No foam-dashed Long Island racer could thrill us like the memory of that family roadster.

12. Alas for boys in the city, who never ride a horse to brook! An afternoon airing in ruffles, stiff and starched, and behind a costumed driver, cannot make up for this early disadvantage. The best way to start life is astride a farm-horse, with a rope-halter. In that way you learn to rough it.

13. You are prepared for hard bounces on the road of life; you learn to hold on; you get the habit of depending on your own heels, and not upon other people's stirrups; you find how to climb on without anybody to give you a boost. It does not hurt you so much when you fall off. And some day, far on in life, when you are in the midst of the hot and dusty city, and you are weary with the rush and din of the world, in your imagination you call back one of these nags of pleasant memory.

*

14. You bring him up by the side of your study, or counting-room table, and from that you jump on, and away you canter through the old-timed orchard, and by the old-timed meeting-house, or down the lane in front of the barn, dashing into the cool sparkling water of the meadow, where he stops to take his morning drink; or you hitch him up to the rocking-chair in which you have for twenty years sat rheumatic and helpless, and he drags you back some Sunday morning to the old country church, where many years ago he stood tied to the post, while you, with father and mother

at either end of the pew, were learning of the land where there is no pain, and into which John looked, and said: "I saw a white horse!"

REV. T. DE WITT TALMAGE.

DEFINITIONS.

Capar'ison, a dress for a horse. Flamboy'ant, flaming.
Gauntleted, gloved; having, Avid'ity, eagerness.

72.-The Tea-Party.

1. THE dolls had a tea-party; wasn't it fun?
In ribbons and laces they came one by one;
We girls set the table and poured out the tea
And each of us held up a doll on her knee.

2. You never saw children behave half so well: Why, nobody had any gossip to tell!

And (can you believe it?) for badness, that day, No dolly was sent from the table away.

3. One dolly, however, the proudest one there,
Was driven almost to the verge of despair,
Because she had met with a simple mishap,
And upset the butter-plate into her lap.

4. The cups and the saucers they shone lily-white; We helped all the dollies, they looked so polite. We had cake and jam from our own pantryshelves:

Of course, we did most of the eating ourselves.

5. But housewives don't know when their cares may begin.

The window was opened, and pussy popped in; He jumped on the table; and, what do you think?

Down fell all the crockery there, in a wink.

6. We picked up the pieces, with many a sigh; Our party broke up and we all said good-by; Do come to our next one; but then we'll invite That very bad pussy to keep out of sight.

Questions. What is meant by the "verge of despair"? Of "popped in"? Of "crockery"? Of "our party broke up"? Of "invite "?

Memory Gems from Lowell.
"Tis heaven alone that is given away,
'Tis only God may be had for the asking.

Be noble! and the nobleness that lies
In other men, sleeping, but never dead,

Will rise in majesty to meet thine own.

Great truths are portions of the soul of man;
Great souls are portions of Eternity.

Before man made us citizens, great Nature made us men.

1.

73.-Sly Reynard.

A HUNGRY fox, in quest of prey,

Into an outhouse found his way;

When, looking round with skilful search,
He spied a hen upon the perch.

2. Thought Reynard, "What's the reason why They place her on a roost so high?

I know not what the use can be,

Unless it's out of spite to me."

As thus he thought, the hen awoke,
And thus to her sly Reynard spoke:

3. "Dear madam, I'm concerned to hear
You've been unwell for half a year;
I could not quell my strong desire
After your welfare to inquire.
But pray come down and take the air;
You'll ne'er get well while sitting there.
I'm sure it will not hurt your cough;
Do give me leave to help you off.’

4. "I thank you, sir," the hen replied;
"I'd rather on my roost abide.

'Tis true enough I've been unwell—
And am so now, the truth to tell,
And am so nervous, you must know,
I dare not trust myself below;
And therefore say to those who call,
I see no company at all;

For from my perch should I descend,
I'm certain in my death 'twould end;
As then, I know, without presumption,
My cough would end in consumption."

5. Thus cunning people often find
Their crafty overtures declined

By prudent people, whom they thought
For want of wit would soon be caught.

EXERCISE.

Write words in place of those italicized in the following expres

sions:

1. A hungry fox, in quest of prey.
2. He spied a hen upon the perch.
3. Unless it's out of spite to me.
4. I could not quell my strong desire.
5. Pray come down, and take the air.
6. I'd rather on the roost abide.

7. Should I descend.

8. Their crafty overtures declined.

Explain the use of the apostrophe in the following expressions:

What's the reason why?

I'm concerned to hear.

You'll ne'er get well while sitting here.

I'm certain in my death 'twould end.

Dictionary Lesson.-Find the definitions of the following words: quest, skilful, search, concerned, quell, welfare, overtures, declined.

Compose sentences containing the foregoing words.