Year: 1867

to write on. The key to his writing
case was missing, but he found it,
and found too that his case was all
out of order so he stopped to put
things straight.


Hugh, are you nearly ready ?'
called his mother, " it is getting very
late, and you have your lesson yet to
learn"


So Hugh began to dress. II won.
der how many button-holes | could
fasten on one button-four, FIVE, six
oh dear there's the button off,
And Susan had to come and sew il
on. What's the matter with my
cuffs, some how they don't look like
mine. I'll measure with one of nv
others. Yes, they are just the same,
but wish they were made like Frank
Smiths his IRE ever so much nicer.
By and by Hugh was dressed. He
knelt down to say say his prayers,
but forgot to ask to be made indus
trious and kept from wasting his
time he forgot that the Good Faith
er loves to see his children earnest
and faithful in the work they have To
do. What's on my book, wond-
er." Hugh had found little spot
and could not study till he had tried
to scrape it off. Then he began to
learn his lesson, and only stopped
now and then to wonder how in the
world the oornice was fastened up in
its place, and then to watch fly on
the window pane, and wonder if it
had only four legs instead Of six
Then little mouse ran out into the
room and Hugh stopped to give it
some crubs, and afterwards to hunt
up the trap and set it. And so break
fast time came and found the lesson
not half learned. Hugh had to get
his luncheon ready, then to strap his
books, and when was all through,
only five minutes were left him for
his breakfast


Just as the clock struck, Hugh
reached school all out Of breath from
his run. The unlearned lesson trou-
bled him all day he had no time to
study it; he missed and was kept
in. Coming home, Hugh loitered to
look in at the shop windows, or talk
with the boys, or follow a crowd to
see what was the matter. So much
time was wasted that he lost his play
hour, and had to go right to work at
next days lessons. The lessons
dragged Hugh thought of fifty 9th.
er things, and stopped for many tri-
fes He was tired and uncomforta-
BILE {; nothing had gone right all day.
Hugh thought Of the little brook and
of the long distance it had Journey
ed Oh since early morning and he
himsef-had he gone on ward or back.
ward ? The little brook still sang
its merry song, but Hugh was tired
and unhappy. The brook had cheer
ed many as it ran along Hugh had
disappointed and annoyed his parents
and his teachers by his slow aud idle
ways. Hugh began to think. The
liIIlc DLOOh was WlSGI lEdu lit Ill LeT
all and happier too. And the Great
Father above, who had made both
Hugh and the brook, had looked down
upon them that day, and was better
pleased with tue little stream of wa
ter than with the boy who knew so
much more, and who had received
such numberless gifts and blessings
to make him wise and good and
happy.


"Oh, little brook" sighed Hugh,
" / wish had gone steadily on like
you, l am tired of stopping and
wasting my time ; and tonight Pm
not gay and merry like you. But
tomorrow Tll think Of you all day
long, little brook, and try to do just
as you do for too want to be hap
py and to please the Great Father
above.-N Y. Observer.