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all around them, completely quieted and composed the troubled heart of the disappointed little boy.

8. "Do you not observe, said his father, how agreeable is the change of every thing before you? You cannot have yet forgotten how dull every thing appeared to us yesterday; the ground was parched up for want of rain; the flowers had lost their colour, and hung their heads in languor; and, in short, all nature seemed to be in a state of inaction. What can be the reason that nature has so suddenly put on such a different aspect?" "That is easily accounted for," said the little boy; it undoubtedly is occasioned by the rain that

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has fallen to-day."

9. The little boy had no sooner pronounced these words, than he saw his father's motive for asking him the question. He now plainly perceived the impropriety of his late conduct, in being so unhappy about what was evidently so universally serviceable.

10. He blushed, but his father took no notice of it, judging that his own sense would sufficiently teach him another time, without reluctance, to sacrifice selfish pleasures to the general good of the community at large..

Alexis and Amanda.

1. AN affectionate father, one fine summer's day, having promised his two children, Alexis and Amanda, to treat them with a walk in a fine garden a little way out of town, went up into his dressing room to prepare himself, leaving the two children in the parlour.

2. Alexis was so delighted with the thoughts of the plea sure he should receive from his walk, that he jumped about the room, without thinking of any evil consequence that could happen; but unluckily the skirt of his coat brushed against a very valuable flower, which his father was rearing with great pains, and which he had unfortunately just removed from before the window, to screen it from the scorching heat of the sun.

3. "O brother! brother!" said Amanda, taking up the flower, which was broken off from the stalk, "what have you done?" The little girl was holding the flower in her hand, when her father came into the room. "Bless me, Amanda," said her father, "how could you be so thought

less as to pluck a flower which you have seen me take so much care to rear in order to have seed from it!"

4. Amanda was in such a fright, that she could only beg her father not to be angry. Her father replied, that he was not angry, but reminded her, that as they were going to a garden where there was a variety of flowers, she might have waited till they arrived there to indulge her fancy. He therefore hoped she would not take it amiss, if he left her at home.

5. This was a terrible situation for Amanda, who held her head down, and said nothing. Little Alexis, however, was of too generous a temper to keep silence any longer. He went up to his father, and told him that it was not his sister, but himself, who had accidentally beaten off the head of the flower with the skirt of his coat. He therefore desired that his sister might go and take a walk, and he stay at home.

6. The father was so delighted with the generosity of his children, that he instantly forgave the accident, and tenderly caressed them both, being happy to see them have such an affection for each other. He told them that he loved them equally alike, and that they should both go with him.

7. They all three then walked to the garden, where they saw plants of the most valuable kinds. Amanda pressed her clothes on each side, and Alexis kept the skirts of his coat under his arms, for fear of doing any damage in their walk among the flowers.

8. The flower which their father had lost, would have given him some pain, had it happened from any other circumstance; but the pleasure he received from seeing such mutual affection and regard subsist between his two chil dren, amply repaid him for the loss of his flower

9. I cannot omit the opportunity that here presents itself, of reminding my young friends, not only how necessary, but how amiable and praiseworthy it is, for brothers and sisters to live together in harmony and love. It is not only their most important interest to do so, but what should be a still stronger argument with them, such are the commands of Him who made them.

The little Boy, his Sisters, and the Swallow's Nest. 1. A LITTLE boy having one day espied a swallow's nest under the eaves of the house, ran directly to inform his sis

ters of the important discovery, and they immediately fell into consultation concerning the manner in which they should take it. It was at last agreed, that they should wait till the young ones were fledged, that the little boy should then put a ladder up against the wall, and that his sisters should hold it fast below, while he mounted after the prize.

2. As soon as they thought these poor little creatures were properly fledged, preparations were made for the execution of their intended plan. The old birds flew backwards and forwards about the nest, and expressed as well as they were able, the sorrow and affliction they felt on being robbed of their young. The little boy and his two sisters, however, paid no regard to their pious moans; for they took the nest with three young ones in it.

3. As the little innocent prisoners were now in their possession, the next thing to be considered was, what they should do with them. The youngest sister, being of a mild and tender-hearted disposition, proposed putting them into a cage, promising to look after them herself, and to see that they wanted nothing. She reminded her brother and sister, how pretty it would be to see and hear those birds chirp, when grown up.

4. The little boy, however, was of a very different opinion; for he insisted on it, that it would be better to pluck off their feathers, and then set them down in the middle of the room, as it would be very amusing to see them hop about without feathers. The elder sister was of the same way of thinking as the younger; but the little boy was determined to have the matter entirely his own way.

5. The two little girls, finding they were not likely to have things as they wished, gave up the point without much hesitation; for their brother had already begun to strip the poor helpless birds. As fast as he plucked them, he put them down on the floor; and it was not long before the little birds were stripped of all their tender feathers. The poor things cried, and complained in the most piteous accents; they shook their little wings, and shuddered with the cold.

6. The little boy, however, who had not the least kind of feeling for their sufferings, carried his persecutions still further, pushing them with his foot or hand to make them go on when they stopped, and laughing most heartily whenever they staggered or tumbled down through weakness.

7. Though his two sisters at first had pleaded against this kind of cruel sport, yet, seeing their brother so merry on the occasion, they forgot their former dictates of humanity, and joined in the cruel sport with him.

8. In the midst of this kind of cruel enjoyment, at a distance they saw their tutor approaching. This put them into a flurry, and each pocketed a bird. They would have avoided their tutor, but he called to them, and asked their reason for wishing to shun him. They approached him very slowly, with their eyes cast down, which convinced him that something amiss was going forward.

9. On their answering that they were only playing, their tutor observed to them, that they very well knew, he never denied them innocent amusement; but, on the contrary, was always glad to see them cheerful and happy.

10. He took notice, that they each held one of their hands behind them, upon which he insisted on their showing them, and letting him see, what it was they endeavoured to conceal.

11. They were obliged to comply much against their will, when each produced a bird that had been stripped of its feathers. The tutor was filled with pity and indignation, and gave each of them a look that was more dreadful than any words he could have spoken. After some silence, the little boy attempted to justify himself by saying, that it was a curious sight to see swallows hopping about without feathers, and he could see no harm in it.

12. "Can you then," said the tutor, "take pleasure in seeing innocent creatures suffer, and hear their cries without pity?" The little boy said, he did not see how they could suffer from having a few feathers pulled off. The tutor, to convince him of his error, pulled a few hairs from his head, when he cried out loudly, that he hurt him.

13." What would your pain be, then," said the tutor, were I thus to pluck all the hair off your head? You are sensible of the pain you now feel, but you were insensible of the torment to which you put those innocent creatures that never offended you. But that you, little girls, should join in such an act of cruelty, very much surprises me."

14. The little girls stood motionless, and appeared to be very sorry for what they had done, which their tutor observing, he said no more to them. But the little boy still persisted in his opinion that he did the little birds no harm; on

the contrary, he said they showed their pleasure by clapping their wings and chirping.

15. "They clapped their wings," said the tutor," from the pain you put them to; and what you call singing, were cries and lamentations. Could those birds have expressed themselves in your speech, you would have heard them cry, "Oh, father and mother, save us, for we are fallen into the hands of cruel children, who have robbed us of all out feathers! We are cold and in pain. Come warm us and cure us, or we shall soon die !"

16. The little girls could no longer conceal their grief, and accused their brother of leading them into this act of cruelty. The little boy was himself become sensible of his fants, and bad already felt the smart of having a few hairs plucked from his head; but the reproaches of his own heart were now visible on his countenance.

17. It appeared to the tutor, that there was no need of carrying the punishment any further; for the error the little boy had committed did not arise from a natural love of ruelty, but merely from want of thought and reflection. From this moment, the little boy, instead of punishing and tormenting dumb creatures, always felt for their distresses, and did what he could to relieve them.

Little Junius and the fruitful Vine.

In the beginning of the spring, a gentleman went to his country house, and took with him his little son Junius, in order to treat him with a walk in the garden. The primroses and violets were then all displaying their beauties, and many trees had begun to show what livery they were soon to wear.

2. After walking some time about the garden, they happened to go into the summerhouse, at the foot of which grew the stump of a vine, which twisted wildly, and extended its naked branches in a rude and irregular manner.

3. As soon as little Junius saw this tree, he exclaimed sadly against the ugly appearance it made, and began to exert all his strength to pull it up; but he found his effects in vain, it being too well rooted to yield to his weak arm. He begged his father to call the gardener to dig it up, and make hrewood of it; but the gentleman desired his son to let the tree alone, telling him that he would, in a few months, give him his reasons for not complying with his request.

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