THE WORKHOUSE BOY.

A boy, about ten years of age, having lost his father, and his mother being ill at an hospital, was sent to the workhouse. He behaved well, and worked hard, that he might deserve the food, and clothes, and other neces saries which were allowed him.

Very soon he had some money given him as a reward, and he was told that he might do with the money just as he pleased. As soon as he had received it, he asked his master's leave to go and see his mother, and he took the money with him and gave it to her.

She was very thankful for it, and said that she should ever remember the kindness of ner dear little son, who took such care of her in her distress.

O how glad he must have felt, when he gave the money to his mother! it was very little, but it was all he had to give; and how glad she must have been to have so good

a son!

THE LITTLE Gardener's gift.

A little boy had a garden, a spade, a rake, and a hoe. He was very fond of working in his garden. One summer he had in it a great many pretty flowers, and a lilach tree, a gooseberry-bush, and some peas.

When his peas were quite ripe, he said to his sister, "I will take a basket, and pick all my peas, and my gooseberries, and carry them to the poor lame man on the common; he is so ill now, that he cannot ride on his horse, as he used to do, and go to work."

So the little boy fetched his basket, and was very busy picking his peas and gooseberries; and when he had picked them, he carried them to the poor old man, and put them on the table.

The poor old man was sitting by the fireside, quite alone; for his wife was gone out to work, and his children were a great way off. When he saw the little boy come in, and put the peas and gooseberries upon the table, he smiled, and looked glad, and thanked him very kindly.

The little boy seemed very happy. His sister was pleased to see him so good to the poor old man. I dare say, when the old man ate his peas and his gooseberries, he thought of the little boy, and said, "I hope God will bless that young gentleman, who is so very good to me."

THE SUN..

The sun rises in the east, and when he rises it is day. He shines upon the trees and the houses, and upon the water, and every thing looks sparkling and beautiful, when he shines upon it. He gives us light and heat; it is he that makes it warm. He makes the fruit ripen, and the corn ripen. If he did not shine upon the fields, and upon the gardens, nothing would grow.

Sometimes he takes off his crown of bright rays, and wraps up his head in thin silver clouds, and then we may look at him; but when there are no clouds, and he shines with all his brightness at noonday, we cannot look at him, for he would dazzle our eyes and make us blind. Only the eagle can look at him then; the eagle with his strong piercing eye can gaze upon him always.

When the sun is going to rise in the morning and make it day, the lark flies up in the sky to meet him, and sings sweetly in the air; and the cock crows loud to tell every body that he is coming.

But the owl and the bat fly away when they see him, and hide themselves in old walls and hollow trees; and the lion and the tiger go into their dens and caves, where they sleep all the day. He shines in all countries, all over the earth. He is the most beautiful and glorious object that can be seen in the whole world.

"The sun is not God, though his noblest image." We may admire the sun, but must not worship him.. He who made the sun is entitled to our praise.

THE MOON.

The moon shines to give us light in the night, when the sun is set. She is very beautiful and white, like silver. We may look at her always, for she is not so bright as to dazzle our eyes, and she never scorches us.

e moon is mild and gentle. She lets even the little glow-worms shine, which are quite dark by day. The stars shine all round her, but she seems larger and brighter than the stars, and looks like a large pear! amongst a great many small sparkling diamonds.

When you are asleep, she shines through your curtains with her gentle beams, and seems to say, "Sleep on, poor little tired boys, I will not disturb you." The nightingale sings to her, and sings better than all the rds of the air. She sits upon a thorn, and sings sweetly all the night long, while the dew lies upon the grass, and every thing around is still and silent.

THE SWAN.

All birds that swim in the water are web-footed. Their toes are joined together by a skin that grows between them; that is being web-footed; and it helps the birds to swim well, for then their feet are like the fins of a fish.

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The swan is a large bird, larger than a goose. Its bill is red, but the sides of it are black: and it has black about its eyes. Its legs are dusky, but its feet are red, and it is web-footed. Its body is all white, as white as snow, and very beautiful.

The swan has a very long neck. It lives in rivers and lakes; and eats plants that grow in the water, and seeds, and little insects and snails. It does not look pretty when it walks upon the ground, for it cannot walk well; but when itis in the water swimming smoothly along, arching its long neck, and dipping its white breast, with which it makes way through the water, it is the most graceful of all birds.

The swan builds her nest among the reeds and rushes. The nest is made of sticks and long grass, and it is very large and high. She sits upon her eggs for two months; then they are hatched, and the young ones are called cygnets. They are not white at first, but grayish.

If any body were to come near the swan when she is in the nest, sitting upon her eggs, or when she has young ones, she would fly at him; for she is very fierce to defend her young; and if he were to come to take them away, she would beat him down with her strong wings, and perhaps break his arm. The swan lives a great while.

THE RABBIT.

The rabbit is very innocent and gentle. Its colour brown; but in countries which are very cold, it turns as

white as snow. Its lip is parted and very hairy; and it always moves its lips.

The rabbit feeds upon herbs and roots, and the bark of young trees; and sometimes it will creep through the hedge, and steal into the gardens, to eat pinks and a little parsley; and it loves to play and skip about by moonlight, and to bite the tender blades of grass, when the dew is upon them; but in the daytime it sleeps in its form.

She sleeps with her eyes open, because she is very fearful and timid: and when she hears the least noise, she starts and sticks up her large ears: and when the huntsman sounds his horn, and the poor harmless rabbit hears the dogs coming, she runs away very'swiftly, strait forward, stretching her legs, and leaves the dogs behind.

TENDERNESS TO MOTHERS.

Observe, said a father to his son, the anxious care of most living creatures for their young! Does not this sight suggest to you the tenderness and affection of your mother?

Her watchful care protected you in the helpless period of infancy, when she nourished you, taught your limbs to your tongue to lisp its unformed accents.

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In your childhood she mourned over your little griefs; rejoiced in your innocent delights; administered to you the healing balm in sickness; and instilled into your mind the love of 'truth, of virtue, and of wisdom.

Oh! cherish every sentiment of respect for such mother. She merits your warmest gratitude, esteem and veneration.