithful.

5. By strict honesty, and always speaking the truth, Leonard soon gained Mr. Watson's confidence. He was intrusted with a variety of little commissions, in the execution of which he showed much cleverness and perseverance, 6. His master had reason to be perfectly satisfied with him. He was pleased with the honesty, with which Leonard would cor fess his faults, when he had forgotten any thing, or not done it rightly, and with his desire to learn what was right and proper.

7. Leonard would have been completely happy, if Mr. Watson's house-keeper had not become his enemy. The house-keeper was a dishonest woman, and took all possible pains to get him turned out of the house, by telling false reports about Leonard.

8. Mr. Wa son, however, was disposed to consider Leonard as a good boy, till he had reason for believing the contrary. He, therefore, regarded the accusations of the housekeeper as false; but he watched Leonard's conduct the more narrowly, and sometimes put his honesty to the test.

9. Mr. Watson once left a guinea in a drawer, which he desired Leonard to clean out. A shop-man of Mr. Watson's happened to be present when Leonard found the guinea.

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10. "Here is a treasure, my dear fellow," cried he; we will have a rare treat with it!" "How so?" said Leonard. The other said, "You will hardly be so silly as to give it to our master?”

11. "Most assuredly I shall," replied Leonard, "for it belongs to him, and not to us. We can not keep it with a good conscience, and I should not like to have a bad one. Leonard went immediately and delivered the guinea to his master.

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12. Mr. Watson was glad to find that he had one, in whom he could place entire confidence. He in time gave up his business;

and when he died, left the whole of his fortune to the honest and faithful Leonard.

13. Honesty is, indeed, on all occasions, the best policy; but the temptations presented by hopes of immediate gain, sometimes induce men to be dishonest, and to disregard the warnings of conscience, if they are not governed by moral and religious principles.

QUESTIONS.-1. How old was Leonard when his father died? 2. What did he resolve to do? 3. What had he learned? 4. Whom did he go to see, and what did he say ? 5. What reply did Mr. Watson make? 6. How did he secure Mr. Watson's confidence? 7. What now prevented Leonard from being happy? 8. Did the house-keeper try to injure him? 9. How did Mr. Watson test Leonard's honesty? 10. What bequest did Mr. Watson make to Leonard at his death? 11. What is said of honesty? Correctly pronounce strict, faults, false, conduct.

LESSON XXXVII.

Spell and Define-1. Ac CUS' TOM ED, habituated; inured. 2. STAR VA TION, the state of perishing with hunger. 3. FAM' INE, Scarcity of food; want; destitution. 4. DRIP'. PING, falling in drops. 5. MI' SER LY, very covetous; niggardly. 6. HAST' I LY, speedily; quickly. 7. WICK' ET, a small gate.

How are you taught to read poetry?

THE ANT AND THE CRICKET.-A FABLE.

1. A SILLY young cricket, accustomed to sing
Thro' the fine sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain, when he found that at home
His cupboard was empty, and winter had come.—
Not a crumb to be found

On the snow-covered ground;

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Not a flower could he see;

Not a leaf on a tree ;—

"O! what will become," says the cricket, "of me!"

2. At last, by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and trembling with cold,
Away he set off to a miserly ant,

To see if, to keep him alive, he would grant
Him shelter from rain,-

A mouthful of grain.

He wished only to borrow,

He would pay it to-morrow;

If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.

3. Says the ant to the cricket, "I'm thy servant and friend, But we ants never borrow, we ants never lend; Yet tell me, dear sir, did you lay nothing by

When the weather was warm?" Said the cricket, "Not I! My heart was so light,

That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay."
“You sang, sir, you say?

Go, then," says the ant, "and dance winter away!"

4. When thus he had spoken, he lifted the wicket, And out of the door turned the poor little cricket. Though this is a fable, the moral is good;

If

you live without work, you must go without food.

QUESTIONS.-1. How did the cricket spend his time in summer and spring? 2. Was he alarmed when he found he had no food laid up for winter? 3. What was he finally compelled to do? 4. Did he wish to buy or borrow of the ant? 5. What did the ant say to him? 6. What reply did the cricket make, when the ant asked him how he had

spent the summer? 7. What did tne ant then tell him to do? 8. How did the ant treat the cricket? 9. What useful lesson is taught by this fable?

LESSON XXXVIII.

Spell and Define-1. PATH' WAY, a path; a way. 2. TWINK' LING, sparkling. 3. SPIR' IT, the soul of man. 4. OM NI PRES' ENT, present in every place. 5. To' KEN, a sign; note; mark. 6. E TER NI TY, duration without beginning or end. 7. VA' POR, a visible fluid floating in the air. 8. TER' RI BLE, frightful; dreadful. 9. VIC' TOR Y,

conquest.

How are we taught to read dialogues?

AN INSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE.

SARAH. Mary, why do the flowers bloom?
MARY. To show thy pathway to the tomb.
S. Why do the twinkling stars arise?
M. To light our spirits to the skies.

S. What makes the sunbeams shine so bright?
M. The Word that said, "Let there be light."
S. What is yon arch which every where I see?
M. The sign of omnipresent Deity.

S. Whence are the winds, and whither do they go?
M. That's more than mortal man can know.

S. What token does the beauteous rainbow bear?
M. That Justice still cries, "Strike," and Mercy, "Spare."
S. Why does the bubble break? O, tell me why!
M. To show the course of all beneath the sky.
S. What laws the rolling waves of ocean bind?
M. Those which in reason's limits hold thy mind.
S. Say, what is time, and whither does it flee?
M. Time was, time is, and time no more shall be ;-
'Tis now, but soon 'twill be eternity.

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