2. How a gentle accent
Calms the troubled soul,
When the waves of passion
O'er it wildly roll!

3. Little ACTS of kindness-
Nothing do they cost';
Yet when they are wanting',
Life's best charm is lost.

4. Little acts of kindness

Richest gems of earth

Though they seem' but trifles',

Priceless is their worth.

[LESSON LXXXVIII. is a continuation of the subject embraced in LESSONS LXXVIII. and LXXXVII. Words and acts of kindness are of priceless worth.]

LESSON LXXXIX.

THE FARMER IN WINTER.

1. On the next page is a picture of the same farm-house that we saw at the beginning of the lessons about the farmer.* But the scene has changed. It was then in the spring-time. It is now late in the season, and winter is near.

2. After the corn-harvest, there is little for the farmer to do on his farm; but sometimes he does not get through with the husking until it is bitter cold, and a few large snow-flakes now and then warn him that the Indian summer is over.

3. But there are other signs of approaching winter. Why does the farmer watch for the first flocks of wild geese from the North? When the Northern lakes freeze over, the wild geese leave

*See page 110.

them, and fly away to a sunnier clime; and when the farmer sees them flying southward, in long lines, as is shown in the picture, or hears their shrill voices at night as they pass in the air far above him, he knows that winter will soon come.

4. But are the farmer and the farmer's sons idle during the winter? Are not the cattle, and the sheep, and the horses to be taken care of? They would starve if no hay were given to them. So twice a day-in the morning, and just at sunsetthe farmer and his, sons go out to fodder the cattle, and the sheep, and to see that they are well protected from the cold, and the storms of winter.

5. But there is more to be done than all this. The wheat, and barley, and oats, and other kinds of grain, are to be threshed out, and taken away and sold; and the wood-shed is to be filled with

play when school is over. For them winter has its many

healthy sports, and amusements, among which are snow-balling, sliding down hill or coasting, and sleigh-riding. With all its snow, and storms, and cold, there are many sunny days in winter; and winter is always a pleasant season of the year in a happy country home.

7. Summer is a glorious season,

Warm, and bright, and pleasant;

But the past is not a reason

To despise the present.

So, while Health can climb the mountain,
And the log lights up the hall,

There are sunny days in Winter,

After all.

[LESSON LXXXIX. The story of the farmer's life is here continued, from page 189. The Indian summer is now over. Signs of approaching Winter work-taking care of the cattle-threshing the corn. The country school-house. Winter sports.]

winter.

A young man idle, an old man needy.

Drive thy business, or thy business will drive thee. Every day of your life is a leaf in your history.

LESSON XC.

MAY MORNING.

1. It is May'-it is MAY',

And all earth is gay';

For at last old Winter' is quite away'.
He lingered a while on his cloak of snow'.
To see the delicate primrose' blow.
He saw it, and made no longer' stay:
And now' it is May—it is May'.

2. It is May'-it is MAY'!

And we bless the day

When we first' delightedly so can say.

April had beams' amidst her showers',

Yet bare were her gardens', and cold' were her bowers'; And her frown' would blight', and her smile' betray`: But now' it is May-it is MAY!

3. It is May-it is MAY!

And the slenderest spray

Holds up a few leaves to the ripening ray;
And the birds' sing fearlessly' out on high,

For there is not a cloud' in the calm` blue' sky`;
And the villagers' welcome' the happy day;

For, oh! it is May-it is MAY'!

4. It is May-it is MAY'!

And the flowers' obey

The leaves', which alone are more bright' than they;

Yet they spring' at the touch of the sun,
And opening their sweet eyes, one by one,
In a language of beauty', seem all to say,
And of pèrfume', It is May—it is MAY'!

[LESSON XC.-an exultation on the arrival of May-is here introduced for the purpose of thorough elocutionary drill in emphasis and inflection. The principal emphatic words are designated by Italics and small capitals; and the marks denoting the inflections are used more freely than is generally desirable. The piece is suitable for declamation.]

LESSON XCI.

THE CHILD AND THE SKEPTIC.-In Prose.

1. A little girl was sitting beside a cottage door, on a sultry summer day. The Bible was lying on her knee, and she was reading from its pages, when there passed by a traveler, who begged a glass of water, and a seat to rest himself, for he was faint and weary.

2. "Come in, sir," said the little maiden, "and I will get you a glass of water. Will you take a seat, and rest yourself a while'? Mother is always glad to do what she can to cheer a weary traveler." And while the man drank, and chatteda merrily with her, she took her seat again at the cottage door, the Bible on her knee.

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3. At length the traveler, quite refreshed, arose to depart. Now it happened that he was a skeptic —that is, he did not believe the Bible. So he said, What, child'! are you still reading the Bible'? I suppose it is your lesson." "Oh no," said the little girl; “it is no lesson. I have no task to learn; but I love to read the good book."

4. "And why, my little girl," said he, “do you love that book? Why, this pleasant day, are you sitting here, and reading over its pages'?" She looked up with surprise. "Why love the Bible,

do you ask'? I hope you are not angry, sir', but I thought that every body' loves this holy book'."*

5. The skeptic smiled at this answer, but made

* In this remark a question is implied; and, being a direct question, it requires the rising inflection.