L

LITTLE BY LITTLE.

ITTLE by little," an acorn said,

As it slowly sank on its mossy bed,
"I am improving every day,
Hidden deep in the earth away."
Little by little, each day it grew,
Little by little it sipped the dew;
Downward it sent out a threadlike root;
Up in the air sprang a tiny shoot.
Day after day, and year after year,
Little by little the leaves appear;

And the slender branches spread far and wide,
Till the mighty oak is the forest's pride.

Far down in the depths of the dark blue sea,

An insect train works ceaselessly;

Grain by grain, they are building well,

Each one alone in its little cell.
Moment by moment, and day by day,
Never stopping to rest or play,

Rocks upon rocks, they are rearing high,
Till the top looks out on the sunny sky;
The gentle wind and the balmy air,
Little by little, bring verdure there;
Till the summer sunbeams gayly smile
On the buds and flowers of the coral isle.

"Little by little,” said a thoughtful boy; "Moment by moment, I'll well employ, Learning a little every day,

And not spending all my time in play. And still this rule in my mind shall dwell, 'Whatever I do I will do it well!'

Little by little, I learn to know

The treasured wisdom of long ago;

And one of these days perhaps we'll see
That the world will be better for me."
And do not you think that this simple plan
Made him a wise and useful man?

I

THE SEASONS.

Maria.

LOVE the spring, the gentle spring,

When the warm south breezes blow, When the pretty flowers grow.

Anna.

I love the pleasant summer hours,
When the earth is glad and bright,
And butterflies with painted wings,
Are sporting in the light.

William.

The autumn months are dear to me,
The harvests of the year;

I love to see the loaded trees,

And the reapers' song to hear.

Henry.

I love the cheerful winter best,

I love the frost and snow;

On the slippery ice, with sleds or skates, How merrily we can go.

All.

We love each season in its turn,

For each is full of joy,

When books and work, and healtful play

Our youthful days employ.

IT'S

"To coast upon my fine new sled,

And beat the other boys;

But then I cannot bear to climb

The plaguy hill, for every time
It more and more annoys."

So while his school-mates glided by,
And gladly tugged up hill, to try

Another merry race,

Too indolent to share their plays,

Ned was compelled to stand and gaze,

While shivering in his place.

Thus he would never take the pains
To seek the prize that labor gains,
Until the time had passed;
For all his life, he dreaded still
The silly bugbear of up-hill,
And died a dunce at last.

MARY

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.

ARY. I wish you would lend me your thimble, Sarah, for I can never find mine when I want it.

Sarah. And why can you not find it, Mary?

Mary. I am sure I cannot tell; but if you do not choose to lend me yours, I can borrow of somebody else.

Sarah. I am willing to lend it to you, but I should like to have you tell me why you always come to me to borrow, when you have lost anything.

Mary. Because you never lose your things, and always know where to find them.

Sarah. And how, think you, do I always know where to find my things?

Mary. How can I tell? If I knew, I might sometimes contrive to find my own.

Sarah. I will tell you the secret, if you will hear it. I have a place for everything; and after I have done using a thing, I always put it in its proper place, and never leave it to be thrown about and lost,

Mary. I never can find time to put my things away; and who wants, as soon as she has used a thing, to have to run and put it away, as if one's life depended upon it?

Sarah. Your life does not depend upon it, Mary, but your convenience does; and let me ask, how much more time will it take to put a thing in its proper place, than to hunt after it when lost, or borrow of your friends?

Mary. Well, I will never borrow of you again, you may depend upon it.

Sarah. Why, you are not affronted, I hope.

Mary. No; but I am ashamed, and am determined before night to have a place for everything, and to keep everything in its place.

Sarah. If you do so, you will not only be much happier, but you will be able to accomplish more in life. You will form habits of order, which will be of great value to you.