LESSON 60.

Our school has had a sleigh-ride. The sleigh was decked with colored robes and drawn by four coal-black horses. We huddled in, shouting joyously, and never was there a merrier company, as we dashed along over the trodden snow.

Every swarm of bees has a queen who does not work, but who is treated with the greatest respect by the rest of the hive. She is larger than the other bees, and lays all the eggs, to the number of thousands.

The conductor of a railroad train is the person who manages the train and collects the fares or tickets; the engineer has charge of the engine; the baggage-master takes care of the trunks, valises, and other baggage; and the brakeman assists the engineer in stopping the cars.

LESSON 63.

"Jack Frost is a merry little fellow.
When the wintry blast begins to bellow,
He flies like a bird through the air,

And steals through the cracks everywhere.”

What a variety of goods is to be seen on the shelves of a hardware store! There are locks and keys, latches and knobs, screws, hooks, hinges, bolts, nails, brackets, and many other things that are used in building houses.

Philip is just recovering from a severe and lingering illness, and is longing to be running about in the fresh air again. Poor fellow! He has been confined to his room for many tedious weeks, and has suffered greatly. With what a hearty welcome the boys will greet him!

LESSON 66.

Once I was at a farm-yard, and saw a cottage, a wagon, and a hay-stack. Some geese were swimming on the pond. A handsome young pony was frisking about, and appeared to be skittish. There were plenty of cattle, some standing, some lying down, and some playing with each other.

Gilbert went strolling along the wharves by the harbor, and saw vessels of all kinds. There were steamboats, ships, brigs, barks, yachts, schooners, and sloops; some were ready to put to sea, and some had lately entered port.

Gilbert

Some sailors were high up in the rigging. feared they would be dizzy and pitch headlong; but they bounded lightly from rope to rope, and climbed up and hung down, jumping around like so many frisky monkeys. Some of them were singing lively songs.

LESSON 71.

"The bluebird coming in the spring,
The goldfinch with his yellow wing,
The humming-bird that feeds on pinks
And roses; and the bob-o-links,
The robins gay, the sparrows gray-
They all delight me while they stay."

Railroads extend over our country in every direction. Where a few persons travelled in the old clumsy stagecoach, thousands now travel in convenient rail-cars; and, instead of spending a week in going from New York to Washington, one can easily go in seven hours.