THE SUMMER NOSEGAY.

Now the yellow cowslips fade,

All along the woody walk;
And the primrose hangs her head
Faintly on her tiny stalk;

Let us to the garden go,

Where the flowers of summer grow.

Come and make a nosegay there,
Plucking every flower that blows :
Briar sweet, and lily fair

That along the valley grows,

With a honeysuckle red,

Round a shady arbour led.

Then a budding rose or two,

Half in mossy leaves enrolled,
With a larkspur red and blue,

Streaky pink, and marigold:
These shall make our posy gay,
In the cheerful summer day.

FREDERICK THE GREAT, King of Prussia, rang his bell one day, and nobody answering, opened the door where his page was always in waiting, and found him asleep on a sofa.

The king was going to wake him, but saw the end of a letter hanging out of the page's pocket. Wishing to know the contents of this letter, he took

and read it, and found it came from the boy's mother, thanking him for having sent her a part of his wages, to assist her in her distress, and concluding with beseeching God to bless him for his loving attention to her wants.

The king returned softly to his room, took a purse of ducats, and slid them with the letter into

the page's pocket. Returning to his room, he rang the bell so loudly that the page awoke, opened the door, and entered.

"You have slept well," said the king. The page made an excuse, and in his confusion, happened to put his hand into his pocket, and felt with *amazement the purse. He drew it out, turned

pale, and looking at the king, burst into tears, without being able to speak a word.

"What is the matter?" asked the king; "what ails you?"

"Ah, sir," said the young man, throwing himself at his feet, "somebody has wished to ruin I know not how I came by this money in my pocket."

me.

"My friend," said Frederick, "God often sends us good in our sleep. Give the money to your mother; and assure her that I shall take care of her and you."

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This story shows the 5 gratitude and duty which children owe to their parents.

If children of aged, poor, or infirm parents will follow the example of this page, though they may not be rewarded as he was, yet God will surely bless them, and they will be truly happy, in knowing that they have done their duty.

'filial affection, love of a child for its parents. filial, belonging to a son or daughter. ducats, silver or gold coin made in

the dominions of a duke. 5 gratitude, thankfulness. owes another.

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4

amazement, very great surprise. duty, that service which one person

THE CHILDREN'S CHOICE.
Robert. Of all the trees that grow in the wood,
The oak seems the king to me;

How proudly he stretches his boughs abroad!
What a 'sturdy trunk has he!

Of his tough, clean wood brave ships are made,
To sail o'er the ocean wide;

As once they wrestled with storms on land,
So now they 'defy wind and tide.

Laura. The oak is strong, but the pine is sweet,

And softly he singeth to me

Through the midsummer hours, when I lie at his feet,
And dream what my future shall be.

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Ned.

The oak and the pine may be strong and sweet,
But I shall the apple-tree sing,

For the juicy red fruit he drops at our feet,
And his rose-and-white bloom in the spring.
What puddings and pies and 'cider clear
To this dear old tree we owe !

What lively frolics, what Christmas cheer!
Long, long may it live and grow!

Bessy. My favourite tree is the Christmas-tree!
It grows in a tub of moss;

It brought your Bessy this darling doll,
And a beautiful rocking-horse.

It grew in our parlour, all in one night,
'Most up to the top of the wall,

All covered with presents and candles bright;
Bessy thinks it's the best tree of all!

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'sturdy, strong. 2wrestle, struggle, fight. defy, dare, brave. spicy, fragrant. 5 carver, one who carves or cuts designs in wood. cider, a drink made from apples.

A PAIR of twin sisters were so much alike that it was difficult to tell them apart. Their little hearts were also united in the sweetest love. Dressed always alike, they might usually be seen hand in hand; and wherever one was, you might be sure that the other would not be far away.

When old enough to attend school, they sat side by side, studied from the same book, wrote the same copy, shaded with their pencils the same flower, sang the same song in the same key.