bird. He would snatch up a piece of meat, almost from the very mouth of the dog, and hasten beyond the reach of his chain, as if to tease him. Then he would hop towards him, and hold the morsel close to his nose, and when the dog was preparing to snap it up, would quickly dart off again.

At other times he would hide the piece of meat under a stone, and then coming back, with a cunning look, would perch upon the dog's head. It was observed, however, that he always ended his pranks by either giving the whole piece to his friend, or sharing it with him.

The intimacy continued for a considerable length of time, and ended only with the death of the poor raven, which was killed by the blow of a stone thrown at him by a boy, for which he was very properly dismissed from the service of his master. Boys are often cruel to helpless animals; but such conduct is very wrong, and always deserves to be punished.

Very different from the character and disposition of the boy who killed this poor bird was the conduct of a dog by which its life had been saved a short time before. We do not know whether it was his particular friend, whose food he shared, or another. By some accident the raven had fallen into a tub of water, and was unable to get out, on account of its feathers being soaked with water.

The dog, chained at a short distance, saw the poor bird's danger. He dragged his heavy kennel towards it, reached his head over the side of the

tub, and taking the drowning raven up in his mouth, laid him gently on the ground, where he soon recovered. Comparing the conduct of the dog that saved the bird's life with that of the boy who killed it, will you not say that the former acted like a man, and the latter like a brute?

LITTLE Edward thought much about the Lord, and tried to do right. When he was only four years old, he did not like to go to bed without saying his prayers. It was a very pleasant sight, after he had eaten the bread and milk from his little porringer, and had his night gown tied nicely, to see him kneel by his mother's side, and lisp his evening hymn, and the Lord's Prayer.

He loved his father dearly, and when his mother 3 rā'vn. 4 nā'ing. 5 hā'sn.

Pron. yu'zhu-al-lẹ. 2 sīt.

told him that God was his Father in heaven, he also loved him; and when he repeated his prayer, he really wished that the Lord would do good to his father, and mother, and himself, and all persons.

It was a pleasure to look in Edward's face; for he had so much sweetness and innocence in him, that it shone1 out at his eyes; and they were so clear, and bright, and blue, that his countenance was like the sky in a happy summer's morning.

When I was twenty years old, and he was four, he would watch the time in the afternoon when I laid my work away, and always ask me then to go and run with him; and we used to run round the house together for half an hour at a time. How pleasant it is to play with those who are kind and good!

His little feet went so fast, that he almost always reached the corner before I could; and the first thing I would see would be his little sparkling eyes, and his gold-colored ringlets blowing in the wind, as he bent forward to peep and see if I was coming.

One day the kitten was running round the corner, when he came up very quick, and she was so scared, that she put up her back and hissed; and then you might have heard Edward all over the neighborhood, he laughed so loud.

When we went into the house, his cheeks would be as red as the beautiful little crab-apples in the garden, and his breath would come so fast that he could hardly speak; but as soon as he could speak, he would say, "Now you will tell me a

story." Then he would take my hand, and lean his little curly head on my shoulder, by the hour together, as quiet and happy as a little lamb, that lies down by its mother's side, and chews clover in the sunshine.

One night, when I took him up in my lap to undress him, I said, "Whose boy are you, Edward ? " "I am God's boy," said he; "he has lent me to my father and mother, but one of these days I shall go to him." He sat for some time looking out at the window, and winking his eyes slowly, as if he was thinking of something; and then he turned towards me with a look full of love and joy, as he said, "If I am a very good boy, it may be that mother, and I, and all of us, will go to heaven together. I should like to have hold of dear mother's hand when we go."

I kissed him; and I knew that, whether he lived to be a man, or died while he was a little boy, he would always be happy while he thought so much of the Lord. Indeed, he never seemed to forget that all his little comforts, and all things he loved, were given him by a good Father, who is in heaven.

One evening I was sitting at my chamber window, when I heard the girl coming up stairs to put Edward to bed. As he went by the door, I heard his sweet voice, as he said, "Where is my aunt Maria? I must bid her good night." I opened the door, and stooped down to take him up. He put his arms round my neck, and said, in a very coax

ing tone, "You will hear me say my prayers — you will put me to bed, will you not?"

I could not say no to the little darling, because he was always so good. So the girl went down stairs, and he kneeled down and repeated the Lord's Prayer. He did not then wish to go to bed, but asked to sit down on the floor, and warm his feet in the moonshine. So he sat down where the moon shone brightly on his little white toes, and he looked up at the sky a moment before he said, "The moon is a very bright thing. God made it. I wonder what he made it for."

I told him that I supposed the moon was a great world, and that folks lived there; and that the moon did many good things which he was not old enough to understand; and that every thing the Lord made was on purpose to do good. I loved him the better for thinking who made the moon.

When I told him that it was time to go to bed, he did not say another word. He took my hand, and ran hopping and jumping along, sometimes on one foot, and sometimes on the other, - for his little heart was always glad.

Edward is now ten years old; but he does not forget to pray to the Lord, to read the sacred Scriptures, or to do what he knows is pleasing to the Lord. On the Sabbath he chooses to go to church, or stay at home and learn how to do right, rather than join in any noisy play, or ramble about for

amusement.