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"What is all this about, John ?" said his mamma; "" 'you in a passion; your sister Emma crying: a doll, and all this broken glass and pieces, about the room?"

"Oh, mamma," sobbed out John at last in great distress; “oh mamma, I am very sorry, but I have done very wrong; papa put the parcel, containing those things on the drawers, and I tried to see what was in it; and in trying to get it down, the parcel fell, and the beautiful magic-lantern has been broken. Oh, what will papa say?"

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'You have, indeed, done very wrong, John; not only have you broken the present your papa brought from Liverpool for yourself, to amuse you and your cousins tomorrow, but you have by your disobedience broken your sister Emma's present also; you must come to your papa, and see what he says to this very bad conduct." Emma seeing John about being led away, as she thought, to be punished, went up to her mamma, and said, John did not mean to break my new doll, mamma; indeed he did not. Do ask papa to forgive him. I am sure he will not again do what papa does not wish him to do: will you, John ?" "No, that I will not, Emma dear," said John, with tears in his eyes, at his little sister's kind appeal in his behalf.

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Well," said Mrs. Wilmot, who felt rather interested in the scene before her, "I think as it is now your bed-time, you had better go up to bed, and I will in the best way I can, explain this to your papa: and you, John, get up soon, to-morrow morning, and ask his forgiveness for your naughty conduct."

(To be concluded in our next.)

Short Chapters on English Bistory.

THE ANCIENT BRITONS.

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Y little friends will all like to know something about the people who used to live in England many years ago, as well as the sort of country England (or rather Britain, as then called) was at the time we speak of when its inhabitants were named Britons : there were no great cities, like London or Westminster at that period; no fine churches, or beautiful gardens; the people lived in the woods, or in caves.

They were divided into many tribes, each tribe had a chief. Many of these tribes were quite savage in their habits; they used partly to cover their bodies with the skins of animals, and as the people did not know how to cultivate the land, they had no bread to eat, as we have now, but hunted the animals of the forest, which, with the fish from

the rivers, and wild roots, and acorns roasted, constituted their food.

Britain at the time we now speak of, near 2,000 years ago, was covered with large forests, and when the people wanted to build a town, we read they cleared a space for it, by cutting down the trees, and then built a number of

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round huts, composed of mud and branches of trees, with high pointed roofs, which they covered over with rushes; a number of these houses, they called a town. They then dug a ditch round to protect themselves and their cattle from the attacks of hostile tribes.

Their furniture was equally rude; blocks of wood formed their chairs, they slept on the ground, on skins spread on dried leaves and heath. The women passed their time in making baskets, or in sewing the skins of animals for clothing, their thread being leather thongs, or vegetable fibres; their needles were made of bone.

They had wooden bowls to hold their food, and likewise pans of coarse earthenware. The walls of their huts they decorated with their bows and arrows, spears, shields, and other weapons. The men used to paint their bodies with various devices, and the women when best attired, wore necklaces, and other ornaments of beads, or jet; and it is said, sometimes gold collars or chains.

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Popular Flowers.

BY H. G. ADAMS.

No. 1. The Holly.

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S this is Christmas, we will speak about the Holly, the prickly Holly, that with its dark glossy leaves and red berries, like coralbeads. You are aware it is frequently used to decorate the mantel-piece and the lookingglass, at merry Christmas time, reminding us of old manners and customs, of meeting familiar faces, that once a year at least gather around the blazing-fire, and the wellfilled table "at home;" and reminding us, too, of the goodness of the great God, who sent his dear and only son into the world, to show his love for mankind: and who, even at this dreary and barren season of the year, keeps many things green and beautiful, like Holly, for your pleasure and enjoyment, as well as for the shelter and food of the free wild creatures of the earth and air. Many a feathered songster which delights you with its music in the season of sunshine and of flowers, feeds. upon the holly-berries, and hides itself alike from the fierce hawk and the howling tempest,

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