he cultivated with the same care, and which grew so equally, that no person could perceive the least difference between them.

When his children were capable of handling garden tools, he took them, one fine morning in spring, to see these two trees, which he had planted for them, and called after their names; and, when they had sufficiently admired their growth, and the number of blossoms that covered them, he said, "My dear children, I give you these trees; you see they are in good condition. They will thrive as much by your care, as they will decline by your negligence; and their fruit will reward you in proportion to your labor."

The youngest, named Edmund, was industrious and attentive. He busied himself in clearing his tree of insects that would hurt it, and he propped up its stem, to prevent its taking a wrong bent. He loosened the earth about it, that the warmth of the sun, and the moisture of the dews, might cherish the roots. His mother had not tended him more carefully in his infancy, than he tended his young apple-tree.

His brother, Moses, did not imitate his example. He spent a great deal of time on a mount that was near, throwing stones at the passengers in the road. He went among all the little dirty boys in the neighborhood, to box with them; so that he was often seen with broken shins and black eyes, from the kicks and blows he received in his quarrels.

In short, he neglected his tree so far, that he never thought of it, till, one day in autumn, he, by chance, saw Edmund's tree so full of apples, streaked with

purple and gold, that, had it not been for the props which supported its branches, the weight of its fruit must have bent it to the ground.

Struck with the sight of so fine a tree, he hastened to his own, hoping to find as large a crop upon it; but, to his great surprise, he saw scarcely any thing, except branches covered with moss, and a few yellow, withered leaves. Full of passion and jealousy, he ran to his father, and said, "Father, what sort of a tree is that which you have given me? It is as dry as à broomstick; and I shall not have ten apples on it. My brother you have used better: bid him, at least, share his apples with me."

"Share with you!" said his father; "so the industrious must lose his labor to feed the idle! Be satisfied with your lot; it is the effect of your negligence; and do not think to accuse me of injustice, when you see your brother's rich crop.

"Your tree was as fruitful and in as good order as his; it bore as many blossoms, and grew in the same soil; only it was not fostered with the same care. Edmund has kept his tree clear of hurtful insects; but you have suffered them to eat up yours in its blossoms.

"As I do not choose to let any thing which God has given me, and for which I hold myself accountable to him, go to ruin, I shall take this tree from you, and call it no more by your name. It must pass through your brother's hands, before it can recover itself; and, from this moment, both it, and the fruit it may bear, are his property.

"You may, if you will, go into my nursery, and look for another, and rear it, to make amends for your fault; but, if you neglect it, that too shall be given to your brother for assisting me in my labor."

Moses felt the justice of his father's sentence, and the wisdom of his design. He, therefore, went that moment into the nursery, and chose one of the most thriving apple-trees he could find. Edmund assisted him with his advice in rearing it; Moses embraced every occasion of paying attention to it.

He was now never out of humor with his comrades, and still less with himself; for he applied cheerfully to work; and in autumn he had the pleasure of seeing his tree fully answer his hopes. Thus he had the double advantage of enriching himself with a splendid crop of fruit, and, at the same time, of subduing the vicious habits he had contracted.

His father was so well pleased with this change, that, the following year, he divided the produce of a small orchard between him and his brother.

Note to Teachers. - Children should frequently be cautioned against - reading or speaking too fast. One great cause of indistinct utterance lies in this fault. Words are hurried over and blended together in so precipitate a manner as often to pervert the sense, and cause confusion to the hearer.

To remedy this defect, the teacher should first read a sentence in a slow and distinct manner, and require the pupil to repeat it. If we never suffer a word to be indistinctly uttered in the school-room, a good articulation will soon become habitual.

LESSON XXI.

CONSONANT SOUNDS IN COMBINATION.

rp as in carp, harp, sharp, warp.
rs as in curse, nurse, purse, worse.
rst as in burst, curs'd, first, worst.
rt as in art, cart, part, tart.

We one day descried some shapeless object drifting at a distance.*

To an American visiting Europe, the long voyage he has to make is an excellent preparative.

Returning Good for Evil.

"I WILL be revenged on him, that I will, and make him heartily repent it," said little Philip to himself, with a countenance quite red with anger. His mind was so engaged, that, as he walked along, he did not see his friend Stephen, who happened at that instant to meet him, and consequently heard what he had said.

"Who is that," said Stephen, "on whom you intend to be revenged 2" Philip stopped short, and, looking at his friend, soon resumed the smile that was natural to his countenance. "Come with me,"

* This sentence is sometimes read as if it were spelled thus: We

one day descried some shapely sobjic driftin utty distance.

said he, "and you shall see. You have seen the little cane which father gave me, and farmer Robinson's son has broken it in pieces."

Stephen very kindly asked him what induced the farmer's son to break it. "I was walking very peaceably along," replied Philip, "and was playing with my cane, by twisting it round my body. By accident, one of the two ends got out of my hand, when I was opposite the gate near the wooden bridge, and overset a pitcher, but did not break it, - which he had placed there.

"He immediately came up to me, and began to call me names; when I assured him I did not intend any harm what I had done was by accident, and I was very sorry for it. Without paying any regard to what I said, he instantly seized my cane, and broke it, as you see; but I will make him heartily repent it."

"He is a very wicked boy," said Stephen, "and finds it very difficult to get any good boys to play with him. If he attempts to intrude himself into their company, they all instantly leave him. When you consider this, I think you will not care for the injury he has done you."

"But he has broken my cane," replied Philip. "It was a present from my father; and a very pretty present it was. He will ask me what has become of it, and will be very sorry to hear that it is broken. The boy has injured me, and I will be revenged."

"My dear friend," said Stephen, "I think you will do better not to notice him, as your contempt will be

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