Amelia and her Canary-Bird.

1. As Amelia was one day looking out of the window, a n

happened to pass by, crying, Canary-birds; come buy canary-birds.' The man had a large cage upon his head, which the birds hopped about from perch to perch, and m little Amelia quite in love with them.

2. Will you buy a pretty bird or two, little girl?" said man. • I have no objection, (replied she,) provided my fat will give me leave. If you will stop a little while, I will let know.' So away she ran up stairs to her father, while the b man put down his cage at the door.

3. Amelia ran into her father's chamber quite out of brea crying, O dear father, only come here! here is a man in street who has a large cage on his head, with a great many nary-birds in it.' 'Well, and what of all that? (replied h why does that seem to rejoice you so much ?'

4. Amelia answering, that she should be happy to buy of them; her father reminded her, that the bird must be f and should it be neglected, even only for a day, it would c tainly die.

5. Amelia promised that she would never eat her own bre fast till she had fed her bird; but her father reminded her she was a giddy girl, and that he feared she had promised much. However, there was no getting over her coaxing wheedling, so that her father was at last obliged to consent t she should buy one.

6. He then took Amelia by the hand, and led her to the do where the man was waiting with his birds. He chose the pr tiest canary-bird in the cage; it was a male, of a fine lively y low colour, with a little black tuft on its head.

7. Amelia was now quite cheerful and happy, and pulling her purse, gave it to her father to pay for the bird. But w was to be done with the bird without a cage? and Amelia had money enough to buy one. However, on her promising that s would take great care to feed the bird, her father bought he fine cage, of which he made her a present.

8. As soon as Amelia had given her canary-bird possession her new cage, she ran about the house, calling her mother, b 9. When any of her little friends came to see her, the f thing she told them was, that she had one of the prettiest cana birds in the world. It is as yellow as gold, said she, 'and it a little black crest on its head, and can sing most harmonious Come, you must go and see it. Its name is Cherry.

10. Cherry was as happy as any bird need wish to be, und the care of Amelia. Her first business every morning was feed Cherry; and whenever there was any cake on the tab Cherry was sure to come in for a share of it. There was alwa some bits of sugar in store for it, and its cage was constantly d corated with the most lively herbage.

11. This pretty bird was not ungrateful, but did all in its powe to make Amelia sensible how much it was obliged to her. soon learned to distinguish her, and the moment it heard her ste into the room, it would flutter its wings, and keep up an incessan chirping. It is no wonder, that Cherry and Amelia becam very fond of each other.

12. The little bird soon began to sing the most delightfu songs. It would sometimes raise its notes to so great a height that you would almost think it must kill itself with such willing exertions. Then, after stopping a little, he would begin again with a tone so sweet and powerful, that it was heard in every part of the house.

13. Amelia would often sit for whole hours by its cage, listening to its melody. Sometimes, so attentively would she gaze at it, that she would insensibly let her work fall out of her hands; and after it had entertained her with its melodious notes, she would regale it with a tune on her bird organ, which it would endeavour to imitate.

14. In length of time, however, these pleasures began to grow familiar to its friend Amelia. Her father, one day, presented her with a pretty book, with which she was so much delighted, that Cherry began to lose at least one half of her attention.

15. As usual, it would chirp the moment it saw her, let her be at what distance she would; but Amelia began to take no notice of it, and almost a week had passed, without its receiving either a bit of biscuit or a fresh supply of chickweed. It repeated the sweetest and most harmonious notes that Amelia had taught it, but to no purpose.

16. It now appeared too clearly, that new objects began to attract Amelia's attention, and poor Cherry was neglected.

and the poor little creature had hardly strength enough breathe. He called to him his little Amelia, and asked he what was the matter with her bird. Amelia blushed, saying a low voice, 'Why, father, I forgot the poor little bird;' ar ran to fetch the seed box.

19. Her father, in the mean time, took down the cage, an found poor Cherry had not a single seed left, nor a drop of wa ter. Alas poor bird,' said he, 'you have got into careles hands. Had I forseen this, I would never have bought you.'

20. All the company joined in pity for the poor bird, an Amelia ran away into her chamber to ease her heart in tear However, her father with some difficulty brought pretty Cherr to itself again.

21. Her father, the next day, ordered Cherry to be made present to a young gentleman in the neighbourhood, who, h said, would take much better care of it than his little thoughtles daughter; but poor Amelia could not bear the idea of partir with her bird, and most faithfully promised never to neglect any more.

22. Her father, at last, gave way to her entreaties; and per mitted her to keep little Cherry, but not without a sever reprimand, and a strict injunction to be more careful for th future.

23. This poor little creature,' said he, 'is confined in a pr son, and is, therefore, totally unable to provide for its own wants Whenever you want any thing, you know how to get it; but thi little bird can neither help itself, nor make its wants known t others. If ever you let it want seed or water again, look to it

24. Amelia was sensible of her fault, and took her father b the hand; but her heart was so full, that she could not utter syllable. Cherry and Amelia were again good friends, and fo some time it wanted for nothing.

25. Not long afterwards, her father and mother wer obliged to go a little way into the country on some particula business; but, before they set out, they gave Amelia stric charge to take care of poor Cherry. No sooner were her pa rents gone, than she ran to the cage, and gave Cherry plenty c

seed and water.

26. Little Amelia, now finding herself alone, and at liberty much fatigued; but as soon as she awoke in the morning, she began to think of new pleasures.

27. She went abroad that day, while poor Cherry was obliged to stay at home and fast. The second and third day passed in the same playful manner as before; but poor Cherry was not thought of. On the fourth day her father and mother came home, and, as soon as they found that she was well, her father inquired after poor Cherry. It is very well,' said Amelia, a little confused, and then ran to fetch it some seed and water.

28. Alas! poor little Cherry was no more: it was lying upon its back, with its wings spread, and its beak open.. Amelia screamed out, and wrung her hands, when all the family ran to her, and were witnesses of the melancholy scene.

29. Alas poor bird, (said her father,) what a melancholy end hast thou come to! If I had given thee thy liberty before I went into the country, it would have saved thy innocent life; but now thou hast endured all the pangs of hunger and thirst, and expired in extreme agony. However, poor Cherry, thou art happy in being out of the hands of so merciless a guardian.'

30. Amelia was so shocked and distressed on the occasion, that she would have given all her little treasure, and even all her playthings to have brought Cherry to life; but it was now too late. Her father had the bird stuffed, and hung up in the room, to remind Amelia of her carelessness.

31. She dared not even to lift her eyes up to look at it, for whenever she did, it was sure to make her very unhappy. A last she prevailed on her father to have it removed, but not til after many earnest entreaties and repeated acknowledgments e the fault she had committed.

32. Whenever Amelia was inattentive or giddy, the bird wa hung up again in its place, and every one would say in her hear ing, Alas, poor Cherry, what a cruel death you suffered!'

33. Thus you see, my little friends, what are the sad conse quences of inattention, giddiness, and too great a fondness fo pleasure, which always make us forgetful of what we ougl carefully to attend to.

The Little Girl and the Lamb.

1. A LITTLE girl, whose name was Matilda, one morni was sitting by the side of the road, holding on her lap a pan

carrying to market for sale.

3. These pretty little lambs were tied together like so ma criminals, and lay confined with their heads hanging dow Their plaintive bleatings pierced the heart of Matilda, but th had no manner of effect on the hardhearted farmer.

4. As soon as he came opposite the place where little Mar da was sitting, he threw down before her a lamb which he w carrying, saying, 'There my little girl, is a lamb that has j died. You may take it, if you will, and do what you plea with it.'

5. Matilda put down her milk and bread, and took up t lamb, and viewed it with looks of tenderness and compassio But why should I pity you?' said she to the lamb, 'either t day or to-morrow, they would have cut your throat with a gr knife; whereas, now you are lifeless and have nothing to fea

6. While she was thus speaking, the warmth of her arms son what revived the lamb, which made a slight motion, and open its eyes a little, cried in a very low tone, as if it were calling its mother. It would be impossible to express little Matild joy on this occasion.

7. She covered the lamb in her apron, in order to make warm, and took great pains to bring the poor little thing to li By degrees it began to stir more freely, and every motion made conveyed joy to her little heart.

8. This success encouraged her to proceed; she crumb some of her bread into her pan, and taking it up in her finge she with no small difficulty forced it between its teeth, wh were very firmly closed together.

9. The lamb, whose only disorder was hunger and fatig began to feel the effects of this nourishment. It first began stretch out its limbs, then to shake its head, and at last to ra up its ears.

10. In a little time it was able to stand upon its legs, and th went of itself to Matilda's breakfast-pan, who was highly delig ⚫ed to see it take such pleasing liberties; for she cared not ab losing her own breakfast, since it saved the life of the little lar In a little time it recovered its usual strength, and began to s and play about its kind deliverer.

11. It may naturally be supposed, that Matilda was grea pleased at this unexpected success. She took it up in her ar