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LESSON XX.

5. Mourn'ful-ly, with sorrow.

13. Ac-cus'tom, to make familiar by use.

19. Ap'pe-tite, desire for food.

19. Con-trol', to check, to restrain.

21. De-tec'tion, being found out.

22. Con'scious-ness, knowledge.

22. For'feit-ed, lost by an offense.
24. Grat-i-fi-ca'tion, happiness, pleasure
24. Ac-quired. gained, obtained.
27. Oc-ca'sion, a cause, or reason.

ERRORS. - Of'ten for oft'en; si'lunt for si'lent; re'cess for re-cess'; ef'ferts for ef' fcrts; kep for kept.

SELF-CONTROL.

1. "WHAT does self-control mean, father?" asked little John, inquiringly.

2. His father was glad to hear the inquiry; for though John was a very good boy, he had this fault, — that he always complained, and was unhappy when he was denied any thing that he wanted.

3. Now, it often happens that we want a thing and can not get it, and also that when we get something that pleases us, it is soon taken away. It is, therefore, highly needful that we should be prepared for such

cases.

4. John's father answered him, "If you should resolve, in your recess to-day, not to mount your velocipede,* that would be self-control.”

5. "O, why may I not ride on my velocipede?" said the little lad, mournfully. "You gave it to me yourself, father."

6. "So I did," answered his father; " and I do not forbid you to use it. It shall be left entirely with yourself to do so or not."

7. John had received the velocipede only the day

*Ve-loc'i-pede, a small carriage for one person, having two wheels, placed one before the other in the same line, and connected by a beam on which the person sits astride, and propels it by striking the tips of his toes on the ground.

before; and he was so delighted with it, that he stole away, every leisure moment, and even from his meals, to play with it.

8. "But why should I not play with it?" said the boy. 9. "That you may practice self-control," said his father, "in order to gain so much power over yourself as to give up a thing that you value when it becomes necessary to do so."

10. "But it is not necessary to give this up."

11. "No, certainly," said his father; "but when it becomes necessary to give up something, it may be too late to prepare your mind for it then."

12. John was silent, and stood thinking. He felt the force of what his father said, in part, but not fully.

13. His father continued: "Would you like to hear a story from which you may learn how good a thing it is to accustom one's self not to depend too much upon having his wishes gratified?"

14. "O yes, father," said John.

15. "A child had a silly nurse who fed him with sweetmeats every day. He was so accustomed to such things, that when he had become quite a large boy, he was always longing for them, and took them eagerly whenever he could get them.

16. "In vain his older sister warned him, and advised him to break himself of the habit; for the time might come when it would be out of his power to get such things. He thought there was yet time enough before he should be obliged to do without them, and made no efforts to wean himself from them.

17. "At last, the time came when he had to leave his father's house, and go to a master who kept him under a strict rule; and he had no chance to get any sweet things at all.

18. "Well, what did he do? As his master gave him none, so he bought, with his pocket-money, raisins, almonds, and candy, till his money was all gone.

19. "His appetite, all the time, grew stronger and stronger; and it had now become almost impossible to control it.

20. "When, at last, he had no pocket-money left, he sold some of his clothes; and when he had spent the money obtained in that way (I shudder to tell it), he stole some money from his master.

21. "But what crime ever escaped detection, sooner or later? This offense was found out; and, to escape the shame and the punishment, he ran away, and went on board a ship which was bound to the East Indies.

22. Thus he escaped, for a time, man's punishment, but not God's; nor did he escape the stings of conscience, nor the disgrace with which his name was stained, nor the consciousness that he had forfeited forever the respect and love of all good men!"

23. "O, that is dreadful!" said John, mournfully. 24. "Dreadful, indeed!" said his father; "and that arose from the fact that this boy had not learned to deny himself any gratification, and thus had acquired the habit of indulging himself in whatever he wanted. Do you now perceive, my son, why I gave you the advice not to play with your velocipede to-day?"

25. "O yes, father; I will not touch it to-day; and every day at one recess, I will let it alone till I get so that I can take it or leave it, just as I please."

26. His father was greatly pleased with this earnest resolution. Still more was he pleased when he saw that the boy kept his word.

27. When this lad grew up, it became easy for him to deny himself in other matters when he saw occa

sion to do so; and this saved him from many troubles. Well would it be for all children to follow his example.

QUESTIONS.-1. What inquiry did John make? 2. What fault had he? 4. What did his father tell him would be self-control? 7. What present had he received? 7. How was he pleased with it? 9. Why did his father wish him not to play with it? 15, &c. What story did his father relate to him? 25, 27. What effect did this story have upon John?

LESSON XXI.

1. Af-flict'ed, suffering pain.
1. In'flu-ence, power or effect.
2. Li'a-ble, exposed, subject to.
2. Ex-ceed'ing-ly, greatly.

10. Slam'med, shut with violence.

11. Se-ver'est, harshest.

11. Rem'e-dy, that which cures a disease or an evil.

ERRORS.-Chile for child; in'stunce for in'stance; drectly for di-rect'ly; re-cov'ry for re-cov'er-y; ketch for catch.

THE SULKS.

1. THIS is the name of a disease which is very common among children. Though some grow up without being much afflicted with it, yet I have seen a child so entirely under its influence, as to throw herself upon the floor, kick over stools and chairs, and seem ready to bite and devour every thing in her way.

2. Some children, from their nature and habits, are much more liable to have this disease than others. Those, who generally have their own way about every thing, and whose parents let them play in the streets or by the road-side when they please and with whom they please, are exceedingly apt to have the sulks.

3. I have seen children suffering with this disease, however, who had the kindest parents and the happiest home that they could have. It generally comes on when something is said or done that the child does not like.

4. For instance, Jane Barber came home from school the other day with a green apple which Susan Carp had given her. Like a good girl, she went directly to her mother with it; and her mother told her to throw it away. Jane began to cry. "Why, mother," said she, "it won't hurt me; all the girls eat them; and they are not hurt."

5. "My dear," said her mother, "I tell you to throw it away; and you must do it. I am the best judge of what you should eat." 6. Then came on a fit of the sulks. First, she threw out one of her elbows, and then the other, and then both at once. Then her shoulders began to twist, first one way and then the other. Her head began to go forward and backward with a jerk; and she stamped when she walked away, as if she was trying to get a tight shoe on.

7. "Go and sit down, Jane, in that chair till dinner time," said her mother.

8. This made the disease worse. She now began to make a whining, fretful noise with her mouth; and soon her feet began to swing backward and forward against the chair. Then she began to push her chair against the wall.

9. Her hair was hanging over her eyes, which were now swollen and red with weeping; and so great was the change in her looks in less than half an hour, that you would hardly have known her. Now, this is a fair statement of the appearance of the disease in Jane Barber's s case.

The

10. Sometimes the appearance is different. corner of the apron is crowded into the mouth and chewed; ; the fingers are twisted one over the other; the work or the book is thrown on the floor, or across

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