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it was real fun, and laughed aloud. But the cat, hearing the noise, hastened home to see what was the matter, and arrived just as the dog was in the act of seizing the largest kitten that stood out foremost in defence of her home and sisters.

Ranger had received several severe scratches about his head before he knew whence they came, for the cat had approached unperceived by the whole party. Howling with pain, the dog rushed blindly against Arthur, who was thrown backwards through an open stairway to the floor below.

Arthur's mother heard his cries, and hastened to his assistance. She was greatly alarmed to find her little boy lying at the foot of the stairs with his face covered with blood; but, on reaching home, she discovered that he was not much hurt.

Arthur had often been told the danger of disobedience; but he could not always resist temptation. He now resolved to obey his parents, and has since become a very good boy.

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SWEETEST Songster of the grove,
Little darling robin, come;
Hasten from the lonely wood,
Make this cherry tree thy home.

Just between these parting boughs
Build thy warm and downy nest;
Never was there prettier spot
For a little bird to rest.

When the day begins to dawn,
Go and sit upon the spray,

1 Pron. är'thur. 2 nâw'te.

And wake me, robin, from my sleep,
With thy merriest morning lay.

When my breakfast is prepared,
I will pay thee for thy song;
Half my bread thou shalt divide
Thy dear family among.

And when round thy quiet nest

The cherries hang so ripe and sweet,
Robin, thou shalt have them all
For thy little ones to eat.

No rude boy, in wanton sport,
Shall thy eggs or nestlings take;
For I will guard this cherry tree,

Gentle robin, for thy sake.

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JULIA BROWN had always been a good-natured, quiet child, until she was about seven years old; and then she acquired a habit of being sulky and ill humored when any thing displeased her.

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Sometimes it happened that Julia wanted to go into the garden and play, just at the time that her mother wanted her to mark some towels, or mend a hole in a stocking for one of her little brothers.

As soon as her mother gave Julia the stocking to mend, or the towel to mark, she would begin to look so cross and dull that no one could bear to see her. She would go and sit with the work in a corner of the room, put down her head, and, if any one came into the room and spoke to her, she would hang her head still lower, and return no answer.

Her mother, who loved her dearly, was ashamed to see her behave so ill, because she knew that no good person will ever love an ill-tempered child, and that bad, ill-tempered children scarcely ever make good men and women. Julia's mother used to think of all this until it sometimes made her weep.

It was a custom with Julia's mother to make a great many presents to her children and their little playfellows on the evening of New-Year's Day.

The end of the year drew nigh, and Julia began to be afraid that she should have no present; for she was a sensible child, and knew that she did not deserve to have any thing given to her.

But, about that time, Julia's mother went often into a back parlor, and, when she came out, she always locked the door, and put the key in her pocket. One day Julia asked her mother why she went into the back parlor, and always locked the door as soon as she came out.

"I have something to do there alone," answered her mother. "You will know on New-Year's

Day."

Poor Julia was afraid to ask any more questions. She thought her mother intended to punish her on that day for all her misbehavior, and yet Julia could not help sometimes being sulky and cross, though she thought, every time she had been in an ill humor, she would never be so again.

At last New-Year's Day came, and Julia's brothers and sisters were quite merry and pleased, and talked a great deal to each other. "I wonder," said Henry, "what I shall have given to me this evening. I think my present will be a very fine one; for last year I had no present, because I was so wicked as to pinch little sister for taking away one of my playthings; and mother said if I were good all the year, I should have something pretty to make up for it. And I have been as good as I could be ever since."

The children went on talking in this manner for some time; but Julia was obliged to be silent, for she did not like to say to her brothers and sisters that she should have no present.

As soon as dinner was over, all the invited children began to come. They were all pleased, and played in such a pretty manner, that Julia quite forgot to be sulky the whole day.

When Julia's mother went into the room where the children were playing, and saw Julia smiling, or went by the door, and heard their cheerful

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