softly dropped red leaf after red leaf upon them, until they were all covered over.

The cold winter came, with its snow and ice, but it could not harm the little violets. Safe under the friendly leaves of the old oak they slept and dreamed happy dreams until the warm.rains of spring came and waked them again.

SKINNER'S ARBOR DAY MANUAL

Do you take care of your little brother or sister? If you haven't any brother or sister, think of some kind things you could do for other little boys and girls. Violets, thus protected by leaves, live through the winter and sometimes blossom under the snow; they also grow from seeds.

If wisdom's ways you'd wisely seek,
Five things observe with care;

Of whom you speak, to whom you speak,
And how, and when, and where.

FABLES.

THE DONKEY IN THE LION'S SKIN.

A long-eared donkey once found a lion's skin hung up to dry. "Now," said he, "I'll go and dress myself up in this lion's hide and

frighten all the cattle, and horses, and sheep, and dogs, in the woods."

He started out, and away fled the sheep and other animals, almost scared out of their wits.

But he soon met an old fox, who stood still and stared at him. Then the donkey gave what he meant to sound like the terrible roar of the lion.

But the fox coolly walked up to him and said, "Do you think to frighten me? I know by your long ears that you are only a donkey, even if your noisy bray did not betray you."

THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

Once a wolf dressed himself in the skin of a sheep. In this way he was able to get among the sheep and kill them.

But at last the shepherd found him out, put a rope around his neck, and hanged him. Some travelers who were passing asked, "Do you hang your own sheep?"

"No," said the shepherd; "but I hang a wolf whenever I catch him, even if he is dressed as a sheep."

THE JACKDAW AND THE PEACOCKS.

A jackdaw once wished very much to be handsome, and was not content to live in his own plain family. He picked up the feathers which fell from the peacocks and stuck them amongst his own, and then went into a flock of peacocks, hoping to be taken for one of themselves.

They soon found him out, stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and drove him away with their sharp bills.

Upon this the jackdaw came back to his own family; but they, knowing how he had tried to leave them, refused to receive him, and said, "If you had been content to stay amongst your equals, you would not have been hurt by those above you, nor shunned by your old friends.”

- ESOP'S FABLES.

What do these stories teach? What is a fable?

fright' en

bor' rowed

těr' ri ble

The generous heart should scorn a pleasure which gives others pain.

- TENNYSON.

THE LARK AND THE FARMER.

An old lark had her nest in a field of grain. As the grain grew tall the little larks grew strong, and their proud mother counted the days until they should be able to fly.

One day, while she was away, the farmer and his son came to look at the grain. "My son," said the farmer, "this grain is nearly ripe. Go and ask our friends and neighbors to come and help us reap it to-morrow."

When the old lark came home, the little

larks all cried out together, "Mother! mother! We must move at once; the farmer is going to cut his grain!' Then they told her what they had heard the farmer say.

"Hush! hush! you silly little larks," said the mother. "So long as the farmer waits for his friends and neighbors to help him we are safe."

In a few days the farmer came again to look at his grain.

"Son," he said, "our friends and neighbors have not come. Go and ask our uncles and cousins to help us cut our grain."

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"Oh dear," said the little larks, now we must move at once."

But when the mother lark came and the little ones told her, she said, "Not yet! not yet! There is no hurry so long as the farmer waits for his cousins and uncles to help him.”

Again the farmer came. "Son," said he, "go and sharpen the sickles; to-morrow we will cut this grain ourselves."

Now, my little dears," said the wise old lark, when she heard this, "it is time for us to fly away."