"I would rather be worn out in doing good, than rust in idleness. But here comes our master."

The master came in, and seeing the two books together, the thought struck him that it would be well to put the good covers upon the book, which was used, and the old ones upon that which nobody read.

No sooner said than done. They were sent to the book-binder's, and before night changed covers.

He that would be useful in the world, must expect sometimes to wear out his coat, and suffer abuse from the idle and selfish.

THE GIRL WHO WOULD SAY "I DON'T KNOW HOW."

I once knew a little girl whose name was Maria; her mother was very kind to her, and tried every way to make her happy.

Maria was a very good girl, but she had one very bad habit. If she did not like to do what she was told, she used to say, "I don't know how."

She had her piece work one day, and it had been nicely fitted by the seamstress who was at work in the house.

After sewing a little while, she heard a man playing upon a hand organ in the street, and ran to the window. Her mother called her back to her work.

By and by a woman called with some berries to sell, and Maria threw down her work and ran into the kitchen to see them. Her mother called her back again, and she began to fret and cry.

Then she could not thread her

needle; then her thread broke; and finally she put her work into her lap, and said she could not make the pieces fit.

Her mother told her she had done it once, and must do it again; and that she must not come to the dinner table until she had tried.

"But, mother," said little Maria, "I don't know how."

"Well, my dear," replied her mother, "you can at least try; and if you do as well as you can, you shall not suffer for not doing that which you do not know how to do."

Maria had spent nearly an hour in crying and fretting. By and by the clock struck; dinner was nearly ready, and she knew she could not come to the table, till she had done her work.

All at once the thought came into her mind, that she should have the work to do at any rate, and she might as well do it pleasantly as not. 817272 A

So she brushed away her tears. Her needle was threaded without any trouble; her thread was strong enough; and the work all fitted very nicely.

Just as the dinner bell rung, her last stitch was taken; and she went to her dinner with such a pleasant face, that her brother never suspected what had happened.

The next Sabbath she received from the Sunday school library a lit tle book, the title of which was, "Susan Brooker; or Where there's a Will, there's a Way."

It was exactly the book she need ed, and I really believe it cured' her of saying that she did not know how to do any thing, that it was proper and suitable for her to do.

The peacock was first brought from the East Indies; but it is now found in most countries. It lives to the age of twenty years.

The length of the peacock, from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, is about seven feet; and some of its longest feathers are four feet long.

It is one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Its plu.nage