Twice one are two, twice two are four; And six are three times two;
Twice four are eight, twice five are ten,
And more than this I do.
For I san say some pretty rhymes
About the cow and cat;
And sing them very sweetly, too,
And to beat time, I pat.
I know that A does stand for ape,
For apple, and for all;
That B does for a bottle stand,
For baker, and for ball.
C stands for cake, and cooper
D for my pretty dog;
E, Eagle is a bird of prey,
And Fit stands for frog.
I know of substances, there's two,
One hears, and sees, and moves;
The other only stands stock still,
Nor hears, nor sees, nor loves.
But, better still, I learn that God
Made all things that I see;
He made the earth-He made the sky-
And He made you and me.
My Bible, best of books, you all excel !
You tell of God and heaven, of sin and hell!
You point the way to life and endless bliss,
But warn of hell, that dreadful dark abyss !
You shew how I, by sin, from God have stray'd,
And tell me, Christ for sin atonement made.
O make me truly wise; to seek and know
That God who life eternal can bestow.
I'm sure, by craft of men, you ne'er were wrote:
Good men or angels could not fraud promote;
Nor would they base and wicked lies proclaim
As God's command, and thus profane his name.
Bad men, or devils, never would foretell
Of sin, its dangers, its reward in hell;
Nor would they thus a holy life commend,
Which they dislike and cannot comprehend.
No, no, indeed! full plainly thus 'tis shewn,
My Bible came from God, and God alone.
Then let me love my Bible more,
And take a fresh delight
By day to read these wonders o'er,
And meditate by night.
Little Jack, a poor sweep boy, was pacing the street,
With his bag on his back, but no shoes on his feet;
Full bent on his work, in each shop he would peep,
And cry to its owner,
Sweep, Sweep, who wants Sweep?"
Once, turning a corner, he heard a great rout,
Which he found came from school-boys, from school just turn'd out, Who were playing at marbles, a favourite game,
When he popp'd down his bag just to look at the same.
Jack had not staid long when, close under the wall,
He spy'd out their school-books, both large ones and small;
He just took up one, when its owner cried out,
I say, Master Sooty, what are you about?
No harm, cries poor Jack; so he gave him a top
For a peep at his book, while at play he did stop;
The game being ended, Jack gave up the book,
And then said to the boy, see here, master, look!
Here's a nice bag of marbles, and gladly I'll pay
A marble each letter you teach me to say;
Agreed, said the boy, Jack set to with glee,
And very soon learned the whole A B Č.
One day, as poor Jack came tripping apace
To meet his young friend he was not at the place;
I'll find him, says Jack, tho' I don't know his name-
Which he very soon did, at his favourite game.
Jack waited awhile, but great was his pain
When he heard the boy say, I can't teach you again;
My father almost took a stick to my back,
You dirtied my book so, your hands were so black.
I'll wash 'em, cries Jack, and I'll double my pay,
If you'll teach me again; but the boy answer'd, nay;
Poor Jack stood and thought, when it entered his mind
He might learn off the stones, in the church-yard behind.
He pointed them out, when the boys said, in turn,
We'll help this poor fellow, he wants so to learn;
One little boy said, I to Sunday-school go,
My Teacher will gladly receive him, I know.
Well done, cries poor Jack, now, now, I'm content,
And the next Sunday after, to this school he went;
Where he soon learn'd to read of that Jesus who died,
Believed in, and lov'd him, and God glorified.
PATTY GREEN; OR, THE SLUGGARD
RECLAIMED.
The shepherd long had left his sleep
To mind the bleating lambs and sheep,-
And Ralph, the ploughman, drove the plough,
While Betty sang and milk'd the cow :
But where, among this busy scene,
Was Robin's daughter-Patty Green?
Her heavy limbs her sleepy head-
Were stretch'd upon the sluggard's bed.
'Twas nine o'clock when she arose,
Then slowly she put on her clothes,
She look'd, as tho' her brother Jack
Had toss'd her things upon her back.
With half wash'd hands, and half wash'd face,
Her hair uncomb'd-her boots unlac'd
Her frock untied-her bonnet bent,-
In this sad plight to school she went.
And being just an hour too late,
Walk'd round the room in sad disgrace.
Just then a lady made a rule
To visit, once a week, this school ;
The bad she chid -reproved the rude-
And brought about a deal of good.
Patty, says she," around your cot, I saw some pretty flowers you'd got; You'll bring me some-the time I fix Is every morning, just at six.
Then I'll give you, as your gains,
A penny, weekly, for your pains.”
Patty was pleased, and promis'd fair
To bring the flowers at six with care.
Next morning came,—with heavy head
Unwillingly she left her bed;
However, by the break of day,
She pluck'd the flowers and went her way.
The lady soon appear'd in view-
She praised the flowers and Patty too.
Happy and cheerful now,
She loves to rise at early dawn;
And ne'er a maiden's to be seen
More neat and clean than Patty Green.
Her Bible too she reads with care,
Daily she bends her knees in prayer,
And wonders at her former plight,-
For sluggards are a shocking sight.
As William was running quite fast down the street,
He overtook Robert, whom thus he did greet;
Come, Robert, make haste, you'll be too late for school,
And then be sent back-you know that's our rule.
What care I for that, idle Robert reply'd;
But stop just a minute-step here on one side;
I've something to tell you; such glorious fun
We can have in the park, if with me you'll run.
Our Teachers won't miss us-besides, if they should,
We can say, 'twas a holiday, 'cause we were good,
Our mothers had given us; thus, no one will know ;
So William, let's hasten, if with me you'll go.
Ah! no, my dear Robert, good William reply'd,
I cannot-I dare not go with you; beside,
Remember our Teachers so often have said,
Two persons for lying were directly struck dead!
And more, 'tis unkind; don't you see how they try
To make us live happy-so happily die?
For tho' these kind friends such a tale might believe,
The great God, who sees us, we cannot deceive.
Little Robert was struck-no more could he say,
But seiz'd William's hand, and to school bent his way;
Nor ever forgot, but, remember'd with joy,
What William had said, and became a good boy.
There was one little Jem,
'Twas reported of him,
And 'twill be to his lasting disgrace;
That he never was seen
With his hands at all clean,
Nor ever yet wash'd was his face.
His friends were much hurt
To see so much dirt,
And often they made him quite clean;
But all was in vain,
He was dirty again,
And never was fit to be seen.
When to wash he was sent,
He unwillingly went,
With water he'd splash himself o'er;
But he seldom was seen
To have wash'd himself clean,
And often look'd worse than before.
The idle and bad,
Like this little lad,
May be dirty and black, to be sure;
But good boys are seen
To be decent and clean,
Although they are ever so poor.
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