21. Frisk looked down from the top of the steps, and whispered rather sheepishly to Growler, "Who'd have thought it?"

QUESTIONS ON LESSON LV.-What evil is this Lesson designed to illustrate and correct? What is such a piece of composition called? Which proved the more worthy, Snap, or the dogs which talked about him?

66

Of what is "who'd" the contraction? Should who would" be written as one word? Is "Snap's" (p. 4) a contraction of two words? What two? In the sentence, "This is Snap's collar," is Snap's" a contraction? What is it? What can you say of "that's," "isn't," "can't," groom's," "we've," and "don't," in the paragraphs 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17?

99 66

1. "Clear the track!" shouts Charlie Dean, as his sled rushes past "the mile-stone," as the boys call the large corner-post near the gate. "Look out for the Monitor!"

2. "Hurrah!" cries little Robbie Fay, who occupies the "front seat" on Charlie's sled ; and he swings his hat with energy as they sweep past the gate.

3. "Ho! that's a fine Monitor! Such a

great lumbering thing as that!" says Ned Wilkins, drawing back against the post out of their way; and then he shouts after them.

4. "Wait till I get to the top of the hill, and

then I'll show you the Monitor, and then, may be, you will want to give your sled a new name. I should not wonder if you had to call her the Merrimac."

5. "You shall slide with me next time," says kind Billy Gray to his sister, as they walked up the hill together.

6. But there is Jeannette Lee running a great risk. She is taking a coast on her

brother's sled without a pilot. Perhaps slie will finish the voyage pleasantly, but I think it more likely that she will be helped off the sled by what the boys call a "capsize."

7. Better coast at home, Jeannette, on that little hill in the back yard that your father made of snow, just high enough and long enough for beginners to practice upon.

8. School seems to be just out, for there is quite a crowd of boys and girls near the door, and it is plain they do not mean that any time shall be wasted.

9. Well, coast away, boys. It will give you red cheeks, and bright eyes, and a good appctite; and do not forget to give your little sisters a ride on your sleds as you go home.

10. But, boys, did you ever think how easy it is to slide down-hill? You sit on your sled, lift your feet, and the sled begins to moveslowly at first, but faster and faster, till it darts like an arrow to the plain below.

11. There is a moral to your coasting. It is this: He who enters upon an evil way, very soon discovers that he is going down lower and lower, and more and more rapidly, every day, and unless he turns he will continue to do so to the end.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON LVI. -Do you know what coasting is? Did you ever coast? What is "Monitor" the name of? From what is the name taken? Why did Ned say Robbie might have to call his sled the "Merrimac "? What did he mean by that? What can you tell about the two vessels called the Monitor and the Merrimac ? Which belonged to the United States? To whom did the other belong? Did the Merrimac do any damage before the Monitor disabled her? What?

1. It was bright and beautiful all day. In the evening the coal glowed in the grate with a splendid blaze. All the gas-burners were lighted, and so were every body's eyes.

2. If you had listened, you might have heard a joyful tinkling of sleigh-bells out of doors; but I believe nobody could have told whether the streets were still or noisy, or whether the sky had a moon in it or not; for nobody was quiet long enough to notice.

3. By-and-by the folding-doors were opened, just like the two covers to a Christmas fairybook! Then how still it was, all in a second.

Such a funny little old man! his face all alive with dimples and smiles and wrinkles!

4. His cheeks were as red and round as winter apples, and where there was not a wrinkle there was a dimple; and I suppose there was one in his chin, and his chin, may be, was double, only you could not tell, for it was hidden ever so deep under a beard as white as a snow-drift.

5. He walked along, tottering under the weight of a huge pack full of presents. His eyes twinkled with fun, and his mouth, which seemed nearly worn out with laughing, grew bigger every minute.

6. It took the little old gentleman some time to clear his throat before he made his speech. It was such a funny speech, I thought I would write it down, so that all the little boys and girls who did not hear it could read it.