After a long stroll, I returned to the inn, in order to continue my journey; but before leaving the village, I took my little friend into the bookseller's shop, and gave her, what I am sure she highly prizes, a nice book on wild flowers. I can never think of my Highland tour without admiring the modesty, good sense, and intelligence of the young girl whom I thus accidentally met; and I am certain any boy or girl who endeavours to imitate her will find the attempt both pleasant and profitable.

THERE is so much distress and misfortune in the world, that it would be a miserable world indeed if we were not kind to each other. We know ourselves how much we feel indebted to any one who assists us in our difficulties. If we lose our road, how grateful we are to any one who puts us right! If we are puzzled with anything in our lesson that we cannot understand, how warmly we

thank any one who takes the trouble to explain it to us! Should we lose anything that we set a high value upon, we never forget the kindness of any one who should find it for us again, or should give us something equally prized by us. How much we think even of a kind word, or a pleasant look, though the person who thus sympathizes with us is unable to give us any further assistance; it makes us forget half our distress, and cheers us up to endure bravely whatever may befall us.

Now, if we wish to receive any kindness from others, we must shew kindness to them. If we always act selfishly, assisting no one in distress because it might give us some trouble, and might take up some of the time in which we wished to amuse ourselves; giving no one any share in our pleasures, that we may have the more to ourselves; laughing at others when we see them in misfortune, and rejoicing when they are punished, or

when they meet with disappointments: how can we expect that they will act otherwise to us? If we do not sympathize with others, we do not deserve any sympathy from them; and we may be very sure we shall seldom get any. However young we may be, we can always find some to shew kindness to; we shall be able to help and protect those who are younger than we are; and when we can do nothing to assist them, we can at all events speak and look kindly to them, and even this, we know, will do them some good. Besides, we may be of great service even to those who are much older than we are; and if we just make up our minds to try to be kind, we shall find that we can do a great deal for which even men and women will be grateful to us. A very young child may lead a blind man across the street; or may warn grown people of some danger which they do not see; or may direct them right when they have lost their way; and if

it cannot assist them when they are in distress, it can at least run and bring others to their assistance. If at any time we begin to think that we can do little to help others, we should remember the fable of the mouse and the lion.

Once on a time, a little hungry mouse ventured in search of food into a lion's den. The huge lion, on seeing the mouse, lifted up his great paw to crush it to death. In great fear the mouse begged the lion to forgive it this once, and it would always feel grateful, and do anything it could to help the lion. The lion laughed at the notion of a mouse being able to help him, and good-humouredly allowed the little animal to nibble some bones that were lying about, and then to creep back to its hole. A few days after, the lion, while hunting in the forest, was caught in a trap. It shook itself, and pulled with all its might at the strings which fastened the trap, but all in vain ; and being mightily