Rooks build together in a wood,
And often disagree;

The owl will build inside a barn,

Qr in a hollow tree.

The blackbird's nest of grass and mud
In bush and bank is found;
The lapwing's darkly spotted eggs
Are laid upon the ground.

The magpie's nest is made with thorns
In leafless tree or hedge;

The wild-duck and the water-hen
Build by the water's edge.

Birds build their nests from year to year,

According to their kind;

Some very neat and beautiful,

Some simpler ones we find.

The habits of each little bird,
And all its patient skill,
Are surely taught by God himself,
And ordered by His will.

THE OLD HORSE-SHOE.

A COUNTRYMAN was going on a journey one hot day in summer, taking with him his little son Thomas. 'Look!' said the father, suddenly stopping in the road, there is an old horse-shoe; pick it up and put it into your pocket.' 'Oh!' replied Thomas, that bit of old iron is not even worth the trouble of stooping down for.' The father picked it up without saying anything further, and put it into his own pocket.

6

When they came to the next village, he took out the old piece of iron, and sold it to the smith for a halfpenny, with which he bought some cherries. They both trudged on. The heat of the sun was intense: far and wide there was neither a house nor a shady tree to be seen; nor could they find a spring of water. Thomas, almost fainting with thirst, and weary with walking, could scarcely keep up.

At length, his father-as if by chance-dropped a cherry. Thomas snatched it up, as eagerly as if it were gold, and put it into his mouth. When they had gone a little further, his father let fall another cherry, and Thomas, with like eagerness, stooped down for that. In this manner, the father made his boy pick up all the cherries.

When Thomas had eaten the last one, his father turned to him, and laughingly said, 'Ah! Thomas; do you see that if you had only taken the trouble to stoop once for the old horse-shoe, you need not have had to stoop so many times for the cherries.'

LAZY BOBBY.

I REMEMBER, When I was at school, there was a little boy whom every one called Lazy Bobby. At first I could not understand why he went by that name, for Bobby seemed to me the most harmless lad in the whole school. And so indeed he was; but, as I afterwards found out, that a harmless good-for-nothing is as great a plague as a mischievous boy any day. The one will not

work at all, but the other's fault is in doing too much, though it is often not in the right way.

6

One day I came up to Bobby, sauntering along by the roadside on his way to school. 'Good morning, Bobby,' said I, we must make haste; it is ten minutes to nine, and we have nearly half a mile to go.'

'Oh!' said he, 'I can walk it in less than ten minutes, and I should like to get at those blackberries. You can reach them, I think, for you are taller than I am.'

"Very glad to if I had time,' replied I; but you see we shall be late enough for school as it is.'

6

6

At a

Late

Bobby's eyes were fixed on the hedge; he grumbled at me, and lagged behind. I made haste for school and was just in time. quarter past nine Bobby came hurrying in. again, as usual,' said the master; what has kept you?' Oh, I blushed for Bobby when I heard him answer that he had been an errand for his mother, which I knew was not true. For the first time I observed how laziness often leads to falsehood or deceit.

When we were working our sums, Lazy Bobby was sitting next to me, and I was not at all pleased to see him peeping slily at my slate: I was sure that he was copying my answer instead of working the sum himself.

Now, it so happened that I had done the sum wrong, and the master in his rounds showed me the error; when he came to Bobby, he found the same blunder, and at once charged him with copying

from me; for how was it likely that he could make precisely the same mistake as I had done?

Bobby did not deny the charge, but muttered that the sum had been too hard' for him. Now Bobby had been a long time at school, and it need not have been a hard sum had he been a hard worker.

This lame excuse did not, however, save him from punishment; for the master told him that he had acted a lie in showing his neighbour's work as his own. It was none the less a lie for being a dumb one.

Having no respect for the good opinion of his master and schoolfellows, Bobby soon lost respect for himself. First he was the laziest, then he became the most deceitful, and by-and-by he was really the most unhappy boy of the school.

THE DUKE AND THE COW-BOY.

SOME years ago, a noble duke, who was in the habit of walking about his estates, chanced one day to see a very fine cow, and finding it was for sale, bought it. He ordered it to be sent home the next day.

The following morning the duke was taking his usual walk in the grounds, and saw a lad vainly trying to drive the cow before him. The boy looked about in despair, when he caught sight of the duke a short distance off, and not knowing who he was, called loudly, I say, master, come here and help me to take this beast to the duke's, or I shall never get there.'

The duke saw the mistake, and being much amused, determined on having a joke with the cow-boy. Pretending not to understand him, he walked slowly on, the boy still begging his assistance. At last, in a voice of great distress, the lad shoutel, 'If you will only help me, gobd man, I will give you half the money I get.'

The duke now went up at once and lent a helping hand. As they went along, he asked, 'How much do you think you will get for this job?' 'Oh, as to that,' replied the boy, 'I really do not know; but I am sure of something, for the folks up at the big house are good to everybody.'

As they drew near the Hall, the duke managed to slip away from the boy. He entered the house, called a servant, and put a sovereign into his hand, saying, 'Give that to the lad who has brought the cow.' He then returned to the walk, where he awaited the boy's return. As soon as he came up, he said, 'Did you get anything given you?' 'Yes; and there's half of it for you,' replied he, handing the duke a sixpence. What! did they only give you a shilling? Surely you got more than that!' 'No,' answered the boy, with great earnestness, 'that's all. Don't you think it's plenty? I do.' 'I do not,' replied he; I really believe there is some mistake; for the duke is always so generous. Let us go back, and I will see if we cannot get more.' 'I am quite content, and do not want to complain,' said the boy. We will go back, I tell you, and you will receive much more.'

6

At last the boy consented to go.

So up to the