THE CONCERT IN THE WOOD.

A CONCERT once by Mr. Spring

Was given in the wood;

He begged both old and young to come,
And all to sing who could.

Miss Lark, the music to begin,
Her favourite ballad sang,
A well-known air, and liked by all,
So clear her sweet voice rang.

And next a gentleman appeared,
Come lately from abroad.

His song was short, but much admired,
And so it was encored.

He said that Cuckoo was his name,
His style was quite his own.
He sang most kindly while he stayed,
But all too soon was gone.

The Finches then were asked to sing.
Would they get up a glee
With Mr. Linnet and his wife,
Who sing so prettily?

And in the chorus many more

No doubt would take a part;
Young Blackcap has a splendid voice,
And sings with all his heart.

Now came a much-expected guest,
Young Lady Nightingale;

So late, that everybody feared
She really meant to fail.

At first she said she could not sing,
She was afraid to try;

But then she sang, and all the air

Was filled with melody.

The guests were charmed, and begged for more.
She said she could not stay;

But still she sang one other song,

And then she went away.
Then Mr. Blackbird a duet

Began with Mrs. Thrush:
They sang so well, that all were glad
To gather round the bush.

And so they sang, and still sing on;
And all who music love,

Should lose no time, but go and hear
The concert in the grove.

There is no entrance-fee to pay,

All guests are welcome there,

Who come with simple thankful hearts,
In joys like these to share.

From "THE CHILDREN'S CHORAL BOOK."

THE CLEVEREST GIRL IN THE SCHOOL.

ALICE WILSON was the cleverest girl in Thornhope School. She was always at the top of her class; and not being at all shy, was ready to answer every question at the Examinations, more readily than the others; so she got more notice than was good for her,

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for she began to think herself quite a wonder. Her father and mother were good, industrious people, but no scholars. Learning was not so much the fashion when they were young, and they had had to work very hard to bring up their family. Alice had a younger sister, Bessie, who was as slow as she was quick, who was as shy as she was forward; so she had no one in her own family to be compared to herself, and she in a manner tried to rule them all, in a way that often vexed her parents.

One day when she came in from school, her mother said, "Ally, Mr. Franklin's maid says they must have their clean things home to-night, as they are going from home suddenly to-morrow. I've been slaving at them since six o'clock, and have got them done. Now would you, my girl, take the barrow and wheel them up to Franklin's for me?"

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Certainly not," said Alice, sitting down and taking out her books; "I have my home lessons to learn. If Franklin's people want their clothes they must send for them, if you are too tired to take them."

Now it was not right of Mrs. Wilson to allow Alice to talk in this way; but she was always rather afraid of her clever daughter, and said:

"Well, I will have a cup of tea, and I dare say then I shall feel rested and able to take them, as you say you cannot. I have promised they shall have them."

"Oh!" said little Bessie, "do make two bundles, mother, and let me carry them, one before tea, and one after; do let me."

"Bless you, my darling !" said her mother; " you are a comfort to me; but I couldn't let your little legs go all that way twice. Get the kettle to boil quick, and after tea I'll go, and you shall run along with me."

All this time Alice pretended to be learning her lessons, but in fact she was very unhappy. She felt jealous of her sister, but yet was too proud to offer to go herself. She kept quieting her conscience by thinking "I know I ought to learn my home lessons. Can anybody say that's wrong? And yet how could I, if I had to drag the barrow all that way?" But she knew in her heart, that if she got up half an hour earlier the next morning, she would be able to learn them all the same.

Her mother and Bessie went off; but one of Alice's home lessons was the verse, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord," and she found it rather difficult to persuade herself that she had not disobeyed hers.

"If mother had told me I must go," she said to herself, "of course I should; but she didn't, so I reckon I have not disobeyed her. And then we are told to obey them in the Lord, and teacher says that means when they order us to do right things; now certainly it's wrong not to learn my home lessons and to keep

top of my class." But Alice was too clever a girl not to know that she was saying to herself "peace, peace, when there was no peace,' " for she felt very uncomfortable.

In two hours her mother got home, but she looked very ill, turned quite white, and would have fallen if Alice had not caught her. Bessie called in their

neighbour, Mrs. Smith, who bathed her head with vinegar, put her feet in hot water, and got her to bed; but when her husband found her there he said:

"Why, mother, how is this? I left you quite hearty this morning. What ever have you been doing?"

"Doing!" said Mrs. Smith; "this is what it is, she has been a killing herself with standing at the tub all day, to get those clothes washed for Franklin's, and then to think of her wheeling them all the way up there. No wonder she was took bad!"

"But why didn't she send Alice with them ?" said her father.

Poor Alice! She had rather have wheeled twenty barrows than have felt as frightened as she did lest her mother should tell her father what had passed. But Mrs. Wilson was very loving and forgiving, and she only answered, "Oh, never mind! 1 wanted to go, and took Bessie. I'm all right now, and only want a good sleep." But she was not all right really, and after a bad night the doctor was sent for. He said she was very ill from over exertion, and must remain quietly in bed for at least a fortnight.

"Then," said her father, "Alice must stay at home, to nurse you and do for us."

"Oh don't, please!" said Mrs. Wilson; "Alice will fret after her school, and she gets on there so fast. Besides, Bessie is fifty times more use; let me have Bessie, father."

Wilson said he would think about it, and he did think, and came to the conclusion that school could