"I don't think he was right, certainly," answered the sparrow.

"What has become of your friend?" asked the flower. "Oh, sleeping down below there, or crumbled away to nothing by this time, I dare say."

"Nay, nay, my friend, don't you know my voice? I told you I should some day rise up white and fair and stainless."

"Snowdrop! is it possible?" was all the astonished little bird could say.

"Yes, yes, you saw me lie down in hope and trust. I believed the awakening would come, surely, surely." And a soft song rang from the silver snowdrops and the crocuses, a song of joy which said: "We knew the awakening would come, surely, surely!"

Learn:

THE BROWN THRUSH 1

BY LUCY LARCOM

There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in the tree. "He's singing to me! He's singing to me!"

And what does he say, little girl, little boy?

"O, the world's running over with joy! Don't you hear? Don't you see?

Hush! Look! In my tree

I'm as happy as happy can be!"

And the brown thrush keeps singing, "A nest do you

see,

And five eggs, hid by me in the juniper-tree?

Don't meddle! don't touch! little girl, little boy,

Or the world will lose some of its joy!

Now I'm glad! Now I'm free!

And I always shall be,

If you never bring sorrow to me."

1 From Childhood Songs, by Lucy Larcom (Houghton Mifflin Co.).

So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree, To you and to me, to you and to me;

And he sings all the day, little girl, little boy, "O, the world 's running over with joy!

But long it won't be

Don't you know? Don't you see?

Unless we are as good as can be.'

MAY: KINDNESS TO THE SICK
AND OLD

Read: "Five Peas in a Pod," by Hans Christian Andersen.

Tell the stories of:

1. Eneas carrying Anchises out of burning Troy. 2. Ulysses and Telemachus.

3. Lear and Cordelia (Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare).

DAMA'S JEWELS 1

Dama was a dealer in jewels who lived long ago in Palestine in the far East. He had the most beautiful and valuable jewels anywhere to be found. One day the high priest in the temple needed some jewels for his breastplate and he sent some messengers to Dama to buy the most beautiful jewels they could get. Dama spread out before them a number of beautiful stones, but they wanted even more sparkling ones. "Then,' said Dama, "I will get some of my very most precious ones out of a cabinet in my father's room"; and he went to find the jewels. Presently Dama came back without any jewels. He said that he was very sorry, but he could not get them.

، From the Damayata.

Then the visitors offered him an immense sum of money, but still he said that he could not oblige them now. If they would return in an hour or two he could probably suit them. “We cannot wait," they said, "we need the jewels at once to mend the breastplate." So they went away. "Why did you not sell the jewels and make us rich?" asked Dama's wife. "Why," said Dama, "when I opened the door of my father's room, I saw that he was asleep on the couch. I tried to enter noiselessly, but the door creaked on its hinges and the old man started in his sleep. I thought to myself, 'I will not disturb the slumber of my father even if it makes me rich. He is far dearer to me than gold.' ”

Questions: Do you think Dama was right to refuse to sell the jewels? Why? Was his father tired? What had his father done for Dama? Why did he say that his father was dearer than gold? What can money give us? What can our parents give us? Can money give us love? How can we show love? (Keep quiet, be kind, get slippers, go to grocery without fretting.)

Read: "Spartan Respect for the Aged," in White's School Management.

Read: "Deeds of Kindness," by Epes Sargent, in Christmas. Compiled by Robert H. Schauffler (Moffat, Yard & Co.).

THIRD YEAR

ETHICAL CENTRE: WORK

INTRODUCTION

CHILDREN believe in work and they are conscious of unused power. When we leave them to their own devices, they run wild, like an overgrown garden, because their vitality is not turned to its best uses. Therefore we can help them by developing and guiding to their own best ends this inborn love of activity.

In the first month of the autumn, it should be the teacher's aim to find out what special power every child in the class has. It is easy to classify children as good and bad and leave our task there, but badness is power run wild, and the stronger it is, the more it is necessary to turn it to good uses. The nagging girl may be orderly and demand order in others, the rough boy may have a strong will and self-reliance, the slow child may be especially gentle or persistent. We must not be content until we know the strength of each child and have helped him to develop it.

You will get helpful suggestions in this grade, and in later grades also, from Miss Jane Brownlee's System of Child-Training.1 Miss Brownlee's experience shows that children of this age are much interested in realizing their own power for work and for self-control. Miss Brownlee suggests discussions of this general type:

1 Published by F. A. Bassette Co., Springfield, Mass.

Do you know that you have a little servant? Yes, you really have. It is your body. Can you make your body do what you tell it to do? If you want to raise your arm, can you make it go? If you tell your foot to keep still, will it move? Can you make your body get up in the morning when it feels lazy? Have you a good servant or a bad one? How can you make it better?

Your body is like a little house in which you live. Can you keep it clean? How can you make your house strong?

Miss Brownlee plans similar questions in relation to our minds and our responsibility for using them well.

Read:

SEPTEMBER: POWER

THE HILL1

"I cannot walk up this hill," said the little boy. "I cannot possibly do it. What will become of me? I must stay here all my life, at the foot of the hill: it is too terrible!"

"That is a pity," said his sister. "But look, little boy! I have found such a pleasant thing to play. Take a step and see how clear a footprint you can make in the dust. Look at mine! Every single line in my foot is printed clear. Now, do you try, and see if you can do as well!"

The little boy took a step.

"Mine is just as clear!" he said.

"Do you think so?" said his sister. "See mine, again here! I tread harder than you, because I am heavier, and so the print is deeper. Try again."

1 From The Golden Windows, by Laura E. Richards. Copyright, 1903, by Little, Brown & Co.).