In the dark blue sky you keep,

And often through my curtains peep;
For you never shut your eye

Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

ANN and JANE TAYLOR.

6.

INDEED it is true, it is perfectly true;

Believe me, indeed, I am playing no tricks;

An old man and his dog bide up there in the moon,
And he's cross as a bundle of sticks.

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8.

IT is after six-quite time to get up. Come-jump out and get yourselves washed as soon as you can. Don't forget to brush your hair. There is the first bell ringing for break5 fast. Be quick and get down in time.

It is time for you to go to bed. Put your things away, children. You must be very tired after your long walk.So we are. We have not quite done our lessons, but we can easily finish them in the morning before breakfast.—Very 10 well, be sure you do so.-Good night, papa; good night, dear mamma.--Good night, children. Go to bed quietly, and don't forget to say your prayers.

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II. MEALS.

9. THE FATAL QUARREL OF SAUCER,
MUG, AND SPOON.

ONE morning at breakfast-time, Saucer, Mug, and Spoon began talking to each other, and at last got so angry, that they made young Bob (who was eating his bread and butter) laugh fit to split his sides.

"Look here," said the Saucer, "I am the most ill-used fellow in the world. You, great ugly Mug, ride on the top of me all breakfast-time; and when you think I have not enough to put up with, down you slop some scalding tea upon me, or else clatter the spoon on my poor sides."

"You ill-used!" roared the Mug. "You great lazy fellow, you have nothing to do but to help to keep the table-cloth clean! Now, I am to be pitied if you like, for I am filled to the brim with hot tea; and, as if that were not enough, I am always being stirred up by this long stripling of a spoon 30 until I hardly know whether I am on my head or my heels." "Well," said the Spoon, "you both make a great fuss about nothing. I have all the work to do after all. I fetch the sugar out of the basin and mix it up afterwards, until I am

quite giddy with turning round; and when I do get a sip for myself, it is taken out of my lips in a moment by that great stupid boy, who is laughing at us now, I can see."

So they went on, and jumped and capered about as if

they had taken leave of their senses.

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They went out into the lane to talk it over quietly, but it was no good; for coming back through the garden, they began afresh at the bottom of the steps, and from words they soon came to blows. The Spoon hit the Saucer in the ribs, 5 and knocked a piece right out of him. The Mug ran at the Spoon and twisted him up in a moment; but, over-reaching himself, fell backwards on to the stone steps, breaking into five pieces, and that was the end of the quarrel. Well punished for their bad tempers they were: the Saucer was imprisoned 10 for life under a great geranium pot twenty times heavier than the little Mug; Mug, in five pieces, was thrown upon the dust-heap, and never heard of any more; while Spoon, just as he was thinking how nicely he had got off, was taken into custody by two doctor's bottles, and used for medicine 15 ever after, I believe. CHARLES BENNET.

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10.

MOLLY, my sister, and I fell out,
And what do you think it was about?
She loved coffee, and I loved tea,

And that was the reason we could not agree.

11.

THERE'S many a slip,

"Twixt the cup and the lip.

12. TOO CLEVER.

FRED came from school the first half-year
As learned as could be,

And wished to show to all around

How smart a boy was he.

And so at dinner he began,

"Papa, you think you see

Two roasted chickens on that dish,
Now I will prove them three!

13. THE WONDERFUL PUDDING.

OUR Uncle Robert one day came to us, and asked us to 10 dinner. He said he would give us a pudding, the materials of which had given work to more than a thousand men!

"A pudding that has taken a thousand men to make! Then it must be as large as a church!"

"Well, my boys," said Uncle Robert, "to-morrow at dinner- 15 time you shall see it."

Scarcely had we taken our breakfast next day, when we prepared to go to our uncle's house.

When we got there, we were surprised to see everything as calm and quiet as usual.

At last we sat down to table. The first dishes were removed our eyes were eagerly fixed on the door-in came the pudding! It was a plum-pudding of the usual kind—not a bit larger!

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"This is not the pudding that you promised us," said 25 my brother.

"It is, indeed," said Uncle Robert.

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"O uncle! you do not mean to say that more than a thousand men have helped to make that little pudding?"

"Eat some of it first, my boy; and then take your slate and 30 pencil, and help me to count the workmen," said Uncle Robert.

"Now," said Uncle Robert, "to make this pudding we must first have flour; and how many people must have laboured to procure it! The ground must have been ploughed, and sowed, and harrowed, and reaped. To make the plough, miners, 35