XIX.

bis-cuits be-gin-ning mon-keys pre-sent-ly

THE STORY OF A BAD SHILLING.- Part XIII.

1. My new master quite forgot all about me; he even went up to London, and still I lay in his pocket. At last, one day, he went into a shop, to buy some biscuits. He tried all his pockets for the right number of pence; presently he pulled me out. "A shilling!" he cried; "I never knew I had one. Oh, then I shall have three pounds of biscuits, and take them to the monkeys in the Gardens."

2. "It is a bad one, sir," said the grocer. He rang me on the counter, and I fell with a dull, heavy sound. Then I saw that I was in the very shop where I began my travels.

3. "Then I must go without so many biscuits," said the boy. "Well, it is the monkeys' loss, not mine." "I will put you up two pounds, sir," said the grocer. "I have some here that are not very fresh, but good enough for monkeys, and you can have them cheap."

4. So the grocer was a kind man, though he did want to run a nail through me. I was very

much afraid that he would do it now, but the

boy tossed me into his pocket again. At the door he met a friend.

"How are you, old

fellow?" said he; "you are always turning up, just like a bad shilling."

5. "I wish bad shillings would not turn up quite so often, then," said my master, laughing, "just when I wanted to go to the Gardens, too." 6. "Oh, never mind," said the other, "that

does not matter.

We will go, and give the bad

shilling to the elephant. They say he likes money, and it will be good fun to see him take it in his great trunk, and then swallow it."

7. "All right, we will do that," said my master, and off they went. But, before they had gone far, it began to rain so fast that the boys gave up their plan of going to the Gardens.

S. I lay trembling with fear in my master's pocket, where I am still, and I do not feel very happy now, for he and his friend have fixed a day, to go and give the biscuits to the monkeys, and me to the elephant.

9. I do not quite know what sort of animal an elephant is, but I am quite sure I shall not like him to swallow me. Would you ?

10. Besides, I am quite sure that I am not at all good to eat, and perhaps I shall not agree with him. I would rather be nailed to the counter, I think, for then I could still look about me.

11. But, after all, perhaps it is best for me to end my days, for I only bring trouble on every one who has me. As the kind diamond said, "If people are bad it is their own fault, but it is not my fault that I am nothing better than a bad shilling"

FRUITFUL SEPTEMBER.

1. The orchards spreading o'er the land
Are filled with precious store;
Bright apples cluster 'mid the leaves
And daily ripen more,

2. The fields are full of opening grain,
Shading from gold to brown;

And hazel nuts in yonder copse
Hang their rich clusters down.

3. All day among the wheat and oats
The peasant reaps till night,

And he will be at work again
As soon as it is light.

4. Out in the fresh and happy morn, Out in the shining dew,

The women and the little ones
Are in the corn-field too.

5. Oh! joyous is the harvest-time ; The corn in golden sheaves;

The apples rosy on the grass;
The many-tinted leaves.