said the pedlar. "Now, Prince George, you will have nothing to eat any more except on this condition you will walk up to the top of the first tower, and say 'Please,' from the top. You will then come down, and climb the second tower and say 'Bring.' From the top of the third tower you will say 'My;' and from the top of the fourth tower you will say 'Dinner.' And this you will do till you get your dinner." Away went Prince George in tears, and Prince Alfred stepped forward. And, as had been foretold, he read so slowly that no one could understand his story. But when the pedlar had put one pin into him, and had shown him another ready to be put into him, he got on much better. Then they called for Princess Mary; but this young princess, knowing that she read like a Bumble Bee, and fearing what the pedlar might do to her, had hidden herself while their teacher was putting the pin into her brother. You will be glad to hear that the pedlar's lessons were most successful. When the prince was taken out of his pond, he had learned to read quite loudly. When Prince George had come down from his towers, he had learned to read quite slowly. In fact all the princes turned out such good readers that it was a pleasure to hear them. For the pedlar taught them both what to do, and what not to do, in reading aloud. This is a list of the directions he gave, and they are as good for you as for the little princes. If you want to read out loud well, I. Do not read too fast. 2. Do not read too slowly. 3. Do not hang your head down, as if ashamed. 6. Do not leave out the letter h, and say and or art for hand or heart. 7. Do not leave out the g at the end of ing; that is, do not say goin' for going. 8. Do not read as if you were cross or tired. But if you want to read aloud well, you must 1. Hold yourself up, your head back, and your book well in front of you. 2. You must read out plainly and clearly. 3. You must think about what you are reading. 4. Always try to glance through the piece before you begin, that you may know what is coming, and be able to read it properly. 5. Mind your stops. to make a slight pause. A comma means that you are After a full-stop you must pause for a second, and begin again in a different tone of voice. Do you know what the stop means at the end of this sentence? Is it not the mark of a question? Must you not raise your voice in a question? These rules the pedlar explained to the children, as your teacher will explain them to you if you ask. And the pedlar gave two more rules,— a silver rule and a golden rule. The SILVER RULE is this: Always read aloud as if vou were really telling the story; not as if you were reading it from a book. The GOLDEN RULE is this: Always read aloud as you would like other people to read to you. I. THE SEASIDE. "Men go to sea before they know the unhappiness of that way of life."―Johnson. "We have had enough of action, and of motion, we Roll'd to starboard, roll'd to larboard, when the surge was seething free.”—Tennyson. LET us walk by the seaside and look at the sea and see the waves roll up to our feet. What is that I see a long way off? It is like a bird; but no, it is too big for a bird. It is a ship, with one-two, aye, more than two sails. Here is one close by, it is near the land. No, that is not a ship, that is a boat. A boat is not so big as a ship. Look! a man gets out of the boat, and drags it up on the shore. What is that long bit of wood in his hand? That long bit of wood is an oar; he dips that oar into the sea, and pulls it, which makes the boat move. What is the use of a sail ? A sail makes the boat move, too, by the help of the wind. The sails of a ship are not like the sails of a mill, I see. No, they are not, but the wind moves the sails of a mill as well as the sails of a ship. May I go in the boat? out to sea with that man you may, but ask him to row you. Yes, if you wish to go you must Yes, sir, Pray, may I go out in your boat? jump in, and I will row you out a few miles. Now, sir, sit still; my boy will come to row with me. He will be wet; he runs into the sea to push off the boat. Now we move; the boy jumps in; what great boots he has on his legs! Yes, those boots are made long and high to keep him dry. How we move up and down on the waves! First we rise up, and then we sink down, and my face is wet with the spray of the sea. up and sink down so much. waves rise up high near the shore at all times, and when the wind blows hard, all the waves in the sea are high; it is calm to-day, so that the boat does not rock now that we are come from the shore. Now we do not rise Why is this? The rise and sink with the How small the town When we go back it will waves as it did just now. looks, I can but just see it! Now we will put up the sail. Jack, and give me the rope. Put up the mast, How fast we move with the sail up! I like to be at sea. Now I can see no land at all. I do not like this now. I wish to go home; I wish to see mamma. I do not like to be at sea when I cannot see the land. Well, sir, we will turn the bow of the boat and go home. We will take down the sail and row, for the wind blows us from shore, and we want to go on shore. Now I see land once more. How glad I am! Now I see the town, and I am sure I see mamma as she walks on the beach. Yes, she looks this way; she sees us, and waves her hand to me. Take off your cap and wave it to her, sir. Now, Jack, my boy, jump out and pull us on shore. Here, sir, get on my back, and I will put you on shore. Mrs. Barwell. II. THE CHILD'S FIRST GRIEF. "OH! call my brother back to me! The summer comes with flower and bee- "The butterfly is glancing bright Across the sunbeam's track; I care not now to chase its flight— "The flowers run wild-the flowers we sow'd Around our garden tree; Our vine is drooping with its load Oh! call him back to me !" "He could not hear thy voice, fair child, He may not come to thee; The face that once like spring-time smiled,1 "A rose's brief bright life of joy, |