Just like the eyes of children
When they are fast asleep.

The little stars are twinkling;
See how they shine and shake
They seem so very sleepy,
They cannot keep awake.

The moon has hidden from us,
She is so very proud;

And takes her nightly sleeping
Behind yon silver cloud.

Two young elms had been planted side by side, in front of a gentleman's house. Having everything done for them by the gardener, they were free from care, and you would have thought they

had nothing to do but to grow and enjoy themselves. But not so, they were a good deal given to quarrelling. Perhaps the time hung heavy on their hands, and they did it for amusement; but so it was, that scarcely a day passed without angry words and disputes between them of some kind.

"What a noise you make with your leaves," one of them would say to the other; "you quite disturb my thoughts." "The same to yourself, sister," would be the answer; "I am sure your rustling is at times very annoying." And in the morning you would generally hear one of them exclaim, "Sister, you are always in my light!" whilst in the evening it would be the other who would cry, "How provoking you are, sister! Why will you never let me see the sun?"

In the course of time their discourse took a new turn. "How is it, sister," each of them would often say," how is it that you are always taking up some of my space? The gardener did not plant you here, but there. Pray do not come so close upon me." Or again, "I am certain, sister, it was you who broke my arm in the high wind last night."

Poor foolish trees! It was wonderful to hear how they would rustle away in their wrath for hours together.

But in spite of their quarrelling, they continued to grow taller and stouter every year; and let

them do what they might, they had been planted so near each other, that by degrees their branches not only met, but really mingled with each other.

In fact, the higher they grew, and the more widely they spread, the more did they feel themselves obliged to mix their leaves and branches. There was no help for it if they meant to live at all. Were it not better, then, that they freely forgave

the past, and lived on kind and friendly terms for the future?

When matters had gone so far as that, they were sure to be soon quietly settled, for these trees did not require any friend to bring them together. And the very last discourse they had with each other was as follows:-" Sister, you must feel that east wind very much." "Yes,

sister, it certainly is rather keener than usual; but never mind me. I hope I keep the worst of it from you; for you have not been used to it as I have. Neither do I think it will ever be able to injure me so long as I have you by my

side."

QUESTIONS:-1. What is meant by a fable? 2. What is this fable about? 3. Where were the elms planted? 4. Why are trees and shrubs planted about houses at all? 5. Who did everything for the young elms? 6. What was the only thing required of them? 7. What bad habit did they fall into? 8. What very often causes this bad habit still? 9. Tell some of the cross and snappish words the one said to the other. 10. Give the replies. 11. But though they quarrelled, what else did they do? 12. What must happen because they were planted so close to each other? 13. When they saw that, what did they agree to do? 14. Repeat the last friendly talk they had with each other? 15. What is the chief lesson we are taught by this fable?

course

dis-course'

grow

dis-turb'

gar'-den-er pro-vok'-ing u'-su-al

quar'-rel-ling won'-der-ful

keen'-er qui'-et-ly wrath

ANY large vessel which moves on the water by

means of sails or steam is called a ship. But sailors