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darts in his hand, and went and pierced Absalom with them, as he hung by his hair in the oak, and the young man died; and they took him down, and buried him under a heap of

stones.

When Absalom was living, he resolved to do all he could to cause himself to be remembered after his death. In the place where the kings of Israel were to be buried he built a pillar, which was called by his name, because he had no son to come after him, and keep up the family. At the time when the history of the kings, in the Bible, was written, this pillar was still standing; and in the neighborhood of Jerusalem there stands a monument, which bears the name of "Absalom's Pillar," and of which the picture, placed at the beginning of this story, is a representation. This may be the same monument which is called, in the Book of Kings, "Absalom's Pillar." It looks as if may have been decorated in later days, and some people think, that when our Savior, Jesus Christ, mentions that the Jews garnished the sepulchres of those who had died in the old times, he might refer to some modern decorations of these old monuments.

it

When King David knew his son was dead,

THE STORY OF ABSALOM.

59

he mourned for him most bitterly, and said, "O my son Absalom, would to God I had died for thee." So tender is the love which parents bear to children, even when they are ungrateful and disobedient. After he had mourned for his son many days, Joab went to King David, and urged him to abandon his violent grief, and to go back to his duties as king of the people, who had now returned to his command. This the king at last did, though he never seems to have entirely forgiven Joab, for having, with his own hand, slain his son Absalom.

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THE TEA-TABLE.

THE tea-cups and saucers already are set,
And the two little children at table are met;
The table so low, and the chairs made to fit,
That each little child there with comfort may sit.
See the tea-pot so small, and the slop-basin too,
And the sugar-tongs bright, all exposed to the

view.

The small bits of sugar in the basin are found, When the lid is removed from its station so

round.

And the cream-jug, so tiny, might pass for a fairy's;

The set altogether, of china, most rare is :— The canister neat, with three colors doth glow; The form is for use, but the colors for show ; The tea-tray, japanned, might be made for a

princess;

And of all this fine show little Kate is the

mistress.

The tea-spoons forgot to be named-how perverse!

They surely must find a fit place in my verse;

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The shape is so ncat, the engraving so fine,
And then, like the brightest of silver, they shine.
O, who would not strive to deserve such a
present,

By being industrious, well-bred, and pleasant!
Not fretful and stupid, disliking a book,
But learning like ladies to act and to look:
Yes, these are the ways to be happy and loved,
As now little Lucy and Katy have proved.

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JAMES had a little dog, whom he tried to teach to read. Half a dozen times a day James would carry his book, and spell over his lesson to the dog. The dog did not learn to spell, but the boy did;

and the dog grew to

love little James very much, and seemed to be very happy to see him come with his spelling-book and sit down by his side.

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