over to see Mr. Ellis in the morning, and ask him if he lost it."

And he did so.

22. "Why, Richard!" exclaimed Mr. Ellis, when he saw the knife, a glow of surprise and pleasure on his face. "Where did you find it? It is one grandma sent to Horace for a birthday present, and I lost it on my way home. This is his birthday. I have been so annoyed about the loss."

23. "I'm glad I found it for you," said Richard. And he did feel glad as he handed Mr. Ellis the beautiful pearlhandled knife.

24. On the next day Richard received from Mr. Ellis a fine four-bladed pocket-knife, worth, for real service to a boy, a dozen such as the one he had found, and the pleasant note that came with it made him, to use his own words, "feel good." He could enjoy this knife, because it was really his own. Nobody had lost it, and so no thought of what another had lost could intrude itself and mar the pleasure of its use.

T. S. ARTHUR.

VIII.—THE BEST THAT I CAN.

"I

I.

CANNOT do much," said a little star,
"To make the dark world bright!
My silvery beams cannot struggle far
Through the folding gloom of night!
But I'm only part of God's great plan,
And I'll cheerfully do the best that I can!"

II.

"What is the use," said a fleecy cloud,
"Of these few drops that I hold?
They will hardly bend the lily proud,
Though caught in her cup of gold!

Yet I am part of God's great plan,
So my treasures I'll give as well as I can."

THE BEST THAT I CAN.

III.

A child went merrily forth to play,
But a thought, like a silver thread,
Kept winding in and out all day,

Through the happy golden head,-
Mother said, "Darling, do all you can,
For you are a part of God's great plan!"

IV.

She knew no more than the glancing star,

Nor the cloud with its chalice full,

How, why, and for what, all strange things were;
She was only a child at school!

But thought: "It is part of God's great plan,
That even I should do all that I can!"

V.

So she helped a younger child along
When the road was rough to the feet,
And she sang from her heart a little song
That we all thought passing sweet;

And her father, a weary, toil-worn man,
Said, "I, too, will do the best that I can."

43

VI.

Our best! Ah, children! the best of us

Must hide our faces away,

When the Lord of the vineyard comes to look

At our task, at the close of day!

But for strength from above-'t is the Master's plan—
We'll pray, and we'll do the best that we can.

EXERCISE.

1. My bright rays cannot struggle far.

2. I will gladly do the best that I can.

3. A child went joyously forth to play.

4. She knew no more than the glittering star, or the cloud with its cup

full, why things were so.

5. She sang a song that we all thought exceedingly sweet.

6. The Lord comes to examine our work at the end of day.

L'

IX. THE FIRE-FLIES.

ITTLE Lady Bug had a wedding, and all the bugs were invited. Many had a long journey to make, and became quite friendly with each other on the way. It was night, for that is the journeying time of the bugs,—just as the butterflies make their flights only in the sunshine.

2. They had nearly reached the bride's house, when, right in their way, lay a wide swamp, upon which the Will-o'-theWisps blazed and danced back and forth. The frightened bugs stopped their flight, and held a council, to discuss how they could go on further.

3. "We cannot get over," said a cautious May Bug; "the dancing flames would burn our wings."

"Then we must fly around the swamp," said a StagBeetle.

4. To this the little bugs would not consent, for they were already tired, and were afraid of the strange way around.

5. "It is easy for the Stag-Beetle, with his great wings, to talk," said one of them. "Besides, we should lose our way if we turned out of the straight road."

6. "Then let us choose for our leader a Dragon-Fly who knows all about the swamp," proposed a Rose Bug. But the little bugs would not hear of a roundabout way.

7. After a long debate they separated. The big bugs tried to fly around the swamp; the little ones remained hopeless behind, fearing already that they should lose the beautiful wedding.

8. Time flew on. A Will-o'-the-Wisp danced mockingly around them, and the poor little party were in despair.

9. Then the Fire-Flies, who at that time were not fire-flies at all, but quite homely little fellows, said, “We are not afraid; we will fly on ahead and see whether the flames will harm us. You can wait on the edge of the swamp."

10. This was agreed to; and the little gray bugs whirled

THE FIRE-FLIES.

45

cautiously around the crazy, fiery fellows. It is true, the first time one skipped toward them they shrunk back in fright; and the spectators on the bank were no doubt triumphing over their defeat. But that just spurred them to a new trial.

11. They had already surrounded a Will-o'-the-Wisp; and as he, in order to scare them, rushed back and forth between the largest crowds, they exulted aloud; for although they had to shut their dazzled eyes, not one of them was harmed.

12. Now they pursued their stubborn enemy, who soon was so beset that he had to give himself up, and was dragged by his captors in triumph to the bank.

13. The other bugs now wished to take part in the victory, and claimed the captive as their own; but the little victors knew how to maintain their rights, as they had known how to gain them in battle.

14. The prisoner was laid upon-the trunk of an old tree, and with a blade of grass, that had little sharp teeth on its edge like a saw, was cut up and divided, so that each of the little heroes had his sparkling bit of Will-o'-the-Wisp to hide under his wings.

15. All now proceeded on their journey across the swamp undisturbed by the Will-o'-the-Wisps, who were frightened by the fate of their brother, and readily made way for the whole company.

16. To the great joy of the little bugs, they soon reached the house of the bride, where they had been a long time. enjoying themselves, when at last the large bugs arrived, exhausted by their long flight, and scolding the DragonFly who had maliciously taken them a wrong way and then wickedly left them.

17. When the large bugs asked some of the little ones how they had got across the burning swamp, they mumbled unintelligible words, nodding slyly with their feelers; for the Fire-Flies had charged them not yet to tell of their conquest.

18. Even bugs are more willing to conceal the glory than the shame of others, and, in admitting the courage of the Fire-Flies, the other little bugs would at the same time have had to confess their own indecision.

19. The dav passed by, and the wedding evening with its festivity began. The large bugs had rested themselves, and had already begun to put on airs. All the bugs dressed up. Only the little Fire-Flies, in the gray dress, sat modestly in the grass.

20. A Gold Bug who had spent a long time at his toilet walked past them, feeling very vain of his green and gold garments. "You poor little bugs," said he, sneeringly, "what good does it do you to dress up? In your dusty mantles you would never play a bright part, else I would offer you some gold paint that I left on the blade of grass beside the dew-drop which I used for a mirror."

21. "We thank you," spoke up a pert little Fire-Fly; for though we have no gold dress, still we carry a brilliant jewel that you lack."

22. At these words all the Fire-Flies lifted their wings. The light of the little flame streamed out; and as they went whirling back and forth through the wedding company, the astonishment and wonder had no end.

23. The Fire-Flies remained the heroes of the festival; and when it was over, Lady Bug, the blushing bride, let them go before to light the way.

24. That was long ago. But the Fire-Flies have kept their little flames; and if these seem sometimes to be going out, they just catch a Will-o'-the-Wisp and divide it as in former days.

EXERCISE.

1. Night is the travelling time of the bugs.

2. The scared bugs stopped their flying, and held a meeting.

3. After a long discussion they parted.

4. The little ones staid behind in despair.

5. Now they chased their obstinate enemy.

6. The large bugs came, tired out by their long flight.