GAMES OF MEMORY.

I Do not introduce these games because I think they will be of any benefit to the memory; for words without ideas do the mind no good. But they are somewhat amusing; and where a -number of children attempt to say a line, or a verse, in succession, it affords a good opportunity to collect forfeits. I have known little girls who could remember anything you gave them to learn; but who in fact knew nothing. I have seen scholars, who knew every word of their lessons; but did not know what the words meant. I remember one, that was asked, "Who first discovered the shores of the United States," and answered, "Serpents and alligators of enormous size." She expected the question, "What animals infest the shores of the Rio de la Plata?" and she did not think of the meaning of her lesson. Another, from the same habit of committing words to memory, without attaching any ideas, said that Hartford was a flourishing comical town, and the Kennebec River navigable for boots as far as Waterville; if she had attended

to the sense, she would have known the words commercial and boats. Therefore, it is only in play that I would have little girls commit a string of words, without caring what they mean. Young ladies should read and study with such habits of carefulness, as to enable them to define every word accurately, whether it be common or unNow for our games.

common.

THE KING'S GARDEN.

THIS is very much like the house that Jack built. One may try to say it alone, and pay a forfeit for any mistake: or it may be said by a circle successively. The first passes a key to the next one, saying, "I sell you the key of the king's garden;" the next passes it, and says, "I sell you the string, that ties the key of the king's garden;" the third says, "I sell you the rat, that gnawed the string, that ties the key of the king's garden;" the fourth says, "I sell you the cat, that caught the rat, that gnawed the string, that ties the key of the king's garden;" the fifth says, "I sell you the dog, that bit the cat, that caught the rat, that gnawed the string, that ties the key of the king's garden." My young readers can add as much to it as they please.

This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the rat, that ate the malt,

That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cat that killed the rat,

That ate the malt, that lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the dog that worried the cat,
That killed the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cow with the crumpled horn,
That tossed the dog, that worried the cat,
That killed the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the maiden all forlorn,

That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, that worried the cat,

That killed the rat, that ate the malt,

That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the man all tattered and torn,
That kissed the maiden all forlorn,

That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,
That tossed the dog, that worried the cat,
That killed the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the priest all shaven and shorn,
That married the man all tattered and torn,
That kissed the maiden all forlorn,
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,

That tossed the dog, that worried the cat,
That killed the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cock that crowed in the morn,
That waked the priest all shaven and shorn,
That married the man all tattered and torn,
That kissed the maiden all forlorn,
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,
That tossed the dog, that worried the cat,
That killed the rat, that ate the malt,

That lay in the house that Jack built.

THE OLD WOMAN AND HER KID.

66

AN old woman found sixpence on the ground; with this sixpence she bought a kid; but when she came home from market, the kid would not follow her; she met a dog, and she said, " Pray, dog, bite kid-kid won't go-and I see by moonlight it is now past midnight, and kid and I should have been at home an hour ago." She went a little farther, and she met a stick; "Pray, stick, beat dog-dog won't bite kid-kid won't go-and I see by moonlight," &c. She went a ittle farther, and she met a fire; "Pray, fire, ourn stick-stick won't beat dog-dog won't bite kid-kid won't go-and I see," &c. She went a little farther, and she found some water; "Pray water, quench fire-fire won't burn stick -stick won't beat dog-dog won't bite kid— kid won't go-and I see," &c. She went a little farther, and she met an ox: Pray, ox, drink water-water won't quench fire-fire won't burn stick-stick won't beat dog-dog won't bite kid -kid won't go-and I see," &c. She went a little farther, and she met a butcher; "Pray, butcher, kill ox-ox won't drink water-water won't quench fire-fire won't burn stick-stick won't beat dog-dog won't bite kid-kid won't go-and I see by moonlight, it is now past midnight; and kid and I should have been at home an hour ago."