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ing at the palace, men will say of me, 'He was great;' and when they behold the cottage, they will exclaim, ‘He was just!""

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10. Now, which was the wiser and the better man,- the vizier, who wanted to rob the poor weaver of his rights, or his master, the caliph, who refused to commit a wrong?

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IX. THE VOICE OF THE GRASS.

1. HERE I come creeping," creeping everywhere:

By the dusty road-side,

On the sunny hill-side,

Close by the noisy brook,

In every shady nook,

I come creeping, creeping everywhere.

2. Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere;
All round the open door,
Where sit the agëd16 poor,

Here where the children play
In the bright and merry May,

I come creeping, creeping everywhere.

3. Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere;
In the noisy city street

My pleasant face you'll meet,
Cheering the sick at heart,
Toiling his busy part,
Silently creeping, creeping everywhere.

4. Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere;
You cannot see me coming,

Nor hear my low, sweet humming;
For in the starry night,

And the glad morning light

I come quietly creeping everywhere.

5. Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere,
More welcome than the flowers

In summer's pleasant hours:

The gentle cow is glad,

And the merry bird not sad,

To see me creeping, creeping everywhere.

6. Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere;
My humble song of praise

Most gratefully I raise

To Him at whose command

I beautify the land,

Creeping, silently creeping everywhere.

X.

REMARKABLE CONDUCT OF A LITTLE GIRL.

1. IN Lyons not long ago a young girl, the child of poor parents, was taken up for stealing a loaf of bread from a baker's shop. A crowd collected about her, as the police3 officers were carrying her off. Among the spectators was a little girl named Ruth, who happened to be going home from school at the moment.

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2. Seeing that the arrested girl was in great distress, Ruth felt compassion for her, and made her way close up to her through the crowd, and asked if she could do anything for her. "O, yes, miss!" said the culprit "father and mother and my two little brothers are almost dying for want of food." She then communicated her parents' name, that of the street they lived in, and the number of their house.

3. Ruth had barely time to receive this information, when the officers led their prisoner away. Ruth stood, for a moment, overcome with sorrow at the fate of the unhappy girl. Then she considered with herself what she could do for the suffering family, to aid whom the loaf of bread had been stolen.

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4. Ruth recollected that her mother was out of town, and she knew no way by which she could procure money to relieve the wants of the poor folks thus commended to her care. Suddenly she bethought herself of a resource of a strange kind.

5. A hair-dresser, who lived near her mother's house, and knew her family, had often praised Ruth's beautiful hair, and had told her, in jest, to come to him whenever she wished to have it cut, and he would give her five dollars for it to make wigs of.

6. This used to make Ruth proud and pleased, but she now thought of it in a different way. In order to procure money for the assistance of the starving family, she went straight to the hair-dresser's, put him in mind of his prom ise, and offered to let him cut off all her pretty locks for what he thought them worth."

7. Naturally surprised" by such an application, the hairdresser, who was a kind and intelligent man, made in-qui'ry into the cause of his young friend's visit. Her secret was easily drawn from her, and it caused the hair-dresser almost to shed tears of pleasure. He gave the little bargainer three dollars, and promised to come and claim the hair at some future day.

8. Delighted with her success, Ruth got a basket, bought some provisions, and set out on her errand of mercy to the parents of the girl who had stolen the loaf. What was their surprise"1 on seeing the little stranger enter their poor apartment! Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and her long flaxen hair fell in curls upon her shoulders.

9. "Your daughter," she said, "will not come back perhaps to-day; but keep up your spirits. She told me about you, and I have brought you these provisions." After these encouraging words, the young messenger of good put some money into the hands of the father, and then, with a look of pity and satisfaction, disappeared.

10. Before Ruth returned home, the hair-dresser had gone to her mother's, found that lady come home, and related to her all the circumstances; so that, when the possessor of the golden tresses came back, she was gratified by being received into the open arms of her pleased and praising parent.

11. When the story was told at the police office by the hair-dresser, the theft of the loaf was visited by no severepunishment. The culprit was released with a proper rebuke and some good advice. Many friends were raised up to the poor family, and they were soon restored to health and comfort, and all through the thoughtful humanity of little Ruth.

XI. THE MISCHIEVOUS BOY.

1. I RESIDED in Philadelphia, in the vicinity of a market. One evening, as I was quietly sitting with my family, I heard a loud rap at my front door. I immediately went to the door, and was surprised, on opening it, to find no one there. I shut the door, and turned to go to the parlor. 2. I had hardly proceeded a yard, before rap, rap, went the knocker again. I hastily opened the door, but no one was to be seen. I concluded that some mis'chievous boy was disposed to have a little sport at my expense, but, as I was not willing to be annoyed with mischief, I shut the door, and kept hold of it. Very soon the raps were repeated.

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3. I suddenly opened the door; but nobody was to be seen. The evening was dark, and, as I stood at the door, the raps were renewed for a few seconds. I stood in astonishment; but, upon putting my hand upon the knocker, the mystery was unravelled. I found a string tied to it, and my little persecutor was standing behind one of the pillars of the market with one end in his hand, operating upon my knocker at his pleasure.

4. I closed the door and went out a back way, passing down the foot-way, till I got some distance below the lad, when I turned and came up behind him, and took hold of his arm. He was very much alarmed, and began to entreat me to let him go, when the following dialogue took place: 5. "Well, my lad, thou art amusing thyself at my ex

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pense. I want thee to go home with me." 0, you are going to whip me! Please let me go, and I will never do so again.""I will not whip thee, but thou must go home with me."

6. After repeated assurances that I would not whip him, at length the poor fellow consented; but he had no faith in my promise not to whip him, and went in the full expectation that he was to be punished. I seated him in the parlor, and took a seat by his side. He was a bright-looking little fellow, about thirteen or fourteen years of age.

7. I asked him if he went to school. did. "Canst thou read?" I inquired.

let us read a few chapters in the Bible."

He replied that he "Yes."-" Well,

8. I opened the Bible, read a chapter, and then gave it to him; and I was much pleased to discover that he could read so well. We spent about an hour in that manner, when I remarked that we had spent the evening very pleasantly together; I now thought it was about time for him to go home.

9. "If thy father or mother inquires where thou hast been," I said, "tell them that thou hast been spending the evening with me; and when thou feelest an inclination to be a little mischievous, call upon me. I shall always be pleased to see thee." IIe left my house rejoicing, and

never troubled me afterwards.

I. T. HOPPER.

XII. THE MIMIC.

1. A MIMIC I knew,64 who, to give him his due,1 Was exceeded by none and was equalled by few.

2. He could bark like a dog; he could grunt like a hog; Nay, I really believe he could croak like a frog.

3 Then, as for a bird, you may trust to my word, Twas the best imitation that ever you heard.

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