A FOX having fallen into a well, made shift, by sticking his toes into the side, to keep his head above water. Soon after, a wolf came and peeped over the edge. "Do help me," cried the fox; "you and I are near of kin. Get a rope, or anything, to let me catch hold of." The wolf, moved with pity, could not keep from saying how very much he felt for the poor fox, but he did nothing to help him. "Ah, poor fox," said he, "I'm so sorry for you. How could you have got into this trouble?" "Don't stand pitying me," answered the fox, "if you wish me well; but go and do something to get me out." Pity without help, when it might be given, is poor comfort.

BROWN'S children had noticed that two pear-trees which bore very fine fruit grew in their neighbour Hodge's garden, and they were wicked enough to resolve that they would get over the fence, and steal some of it. Hodge soon saw that he had been robbed, and one day hid himself, when it was dark, to catch the thief. He did not wait long before he saw Brown's children getting over the fence. They looked, with fear and trembling, round them, to see if any one were there, and when they thought no one saw them, they crept quickly to the pear-tree. Just as they were about to make off with the pears they had taken, Hodge came out, and stood before them. How ashamed and frightened did the little thieves feel now, and how did they beg of him that he would not tell their father of their bad doings! Hodge forgave them this time, and promised not to speak to their father if they would never do the like again, and they said, with many tears, that they never would.

But these bad boys did not keep their word, for, a few weeks after, Hodge found one of his apple-trees robbed. He now went to their father, and told him of their conduct, that he might punish them. But the

boys had grown more wicked by breaking their promise, and they stoutly said they had never touched any of Hodge's fruit, and the silly father took their word. Hodge went away very sad, for he was a good man, and said as he went, "Boys, you will never thrive if act in this way. you When you find this out think on me." And he was right; for the two boys went on from bad to worse, became bad men, and came to a sad end.

24- The Blind Man.

THE blind man sits in the cheerful sun,
And his heart sings psalms to God:
He is smelling the sweet flowers, one by one,
Cut fresh from the bright green sod;

And his pale lips quiver with solemn joy,
For he thinks of the meadow he loved as a boy.

How he wandered among the dewy flowers,

In the beautiful June of old;

How he toyed with the new-mown hay for hours,
Or lolled on the sheep-shearer's fold,

While the sun went down in golden light,
And the stars lighted up the dark blue night.

C

In a time when bread was very scarce and very dear, a rich man told the poorest children of the town to come to his house, and said to them, "There is a basket of bread. Each of you may take a piece, and you may come back every day till God send us better times.”

The children at once fell on the basket, fought and strove for the bread, each one trying to get the nicest and largest piece, and at last they went away without ever thanking the kind giver. Only Mary, a poor but neatly dressed little girl, stood at a distance till the others got their portions, then took the smallest that remained in the basket, kissed her hand in thanks to the giver, and went quietly and gravely home again. On the next day the children were just as rough, and poor Mary got a bit of bread hardly half as large as the other pieces. But when she got home, and her sick mother cut the bread, out fell a number of silver coins. Her mother was frightened, and told her to take back the money at once, as it must have got into the bread by mistake. So she carried it back again.

But the gentleman bade her not fear, for it was no mistake. "I made them put the money in the smallest

piece to reward you, good child, for being so modest. Be always so peace-loving and contented. Whoever chooses the small piece rather than strive about a larger one, always brings a blessing to their house, even if no money were ever baked in their portion."

A MERCHANT had asked his friends in the town to come to his country house at the sea-side, to get a dish of rare fish, called lampreys, with him. A number of dishes were served, and at last a covered dish was brought in, on which the friends thought the lampreys must be. But when the cover was taken off, instead of the fish they fancied they would see, there were only some gold coins on the dish. Then the merchant said, "My friends, the fish I promised to set before you are, I find, three times dearer this year than I thought. Each one costs a sovereign. When I found this, it came to my mind that in the village a poor man was lying ill, and that both he and his children must be hungry, and that the price of one fish would keep them all for a long time. If you wish the lampreys, my friends, I shall get them without delay, and they will be cooked at once. But if you would let me give what they