His mother

SOLOMON SLOW was the son of a gentleman, who lived on the border* of the New Forest.* called him Solomon, "Because," she said, "he is a wise child; 'slow and sure' is sure to do well."

"Yes," said his father; "but he is too slow; and unless he become a little more quick, and a little less lazy, I shall never make a man of him."

When he was about ten years old, his father and some friends planned a pic-nic* in the Forest, and hired* a large van to take them there. They were to set out at seven in the morning. Solomon knew this, as he had heard his father say so the night before.

The sun was shining very brightly when he awoke at six the next morning; but he was as lazy as ever. "If I get up about ten minutes before seven," said he, "I shall be down in plenty of time." So he lay still in bed, and heard all the party pass his door as they went down stairs.

They even called to him; but he gave no answer, and only lazily rolled himself up in the clothes. At last, up he jumped, dressed, and ran down stairs; but he found the breakfast-room empty, and the van gone!

Snatching up his hat, he ran as fast as he could down the road; but there was a high wind, and the dust was in clouds everywhere. He screamed and

22

THE BOY WHO WAS ALWAYS TOO LATE.

bawled for the van to stop; but all in* vain.

No one could hear him; and at last, tired with running, and half choked with dust, he walked sulkily home.

But even this did not cure him.

He was a lazy

boy, and grew up to be a lazy man; and when in business,* though the coach passed his door every day, he was seldom ready. Just look at him, in the picture, running up the hill, and bawling "Stop! stop!"

QUESTIONS.-What was the boy's name? Where did he live? What did his mother say of him? What did his father say of him? At what time was the pic-nic party to start? When did Solomon awake? What did he say to himself? What did he find when he did come down stairs? What did he then do? Did he succeed? What kind of man did he turn out?

A SAILOR once went ashore on the coast of South America. He had with him a number of red woollen caps for sale. On his way to a town at some distance from the coast, he had to pass through a forest, in which troops of monkeys were everywhere seen climbing among the trees.

At noon, as the sun was right overhead, the sailor had to take shelter from its burning rays. He lay down to rest under the shade of a large tree.

Taking one of the caps out of his bundle, he put it on his head, and soon fell fast asleep.

When he awoke, he found, to his utter* amazement,* that the caps were all gone! A most unusual* chattering among the dense branches above him drew his attention. Looking up, he saw the trees alive with troops of monkeys, and on the head of each monkey was a red woollen cap!

The little mimics had watched his proceedings;* and, having stolen his caps while he slept, had adorned their black pates with their booty." The monkeys gave no heed to his shouts, but only grinned at his rage.

Finding every attempt to get back his caps fruitless, he pulled off the one which he had put on his head, and threw it on the ground, crying out, "Here, you little thieving rogues,* if you will keep the rest, you may take this one too!"

No sooner had he done this, than, to his great surprise, the little animals at once did the same. Each snatched the cap from his head and threw it on the ground! The sailor regained" all his caps, and marched off in* triumph.

QUESTIONS.-Who is that lying on the ground? What is he doing? What do you see on the trees? What have they got on their heads? What is the monkey on the ground doing? Where did the others get their caps? How were they made to give them up again?

THE VOICE OF SPRING.

A-bound', are plentiful.
Blow, bloom; put forth flowers.
Brief, short.

Cat-kins, a kind of flower, in shape
like a cat's tail, growing on willow,
birch, hazel, and other trees.

Gnats, very small insects.
Grat-i-tude, thankfulness.
La-den, loaded; burdened.
Mel-o-dies, sweet songs.
Orch-ard, a garden of fruit-trees.
Soar-ing, mounting on the wing.

I AM coming, little maiden!
With the pleasant sunshine laden,*
With the honey for the bee,
With the blossom for the tree,
With the flower and with the leaf:-
Till I come, the time is brief.*

I am coming, I am coming!
Hark! the little bee is humming;
See! the lark is soaring* high
In the bright and sunny sky;
And the gnats* are on the wing,
Wheeling round in airy ring.

See! the yellow catkins* cover
All the slender willows over;
And on banks of mossy green
Star-like primroses are seen;

And, their clustering leaves below,

White and purple violets blow.*

Hark! the new-born lambs are bleating;

And the cawing rooks are meeting

In the elms-a noisy crowd!
All the birds are singing loud;
And the first white butterfly
In the sunshine dances by.

Look around thee-look around!
Flowers in all the fields abound ;*
Every running stream is bright;
All the orchard* trees are white,
And each small and waving shoot
Promises sweet flowers and fruit.