4. He then called to the eldest to break it. The eldest tried to do so, but could not; he then called to the next, and then to each of the other brothers, but none of them could break the bundle.

5. The old man then told one of his sons to untie the bundle, and taking one of the sticks singly, he gave it to a little child playing at the door; the child broke it in an instant. He then gave the child another stick, and another, till all were broken.

6. The father then turned to his sons, and said, "O, my sons, behold the power of union. If you keep yourselves bound with one heart and one mind, in the strong ties of affection, nothing will have the power to do you harm; but if discord divide you, you will become an easy prey to the weakest of your enemies."

1. When Washington was about six years of age, his father made him a present of a hatchet, with which he was very much pleased.

2. The child thought that as a hatchet was made to cut with, he would try its edge, and so he went about chopping everything that came in his way.

3. By and by he went into the garden, and gave a chop first at one tree, and then at another; at last he gave a young cherry tree such a blow, that it fell down. In vain the boy tried to make it stand upright, and at last he left it and ran away.

4. The next morning the child's father saw the tree, and was very angry to see his nice young tree cut down. He asked every one he saw who had done the mischief, but no one could tell him who it was.

5. George was at last asked if he knew who cut the tree. "It was I, with my hatchet," said the noble little fellow, "I cannot tell a lie, father; it was I that did it."

6. "Come to my arms, my son!" said his father, for I would sooner have the truth spoken by my son, than possess all the cherry trees in the world."

7. This boy grew up to be a man, and as he always spoke the truth, men trusted him. They knew that if he said he would do a thing, he would do it; and that if he made a promise, he would keep it. Thus Washington became the first man of his age and country.

8. Nothing is so great, nothing is so noble and manly, as to speak the truth.

I HAVE a little garden,
'Tis very full of weeds,

They grow so very quickly,
They almost choke the seeds.
'Twould be a pretty garden,

If all the plants would grow;
How very much I wonder why
They all spring up so slow.

Papa has long been trying
The best of seed to sow,
Mamma, I know, is watching—
Longing to see it grow.

There's the sweet plant of Patience,
Sometimes I see it shoot;

Then, all at once, I find it
Quite faded from the root.

Dear me! I wonder whether
The fault is in the soil;
Perhaps, if that were better,

Fruit would reward

my

toil.

Well, I've a Friend in heaven,

Whose help is ever nigh,
He'll shine upon my garden,
He always hears my cry.

He'll send sweet dews of morning,
And gently falling showers,
The parched ground to moisten,

And cheer the springing flowers.

sometimes moisten springing

1. WILLY had a nice little pony, which he was very fond of. He used to ride it about and feed it, and was very kind to it. But Joco, for that was the pony's

name, when he was once put in the meadow, was very hard to catch.

2. One day, Willy wanted to catch his pony, but Joco wished to have an

other trot round the meadow, and when Willy went to him, and was about to put the bridle on him, Joco gave a kick and a snort, flung up his heels, and trotted away.

3. Willy tried again and again, but could not catch his pony. A man was digging close by, and Willy asked him how he should catch his pony.

4. "Get some corn in your hat," said the man, "and he will come to you."

5. "But I have no corn," said Willy.

6. "Then hold out your hat as if you had," said the man," and he will come, and you can catch him."

7. "That would be deceiving him," said Willy," and I will not deceive any one, not even a beast. Besides, if I cheated him once, he would not believe me another time."

8. At last, Willy got a handful of grass, and held it to him, and Joco came up to him, and he let him eat the grass. He then gave him some more, and when he had patted him, he put the bridle on him, and leaping on his back, trotted off as happy as possible.

LESSON 7. THE LIAR NOT BELIEVED!

EVEN WHEN HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH.

1. In some parts of France there are wolves, which prowl about at night, and get among the sheep, which they will sometimes run away with, and eat quite up.

2. A shepherd boy was set to watch a flock of sheep upon some hills near a town, and one day he thought to himself, what sport it would