THE BOY LOST IN THE SNOW.

3

with cold, and could but just hold on the dog's back. The men took the boy in, and, when he was warm and had had some food, he told them that he had lain a long time in the snow, and was too ill and weak to walk, and the snow was falling fast on him, when he felt something pull him by the coat, and heard the bark of a dog close by him. The boy put out his hand, and felt the hair of the dog; and then the dog gave him one more pull. This gave the poor boy some hope, and he took hold of the dog, and drew himself out of the snow; but he felt that he could not stand. He then got up on the dog's back, and put his arms round the dog's neck, and thus he held on. He felt sure that the dog did not mean to hurt him; and he rode on the dog's back all the way to the house of the good men, who took care of the boy till the snow was gone, when they sent him to his own home.

2. THE IDLE BOY.

THERE was once a little boy who was not higher than the table, and his father and mother sent him to school.

It was a very pleasant morning, the sun shone, and the birds sang in the trees. Now this little boy did not love his book much, for he was an idle little boy; and he had a great mind to play, instead of going to school. And he saw a bee flying about, first upon this flower, and then upon that. So he said, 'Pretty bee! will you come and play with me?' But the bee said, 'No, I must not be idle; I must go and gather honey.' Then the little boy met a dog, and he said, 'Dog! will you play with me?' But the dog said, 'No, I must not be idle; I am going to catch a hare for my master's dinner: I must make haste and catch it.' Then the little boy went by a hay-rick, and he saw a bird pulling some hay out of the hay-rick, and he said, Little bird! will you come and play with me?' But the bird said, 'No, I must not be idle; I must get some hay to build my nest with, and some moss, and some wool.' So the bird flew away. Then the little boy saw a horse, and he said, 'Horse! will you play with me?' but the horse said, 'No, I must not be idle; I must go and

plough, or else there will be no corn to make bread of.'

Then the little boy thought to himself, 'What! is no one idle? Then little boys must not be idle either.' So he made haste, and went to school, and learned his lessons very well, and the master said he was a good boy.

3. CLOTHING.

THE sheep has a fleece to keep him warm; the wool of his fleece keeps out the cold nicely.

The cat and the rabbit, and the beaver, have thick fur.

The horse has hair and a fine flowing mane; how it hangs over his neck, and waves in the wind, as he prances along!

Cows have a thick hide with short hair to clothe them.

The birds have feathers: thick, soft, warm feathers.

The snail has a shell, like a little house, to shelter him from the cold.

Were little boys and girls born with anything to keep them warm?

Poor

No; nothing but soft thin skin: a pin would scratch it and make it bleed. little naked boy!

But the little boy has got many things. His jacket is made of warm wool shorn from the sheep; his hat is the fur of the rabbit or beaver; his shoes are made of the skin of the calf; his shirt comes from a plant which grows in the fields.

God has given men sense to make things; but sheep and cattle, and cats and dogs, and birds, cannot spin and weave as men can, so they are born with their clothing on their backs. The reason why little boys and girls have only their soft naked skin is, that their parents can get clothes to cover them by thinking and working.

4. THE FLY.

WHAT a sharp little fellow is Mister Fly!
He goes where he pleases, low or high;
He can walk just as well with his feet to
the sky

As I can on the floor!

At the window he comes with a buzz and

a roar,

And o'er the smooth glass can easily pass,
Or through the key-hole of the door.
He eats the sugar and goes away,
Nor ever once asks what there is to pay.
And sometimes he crosses the tea-pot's
steam,

And comes and plunges his head in the

cream:

Then on the edge of the jug he stands, And cleans his wings with his feet and hands.

This done, through the window he hurries away,

And gives a buzz, as if to say,

'At present I have not a minute to stay, But I'll peep in again in the course of the day.'

Then away he'll fly, where the sunbeams

lie,

And neither stop to shake hands nor bid one good-bye.

Such a strange little fellow is Mister Fly, Who goes where he pleases, low or high, And can walk on the ceiling without ever feeling

A fear of tumbling down 'sky-high.'