She taught me, when I had enough,
To share it with the poor,

And never let a needy child
Go empty from the door.

So take it; for you need not fear
Offending her, you see;

I have another, too, at home;
And one's enough for me.

So then I took it; here it is;
For pray what could I do?
And, mother, I shall love that miss
As long as I love you.

JOSEPH SMITH was the son of poor parents, and a very honest boy. He would not tell a lie or do a mean action for the world.

One day he was sent to a store in the neighborhood, and a bank note was given to him to get changed. When he came home he counted the money to see that all was right; when he found that a quarter of an eagle had been given to him instead of a dime.

1 Pron. be-ğil'.

He went back to the store with the money in his hand, and addressing himself to the man who had served him, said, "Sir, I am come to tell you that you did not give me the right change."

The shopman hastily replied, "I am certain I gave it to you right, and you must have dropped some of it in going home."

"No, sir," returned Joseph; "it was carefully wrapped up in this paper, and when I came to count it over, I found —

"Ah," interrupted the shopman, "it does not signify telling us what you found; we have not time. to attend to this kind of things; if it had not been meddled with from the time I gave it to you, you would have found it all right."

The owner of the store, happening to overhear something of the dispute, came up and asked Joseph what he missed.

"I do not miss any thing, sir," replied the boy; "but I have brought back a quarter of an eagle, which was given me in mistake; will you please to take it, and give me a dime instead?”

"Certainly I will," said the gentleman; "and I am very much obliged to you for your honesty. You seem to be a poor boy, and as the money was given in mistake, and you were not known at the store, it would very likely never have been missed or traced. The thought of this must have been a strong temptation to you to keep it for your own use; how was it that you resisted it?”

* 6

"I have been taught, sir," said Joseph, "that my duty to my neighbor is, To do to others as I should wish them to do to me, if I were in their place. I know that if I had given but a cent in mistake, I should wish to have it returned, much more such a sum as this. So I made haste back with it, before there was time to be tempted to keep it."

66

"You have acted wisely and nobly," said the man; may you ever be enabled to persevere in the path of rectitude. But now, But now, as you have judged so fairly, and performed so faithfully what I had a right to desire of you, tell me, what do you think you can reasonably desire of me?"

"That you should think me an honest boy, sir."

"I do think you are an honest boy, and will give you a convincing proof of it. I have just now been inquiring after the character of a boy, who has applied to me for employment; he is a much stouter lad than you, and his employer tells me that he is quick and intelligent, but he fears that he is not strictly honest.

This is a character I cannot bear; but your conduct, my boy, in this instance, is a good character for you. I value integrity far above the highest abilities; so go home to your parents, and tell them that if they are willing, you may come here to-morrow morning."

Joseph and his parents were pleased with so good an offer. Joseph went to his place the next day. He gave great satisfaction to his employer by his

fidelity, diligence, and civility. When he became a man he was made a partner in the business, and is now respected by all who know him.

chăr'ac-ter

vǎl'ue 5 bus'iness in-těl❜li-ģent

em-plöy'ment ci-vil'i-ty re-wârd'ed mean

changed

mon'ey ea'gle

ad-dress'ing

right 3

re-plied' re-türned' tell'ing

în-ter-rupted missed hap'pen-ing9 měd'dled

LITTLE James Truman and his brother Richard asked their father, one Saturday afternoon, if they might go into the meadow to see Roger mow. Their father gave them liberty, and they went off with great glee.

They were much pleased with seeing how smoothly

Roger cut the grass, and laid it in even rows; and they took care to keep out of the way of his scythe, as their father had told them to do.

After they had been some time in the field, they heard a little squeak. Roger laid down his scythe, to see what it was, and found two young rabbits.

Roger took them up very carefully by their long ears, and putting one of them into Richard's hat, and the other into James's, desired them to take them to their mother.

The little boys were much delighted with their prize, and carried them very gently. "What have you there?" said their mother, when they came into the room.

"Two pretty little rabbits, mother," said Richard, "that were lying snug in the grass, and were in danger of being cut with Roger's scythe. He found them, and gave them to us.'

"I am glad that they were not hurt," said the mother. "We must put them into a safe place, and take care of them until they are able to take care of themselves."

She then desired the boys to take them into the summer house, in the garden. She told them that they must remember to feed them every day with parsley and young cabbage leaves, and give them some milk to drink; for it would be very cruel to let them be without food, when they have no mother to provide for them.

James and Richard were very attentive to what their mother said, and took the rabbits to the sum