wish, I will play you a tune." And they all left off their sport, and came and stood round him. And William saw that, while he played, the tears. ran down his cheeks.

"Because "I

I am very hungry," answered the old man. have nobody to give me any dinners or suppers. I have nothing in the world but this little dog; and I cannot work. If I could work, I would."

Then William went, without saying a word, and fetched the rest of his cake, which he had intended to have eaten the next day, and said, "Here, old man; here is some cake for you;" and put it into

his hat. And the fiddler thanked him, and William was more pleased than if he had eaten ten cakes. Which do you love best? Harry, or Peter, or

PAUL and Mary lived in the city. Their mother often told them how pleasant it was in the country, where she had formerly lived. She told them about the fields and beautiful flowers, the green fruit trees, and the birds which sang among their branches.

The children wished very much to see the beautiful things which their mother had described; and their father and mother took them into the country, to make a long visit. One day, Paul came running to Mary, and said, "Some one has left the door open.

1 Pron. nâud.

2 shûgar. 3 fe-zish'an. 4 q-bād'.

Come, let us run out into the fields, and see some of these fine things."

"Shall we take our toys with us?" asked Mary. "Yes," said Paul, picking up some of his ninepins; "we shall want to play with them." Mary took her doll, tied on its cloak, and set out with Paul on their tour.

They walked out of the door, hand in hand, and thence into the fields, along paths which led through the grass, and peas, and beans. At length they came to a large field, where the wheat was in the ear, and nearly ripe.

"O, look at those beautiful red and blue flowers!" said Mary, pointing to some flowers which grew in the wheat. "I wish I could have some of them to carry to mother."

"You shall have them all," said Paul; and he laid down his ninepins, and began to work his way through the wheat.

"Take me with you, Paul," said Mary; "I cannot see you when you are in the high grove."

"This is not a high grove," said Paul. "It is only a field of wheat; " and he gave Mary his hand, and they both went farther into the field. They saw and thought of nothing but the bright blue and red flowers. Paul soon gathered a large bunch, but Mary still wanted more.

“O, I am so tired! I cannot hold my

longer," said Mary.

doll any

"We will make her a bed," said Paul, "and she can sleep in it until we come back.”

They both bent down the wheat, and arched it over like a little bed. Mary laughed as she laid her doll down, and they went on their way without it. When they had been in the field nearly an hour, Mary said that she wanted something to eat.

"I want my supper," she said, with a sigh; and she looked at Paul with tearful eyes.

"We will go back and get some," said Paul, "and the next time we will be wiser, and bring some with us." They turned back, but could not find their way. The wheat had closed behind them as they passed through it, and they stood as if they were in the midst of green walls.

The sun had been down some time, and a cold dew was falling fast. Mary's frock was nearly wet through, and she grew more and more weary, until at last she cried aloud, and said, "O Paul, take me back to mother. I am so tired! I must go back to mother!"

"Do be still," said Paul; and he took hold of her hand, and sat down with her in the wheat. "Do you not hear the quails sing? They must stay in the fields all night, and why should not we? We will make as good a bed as we did for the doll, and as soon as it is daylight we will go home."

Mary looked round, and gave a few more sobs and sighs, and then lay down and tried to like her new bed. Paul sat at her side, and watched her until she fell asleep.

He then looked at the stars, as they came out in the sky, and tried to count them. But there were

soon too many to count, and then he put down his flowers, and lay down with his little sister, and like

SOON after Paul and Mary had left the house, they were missed, and search was immediately made for them. They were sought in the town, but no one had seen them. Their mother wept and searched until it grew dark, but she could not find them.

Presently the father came in, and they told him that Paul and Mary could not be found. He looked very grave, and showed two ninepins which he had picked up on the road.

"These may help us to find the track," said he, "and we will go to the place where I found them." He went one way, and sent men to search

1 Pron. thâut. 2 ŏf'fn.

3 läft. 4 kwälz

5 hi

6 sĩ.