LESSON XLVI.

HARRY AND THE GUIDEPOST.

1. The night was dark, the sun was hid
Beneath the mountain gray,

And not a single star appeared
To shoot a silver ray.

2. Across the heath the owlet flew,
And screamed along the blast;
And onward, with a quickened step,
Benighted Harry passed.

3. Now, in thickest darkness plunged,
He groped his way to find;

And now, he thought he saw beyond,
A form of horrid kind.

4. In deadly white it upward rose,
Of cloak and mantle bare,
And held its naked arms across,
To catch him by the hair.

5. Poor Harry felt his blood run cold,
At what before him stood;

But then, thought he, no harm, I'm sure,
Can happen to the good.

7. And when he came well nigh the ghost
That gave him such affright,
He clapped his hands upon his side,
And loudly laughed outright.

8. For 't was a friendly guidepost stood,
His wandering steps to guide;

And thus he found that to the good,
No evil could betide.

9. Ah well, thought he, one thing I've learned,

Nor shall I soon forget;
Whatever frightens me again,

I'll march straight up to it.

10. And when I hear an idle tale,
Of monster or of ghost,
I'll tell of this, my lonely walk,
And one tall, white guidepost.

DEFINITIONS.-2. Heath, a place overgrown with shrubs. Be night'ed, overtaken by the night. 3. Groped, felt his way in the dark. Hor'rid, hideous, frightful. 6. Monster, a thing of unnatural size and shape. Diş'mal, dark, cheerless. Pier'çing, sharp, penetrating. 7. Ghōst (gōst), a frightful object in white, an apparition. 8. Guide'post, a post and sign set up at the forks of a road to direct travelers. Be tide', befall, happen. 10. I'dle, of no account, foolish.

LESSON XLVII.

THE MONEY AMY DIDN'T EARN.

1. Amy was a dear little girl, but she was too apt to waste time in getting ready to do her tasks, instead of doing them at once as she ought.

2. In the village in which she lived, Mr. Thornton kept a store where he sold fruit of all kinds, including berries in their season. One day he said to Amy, whose parents were quite poor, "Would you like to earn some money?"

3. "Oh, yes," replied she, "for I want some new shoes, and papa has no money to buy them with."

4. "Well, Amy," said Mr. Thornton, "I noticed some fine, ripe blackberries in Mr. Green's pasture to-day, and he said that anybody was welcome to them. I will pay you thirteen cents a quart for all you will pick for me."

5. Amy was delighted at the thought of earning some money; so she ran home to get a basket, intending to go immediately to pick the berries.

6. Then she thought she would like to know how much money she would get if she picked five quarts. With the help of her slate and pencil, she found out that she would get sixty-five cents.

7. "But supposing I should pick a dozen quarts," thought she, "how much should I earn then?" "Dear me," she said, after fig

uring a while, "I should earn a dollar and fifty-six cents."

8. Amy then found out what Mr. Thornton would pay her for fifty, a hundred, and two hundred quarts. It took her some time to

do this, and then it was so near dinner time that she had to stay at home until afternoon. 9. As soon as dinner was over, she took