It happened one day that a young gentleman ordered his horse, having to ride a good many miles. Just before he mounted, a friend, who had been examining the horse's feet, said to him he thought he ought to send his horse to the smithy, as one of its shoes was rather loose. The young man looked hastily at it, and replied he was in a hurry and could not wait; it would do for that day. On his way he had to wait at a wayside inn, when the ostler came to tell him he had better have his horse shod before going farther. He ran out, examined the loose shoe again, and found it no worse than it was in the morning. "I can't wait," he answered; "I'll have it done on my return;" and, mounting, rode off. He had not gone many miles till, when riding rapidly through a woodland road, a sharp projecting root of a tree, struck by the horse's foot, wedged itself between the foot and the loose shoe, and brought the horse to such a sudden halt that the rider was thrown off and seriously injured; and, but for a man who rushed forward and seized the bridle, he might have been killed.

How much better it would have been for him if he had taken the advice given him, although it appeared to be a trifle; and how much better if young folks would listen to the advice of their elders, and avoid those little faults, which seem trifles also, but may end in the most serious calamities.

It is so important that these little faults should be got rid of while they are small. It is easy to do it then. It is the time to do it. You cannot be too thankful to have them pointed out and pulled up-pulled up by the very roots, and got rid of.

QUESTIONS:-1. What is a navy-yard? 2 Mention any of the navy-yards of Britain. 3. What are gunboats and ironclads? 4. What were the curious small marks noticed on the wood? 5. What caused the flaws in the timber? 6. What had to be done to these flaws? 7. What might have been the consequence if these flaws had been left? 8. Mention anything which may be compared to these flaws? 9. What will happen if little bad habits are not checked and corrected? 10. Give some examples of these little faults. 11. Tell the story of the loose horse-shoe. 12. What excuse did the young man give for not fixing the shoe? 13. What was the consequence to him?

Two barn swallows came into our wood-shed in the spring time. Their busy, earnest twitterings led me at once to suspect that they were looking out a building-spot; but, as a carpenter's bench was under the window, and hammering, sawing,

and planing were frequently going on, I had little hope they would choose a spot under our roof.

To my surprise, however, they soon began to build in the bend of a beam over the open doorway. I was delighted, and spent much time in watching them. It was, in fact, a beautiful little drama of domestic love; the mother-bird was so busy and important, and her mate was so attentive. He scarcely ever left the side of the nest. There he was, all day long, twittering in tones that were most obviously the outpourings of love.

Sometimes he would bring in a straw or a hair to be interwoven in the precious little fabric. One day, my attention was arrested by a very unusual twittering, and I saw him circling round with a large downy feather in his bill. He bent over the unfinished nest, and offered it to his mate with the most graceful and loving air imaginable; and when she put up her mouth to take it, he poured forth such a gush of gladsome sound! It seemed as if pride and affection had swelled his heart till it was almost too big for his little bosom.

During the time the eggs were being hatched, he volunteered to perform his share of household duty. Three or four times a-day he would persuade his patient mate to fly abroad for food; and the moment she left the eggs, he would take her place, and give a loud alarm whenever cat or dog came about the premises. When the young ones came forth he shared in the mother's toil,

and brought at least half the food for his greedy little family.

When the young became old enough to fly, the gravest philosopher would have laughed to watch their manoeuvres. Such chirping and twittering! such diving down from the nest, and flying up again! such wheeling round in circles, talking to the young ones all the while! such clinging to the sides of the shed with their sharp claws, to show the timid little fledgelings that there was no fear of falling!

For three days all this was carried on with increasing activity. It was obviously an infant. flying-school. But all the talking and twittering were of no avail. The little downy things looked down, and then looked up, and, alarmed at the wide space around them, sank down into the nest again.

At length the parents grew impatient, and summoned their neighbours. As I was picking up chips one day, I found my head encircled by a swarm of swallows. They flew up to the nest, and chattered away to the young ones; they clung to the walls, looking back to tell how the thing was done; they dived, and wheeled, and balanced, and floated in a manner beautiful to behold.

The pupils were evidently much excited. They jumped up on the edge of the nest, and twittered, and shook their feathers, and waved their wings, and then hopped back again, as if they would have said, “It is a pretty sport, but we can not do it."

Three times the neighbours came in and repeated their graceful lessons. The third time two of the young birds gave a sudden plunge downwards, and then fluttered, and hopped, till they alighted on a small log. And oh, such praises as were warbled by the whole troop! the air was filled with their joy! Some flew round, swift as a ray of light; others perched on the hoe-handle and the teeth of the rake; multitudes clung to the wall; and two were swinging, in the most graceful style, on a pendent hoop. Never, while memory lasts, shall I forget that swallow party. MRS. CHILD.

QUESTIONS:-1. Where do the swallows go in winter? 2. Where do they generally build their nests? 3. Where did the pair in the lesson build their nest? 4. What is the nest made of? 5. What is the nest lined with? 6. What is a male? 7. How did the male act when the nest was a-building? 8. How did he act when the eggs were being hatched? 9. How were the young ones taught to fly? 10. When does the swallow go to more genial climes?

LESSON XLVIII.

The Wreck of the Hesperus.

a-ghast', amazed, terrified.
ca'-ble, rope or chain to which

the anchor is fixed.
fit'-ful, coming at intervals.
flaw, a sudden burst of wind.
gored, pierced through.
lashed, tied, bound to.
scorn'-ful, mocking.

sheet'-ed, as if clad in a white sheet.

skip'-per, the master of a coast-
ing vessel.

sting'-ing, sharp, keen.
stove, broke up.

weath'-er, fight through.
whoop'-ing, with a loud shrill
noise.

yeast, barm, the white frothy

liquid that rises from beer
when fermenting.

IT was the schooner Hesperus,
That sail'd the wintry sea;