if I ask the màster, he uses so many hard. words in telling about one, that I am 'puzzled worse than ever.

MOTH. I know, my dear, our dictionaries are not fit for childrén. They are scarcely fit for any one, who needs a dictionary.

Nor is it very common for men or women to know how to talk to children. When they are telling a child the meaning of one word, they seem to think he is acquainted with every other word in the world, and speak in such a manner, that they are not understood.

PHIL. What then shall I dò, Ma'am? I am always meeting with hard words. I find them in almost all the books, which have been written on purpose for children; I find them in the Bible'; I find them in the hymns, which are read and sung at mèeting; and I hear them in the sermons and the prayers.

You tell me that I must mind what is said by the minister; and I try to do it, but I understand so little, that I cannot keep my mind upon it. I am at last tired, and my thoughts will run off to something else. Is this wicked, Ma'am?

Мотн.

MOTн. No, my lòve, it is not wicked, if you do as well as you can. You are more to be pitied than to be blamed.

PHIL. It seems to me, mother, that it can do very little good for children to go to meeting, where they understand so little as I do.

MOTH. It is a sad thing, indeed, my son." I am afraid thousands and millions get so much in the way of hearing without understanding or minding what is said, that they never get any good by going to meeting, as long as they live; and yet I would not have children stay at home. Something better may be done for them.

A thousand times more pains ought to be taken in teaching them the meaning of words. They might be made to understand almost all the common words, by the time they are six or seven years old, and then they would take delight in their books; and, when they went to meeting, they would have something better to do, than to laugh, or play, or look at fine faces or fine clothes.

I hope we shall sometime have better books and better schools for children, than we now have; but, while they are so poor, I intend to do something for you myself; to spend an hour every day, when I can spare the time, in teaching you the meaning of words.

Before I do much in this way, I intend giving you some easy stories to read, while you learn the meaning of a few words, which you must learn, in order to understand those stories.

PHIL. I thank you, dear mother; noth ing you could do for me, would please me so much. I shall try to remember every thing you tell me.

CHAPTER II.

DEFINITIONS.

Sole, the bottom of the foot or a shoe.

Shun, to keep away from.

Frown, to look cross.

Bless, to make happy, to wish well, to thank.
Screen, to save, to keep from hurt.

OLD RUTH

POOR old Ruth comes down the steep nill with slow steps. She is weak with àge, her face is pale, and her hair is grown quite gray. How cold she looks! Her gown is thin and òld; she has worn it a long time, and she has not got a 'cloak to keep her warm.

Why does she shake so? She shakes with cold and with fear, for it fròze last night; there is ice on the path, and she fears she shall slip and fall. Now she stands still and holds by the rails, for the boys have made a slide there on the ice and she dares not go on. She could not stand on the ice; and, if she fell down, she might break her leg or her arm.

But see, there is Miss Cross, come from ner own house. She has got a warm cloak on, her shoes have thick soles to keep her feet from the ice, and she has a large muff to keep her hands from the cold

air. She is young and strong, and I hope she will help poor Ruth down the hill.

No, she will not. She is a proud girl. She has a hard heart, and does not feel for the wants of the poor. See, she tries not to look that way, and walks close to the fence.

What pains she takes to shun the spot where old Ruth stands! and yet one may see by her face, that she knows she does not do right; for she frowns, bites her lips, and looks 'vexed.

But who is it, that jumps out of that neat little white house, on the road side, and runs up to Ruth to lead her down the hill ? Ah! it is Ann Lòve, that dear good child, who helps all who want help.

What a sweet face she has! it is bright with smiles. Her short stuff gown, and worn out shoes, will not screen her from the cold; but her heart is warm and kind; and when the north wind blows, or the snow falls, she does not mind it, but smiles as if it was the clear sun-shine of a May-day.

She leads Ruth safe to the foot of the hill, and picks up all the sticks, that lie in her way, and puts them in Ruth's lap, to help her make a fire. When she leaves her, Ruth says, 'Thank you, dear Ann Love, I will pray to God to bless you; and he will bless you, my dear child; I know he will; he loves all those, who are good to the poor.' [Infantine Stories.]

CHAPTER III.

DEFINITIONS.

Pastry, pies, and cakes which are made like the crust of pies.

Street, a wide road.

Tart, sour; a tart is a pie made of cherries, or grapes, or something sour.

Present, something which one person gives to another. Reward, something which is given to any one for behaving well; sometimes reward means punish

ment.

THE LITTLE PASTRY COOK.

I WAS going to take a walk the other day, and I saw a little girl, only six years old, sitting in the street, with a table before her, covered with all sorts of nice tarts, and cakes, and sugar-plums; and I stopped and bought some of the sugarplums; not because I wanted them, but because I wanted to talk to the little girl, and I did not like to stand and talk to her without buying something.

When I had bought the sugar-plums, and paid her for them, I said, 'Have you a father and mother, my little girl?" "I have a mòthér,' said she, but my fathér is dead; and I have many brothers and sisters.'

Is your mother very poor?' said I. Yes, sir,' said the little girl; but my