66

STEALING BIRDS' EGGS.

nearly ready to fly, this cruel boy took them out of their nice warm nest, and carried them home.

One of them died on the way, but two were alive when he came to the house. His father saw him with the birds in his hand, and asked him where he had got them.

He said that he found them on the side of the road, and he was so afraid they would be killed he had brought them home to take care of them, as they had no mother.

This was a sad un-truth, but it shows us that one wick-ed thing leads to others. This boy went on from bad to worse. First he took the eggs, then he took the young birds, and then he told a lie.

He grew up to be a bad man, and it was not strange that he came at last to a bad end.

QUESTIONS.

What did the bad boy find? come? What did the boy then Where? What did he take out do? What befell one of the of it? Where did he hide them? birds on the way to the boy's What did the bird lay a second house? Who met him on his time? How many? After what way home? What did he ask length of time was it? Who him? What did the boy answer? climbed up the tree and saw them? Was this true? What sort of Why did he not take them then? a man did the boy turn out to What did the eggs at last be- be? What was his end?

WRITE-First he took the eggs, then he took the young birds, and then he told a lie.

Write the names of streets, lanes, hills, and rivers you know.

XXXIII.-THE EAGLE AND THE CHILD.

Bird of prey, a bird that lives | Hunt'-er, sportsman.

on other birds.

Kids, young goats.

Fawns, young deer.

and long bills.

Re-cov'-er, get back.

Sur-prise', wonder.

Tal'-ons, claws.

Cranes, birds with long legs Swoop, dart.

Ey'-ry, eagle's nest.

THE eagle is a very large and fierce bird. It is a bird of prey, and can carry off

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THE EAGLE AND THE CHILD.

geese and cranes with ease. It also carries away kids, fawns, lambs, and even little chil-dren, and tears them in pieces as food for its young.

In the north of Scot-land, some years ago, a boy about two years old was carried off by an eagle; but the child's mother, having seen where the fierce bird had built its nest, ran to the spot, and, after a great deal of hard work with the eagle, she had the good fortune to re-cov-er her child.

In the country at the foot of the Alps, many years ago, some chil-dren were playing on the green in front of their parents' door. A bird of prey, that had been watching them over head, all at once made a swoop upon a very young child, and carried it off in his talons.

On the very same day, a hunter had hid himself near an eagle's nest, to wait for a shot at the bird as he came home to his ey-ry. After watch-ing for some hours, he at length saw a large bird flying slowly towards the rocks, but seeming twice as large as a common eagle.

The hunter's sur-prise was great when he

__

saw that the bird carried a child in his talons. He heard its cries, and clearly saw its face. He prayed to God, took aim at the bird, and fired. The shot took effect, and the eagle fell dead. The hunter took up the child, and carried it safely home to the sad mother.

READING AND SPELLING COLUMNS.

eagle? What animals does it near its nest?

watched?

What did he

attack and carry off? What observe? How long had he does it sometimes do to children? How old was the boy mentioned in the lesson? Where was he carried to? Who saw it done? What did she do? Where

Where was it taking the child to? Where was the bird's nest? What did the hunter hear? What did he do to the bird? What did he do before

was there another child carried he fired? Who got back the off? What was it doing at the child?

time? By what did the eagle

WRITE-The hunter took up the child, and carried it safely home to the sad mother.

"WILL you come with me, my fair one?"

I asked a little child,

"Will you come and gather flowers?"

She looked at me and smiled.

Then, in a low, sweet, gentle voice,
She said, "I cannot come,

I must not leave this narrow path,
For I am going home."

"But will you not," I asked again,

The sun is shining bright,

And you might twine a lily-wreath
To carry home at night;

And I could show you pleas-ant things
If you would only come:"

But still she answered as before-
"No, I am going home."

"But look, my child: the fields are green,
And 'neath the leafy trees
Chil-dren are playing mer-ri-ly,

Or resting at their ease;

Does it not hurt your tender feet
This stony path to tread?"
"Sometimes; but I am going home!"
Once more she sweet-ly said.

"My Father bade me keep this path,
Nor ever turn aside;

The road which leads away from Him
Is very smooth and wide;

The fields are fresh and cool and green;
Pleas-ant the shady trees;

But those around my own dear home
Are love-li-er far than these.

"I must not loiter on the road,

For I have far to go;

And I should like to reach the door

Before the sun is low.