GATHER THE FLOWERS.
Two little girls went into the fields to gather flowers. Buttercups,
violets, and many other blossoms were in abundance. One of the girls
was pleased with every thing, and began to pick such flowers as came
in her way. In a short time she collected a great quantity of flowers,
and though some of them were not very handsome, yet they made a very
beautiful bunch. The other child was more dainty and determined to get
her
of one color and did not strike her fancy--the blue violets were too
common, and so the little pair wandered on through the fields till
they were about to return home. By this time the dainty child, seeing
that her sister had a fine collection of flowers while she had none,
began to think it best to pick such as she could get. But now the
flowers were scarce; not even a dandelion nor a flower was to be
found. The little girl at length begged of her sister a single
dandelion, and thus they returned home. The children told their story,
and their mother addressed them thus "My dear children, let this event
teach you a lesson. Jane has acted the wisest part. Content with such
flowers as came in her way, and not aiming at what was beyond her
reach, she has been successful in her pursuit. But Laura wanted
something more beautiful than could be found, collected nothing from
the field, and was finally obliged to beg a simple flower from her
sister. So it is, children, in passing through life--gather what is
good and pleasant along your path, and you will, day by day, collect
enough to make you contented and happy. But if you scorn those
blessings which are common, and reach after those which are more
rare and difficult to be obtained, you will meet with frequent
difficulties, and at last be dependant on others. So gather the
flowers as you go along the pathway of life."
Think not all is well within when all is well without; or that thy
being pleased is a sign that God is pleased: but suspect every thing
that is prosperous, unless it promotes piety, and charity, and
humility.--_Taylor_.
God hath given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this
short time eternity depends.--_Taylor_.
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CHORUS
As the manna lay, on the desert ground, So from day to day, mercies flow around. As a father's love gives his children bread, So our God above grants, and we are fed. Think in the morning what thou hast to do this day, and at night wha... A Piece Of Red Calico
I was going into town one morning from my suburban residence, when my wife handed me a little piece of red calico, and asked me if I would have time, during the day, to buy her two yards and a half of calico like that. I assured her that it would ... A Tale Of Negative Gravity
My wife and I were staying at a small town in northern Italy; and on a certain pleasant afternoon in spring we had taken a walk of six or seven miles to see the sun set behind some low mountains to the west of the town. Most of our walk had been a... His Wife's Deceased Sister
It is now five years since an event occurred which so colored my life, or rather so changed some of its original colors, that I have thought it well to write an account of it, deeming that its lessons may be of advantage to persons whose situation... Old Pipes And The Dryad
A mountain brook ran through a little village. Over the brook there was a narrow bridge, and from the bridge a foot-path led out from the village and up the hillside to the cottage of Old Pipes and his mother. For many, many years Old Pipes had be... The Lady Or The Tiger?
In the very olden time there lived a semi-barbaric king, whose ideas, though somewhat polished and sharpened by the progressiveness of distant Latin neighbors, were still large, florid, and untrammelled, as became the half of him which was barbari... The Philosophy Of Relative Existences
In a certain summer, not long gone, my friend Bentley and I found ourselves in a little hamlet which overlooked a placid valley, through which a river gently moved, winding its way through green stretches until it turned the end of a line of low h... The Remarkable Wreck Of The Thomas Hyke
It was half-past one by the clock in the office of the Registrar of Woes. The room was empty, for it was Wednesday, and the Registrar always went home early on Wednesday afternoons. He had made that arrangement when he accepted the office. He was ... The Transferred Ghost
The country residence of Mr. John Hinckman was a delightful place to me, for many reasons. It was the abode of a genial, though somewhat impulsive, hospitality. It had broad, smooth-shaven lawns and towering oaks and elms; there were bosky shades ... A BOY REPROVED BY A BIRD.
The sparrows often build their nests under the eaves of houses and barns. A young lad saw one of the sparrows conveying materials for her nest, which she was building under the eaves of a cottage adjoining his father's house. He was told not to di... A GOOD ACT FOR ANOTHER.
A man was going from Norwich to New London with a loaded team; on attempting to ascend a hill where an Indian lived he found his team could not draw the load. He went for the Indian to assist him. After he had got up the hill he asked the Indian w... A GOOD MOTHER.
Mrs. Savage was the eldest sister of Matthew Henry. When she was a child she had a great many advantages for the improvement of her mind. When only seven years of age, she could translate the Hebrew language, and when ten years old, she could writ... A SCENE IN LONDON.
My young readers may have heard about the poor people in London. The following story is a specimen of the hardships of many young girls, in that famous city. "Two young women occupied one small room of about ten feet by eight. They were left orph... AGNES AND THE MOUSE.
One brilliant Christmas day, two little girls were walking towards a neighboring village, when they observed a little creature walking about the road. "Surely," said Mary, "it is a large mouse;" and it did not seem to be afraid, so they thought fr... ANECDOTES.
A poor Arabian of the desert was one day asked, how he came to be assured that there was a God. "In the same way," he replied, "that I am enabled to tell by a print impressed on the sand, whether it was a man or beast that passed that way." ... ANECDOTES.
TRUE BENIFICENCE.--Mark Antony, when very much depressed, and at the ebb of his fortune, cried out, "I have lost all, except what I have given away." WASHINGTON AND THE SOLDIER.--A British soldier said, "It was once in my power to shoot Gen. Wa... ANNA SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.
It was a wearisome day to poor Anna, as she walked from square to square, calling at the houses for employment. Some received her kindly, and patronised her themselves, and promised to interest their friends in her behalf, while others, alleging t... ANNA WITH A PLEASANT HOME.
Anna, having obtained leave of her mistress, soon found herself at the door of Mrs. West. The servant girl came to the door, and Anna followed her into the sitting-room, where every thing was nicely arranged. Soon a gentle looking lady came into t... ANNE CLEAVELAND.
Anne was the daughter of a wealthy farmer. She had a good New England school education, and was well bred and well taught at home in the virtues and manners that constitute domestic social life. Her father died a year before her marriage. He left ... ARTHUR AND HIS APPLE TREE.
One summer day little William was sitting in the garden chair beside his mother, under the shade of a large cherry tree which stood on the grass plot in front of the house. He was reading in a little book. After he had been reading some time, he l... Asaph
About a hundred feet back from the main street of a village in New Jersey there stood a very good white house. Half-way between it and the sidewalk was a large chestnut-tree, which had been the pride of Mr. Himes, who built the house, and was now ... BENNY'S FIRST DRAWING.
You have perhaps heard of Benjamin West, the celebrated artist. I will tell you about his first effort in drawing. One of his sisters who had been married some time, came with her babe to spend a few days at her father's. When the child was asle... BERTIE'S BOX.
A very little boy by the name of "Bertie," kept a box in which he deposited his little treasures. After he died his mother took the key and opened it. It was full of all sorts of things. There were specimens of stones, and shells, and moss, and gr... CHINESE PROVERBS.
What is told in the ear is often heard a hundred miles. Riches come better after poverty, than poverty after riches. Who aims at excellence will be above medirocity; who aims at medirocity will fall short of it. No remedies can revive old a... COMFORT AND SOBRIETY.
Let me here give you a few maxims to commit to memory:---- Avoid and shun the sources of misery. Be sure not to _indulge_ your appetite. Strong drink excites a person to do wrong. Remember you are never out of temptation. A _life of virt... EARLY AT SCHOOL.
One Sabbath evening a teacher was walking up and down in the porch before his house, in one of the South Sea Islands. The sun was setting behind the waves of the ocean, and the labors of the day were over. In that cool, quiet hour, the teacher was... EDWARD AND ELLEN.
Edward Ford owned a snug little cottage with a small farm situated about a mile from the village. When he was married to Ellen G----, who was said to be one of the best girls in the village, he took her to his nice little home, where he had every ... EMILY'S MORNING RAMBLE.
In the suburbs of the city of B. stands the beautiful residence of Mr. James. It was a rural spot, as it was surrounded with all the beauties of nature. There were rippling streams, and winding paths through the green fields and woods, sunny hills... FLORA AND HER PORTRAIT.
"And was there never a portrait of your beautiful child," said Anne Jones, to a lady whom she met at the grave where her child had been lain a few weeks. "Oh, yes! but I may never have it," replied the woman as she stood weeping at the grave. ... FLYING THE KITE.
Flying the kite is a pleasant amusement for boys, and when we see the kites flying high in the air, we are always reminded of a kite whose history we heard when a little child, and which we give our readers. Shortly after the close of the Revoluti... GATHER THE FLOWERS.
Two little girls went into the fields to gather flowers. Buttercups, violets, and many other blossoms were in abundance. One of the girls was pleased with every thing, and began to pick such flowers as came in her way. In a short time she collecte... GEORGE AND HIS GUINEA.
Little George Ames went with his aunt to attend a missionary meeting. After the minister had ended his sermon, as he sat in the pew he whispered to his aunt, saying, "I wish you would lend me a guinea and I will give it to you again when we get ho... GOOD COMPANIONS.
One day, says a Persian poet, I saw a bunch of roses, and in the midst of them grew a tuft of grass. "How," I cried to the grass, "does a poor plant like you dare to be found in the company of roses?" And I ran to tear away the tuft, when the... HARRIET AND HER SQUIRREL.
It was on a Sabbath eve, when at a friend's house, we were all sitting in the piazza, conversing about the efforts which were being made for the poor heathen, and the number of Testaments which were being sent to them. "Father," said little Har... HARVEST SONG.
Now the golden ear wants the reaper's hand, Banish every fear, plenty fills the land. Joyful raise songs of praise, Goodness, goodness, crowns our days. Yet again swell the strain, He who feeds the birds that fly, Will our d... JANE AND HER LESSONS.
It is a mark of a good scholar to be prompt and studious. Such were the habits of little Jane Sumner. She was the youngest of three sisters and from her first being able to read, she was very fond of reading; and at school her teacher became much ... JONAS AND HIS HORSE.
A horse is a noble animal, and is made for the service of man. No one who has tender feelings can bear to see the horse abused. It is wicked for any one to do so. A horse has a good memory, and he will never forget a kind master. Jonas Carter is o... JULIA'S SUNSET WALK.
It was a beautiful June day, just at the sun's setting, when Julia Eastworth went to visit the resting place of a dear grandmother. While she was in the grave-yard, meditating on the loss of one of her best earthly friends, she saw a lady dressed ... LETTICE AND CATHERINE,
... LETTICE AND MYRA.
... LETTICE TAKING HOME THE WORK.
Early in the morning, before it was light, and while the twilight gleamed through the curtainless windows, Lettice was up dressing herself by the aid of the light which gleamed from the street lamp into the window. She combed her hair with modest ... LILY FORD.
It was now in the latter part of December--two days more and comes the season of "Merry Christmas." Ellen thought of the dreary prospect before her. As she was thinking over her condition, and how she should manage affairs so as to make home comfo... LIZZY AND HER DOG.
I wish to relate to you a very affecting story about a good girl who died when she was thirteen years old. She was an interesting young girl, and possessed great intellectual powers. She was also very fond of the works of nature, especially of flo... LOOK UP.
A little boy went to sea with his father to learn to be a sailor. One day his father said to him, "Come, my boy, you will never be a sailor if you don't learn to climb." The boy was very ambitious, and soon scrambled up to top of the rigging; b... MARGARET AND HERBERT.
In a large family there are often diversity of character and varieties of mood and temper, which bring some clouds of sorrow. In our little Eden of innocence there were storms now and then. Miles was a little wild and head-strong from his babyhood... MELLY, ANNA AND SUSY.
There is nothing more pleasant than to see brothers and sisters, lovely in their lives, and in all their plays kind and obliging to each other. Mrs. Jones' three little children were always noted for their good behaviour by all the people in the v... MOTHER'S LAST LESSON.
"Will you please teach me my verse, mamma, and then kiss me and bid me good night," said little Roger, as he opened the door and peeped into the chamber of his sick mother. "I am very sleepy, but no one has heard me say my prayers." Mrs. L. was ve... MY EARLY DAYS.
My father's house was indeed a pleasant home; and father was the supreme guide of his own household. He was gentle, but he could he firm and resolute when the case demanded. Mother was the sunshine of our little garden of love; her talents and ene... NO PAYNO WORK.
"Little boy, will you help a poor old man up the hill with this load?" said an old man, who was drawing a hand-cart with a bag of corn for the mill. "I can't," said the boy, "I am in a hurry to be at school." As the old man sat on the stone, ... OR THE UNEXPECTED MEETING.
I must tell you who were Lettice and Myra. They were the daughters of a clergyman, who held the little vicarage of Castle Rising. But misfortune, which sometimes meets the wise and good, reduced the family to poor circumstances. After the parents'... OR, HONESTY REWARDED.
At St. Petersburgh, the birth day of any of the royal family is observed as a time of great festivity, by all kinds of diversions. When the vessel in which John Read shipped arrived, he was allowed to go on shore to see the sport on that occasion.... PLEASANT PLAY.
There are many plays in which children may amuse themselves so as to benefit both the mind and body. Exercise is very essential to the health, and all children should accustom themselves to such exercise as will give elasticity too all the muscles... PLEDGE.
Our hands and our hearts we give To the temperance pledge, declaring That long as on earth we live, All its bountiful blessings sharing, We will taste not and touch not the bowl That burns with intoxication, And will lend ... REMEMBER THE CAKE.
I will tell you an anecdote about Mrs. Hannah More, when she was eighty years old. A widow and her little boy paid a visit to Mrs. More, at Barley Wood. When they were about to leave, Mrs. M. stooped to kiss the little boy, not as a mere complimen... REVELATION OF GOD'S HOLY WORD.
Ye favored lands, rejoice Where God reveals his word: We are not left to nature's voice To bid us know the Lord. His statutes and commands Are set before our eyes; He puts the gospel in our hands, Where our salvation ... STORY ABOUT A ROBBER.
I will tell you a true story about a robber. A gentleman was once travelling through a very unfrequented road, along in a chaise, in the latter part of the day. There was no house nor a sign of a human being there. It was a very lonely road. Prese... STORY ABOUT AN INDIAN.
A poor sick man might go to the door of some rich person's house and ask relief for himself and not be able to obtain admittance; but if he brought in his hand a paper written by the son of the master of the house, whom he had met with in a distan... TELLING SECRETS.
There is a company of girls met together, and what can they be talking about. Hark! "Now I will tell you something, if you'll promise never to tell," says Jane. "I will, certainly," replied Anne. "And will you promise _never_ to tell a single livi... THE BIT OF GARDEN.
Young children like to have a small piece of land for a garden which they can call their own. And it is very pleasant to dig the ground, sow the seed, and watch the little green plants which peep out of the earth, and to see the beautiful buds and... THE BOY AND THE DEW DROPS.
A little boy who had been out early in the morning playing on the lawn before his father's house, while the dew drops lay on the grass, was soon after seen returning to the spot, and finding them all gone, he sat down to weep. His father asked him... THE BOY AND THE GOLD ROBIN.
A bright eyed boy was sleeping upon a bank of blossoming clover. The cool breeze lifted the curls from his brow, and fanned with downy wings his quiet slumbers, while he lay under the refreshing shade of a large maple tree. The birds sang to him d... THE BOY FOUND IN THE SNOW.
One winter's night when the evening had shut in very early, owing to the black snow clouds that hung close around the horizon, Martha sat looking into the fire. Her old sheep dog, Fly, lay at her feet. The cows were foddered for the night, and the... THE BRACELET;
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