that are suited for this purpose. For this reason, these stories are given here : A VISIT TO GRANDMA. Grandma Scott lived in the country and sent for little Katie and Emma to come and stay a week with her. They had always lived in the city, and everything they saw was new to them. They spent much of their time in the barn, where they jumped on the hay, and played in the empty waggons. One day Katie saw a waggon, with a horse before it, ready to start for the store. Now grandma had told the girls never to get into a waggon, when a horse was harnessed to it, but Katie thought she knew more than grandma did. She got into the waggon and made Emma get in too. The horse ran away, and both little girls were hurt. When they were well, grandma sent them home, and I do not think she will ever want them to visit her again. DORA'S PETS. Dora lives in the country, and instead of having costly toys with which to amuse herself, as many children have, she spends her time with her living playthings. Of course she has a dog and a kitten; but one of her oddest pets is a little owl. It sits and stares at her with its large eyes, in a very wise manner. Then she has a squirrel, two rabbits, and a robin with a broken wing. These all live in the barn together very happily, and here Dora spends a part of each day. Outside, in a tree, is a dovecote, in which are two doves, gently cooing to each other, and in the yard are a number of downy chickens running around. Don't you think the little girls in the city would like such playthings? WILL'S GOATS. Will's father gave him two goats, and Will trained them, so that they would draw him in his little waggon. He named them Bill and Joe, and has a pretty harness for them, with little silver bells around the collars. The waggon is painted yellow, and, when Will drives off in it. the goats trotting and the bells jingling, it is a very pretty sight. Once in a while the goats get angry, and prance around and butt at each other, and Will is obliged to use his whip on them. This soon stops their quarrelling, and they go along again in good style. When not harnessed. they play around the yard, and have great fun together, Will's father has promised him a little barn for his goats and Will feels as if he owned a team of real horses. To these may be added these others, selected from other sources: A NOBLE REVENGE. A farmer's horse, happening to stray into the road, an illnatured neighbor, instead of returning the animal to its master, put it into the pound. This is an enclosed place, built especially for stray animals, and a fine has to be paid. by their owner before they are liberated. Meeting the farmer soon after, he told him what he had done, aud added, "If I ever catch your horse in the road again, I will do just the same." "Neighbor," replied the. farmer, "not long ago, I looked out of my window in the evening and saw your cows in my field of young clover. I drove them out and carefully shut them up in your yard. If I ever catch them again, I will do just the same." Struck with this noble reply, the neighbor went to the pound, liberated the horse, aud paid the fine himself. A BRAVE BOY. The bravest boys are not always those who are ready to fight. Here is the story of one who showed the right spirit when provoked by his comrades. A poor boy was attending school one day with a large patch on his trousers. One of the schoolmates made fun of him for this, and called him "Old Patch." "Why don't you fight him ?" cried one of the boys. "I'd give it to him if he called me so." "Oh!" said the boy, "you don't suppose I'm ashamed of my patch, do you? For my part, I'm thankful for a good mother to keep me out of rags I am proud of my patch for her sake.” THE ARAB AND THE CALIPH. An Arab traveling in the desert met with a spring of sparkling water. Used only to brackish wells, such water appeared worthy of a monarch, and, filling his leather bottle from the spring, he determined to go and present it to the caliph himself. The man traveled long before he reached his sovereign, and laid his humble offering at his feet. The caliph ordered some of the water to be poured into the cup drank it, and, thanking the Arab, ordered him to be presented with a reward. The courtiers around pressed forward, eager to taste of the wonderful water; but the caliph forbade them to touch a single drop. After the poor Arab had quitted the royal presence, the caliph turned and explained his conduct: "It was an offering of love, and as such I received with pleasure; had I suffered another to partake of it he would not have concealed his disgust: therefore, I forbade you touch the draught, lest the heart of the man should have been wounded." -HOW TO SECURE ATTENTION.-The following practical hints, by Edward Brooks, appeared in a recent number of The Intelligence : 1. Show an interest in the subject you teach. 2. Be clear in thought and ready in expression. 3. Speak in your natural tone, with variety and flexibility of voice. 4. Let your position before the class be usually a standing one. 5. Teach without a book, as far as possible. 6. Assign topics promiscuously. 7. Use concrete methods of instruction when possible. 8. Vary your methods. 9. Determine to secure attention at all hazards. -A WRITER in the Primary Educator gives a few thoughtful suggestions for the proper spending of the "first few minutes in the morning. The Educator says:— What teacher as she meets the expectant gaze of the children at the opening of the day, has not seen her own feelings reflected back to her in their attitude. Much of the day's success depends on the first few moments. Children are very quick to feel the teacher's pulse. If it beats high in honest sympathy for their little strivings and ambitions, they feel it instinctively. If the beat is sluggish sometimes, has not the teacher witnessed a subtle disappoointment which is visible in the children's faces and in a slight restlessness of manner? Then the teachers, perceiving and being sorry at heart for this, mentally pulls herself together, and by waging a warfare for self-mastery, often makes of the day a glorious victory where defeat threatened. A child only gives his best when he feels a bond existing between himself and his teacher. Sympathy must be many sided and of great elasticity to meet all the phases of little humanity that come under the guidance of one teacher. The few moments between the morning bells is an opportune time for a kind of profitable talk wherein the helpfulness does not profit children alone. As the children enter the school-room exhilarated by the crisp air, they have many little incidents to relate, some of which are not without value. They gather about the teacher's desk and relate observations made while coming to school. The tardy rising of the sun at this season, the feeling of the air, the beautiful frost pictures, the diamonds on the frosty trees, the few bird notes, are all of great interest, and these observations are so helpful in the Nature Study which will follow. Here, too, is a favorable opportunity for directing the observation to new discoveries; and in this, children keep pace with teacher so gladly, she must often cultivate a quick and keen percep tion. The educational value of these informal talks is incalculable to the children, and through them the teacher possesses not alone the happy consciouness of having helped, but has thereby daily come into closer companionship with each child. Every moment in the school-room is precious, and often it happens that one may not spare even those few minutes for the little talks, but let it be remembered that here in one gives not more than one receives. -LONGFELLOW says:-"As turning the logs will make a dull fire burn, so change of study a dull brain." There is much truth in this statement of Longfellow. And it refers not only to brains dull by nature but also to those that have become dulled by too close application to one branch of work. When weary with some hard problems in mathematics, how restful it is to turn to literature, history, science or language! Much of the unity of learning is lost by making such strong, distinct lines of demarcation between subjects. But it is not all loss. There is a gain. The wise teacher can preserve the unity, while changing the subject or the point of view. -THERE is much food for thought for the teacher as well as the parent in the following lines from the Witness on the subject of uncontrolled wills: The most experienced superintendents of insane asylums tell us that in a large proportion of the cases of real insanity the primary causes is lack of self-control. The child never having been controlled by the parent, and therefore not taught to control himself, and continually giving way to uncontrolled impulses, he eventually becomes uncontrollable, reasons no longer bears sway, and insanity results. There is a form of insanity now well recognized, and defined as paranoia, which begins with egoism and egotism unfounded self-estimation, to which are soon added suspicion and jealousy, the feeling that the world is combining to keep down the aspirant for distinction, and is very apt to eventuate in malicious acts or even deeds of violence. Now this may sometimes be hereditary, and therefore partly involuntary, but far more often is it aggravated, if not caused, by parental unfaithfulness, the uncontrolled will becoming the insane will, closely akin to that resulting from unrestrained indulgence in alcoholic or narcotic stimulants. And the cause would be truthfully stated, not as "a visitation of God,” but the sin of the parent."-Prof. Checkering. -VENTILATION.-How many school-rooms supply 4,000 cubic feet of air for each pupil per hour? Theoretically and practically this would be a very good thing. But it is no easy matter to decide when we have this amount. Theoretically we can obtain it very easily. In a recent lecture by Prof. Cox, of McGill University, this was the amount stated to be necessary to ensure good ventilation, though he was not speaking specially of school-rooms. The law provides for 150 cubic feet of air space for each child, but makes no statement with regard to change of air. Prof. Cox also said that cold air would come into a warm house in some way, and if it did not get in through ventilators, it would go in throngh the sewers. We are very careful about the water we drink; we are also particular, though in a less degree, with reference to the food we eat; but the air we breathe receives but litttle attention, though the value to the system of the food and drink taken, is largely determined by the amount of fresh air that goes into the lungs. The value of fresh air is further seen when we consider a third statement from the same source, namely, that we use up thirty-four pounds weight of air in twenty-four hours and only five and a half pounds of food It is better to have a little impure air in the school-room than to have a child sit in a draught. For the former kills but slowly, while the latter is very often rapid in its injurious effects. But, |