the grocer's, where he had been on some errand for his mother.

2. He had put it, as he thought, safely in his pocket; but when, as he was running up the steps of his house, he put his hand in to have it ready to give to his mother, the sixpence was not there! Well, what if it was not?" I think I hear some young reader say; "if it was not, it was only sixpence ' That was not much."

66

3. Perhaps not much to you, my young friend; but whether you are rich or poor, I. can tell you, that one who does not care about a sixpence now, is very likely, in the end, not to have one to care about. But the family of the boy, as I told you before, was very poor.

4. It had only what this poor boy and his brother, not much older than himself, could earn from day to day, to support the mother and four children. They were quiet and decent, and their good mother's neatness and industry kept them so com. fortable in outward appearance, that hardly any one, to look at them, would think how very poor they were.

5. I say hardly any one would find it out, because, by looking at their faces, people who are in the habit of taking an interest in the happiness of their fellow-creatures, might observe a quiet look of sorrow, and a thin, sunken cheek, that could not be misunderstood.

6. These boys were accustomed to leave home early in the morning, and work at whatever jobs they could find to do. Some days they would come home with a few shillings, some days with only a few pence, and sometimes they would have to return without having earned anything.

7. Yet at all times their rent-money would be hoarded up, even if the family went supperless to bed; for if that was not paid, they would be turned away, and have no place of shelter

QUESTIONS. What words are emphatic in the first verse of the reading lesson? Point out the other emphatic words that are marked in this piece. What other words, not printed in Italics, are emphatic? What duty may you learn from this reading lesson ? .

where they might enjoy their only comfort, the company of

each other.

8. You may imagine, young reader, that even a sixpence, to people in their condition, must always be of value. But on the morning of which I was speaking, it was their all.

9. The boy had bought some soap and starch, which his mother was to use in washing some clothes for a family in the neighborhood, and this sixpence was all that she had left to buy herself and the two smaller children some of the cheapest kind of food to eat through the day, while the larger boys were out at work.

10. When he missed the money, his first act was to turn his pocket inside out, that he might be certain it had not got into some corner. But no! no sixpence was there! Then he sorrowfully turned round, and went slowly back the way that he had come, looking carefully about until he came to the store where he had bought his things.

11. There, too, he searched; and as it was not there, the keeper kindly came out, and helped him again to look upon the road, and they even swept and raked the dirt, but all in vain. "It will never do; the sixpence is gone," said the store. keeper, as he turned away; and so, indeed, it seemed.

12. But just then a little girl came by, who knew the condition of the boy's family. She heard what the man said, and as she thought how valuable even a sixpence might be to the poor boy and his mother, she felt very sorry for his loss. But she knew that being sorry alone would do no good, and as she saw that the boy would not give up looking, a scheme came into her mind.

13. So she hurried to her home, which was close at hand, and got another sixpence. Then crossing the street, as she had done before, she walked past the boy, who was still stooping and searching, and slyly dropped the money just before him, so that when he turned round he could not help seeing it.

14. Before she had gone very far, he did turn round, and then, if you had seen how his eyes beamed with joy and surprise, as he snatched it up, and ran home to tell his mother of his good fortune, you would have said the sight was worth more than a dozen sixpences. But did not the little girl

Yes, without doubt; for it

feel even happier than he did? is written in the Bible, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

15. Reader, are you poor? You may see from this history that there are others as poor, and perhaps poorer, than yourself. If you love to be idle or to play, which I hope is not the case,-more than to try to work and help your parents, think of those boys who furnished a home for their mother and younger brother and sister, and try to imitate their example.

16. At any rate, learn what a comfort kindness and affection in a family may be, even in the worst of worldly circumstances. Has God blessed you with plenty, and given you many a sixpence to spend at your own pleasure? Think how many poor persons there are, to whom the money that you perhaps waste in buying dainties or foolish toys would be a great blessing, and relieve them from the want they suffer.

17. Observe, too, my young friends, how considerately the little girl acted. She did not wound the feelings of the poor boy, who she knew had never begged, by openly offering her money, but gave it to him in such a manner, that she thought only God and her own heart would know what she had done.

18. Go, my young reader, and as far as you have opportunity or means, be like that little girl in willingness to do good, and in prudence in doing it. There is no child so poor as not to be able to do some act of kindness or of love for others.

4*

ANTITHETIC EMPHASIS is the stress of voice placed upon words and sentences when in contrast.

RULE. Two or more words opposed to each other in meaning are emphatic by contrast.

EXAMPLES.

1. If greatness flatters our vanity, it multiplies our dangers.

2. Those best can bear reproof, who merit praise.

3. It is more blessed to give, than to receive.

4. He that knows himself, knows others.

5. Mist darkens the mountain; night darkens the vale.

6. Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

7. Cæsar was celebrated for his generosity; Cato for his unsullied integrity.

8. None more impatiently suffer injuries, than they who are most forward in doing them.

9. The simple inherit folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

ENVY AND EMULATION.

J. AIKEN.

1. Ar one of the celebrated schools of painting in Italy, a young man, named Guidotto, produced a piece so excellent that it was the admiration of the masters in the art, who all declared it to be their opinion that he could not fail of rising to the summit of his profession, should he proceed as he had begun.

2. This performance was looked upon with very different eyes by two of his fellow-scholars. Brunello, the elder of them, who had himself acquired some reputation in his studies,

QUESTIONS. What is antithetic emphasis? What is the rule for antithetic emphasis ↑ Read the first example. What words are emphatic by contrast? Read the remaining examples, and point out the emphatic words.

was mortified, in the highest degree, at this superiority of Guidotto; and regarding all the honor his rival had acquired as so much taken from himself, he conceived the most rancorous dislike of him, and longed for nothing so much as to see him lose the credit he had gained.

3. Afraid openly to deny the merit of a work which had obtained the approbation of the best judges, he threw out secret insinuations that Guidotto had been assisted in it by some one of his masters; and he affected to represent it as a sort of lucky hit, which the reputed author would probably never equal.

4. Not so with Lorenzo. Though a very young proficient in the art, he comprehended, in its full extent, the excellence of Guidotto's performance, and became one of the sincerest of his admirers. Fired with the praises he saw him receive on all sides, he ardently desired, at some day, to merit a similar approbation.

5. He placed him before his eyes, as a fair model, which it was his highest ambition to equal; for as yet he could not even conceive the possibility of excelling him. He never spoke of him but with rapture, and could not bear to hear the detractions of Brunello.

6. Lorenzo did not, however, content himself with words, but entered with his whole soul into the career of improvement. He was first and last of all the scholars in the designing-room, and devoted to practice, at home, those hours which other youths passed in amusement.

7. It was long before he could please himself with any of his attempts, and he was continually repeating, "Alas! how far distant is this from Guidotto's!" At length, however, he had the satisfaction of becoming sensible of progress; and having received considerable applause, on account of one of his

QUESTIONS. What words are emphatic by contrast in the second verse? Point out the other emphatic words that are marked in this piece, and tell why they are emphatic What other words, not printed in Italic, are emphatic by contrast?