THE LAME BOY.
Did you ever think to be thankful to God for the free use of your feet? They press lightly o’er the crisp snow, or bound o’er the green grass as you drive along your hoop. But let me tell you of one who can never run and jump. When the busy hours of school are passed, and his little companions shout and toss their hats in air, with the wild joy of boyhood, he stands apart from the busy throng; the same quiet, patient look ever rests on his face, he moves slowly along with his crutches. O, what would he not give to throw them aside and join in the sports of childhood! What real delight would he feel in the exercise of the powers which you possess!
A sad feeling ever passes through my heart when I see our little lame boy; and O, how thankful I am that I am not thus afflicted! And how thankful should you be, and how very kind should you be to the unfortunate.
FLOWERS AND WEEDS.
Arthur and Jane had each a little garden of their own, which had been given to them by their kind father. He told them that they must take care to pluck out all the weeds, and to do all they could to make the flowers grow. They used to save some of their money in the winter, and when the spring came, they spent it in buying seeds and roots.
When the little leaves and stems began to peep above ground, Arthur and Jane watered them every day; and as the plants grew, they took care to keep them free from all insects, and to shade them when the sun shone too strongly. They made a nice path of gravel between the beds, which they kept quite smooth and clean. In the afternoon, as soon as they came home from school, they used to run into the garden to see to their sweet flowers. With all this care the beds looked very pretty when summer came.