4. At length he desired the maid to request his mother to come to him, as he could not go to sleep till he had told her something which made him very unhappy.

5. The good lady went to him immediately; and when she came to his bedside, he put his little arms around her neck, and, bursting into tears, said to her, "Dear mammà, forgive me! I have been very naughty to-day.

6. "I have told a falsehood; and I have concealed it from you. I was playing at marbles with my cousins; I won the game through a mistake which they did not find out; and I was so much pleased at being conqueror, that I did not tell them of the mistake.

7. "I have been very unhappy ever since, and I am afraid to go to sleep, lest that Heavenly Father whom you so often tell me of, should be angry with me. You say he knows and sees every thing. What shall I do that he may forgive me?"

8. "My child," said the mother, "God is ever ready to forgive those who are truly sorry for their faults, and who resolve to do what is right. He hears our prayers; and he will teach us what we should do.

9. "Pray to him to forgive your fault; and endeavour never to commit the like again, lest you should displease him more by a second than by the first offence.”

10. The little boy reflected seriously on the advice his mother gave him; and prayed in the

best manner he was able to Almighty God, that He would forgive him, and grant him his grace to do better for the future.

11. He then fell asleep; and rose the next morning happy and cheerful. No doubt when he saw his cousins, he told them of their mistake, and how much he had suffered for taking advantage of it.

LESSON XVI,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

1. WHEN George Washington, the first President of the United States, was about six years of age, some one made him a present of a hatchet.

2. Being, like most children, immoderately fond of his weapon, he went about chopping every thing that came in his way, and going into the garden he unluckily tried its edge on an English cherry tree, stripping it of its bark, and leaving little hope of its recovery.

3. The next morning, when his father saw the tree, which was a great favourite, in this condition, he inquired who had done the mischief, declaring he would not have taken five guineas for it but no one could inform him of the

offender.

4. At length, however, came George, with the hatchet in his hand, into the place where his

father was, who immediately suspected him to be the culprit.

5. "George," said the old gentleman, "do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden?"

6. The child hesitated for a moment, and then nobly replied, "I can't tell a lie, 'pa,—you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet."

7. "Run to my arms, my boy," exclaimed his father, "run to my arms! Glad am I, George, that you have killed my tree, for you have paid me for it a thousand times.

8. "Such an act of heroism in my son, is of more worth than a thousand cherry trees. I hope my son will always be hero enough to tell the truth, let what will happen."

LESSON XVII.

THE PURPLE JAR.

1. ROSAMOND, a little girl of about seven years old, was walking with her mother in the streets of London. As she passed along, she saw many things in the windows of the shops, of which she did not know the use, nor even the names. She wished to stop and look at them; but there were so many people, and carts and carriages in the streets, that she was afraid to let go her mother's hand.

2. "Oh, mother, how happy I should be," said she, as she passed a toy-shop, "if I had all those pretty things!"

3. "What! all? Do you wish for them all, Rosamond ?"

4. "Yes, mamma, all.”

5. As she spoke, they came to a milliner's shop; the windows were hung with ribbons, lace, and artificial flowers.

6. 66

Oh, mamma, what beautiful roses! will you buy some of them ?"

7. "No, my 8. "Why?"

dear."

9. "Because I don't want them, my child." 10. They went a little farther, and came to a jeweller's shop, which caught Rosamond's eye; and there were a great many pretty baubles, ranged in drawers behind glass.

11. "

Mamma, will you buy some of these ?" 12. "Which of them, Rosamond?"

13. "Which I don't know which ;-but any of them, for they are all pretty."

14. "Yes, they are all pretty; but of what use would they be to me?"

15. "Use! Oh, I'm sure you could find some use or other, if you would only buy them first." 16. "But I would rather find out the use, first," said her mother, and walked on.

17. Rosamond was very sorry that her mother wanted nothing. Presently, however, they came to a shop, which appeared to her far more beau

tiful than the rest.

It was a chemist's shop, but

she did not know that.

18. "Oh! mother! oh!" cried she, pulling her mother's hand; "look, look; blue, green, red, yellow, and purple! Oh, mamma, what beautiful things! Will you buy some of these?"

19. Still her mother answered as before, "Of what use would they be to me, Rosa

mond ?"

20. "You might put flowers in them, mamma, and they would look so pretty on the chimneypiece;-I wish I had one of them."

21. "You have a flower-pot," said her mother, "and that is not a flower-pot."

22. "But I could use it for a flower-pot, mamma, you know."

23. "

Perhaps, if you were to see it nearer, if you were to examine it, you might be disappointed.'

24. "No, indeed, I'm sure I should not; I should like it exceedingly."

25. Rosamond kept her head turned to look at the purple vase till she could see it no longer. 26. "Then, mother," said she, after a pause, "perhaps you have no money."

27. "Yes, I have.”

28. "Dear, if I had money, I would buy roses, and boxes, and purple flower-pots, and every thing." Rosamond was obliged to pause in the midst of her speech.

29. “Oh, mamma, will you stop a minute for