6. "Then let your little heart, my love,
Its grateful homage pay
To that kind Friend, who, from above,
Thus guides you every day.
7. "In all the changing scenes of time,
On Him our hopes depend;
In every age, in every clime,
Our Father and our Friend."
128 ECLECTIC SERIES.
LESSON XLIX. DEEDS OF KINDNESS. 1. One day, as two little boys were walking along the road, they overtook a woman carrying a large basket of apples. 2. The boys thought the woman looked very pale and tired; so they said, "Are you going to town? If you are, we will carry your basket." 3. "Thank you," replied the woman, "you are very kind: you see I am weak and ill." Then she told them that she was a widow, and had a lame son to support. 4. She lived in a cottage three miles away, and was now going to market to sell the apples which grew on the only tree in her little garden. She wanted the money to pay her rent. 5. "We are going the same way you are," said the boys. "Let us have the basket;" and they took hold of it, one on each side, and trudged along with merry hearts. 6. The poor widow looked glad, and said that she hoped their mother would not be angry with them. "Oh, no," they replied;
THIRD READER. 129 "our mother has taught us to be kind to everybody, and to be useful in any way that we can." 7. She then offered to give them a few of the ripest apples for their trouble. "No,
thank you," said they; "we do not want any pay for what we have done." 8. When the widow got home, she told her lame son what had happened on the road, 3. 9.
130 ECLECTIC SERIES. and they were both made happier that day by the kindness of the two boys. 9. The other day, I saw a little girl stop and pick up a piece of orange peel, which she threw into the gutter. "I wish the boys would not throw orange peel on the sidewalk," said she. "Some one may tread upon it, and fall." 10. "That is right, my dear," I said. "It is a little thing for you to do what you have done, but it shows that you have a thoughtful mind and a feeling heart." 11. Perhaps some may say that these are little things. So they are; but we must not wait for occasions to do great things. We must begin with little labors of love.
LESSON L. THE ALARM CLOCK. 1. A lady, who found it not easy to wake in the morning as early as she wished,
THIRD READER. 131 bought an alarm clock. These clocks are so made as to strike with a loud whirring noise at any hour the owner pleases to set them. 2. The lady placed her clock at the head of the bed, and at the right time she found herself roused by the long, rattling sound. 3. She arose at once, and felt better all day for her early rising. This lasted for some weeks. The alarm clock faithfully did its duty, and was plainly heard so long as it was obeyed. 4. But, after a time, the lady grew tired of early rising. When she was waked by the noise, she merely turned over in bed, and slept again. 5. In a few days, the clock ceased to rouse her from her sleep. It spoke just as loudly as ever; but she did not hear it, because she had been in the habit of not obeying it. 6. Finding that she might as well be without it, she resolved that when she heard the sound she would jump up. 7. Just so it is with conscience. If we will obey its voice, even in the most trifling things, we can always hear it, clear and strong.
132 ECLECTIC SERIES. 8. But if we allow ourselves to do what we have some fears may not be quite right, we shall grow more and more sleepy, until the voice of conscience has no longer power to wake as.