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They burnt the country all around,

And wasted far and wide, And many a tender mother then

And new-born infant died;

But things like this, you know, must be,
At every famous victory.

"Great praise the Duke of Marlborough won, And our good Prince Eugene."

"But, 'twas a very wicked thing," Said little Wilhelmine.

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Nay, nay, my little girl," said he,

"It was a famous victory."

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THE ass is not very common in America, though they are occasionally seen. We read a great deal about them in English books, particularly in the books for children.

The ass is three or four years in growing to his full size, and lives twenty-five or thirty years. They sleep less than horses, and do not lie down, unless they are very tired.

The milk of the ass is considered very good for sick persons. The skin of the ass is used for different purposes such as to make

drums, and many other things-and is called parchment.

FABLE OF THE ASS AND THE SHEEP.

Two sheep and a jackass were one day standing to sun themselves in their master's barn-yard. One of the sheep said, "Dear me! I am tired of standing in this stupid barn-yard all the morning. To be sure, I have a plenty to eat and drink, and room enough to run about; but then I have to see the same places, and run over the same ground every day. I wish I lived with Mr. Thrifty. He allows his sheep to have a large, hilly pasture all to themselves, and they can do what they please in it."

"I agree with you," said the other sheep, who was so fat he could hardly walk; "I think we lead the most stupid life of any sheep in town."

"My friends," said the ass, who had been listening to their conversation, "I would advise you to be contented with your lot, and not wish to change it. When I was young, I thought as you do; but the different adventures I have had, made me learn to make the

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best of whatever place I am in, and not wish to change.

"When I was young, I was in the service of a gardener. I was waked up early every morning, and had panniers put on my back, and was driven off to market. There I had to wait almost all day, and then was driven back, and had to begin the next day, and do the same thing. I thought nothing was so dull as the life of a gardener's beast, and was very glad when he sold me to a tanner.

But, alas! I was no better off. I was made to go to work quite as early, and the skins of animals which the tanner was making into leather, smelt so disagreeably that I lost my relish for every thing. In fact, there never was any thing to eat but just what they chose to give me : while at my old master the gardener's, I could almost always pick up a cabbage leaf, or find a turnip top, to nibble upon, when I had nothing else to do.

"Then I was sold to a coal merchant.

This was still worse; coal dust in my eyes, coal screamed in my ears, coal baskets breaking my back, all the time!

"Now I belong to our good master, farmer Easy; and though I have to work pretty

hard, and do not always get quite so good dinner as I should like, yet I believe I am about as well off as most people, and shall be glad to spend the remainder of my days here. And I advise you, young people, to make the best of the time you have here; for, if my master sells you, it may perhaps be to the butcher. I cannot tell you whether he is a kind master or not; for none of the sheep who have been sold to him have ever come back to tell what has happened to them."

The jackass had hardly done speaking, when some one came along, put a little saddle on his back, on which was placed a little boy. Farmer Easy led the animal, while Mrs. Easy, with two other children, walked behind.

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