STORY OF A DOG. 191 master of the dog had boasted all the way that Peto would soon join them again, and cer'tain-ly bring the shilling; but, as time passed, he grew un-ea'sy, and when bed-time arrived, he retired with a heavy heart, feeling certain that his dog was killed. 2. Nothing less than death, he said, could have pre-vent'ed Peto's return; and he was sure that no one could ever take him alive by force, or en-tice him away. But Peto, far from being dead, was sleeping very com'fort-a-bly on his mat at the foot of the stranger's bed; the moment, however, that daylight appeared, the dog was stirring. 3. Whether he made his way out of the window or out of the opened door, no one could say; cértain it is, that when the un-for'tu-nate man arose, the dog was gone, and the man's trou'sers were gone, too! A cham'ber-maid tes'ti-fied that she had seen the dog pass through the yard-gate at a full gallop, with something in his mouth, she could not tell what. 4. Peto's master sat at the break'fast table with his friend, and sighed, while he con-fessed that his dog had not yet ap-peared. But, in the middle of breakfast, Peto rushed into the room, and, with signs of great joy, laid down a pair of trousers at his master's feet! 5. The master was at first puzzled to know what this meant; but, after he had thought a moment, he turned to his com-pan'ion, and said, "In these trousers we shall find the lost shilling!" 6. He drew forth a purse as he spoke, and there, indeed, he found, among other coins, the very shilling he had marked the day before. Some months passed away before an ex-pla-na'tion took place, and the un-for'tu-nate owner of the trousers re-covered his prop-er-ty. am quite sure the ice Even if the pond had 1. "You need not try to teach me," said Blake Arnold, the pos'i-tive boy; "I is strong enough to bear me. not been already frozen, it was cold enough last night to freeze it hard. So, if you will not vent'ure, I know who will." 2. "But hear what I have to say, Blake," said John Revere; "the men cut ice here, day before yes'ter-day; the opened places are just skimmed over with thin ice, and they are so cov'ered with snow that you cannot dis-tin'guish them from the firm ice. Now, don't go, Blake!" 3. "It's all non'sense, what you say about the thin places," re-plied Blake; "come, John, don't be a coward!"— John laughed, and said, "It is not cowardice, but com'mon sense, that keeps me back." 4. "Very well," said Blake; "I cannot stand ar'gu-ing the case with you any longer. When you see me safe on the other side of the pond, you will follow me, per-haps." 5. So saying, he ran down the bank to the pond, and began to cross. John turned, and walked away in a dif'fer-ent di-rec'tion. He had not gone far when he heard a loud scream. 6. It was from Blake: he had broken through one of those thin places, against which he had been warned. John saw him struggling in the water, and trying to get out, while the ice broke around him. 7. John was a thoughtful boy. He saw, on the bank of snow that sloped to the pond, a pole for pushing ice. The pole had been left there by the men who had cut ice. John seized this pole, and ran to the as-sist'ance of Blake. 8. Blake was holding on to a jutting rim of ice with one hand, while the other was lifted im-plōr'ing-ly for help. John knelt down and threw the pole across the hole which had been made by Blake's breaking through. 9. "Put the pole over in front of me!" cried NOTE. -The lungs may be exerted in a more healthful and effectual manner in an erect, standing posture, than in a stooping or sitting one. Attention should therefore be given by teachers to the proper and easy attitude of children while reading aloud. The organs of speech should be exerted in a brisk, earnest manner, as a sluggish exercise of those organs will impart inertness to delivery. The importance of a thorough and constant ventilation in a schoolroom cannot be too highly estimated. Bad air and bad postures of the body are frequent causes of disease among young learners. Blake. To which John replied, "The ice is not strong enough there." Blake thought it was no time to indulge in con-tra-dic'tion; so he brought down his left arm, and threw it over the pole, and then held on with both hands while John drew him on to the solid ice. EI 10. Blake's clothes were thor'ough-ly wet, and his cap was lost under the ice. He shiv'ered with cold, but John spoke kindly to him, and led him through the snow to the nearest house. 11. Here he was well treated. His wet clothes were taken off; hot water was given to him to drink ; and he was rubbed with towels, and wrapped in a blank'et, while John ran home, and got some dry clothes for him. 12. Blake's parents were very grateful to John when they learned what had hap'pened; but to Blake the father said, "Your ob'sti-nate folly, in re-fus'ing to take good ad-vice, was just'ly pun'ished. 13. "I hope this will cure you of a bad habit; and when, in the affairs of life, the voice of ex-pe'ri-ence shall warn you against the thin places of van'i-ty and sin, I hope you will heed the warn'ing, and not re-ply, 'You need not try to teach me!"" CX. THE ROBIN.. 1. I KNEW a lady, when I was a little child, who was very fond of birds; and, one morning, when she was dressing, she heard something tap and peck at her window; and when she looked out, she saw all the ground covered with snow, and a poor little robinred'breast pecking at the window. 2. She opened it, and threw him out some bread; and, as long as the snow lasted, the robin came back every morning, and she fed him. When the warm weather came, the little bird could get food for himself, and flew away. 3. The lady thought she should never see him again; but when the next winter came, one very cold morning, she heard tap, tap, at the window; and she opened the curtains, which were drawn before the windows to keep out the cold, and there was her robin come back again. 4. She was quite glad to see her little favorite once more; and she gave him plenty to eat every morning, all that winter; but when the warm weather came again, away he flew. 5. Now it happened, at the beginning of the next winter, that the lady was very ill, and her window was not opened nor her curtains undrawn for many days; and when she looked out, she saw her pretty little robin stiff, and cold, and dead! 6. "When winter snows are on the ground, For then no berries can be found, 7. "The air is cold, the worms are hid, For this poor bird what can be done? |