7. The Brahmin, seeing this singular thing,
Wavered in mind, like one in a swing;
Yet answered the stranger, firmly,—" Sir,
This isn't a sheep, but only a cur."

8.

"Cur?" with disdain, the new-comer said;
"Why, man, you're surely out of your head!"

As this occurred,

Came rogue the third,

To whom, as being a witness new,
And likely to take impartial view,
Brahmin proposed at once to refer,
Whether the creature was sheep or cur.
All being agreed, the eager priest
Said:"Stranger, what do you call this beast?
"A sheep, to be sure!" the knave replied;
"As fine a sheep as ever you spied."

9. "Well," said the Brahmin, "the gods this day Have surely taken my senses away!"

10.

Then begging the rogue

That carried the dog,

To pardon him for doubting his word,

He, with a readiness most absurd,

Purchased the creature with rice and ghee,

Which went, of course, to the worthless three,
And which they shared with wonderful glee.

Thus taken in,
The poor Brahmin

Offered it up,
The filthy pup,

Which so offended the gods, that they
Sent sore disease his folly to pay:
Thinking it right the man to chastise
For so distrusting his natural eyes,
And being led by palpable lies
To offer a dog as a sacrifice.

MORAL.

Look out for the arts of the puffing tribe,-
People that praise for the sake of a bribe;
Lavishly lauding a book or a pill,

Or any thing else the pocket to fill;
Singing Simplicity fast asleep,

And making her dream a dog's a sheep.

QUESTIONS.-1. What trick did the three rogues play off on the Brahimin ? 2 In what way did they do this? 3. What moral is taught in this fable?

LESSON CXVII.

E LAS TIC' I TY, returning vigor.
MIN' I FIE$, lessens; makes small.
DEG RA DA' TION, abasement.
ES TRANG' E$, alienates.
UN ALMS ED, not having received
HA BIT U AL, accustomed. [pense.
EX TRAVA GANCE, superfluous ex-

1.

[alms.

IM PER TI NENCE, that which is not
pertinent.

SUS PI' CIOUS, distrustful.
E CON' O MY, frugality.
TRAN' QUIL, calm; undisturbed.
BE NUMBING, dull; stupefying.
IM PROVIDENCE, wastefulness.

LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS.

S. W. PARTRIDGE

Oh, beware of debt!

It crushes out the manhood of a man,

Robs his bright eye of boldness, cheats his limbs
Of elasticity, unnerves his hand,

Beclouds his judgment, dulls his intellect,
Perils his uprightness, and stains his name,
And minifies him to his fellow-men;

Yea, far worse degradation, to himself.

2. Who hath the hurried step, the anxious eye,
Avoids the public haunt and open street,
And anxious waits for evening? Restlessly
Tosses upon his bed, and dreads the approach
Of the tell-tale morning sunlight? Who, unmanned,
Starts at the sudden knock, and shrinks with dread
E'en at his own shadow; shuns with care

The stranger's look, skulks from his fellow's glance,
And sees in every man a creditor?

3. The debtor; he is only half a man;
He saddens and estranges his chief friends,
Burdens his dearest relatives; he hears
In vain the stranger's tale, the widow's prayer,
And sends away the orphan all unalmsed.
None dare to place him in a post of trust,
And business men regard him with a shrug.

4. "Owe no man aught." Stand in the world erect, And lean alone upon thyself and God.

The habitual borrower will be ever found
Wicked, or weak, or both. Sweat, study, stint,
Yea, rather any thing than meanly owe.
Let thine own honest hands feed thee and thine,
And, if not thy friend's purse, at least, respect
Thine own sweet independence.

5. Have fewest wants: the book, however good,
Thou shouldst not purchase, let it go unbought;

6.

And fashion's vests by thee be all unworn.
Soon luxuries become necessities,

But self-denying thrift more joy affords
Than all the pleasures of extravagance.
A cottage, free from clamorous creditors,
Is better than a mansion dunned; a coat,
However darned, if paid for, hath an ease,
And a respectability beside:

Gay, ill-afforded vests can never boast.

However cheap,

Whate'er thou want'st not, buy not. That is dear, A mere extravagant impertinence,

For which thou hast no need.

Feel first the want

Ere it be satisfied: bargains full oft

Are money-wasting things, that prudent men
Will keep afar fro:n with suspicious eye;

Perchance to any but of little use,

And to themselves, most likely, none at all.

7. The habit of economy once formed,

"Tis easy to attain to prosperous things.

Thou then shalt lend, not borrow: shalt not want
A helping trifle when thy friend hath need,
Or means to seize an opportunity,–

Seed-coin, to ensure a harvest. Thou shalt then
Want not an alms for pinching poverty;

And, though a sudden sickness dam the stream,
And cut off thy supplies, thou shalt lie down
And view thy morrows with a tranquil eye;
Even benumbing age shall scare thee not,
But find thee unindebted, and secure
From all the penury and wretchedness

That dog the footsteps of improvidence.

LESSON CXVIII.

OM NIPO TENT, all-powerful,
IN TER MI NA BLE, endless.

MILK' Y-WAY, galaxy; luminous cir-
ASTRAL, starry. [cle in the heavens.
IN FIN'I TUDE, unlimited extent.
IM PET U OUS, rushing.

AD JUST MENTS, arrangements.

AS TRON' O MER, one skilled in the RET'I NUE, company.

science of the stars.

AP PROX' I MATE LY, nearly.

SAT EL LITES, small planets revolv ing round others.

GRANDEUR OF THE UNIVERSE.

O. M. MITCHEL

1. If you would know the glory of the Omnipotent Ruler IF of the universe, examine the interminable range of suns and systems which crowd the Milky-Way. Multiply the hundred millions of stars which belong to our own "island universe" by the thousands of these astral systems that exist in space, within the range of human vision, and then you may form some idea of the infinitude of His kingdom; for lo! these are but a part of His ways.

2. Examine the scale on which the universe is built. Comprehend, if you can, the vast dimensions of our sun. Stretch outward through his system, from planet to planet, and circumscribe the whole within the immense circumference of Neptune's orbit. This is but a single unit out of the myriads of similar systems.

3. Take the wings of light, and flash with impetuous speed, day and night, and month, and year, till youth shall wear away, and middle age is gone, and the extremest limit of human life has been attained;-count every pulse, and, at each, speed on your way a hundred thousand miles; and when a hundred years have rolled by, look out, and behold! the thronging millions of blazing suns are still around you,