away the ten minutes.

She had not even left her seat, but was absorbed in what seemed a fruitless attempt to perform a sum in Long Division.

2. Her face and neck crimsoned at the remark of her teacher; but, looking up, she seemed somewhat reassured by the kind glance that met her, and answered, “No, ma'am, I was not; but sister Ellen was.”

3. "I remember," said the teacher, "that a little girl, who called herself Ellen Gray, came to school yesterday; but I did not know that she was your sister. But why did you not come? You seem to love study very much."

4. "It was not because I didn't want to come," was the earnest answer. "But," she continued, after a moment of painful embarrassment, "mother can not spare both of us conveniently; and so we are going to take turns. I am going to school one day, and sister the next; and to-night I am to teach Ellen all that I have learned to-day; and to-morrow night she will teach me all that she learns that day.

5. "It is the only way we can get along; and we want to study very much, so as to keep school, sometime, ourselves, and take care of mother; because she has to work very hard now to take care of us."

6. With genuine delicacy, the teacher forbore to question the child further, but sat down beside her, and explained the rule over which she was puzzling her brain, so that the sum was easily finished.

7. "You had better go and take the air a moment; for you have studied very hard to-day," said the teacher, as the little girl put aside her slate.

8. "I would rather not," said the little girl; "for I might tear my dress. I will stand by the window, and see the others play."

9. There was so peculiar a tone in the voice of her pupil as she said, "I might tear my dress," that the teacher was led to notice it. The dress was made of calico, and had never yet been washed; and while looking at it, she remembered that, for a whole fortnight during which Mary Gray had attended school, she had never seen her wear but one dress.

10. "She is a thoughtful little girl," said she to herself," and does not like to give her mother any trouble. I wish I had more such scholars."

11. The next morning, Mary was absent; but her sister occupied her seat. There was something so interesting in the two little sisters, that the teacher could not help observing them very closely.

12. She discovered, in both, the same attention to their studies; and as Mary had remained in, during recess, so did Ellen; and, upon speaking to her as she had done to her sister, she received the same answer, "I might tear my dress."

13. This reply caused the teacher to notice the dress of the sister. She saw, at once, that it was of the same piece as Mary's; and, upon scrutinizing it very closely, she became certain that it was the same dress. It did not fit quite so neatly on Ellen, and was too long for her also; and she was evidently ill at ease when she noticed her teacher looking at the bright pink flowers that were so thickly set on the white ground work.

14. The discovery was one that could not but interest a heart so truly benevolent as that which beat in the bosom of that village school teacher. She ascertained the residence of their mother, and, though poor herself, purchased, that night, a dress of the same material for Ellen, and sent it to her in so private a way that the donor could not be detected.

15. Mary Gray looked very bright and happy the next morning as she entered the school room at an early hour. She placed her books in neat order in her desk, then went to the teacher, and, in a voice that laughed in spite of her efforts to make it low and deferential, whispered," After this week, sister Ellen is coming to school every day; and, O, I am so glad!"

16. "That is very good news,” replied the teacher kindly. "Ellen is fond of her books, I see; and I am happy to know that she can have an opportunity to study her books every day. But," continued the teacher smiling, "how can your mother spare you both conveniently?"

17. "O, yes; she can now. Something happened she didn't expect; and she is as glad to have us come as we are to come," said Mary; and with a heart brim full of joy, she told her teacher the following story.

18. She and her sister were the only children of a poor widow, whose health was so delicate, that she could provide for herself and daughters but a scanty support. She was compelled to keep them out of school all winter, because they had no clothes fit to wear; but she told them that, if she could earn enough by working for the neighbors to buy each of them a new dress, they might go to school in the spring.

19. Very earnestly had the little girls improved their time, and very carefully laid up the copper coins which were occasionally paid them. They had saved nearly enough to buy a calico dress for each, when Ellen was taken sick; and so much money had to be expended for medicine, that only one dress could be purchased.

20. "O, I did feel so bad when the school opened, and Ellen could not go, because she had no dress!"

said Mary. "I told mother I wouldn't go either; but she said I had better, because I could then teach sister and that would be better than no schooling.

21. "I stood it for a fortnight; but Ellen's little face seemed all the time to be looking at me on the way to school, so that I could not be happy a minute. But I finally thought of a way by which we could both go; and I told mother that I would go one day, and the next, I would lend Ellen my dress, and she might go; and that is the way we have done this week.

22. "But last night, sister had sent to her a dress just like mine! and now she can come too. O, if I only knew who sent it, I would get down on my knees and thank them; and so would Ellen. But we don't know; and so we have done all we could for them,we've prayed for them; and we are so glad now! Are you not glad too?"

On

23. “Indeed I am," was the emphatic answer. the following Monday, when little Ellen, in the new pink dress, entered the school room, with her face as radiant as a rose in the sunshine, she approached the teacher, and exclaimed in tones as musical as those of the running brook, "I am coming to school every day now; and how glad I am!"

24. On hearing this, the teacher felt, more than ever, that "it is more blessed to give than to receive." No millionaire, when he saw his name in the public prints, lauded for his charities, was ever so happy as this poor school teacher, who wore her gloves half a summer longer than she otherwise would, thereby saving enough to buy the little fatherless girl a calicò dress.

QUESTIONS.1. What did the teacher say to this little girl? 2-10. What further conversation passed between them? 11-14. Who occupied Mary's seat the next day, and what did the teacher do at night? 15-23. How did Mary and Ellen now feel? 24. How did the teacher feel?

LESSON LXXVII.

1. Sea'wor-thy, fit for a voyage.

9. En-no'bling, elevating, exalting.

9. In-cen'tives, motives which move the mind.

9. In-spiring, exciting in the mind.

10. Themes, subjects, topics.

10. Sol'ace, comfort in grief.

10. Con-tem-pla'tion, meditation, study.

ERRORS.-Sol'is for sol'ace; ven'ter-ed for ven'tur-ed; val'oo-a-ble for val'u-a-ble; sys'tim for sys'tem.

THE BIBLE.

1. In the year 1822, a vessel sailed from Philadelphia to London, where she arrived after a stormy and dangerous voyage. This vessel was there condemned as not being sea-worthy; and the crew were consequently discharged.

2. One of them, a lad about fifteen years of age, was advised to make the best of his way to Liverpool, as he would probably be able there to get employment on another ship, bound for America.

3. He accordingly commenced his journey to Liverpool on foot; and, being almost destitute of money, he was soon forced to part with such articles as he could spare to procure food.

4. Passing through a small town, he ventured to ask charity of a person standing at a door. The individual to whom he applied asked him what he had there, tied up so carefully in his handkerchief.

5. "That," said he, " is my Bible."

6. "Well,” said she, "can't you sell that, to help yourself on your journey?"

7. "No," said he; "I will never part with my Bible, if I sell every thing else; for it was given me by a lady in Boston; and she advised me never to part with it. I love to read it; and I will not sell it."

8. Now, who will not commend the wisdom and decision of this youth? No book is so valuable as