THE TWELFTH BIRTH-DAY.

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Eric gave his consent, that they might gather the peaches.

Now, when the twilight came, and the other boys had gone home, Eric felt more forcibly that he had done wrong, and he was afraid to meet his father. At last his father came out into the garden; and when he saw how the young trees had been stripped of their fruit, he asked Eric why he had been so ungrateful as to repay his father's kindness by stealing the young peaches. The boy grew pale, and trembled, and confessed all to his father with tears and supplications.

But his father said, "Henceforth the garden will be locked against you," and with these words he turned away from his son. Eric could not sleep the whole night; he was afraid of the darkness, he heard the beating of his own heart. It was the most unhappy night of his life.

Next day Eric looked pale and desponding, and his mother said to her husband, "See, Eric mourns, and is very sad. The locked garden is an emblem to him of his father's heart, which is closed against him." The father answered, "It is right that he should mourn. For this reason I have locked the garden. We must give him time to repent, and be sorry for his fault."

After some days the mother said, "If we do not comfort him now, he may doubt our love." "No," replied the father; "his conscience will teach him otherwise. He has enjoyed our love always till now. Let him learn to value it, that he may strive to gain it anew."

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THE TWELFTH BIRTH-DAY.

Some days had passed again, when Eric came one morning from his chamber with a calm and cheerful face. He had laid all the gifts which he had received from his parents together in a basket, which he brought, and placed before his father and mother, saying, "I feel that I have not been worthy of your love. But my heart tells me that I shall live a new life. If then you will forgive me, and love me as you used to do, I will surrender to you all the gifts your goodness has bestowed."

Both father and mother saw that their darling boy was truly sorry for his fault, and they well knew, from the sacrifice he was making, that he would never likely err in the same manner again. They listened with joy to the tale of his repentance, glad that the coldness exhibited towards him for a few days had melted his heart and drawn forth all his love.

Then the father clasped the boy in his arms, and kissed him, and wept over him. His mother did so likewise-From the German.

QUESTIONS.

At what time of the year did Eric keep his twelfth birth-day? What had his parents given to Eric? Whom did they permit him to invite? Where did the children play? What was Eric's little garden planted with? What kind of trees stood by the garden wall? What were these trees bearing? What shone through the down that covered the peaches? What did this tempting sight excite? What had Eric's father forbidden him to do? What did Eric not wish to do? What were the other boys eager to do? What did Eric at last give? How did Eric feel after the other boys had gone home? When

Eric's father came into the garden what did he see? What did the boy do when his father blamed him for stealing the young peaches? What did his father say to him? What could Eric not do the whole night? What was he afraid of? What did he hear? What was that night to him? What did Eric's mother say next day to her husband? What did the father answer? Where did Eric lay all the gifts he had received from his parents? What did he say he would surrender if his parents would forgive him, and love him as before? What did his father and mother then do?

THE TWO LIZARDS.

XXIII.-THE TWO LIZARDS-A FABLE.

Warming themselves in the sun's beams,
And drinking of the crystal streams.
"Woe's me!" says one unto the other,
"How mean and weak our life is, brother!
Beneath the moon is ought so poor,
Regarded less, or more obscure?

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THE TWO LIZARDS.

'Tis true, indeed, our breath we draw ;
But, forced by destiny's hard law,
The crawling worm's life we inherit-
Curst fate to one that has a spirit!
Besides, I've heard a true report,
That in the Nile great lizards sport,
Called crocodiles; ah! had I been
Of such a size, upon the green,
I would have had my share of fame,
Honour, respect, and a great name;
To men I would have seemed a lord,
And in a pagod been adored."

"Ah, friend!" replied the other lizard,
"What makes this grumbling in thy gizzard?
What cause hast thou to be uneasy?
Cannot the sweets of freedom please thee?
We, free from trouble, toil, and care,
Enjoy the sun, the earth, the air,

The crystal spring, and greenwood bower,
And sheltered nooks, when tempests lower.
Why should we fret, look blue, or wan,
Though we're despised by haughty man?
If so, let's in return be wise,

And that proud animal despise."

"Oh fie!" returns the ambitious beast,
"How weak a fire now warms thy breast!
This mean life breaks my heart; for why?
I'd like to attract the gazer's eye,
And be admired. What stately horns
The deer's majestic brow adorns !
He claims our wonder and our dread,
Where'er he rears his lofty head.
What envy all my spirit fires,
When he in clearest pools admires
His various beauties with delight;
I'm like to drown myself with spite."
Thus held he forth-when straight a pack
Of hounds, and hunters at their back,

THE TWO LIZARDS.

Ran down a deer before their face,
Breathless and wearied with the chase;
The dogs upon the victim seize,
And bugles sound his obsequies:
But neither dogs nor men regard
The tiny lizards on the sward,
While hungry Turco, Bluff, and Tray,
Devour'd the paunches of the prey.

Soon as the bloody deed was past,
The lizard wise the proud addrest :-
"Dear cousin, now, pray let me hear,
How you would like to be a deer."

"Oh hon!" quoth he, convinced and sad,
"Who would have thought his lot so bad?
Well, be a private life my fate,
I'll never envy more the great:
That we are little folk, 'tis true;
So are our cares and dangers too."

'Tis to be hoped that none will fail
To see the moral of this tale:
Contentment to the poorest brings
More happiness, than crowns to kings.
Allan Ramsay.

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DICTATION.

Heard, herd; breaks, brakes; straight, strait; seize, sees, seas.

Supply the words omitted in-I have | Go you

the noise. Do you see that

on the

of deer? Down with the
carriage wheels. He some sticks.

home. This is a
the deer?

passage. He a boat sailing on the

QUESTIONS.

Where did the two lizards lie? What were they doing? What did the one say to the other? Where did he say great lizards sported? What are the lizards of the Nile called? Where is the Nile? If the lizard had been as large as a crocodile, where did he say he would have been adored? What did the other lizard reply? Which animal did

Can the hound

the first lizard wish to be? What did the dogs do to the deer? What did the men and dogs do to the lizards? After the bloody deed was past, what did the wise lizard say to the other? What did the first lizard then say he would never do? What did he say lizards were? What were their cares and dangers?