when you forget your time. That's a jewel! Bravo! bravo! my little man!"

6. "Bravo! bravo!" re-echoed from all parts of the dining-room. The musicians declared the canary was a greater master of music than any of their band.

7. "And do you not show your sense of this civility, sir?" cried the bird-catcher, with an angry air. The canary bowed most respectfully, to the great delight of the company.

8. His next achievement was going through the martial exercises with a straw gun; after which, "My poor jewel," says the owner, "thou hast had hard work, and must be a little weary; a few performances more and thou shalt repose. Show the ladies how to make a curtsey." The bird here crossed his taper legs, and sank and rose with an ease and grace that would have put half our young ladies to the blush.

9. "That will do, my bird! and now a bow, head and foot corresponding." Here the striplings for ten miles round London might have blushed also.

10. "Let us finish with a hornpipe, my brave little fellow. That's it; keep it up, The activity, glee, spirit, and

keep it up!"

accuracy with which this last order was obeyed, wound up the applause to the highest pitch of admiration. "Jewel" himself seemed to feel the sacred thirst of fame, and shook his little plumes, and carolled a song of triumph, that sounded like the conscious notes of victory.

11. "Thou hast done all my biddings bravely," said the master, caressing his feathered servant: "now, then, have a nap, while I take thy place."

12. Hereupon the canary went into a counterfeit slumber, first shutting one eye, then the other, then nodding, then dropping so much on one side, that the hands of several of the company were stretched out to save him from falling; and just as those hands approached his feathers, suddenly recovering, and dropping as much on the other.

13. At length sleep seemed to fix him in a steady posture, whereupon the owner took him from his finger, and laid him flat on the table, where the man assured us he would remain in a good sound sleep, while he himself would have the honour to do his best to fill up the interval.

14. So, after drinking a glass of winein the progress of taking which he was interrupted by the canary-bird suddenly springing up to assert his right to a share, and then laying himself down to sleep again he began to show off his own powers of entertaining the company.

15. But while he was thus exhibiting, a huge black cat sprang upon the table, seized the poor canary in its mouth, and rushed out of the window in despite of all opposition. Though the dining-room was emptied in an instant, it was a vain pursuit; the life of the bird was gone, and its mangled body was brought in by the unfortunate owner in such dismay, accompanied by such looks and language, as must have awakened pity even in a hater of mankind. He spread himself half length over the table, and mourned his canary-bird with the most undissembled sorrow.

16. He opened a bag, which was fastened with red tape, and taking out some of the seed, put it to the very bill of the lifeless bird, exclaiming, "No, poor Jewel! no; thou canst not peck any more out of this hand that has been thy feeding-place so many years; thou canst not remember

H

how happy we both were when I bought this bag full for thee!"

Grammar. (1) What may form the subject of a sentence? (2) Parse "Oh, sir, the good die first." (3) Form other adjectives from the following adjectives:-right, south, west, glad, whole. (4) What is tense? Name the tenses.

piping cold, an expression meaning Tiny Tim, Cratchit's little deformed

real, clear, complete.

loitered in, lazily walked in.

child.

chuckle, a short, merry laugh.

1. He was checked in his transports by the churches ringing out the lustiest peals he had ever heard.

ding, dong, bell! mer, clang, clash!

Clash, clang, hammer; Bell, dong, ding; hamOh, glorious, glorious! 2. Running to the window, he opened it and put out his head. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring coldcold piping for the blood to dance to. Golden sunlight, heavenly sky, sweet fresh air, merry bells. Oh, glorious, glorious! 3. "What's to-day?" cried Scrooge, looking downward to a boy in Sunday clothes, who, perhaps, had loitered in to look about him. "Eh?" returned the boy,

with all his might of wonder.

"What's

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why,

to-day, my fine fellow?" said Scrooge. "To-day?" replied the boy; Christmas Day."

The

4. "It's Christmas Day!" said Scrooge to himself. "I haven't missed it. spirits have done it all in one night! They can do anything they like. Of course they can, of course they can!" Hallo, my fine fellow!" said Scrooge. "Hallo!" returned the boy.

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