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7. "Are they not black, sir?" asked Henry. 8. "Be still, both of you," said the old man. "Neither of you seems to be aware that lobsters are dark green till they are boiled, and that then their color is changed to red. Now, before you quarrel again, my lads, be sure you know what it is all about."

III. THE KNIFE IN THE WELL.

FRANK

RANK was playing about the well-curb with his bright new penknife in his hand, when, to his great sorrow, he dropped the knife into the depths below. He heard it ringing and saw it glancing down the old mossy stones, and in his distress and vexation, was almost tempted to spring down after it.

2. As it was, he could only go into the house and tell his grief to his mother, who sympathized with him, and very likely took occasion to tell him what a good thing it was to be careful, and all that.

3. Uncle John sat by the window, and when he had heard about the accident he asked:

"Was the knife open?"

4. "Yes, sir; I was making a fiddle out of a shingle."

5. "Well, don't give up until we see what can be done."

6. So he took a small looking-glass to the well, and directed a bright sunbeam to search diligently in the bottom for the missing knife.

7. "There it is, uncle; oh, there it is!" shouted Frank, in great excitement. "I see the pearl handle. Now, if the sunbeam could only fish it up," he added, more sorrowfully.

8. Uncle John said nothing, but walked into the house, and pretty soon came out with a large horseshoe magnet attached to a stout string.

9. "What are you going to do with that magnet, Uncle John?" asked Frank.

10. "Oh, you wait patiently a few moments and you will see," said Uncle John.

11. Very carefully he lowered the magnet into the well, keeping the sunbeam fixed on the knife, and presently the magnet touched the bright steel. It clung fast to the bar, and was literally fished up by it, to the great joy of Frank and the admiration of all beholders.

12. You see what a good thing a little science is.

QUESTIONS.

Where did Frank lose his knife? Did you ever see a well? What is a well? Did Frank's mother help him get the knife again? Who did help him? How did Uncle John get sight of it? Please hold your book in the way you think Uncle John held the lookingglass. Would a book have done as well as a glass? Why not? What did Uncle John fish the knife out with? Did you ever see a magnet? Would a magnet draw up a pencil or a marble in the same way?

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IV.-LEARN OR BURN.

I.

O away from the light, little miller;
'T will singe your beautiful wings;
I know it is bright, and a glorious sight;
But it isn't quite right, little miller,
To play with such dangerous things.

II.

You must look and not touch, little miller;
You don't see the careful old birds
Get a scorch or a smutch by driving at such;
The peril's too much, little miller;

Ah, pretty, beware of my words!

III.

Your mother is gone, little miller;
She was lost in a terrible fire.

She thought it a star with its portal ajar;
But it wasn't so far, little miller;

With pity I saw her expire!

IV.

Unheeded advice, little miller;

No flame-withered wing will return; Fair warning's not twice overlooked by the wise; You've paid your own price, little miller, To learn that a fire will burn.

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V.-THE MONKEY AND THE CATS.
(A Fable.)

TWO hungry cats, having stolen some cheese,

could not agree between themselves how to divide it. Therefore they went to law, and a cunning monkey was to be judge and decide their cause.

2. The monkey put the two pieces of cheese which the cats had brought him, into some scales, to see if they were of equal weight. "Let me see," said the judge, with a sly look. "This slice weighs more than the other;" and with that he bit off a large piece.

3. "Why do you bite our cheese?" said the

cats.

4. "Because," said the monkey, "I must see that neither of you has more than the other."

5. The other scale had now become too heavy; so the honest judge helped himself to a second mouthful.

6. "Hold! hold!" cried the two cats. "Give each of us her share of what is left, and we will be content."

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7. "If you are content," said the monkey, 'justice is not; the law, my friends, must have its course."

8. Upon this he nibbled first one piece and then the other, till the poor cats, seeing their cheese in a fair way to be all eaten up, most humbly begged him not to put himself to any further trouble, but to give them what still remained.

9. "Ha! ha! ha! not so fast, I beseech you, good ladies," said the monkey; "I owe justice to myself as well as to you, and what remains is due to me as the lawyer." Upon this he crammed the whole into his mouth at once, and very gravely broke up the court.

10. This fable teaches us that it is better to put up with a trifling loss than to run the risk of losing all we have by going to law.

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