that we are all of us more inclined to believe these things than we at first imagine.

12. Sarah. I think that Mary Ann is right in this respect. I am sure I would not go, if I did not think her predictions would come to pass.

13. Mary Ann. Certainly; I could not suppose you woula spend your time and money, to hear an old woman tell you things you did not believe.

14. Eveline. Well, I am sure I do not see any harm in having a little fun once in a while.

15. Julia. No; and I think it is very unkind in Mary Ann to spoil all our pleasures with her whims. She is always preaching to us about giving up our own way for the comfort of others, and I think she ought to give up now and go with us.

16. Sarah. Now, really, Julia, I think you are the one that is unkind. If Mary Ann is wrong, it is better to convince her of it kindly, and I am sure she will acknowledge it.

17. Mary Ann. I hope I should be willing to give up a mere whim for the pleasure of those I love so well. But this is not a whim; it is a serious conviction of duty.

18. Julia. Well, I thought you always pretended to be very obliging.

19. Mary Ann. I have no right to be obliging at the expense of what I deem duty. Our own inclinations we should often sacrifice, our prejudices always; but our sense of duty,

never.

20. Eveline. I think, girls, we have done wrong to urge Mary Ann to go, after she has told us her reasons.

21. Julia. Well, then, don't spend any more time in urging her to go, against her will. You know the old proverb, "The least said is soonest mended."

22. Eveline. Well, do not let us go away angry or illnatured. You asked Mary Ann to say why she thought it was wrong, and we should receive her reasons kindly.

23. Sarah. So I think; but I wish she would tell us what harm she thinks it would do to go.

24. Mary Ann. Well, girls, I think by trying to look into the future, we are apt to grow discontented and restless, and to forget that we have duties to perform in the present. Then, if we do not believe in it, it is a waste of time and money, which might be better employed in relieving the suffering of the poor around us. But the greatest evil of all is, that we should believe even a part; she would of course tell us many little circumstances which would be true of any one; thus we might be led to believe all she said; the prediction would probably work out its own fulfillment, and perhaps render us miserable for life.

25. Julia. Oh, there! Mary Ann; this is altogether too bad and ungenerous in you. In the first place, the few cents we give, bestowed as they are on a poor widow woman, are not wasted, in my opinion, but well spent; and if I spend an evening, granted to me by my father and mother for recreation, in listening to old Jane, it is no more wasted than if I spent it with the girls in any other social way. And when you connect fortune-telling and our duties in the present, you make it too serious an affair. Remember, this is all for sport.

26. Mary Ann. It may be so with you, Julia; but there are those who seriously believe every word of a fortune-teller, and actually live more in the unseen, but expected, events of the future, than in faithfully performing their duties in the present. This is true, Julia. The contentment and peace of many young minds have been utterly lost, sold for the absurd jabbering of old, ignorant, low-bred women, who pretend to read the future. But just say, girls, do you believe there is any connection between tea-leaves and your future lives? 27. Eveline, Sarah, Julia. Why, no!

28. Mary Ann. Do you believe God has marked the fortunes of thousands of his creatures on the face of cards? 29. Eveline, Sarah, Julia. Certainly not.

30. Mary Ann. Well, do you believe, if God should intrust the secret events of the future with any of our race, in this

age, it would be with those who have neither intellectual, moral, nor religious education,—who can be bribed by dollars and cents to say anything?

31. Sarah, Eveline. No, indeed!

32. Mary Ann. You do not answer, Julia. Let me ask you one or two more questions. Do you suppose Jane Merrill believes that she has a revelation from God?

33. Julia. No, Mary Ann.

34. Mary Ann. Do you suppose she thinks you believe so? 35. Julia. Why, yes, I do.

36. Mary Ann. Then, is it benevolent to bestow money to encourage an old woman in telling for truth what she knows to be false ?

37. Julia. I doubt whether it is really benevolent.

38. Mary Ann. And if old Jane speaks falsely, and knows she does so, and you know it, yet spend your time in listening to what she has to say, what good can come from it to head or to heart?

39. Julia. None at all, Mary Ann. It is time wasted, and I am convinced that I have been doubly wrong in wishing to go, and in being angry with you. Will you forgive me?

40. Mary Ann. Certainly, Julia.

41. Julia. Thank you, Mary Ann, for the lessons you have given us. Always be as amiable and sensible as now, and you will always be loved.

QUESTIONS. 3. How do fortune-tellers tell fortunes? 6. Why is it not right to have our fortunes told? 9. May we not have them told for amusement? 9. Why not? 19. Should we give up opinions of duty to oblige others? 24. What particular harm is there in trying to look into the future? 30. Would God probably reveal the secrets of the future to those destitute of moral and religious education? 39. What good can result from fortune-telling? Point out the questions in this piece which require the rising infection. Point out the questions that require the falling inflection.

LESSON XII.

1. Dolphin, a fish or mammal.

Spell and Define.

2. A-quat'ic, pertaining to water.

2. Mod-i-fi-ca'tion, particular form. 3. Ce-ler'i-ty, swiftness.

4. Il-lu'min-a-ted, enlightened.

5. Gam'bol-ing, leaping, frisking.

5. Com'rades, companions.

5. Frol'ic-some, full of gayety.

6. El'e-va-ting, raising.

7. Scud'ding, moving along swiftly. 8. In-ac'cu-rate, incorrect.

9. Per-pet'u ate, to make perpetual.

10. Inter-course, connection.

10. Wretch'ed, very miserable.

ERRORS.-1. O'vil for oval; 2. fig'er for fig'ure; 3. ah'rer for arrow; 4. par tic'e-ler for par-tic'u-lar; 4. ob'jecs for ob'jects; 6. jest for just; 6. dis-cribe' for de scribe; 7. ketch'ing for catch'ing; 10. im-me'dit-ly for im-me'di-ate-ly.

THE TRUE DOLPHIN.a

J. D. GODMAN.

1. A FULL grown dolphin measures about six feet six inches in length, from the tip of the mouth to the end of the tail. Its body is nearly oval, of a black or blackish-green color on the upper surface, and on the lower parts, of a light gray or whitish. There is below the eye, on each side, a whitish ray or blaze, extending to the fins on the shoulders.

2. So remarkably are these beings adapted to an aquatic life, that they present a similarity of appearance to fish, and are most commonly confounded with them; though this resemblance extends no further than to the general figure of their bodies, and the modification of structure which fits their extremities for swimming.

3. Language can scarcely convey an idea of the velocity with which they dart through the water, seeming rather to fly than to swim; resembling an arrow impelled by a powerful bow, barely long enough in sight to allow a conviction of its having passed. Of their wonderful celerity of movement,

NOTE. -a The dolphin, although living in the sea, is not properly a fish, but a mammal, or animal which suckles its young like quadrupeds.

and remarkably playful disposition, we have recently enjoyed many excellent opportunities of observation.

4. Once in particular, on a beautiful clear day, when the sea was so strongly illuminated by the sun as to render objects visible at almost any depth, and our vessel was sailing swiftly before a strong breeze, several of these animals appeared to vie with each other in showing how poor was her speed, compared with their own.

5. As the little troop were merrily gamboling at a short distance from the vessel's side, one of the number would dart immediately in advance of her bow, and swimming with his utmost velocity, would disappear in a straight line before her, and in a minute or two would be seen returning to the view of his comrades, as if in triumph. This was repeated many times, and most probably by different individuals. These dolphins accompanied us for a considerable distance, and all their actions appeared indicative of the most playful and frolicsome disposition.

6. They frequently, however, are seen sailing along with a slow and measured motion, just appearing at the surface, by elevating the crown of the head, and then diving short, so as to make their bodies describe the arc of a small circle, exposing themselves to view only from the crown of the head to a short distance behind the fin upon the back.

7. Occasionally a troop of them may be seen scudding along, rising in this manner in quick succession, as if anxious each to get in advance of the other; while again, a single individual may be observed successively rising and falling in the same way, as if in the act of catching its prey.

8. Few animals have occupied a more distinguished place in the writings of historians and poets, than the dolphin, whose actual habits and manners we have just examined. From Herodotus, the father of Greek historians, down to a

NOTES. -a He-rod'o-tus; an eminent Greek historian, and the oldest whose works nave come down to us; born 484 years before Christ. b Greek historians; histori. ans who lived in Greece, and wrote in Greek.