ARMER DOBBS had an

apple tree-rosy of hue

Was the plentiful fruit on the branches that grew;

It was far from the house, it was safe from the view

Of good Mr. Dobbs and his farming-man too;

But one little boy, when to school he was going, Would often glance up at the ripe apples glowing With bright glossy specks on their dark crimson peel; He looked, and he longed, and determined-to steal.

II.

So he climbed o'er the fence, the tall tree he ascended, Glanced fearfully round, then, with one hand extended,

An apple he reached-when his fingers grew slack,
For a voice loud and angry had shouted, "Go back!"
"Go back!" said another; "Go back !" said a third;
With terror o'ercome at the voices he heard,

This poor naughty boy, whose sad story I tell,
Dropped his hold of the bough, lost his balance and fell

III.

They picked him up soon and conveyed him to bed,
With a cut on his knee and a bruise on his head;
And then, while he lay and for pain could not rest,
He plainly saw honesty always is best,

And cried, "If ever I get better again,

I'll take the advice of the good guinea-hen,

'Go back' when I am tempted to do what is wrong." So this is the end of the guinea-hen's song.

LXXIV. THE FOX AND THE LAND-CRAB.

A

YOUNG land-crab once crept out of his pond to make a little excursion in a meadow and see what was going on in the world. A fox who happened to be passing at the moment noticed the crab as he crept slowly along, and after having wished him good-morning, added, in a mocking tone, "Where are you going so slowly? When do you hope to get to the other side of this field? It seems to me that you go backward instead of forward."

2. Now, this was a clever young crab who had

heard how sly foxes are, and he thought there could be no harm in playing this one a trick, so he answered, politely, "I am only a crab, it is true, and I cannot walk so gracefully as you, Mr. Fox, but I can run much faster."

3. Mr. Fox sneered, "Indeed ?"

4. "Well," said the crab, "as you appear to doubt my speed, suppose we run a race for a wager. Have you any objection?"

5. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure," returned the fox. "Shall we run from Berne to Bâle ?"

6. "Oh no; that would take too much time. I suggest we try half a mile, or say a mile; that will not be too much for either of us."

7. "A mile!" echoed the fox, as if he thought, "What is a mile to me? I can run that while the crab is getting ready to set off.”

8. "I will offer you one advantage," added the crab, "which you must accept if I am to race with you.'

9. "Well, let me hear what it is," said Reynard, who was beginning to feel impatient.

10. "I will give you your own length start of Place yourself so that your hind feet touch my nose, and when I cry, 'Away!' you must

me.

set off."

11. This plan seemed to please Mr. Fox, and he answered, "I will do exactly as you wish,"

turned himself round and placed his bushy tail within the reach of the crab, who seized the long hair tightly with his claws, without the fox perceiving that he had done so, and shouted at the same moment, "Away!"

12. Off started Mr. Fox as if the hunters were behind him, his feet scarcely touching the ground. As soon as he reached the milestone he turned round and cried, "Where are you, Mr. Crab? where are you dawdling?"

13. Now, as the fox turned round to look for his companion, his tail touched the milestone, and the crab, making the best of his opportunity, let go his hold, and answered, "Here am I waiting for you. I was just wondering when you intended to make your appearance; you have certainly taken time enough to get over a mile."

14. Now, Mr. Fox, who had no idea that he had brought the crab all the way clinging to his brush, looked much astonished at seeing him there, not the least heated or tired; and not knowing what to say, he paid his wager and slunk home to his den, determined never to laugh at a crab again.

15. Those who are always trying to deceive others may expect some day to be caught by the very people they have been trying to dupe.

LXXV.-COMING.

I.

HE birds are coming home soon;

THE
I look for them every day;

I listen to catch the first wild snatch,
For they must be singing by May.

II.

The bluebird, he'll come first, you know,
Like a violet that has taken wings;
And the redbreast trills while his nest he builds;
I can hum the song that he sings.

III.

And the crocus and wind-flower are coming, too; They're already upon the way;

When the sun warms the brown earth through and through,

I shall look for them any day.

IV.

But the rose will be dreaming away the spring,
And hoarding her spicy wealth,

While the Mayflower is graciously blossoming
In the cold, damp woods by stealth.

V.

Then be patient, and wait a little, my dear;

They're coming!" the winds repeat;

"We're coming! we're coming!" I'm sure I hear

From the grass blades that grow at my feet.