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was a gloomy place at least it seemed so to Dick -with a high wall all around it, and no trees, nor flowers. When he went in, he shut the door, and took Dick out of the bag.

8. The poor captive thought the giant would now kill him; for, when he looked around, he saw a large fire, and before it were two victims larger than himself, roasting for the giant's dinner. No wonder that Dick trembled with fear!

9. The giant, however, did not mean to kill Dick; but he put him into a prison which he had prepared for him. It was quite a dark room, with cross-bars all around it. The giant gave him a piece of dry bread, and a cup of water, and then left him.

10. The poor captive was very wretched, for he had never before been deprived of his liberty. He beat his head against the iron bars, and dashed backward and forward in his prison-house, but he could not escape.

11. The next day the giant came and looked at Dick; and finding that he had eaten none of the bread, he took him by the head, and crammed some of the bread down his throat. Poor Dick, who was nearly choked to death by this rude treatment, was in too great a fright to think of eating or drinking.

12. He was left alone, in his gloomy prison, another day; and a sad day it was. The poor creature thought of his own pleasant home, his companions, the sunlight, the trees, the flowers, and the many nice things he used to eat; and then he

screamed, and tried to get out between the iron bars: but he only beat and tore himself, and all in vain.

13. The giant came again, and wished Dick to sing, the same as he did when he was in his own home, and was happy. "Sing! sing! sing!" said he: "Why don't you sing?" But Dick was too sad to sing. Who could sing in a prison!

14. At length the giant grew very angry, and took Dick out of his prison to make him sing. He shook him, and his big hand almost forced the breath out of Dick's body. Dick gave a loud scream, plunged, and struggled, and then sank dead in the giant's hand!

15. "What a story that is!" said Henry. "Who believes there are any giants'! or that they treat little boys so!"

16. "Did I say that Dick was a little boy, and that the giant was a big man'? No, no. But I will tell you who they were. Poor Dick was a

little bird; and that giant was a cruel boy."

a RAM-BLE, stroll; excursion. DE-LIGHT', pleasure.

CES-CAPE', get away.
d CAP-TIVE, prisoner.

[LESSON XVIII. is an allegory—that is, a story in which the apparent meaning is not the real one, but is designed to set forth some important truth with greater force. The real truth designed to be illustrated in this lesson, is the wickedness of a boy, in depriving of its liberty, and cruelly treating, a little bird. Birds were made for freedom. See, also, LESSONS XIX. and XLIV.]

HYMN.

1. There is a land above,

All beautiful and bright;

And those who love and seek the Lord,
Rise to that world of light.

2. There sin is known no more,

Nor tears, nor want, nor care;
There good and happy beings dwell,
And all are holy there.

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1. Time was when I was free as air',
The thistle's downy seed my fare',"
My drink the morning dew';
I perched at will on every spray',
My form genteel', my plumaged gay',
My strains' forever new'.

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2. But gaudy plumage', sprightly strain', And form genteel', were all in vain', And of a transients date';

For caught, and caged, and starved to death', In dying sighs my little breath

Soon passed the wiry grate.

3. Thanks, little miss, for all my woes', And thanks for this effectual close, And cure of every ill';

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[LESSON XIX. is an additional illustration of the principle embraced in the preceding lesson. The goldfinch first describes its happy state of freedom; then its treatment as an enslaved prisoner, and its release by death; and in the first three lines of the last verse it ironically thanks the little miss for all its woes. Let the teacher explain what irony means.]

LESSON XX.

THE OLD SLATE.

1 "I have a great mind to break this stupid old slate," said Charles, one morning, as he sat, with tears in his eyes, almost crying over his first lesson in Subtraction.

Why, what has the poor slate done?" asked the pleasant voice of his sister Helen, behind him. 2. "Nothing. That is just what I complain of. It won't make the figures in this lesson for me; and here it is almost school-time !"

"What a wicked slate, Charles!"

3. "So it is. I mean to throw it out of the window, and break it in pieces on the stones."

"Will that get your lesson for you, Charley'?" "No; but if there were no slates in the world, I should have no such lessons to learn."

4. "Oh, ho! Indeed! But that does not fol low, by any means. Did slates make Arithmetic'?' Would people never have to count, and calculate, if there were no slates'? You forget pens, lead

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pencils, and paper: you forget all about oral arithmetic, Charley'!”2

"Well, I don't like to cipher; that's all: but I do like to count."

5. "And so, you hasty boy, you get angry with the poor harmless slate, that is so convenient when you make mistakes and wish to rub them out. This is the way with a great many thoughtless, quick-tempered people. They try to find fault with somebody, or something, and get into a passion, and perhaps do mischief; when, if they would reflect, they would find that they themselves ought to bear all the blame. Now, Charley', let me see what I can do for you."

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6. So Helen sat down in her mother's great easy chair: she tried to look grave and dignified, like an old lady, though she was but eighteen. Charley came rather unwillingly, laid the slate on her lap, and began to play with the trimmings on her apron." "Why, what is this?" said she; "soldiers, and cats, and dogs, and houses with windows of all shapes and sizes!""

7. Charley looked foolish. "Oh, the lesson is on the other side," said he, turning the slate over.

Ah, silly boy!" said Helen; "here you have been sitting half an hour drawing pictures, instead of trying to learn your lesson. And now, which do you think ought to be broken', you' or your slate?" and she held the slate up high, as if she meant to beat his head with it.

8. Charley looked up, with his hands at his ears, but laughing all the while, for he knew she was

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