Where are palm trees found? Describe them generally. How many known species of palms are there? Name one of the most interesting of the palm tribe. Describe its trunk. What is it crowned with? How large are the leaves? What does a single leaf resemble? Describe the nuts. What is the shape of the external rind? What surrounds the nut? How many scars has the nut at one end? How do they differ? What is found inside the kernel? Where is the cocoa nut palm a native of? What is produced from the kernel of the nut? What is this oil used for? About how many nuts does a tree produce in a year? What is done with the fibrous coats which surround the nuts? What is it called when it has been dressed? Of what use is it? What are the leaves used for? What are the trunks made into? If the tree be bored whilst growing, what happens? What is the juice called? What is done with it?

THE BLIND BOY.

1. I stood one bright morn on the brow of the mountain,

And gazed on the beautiful landscape below; Here a bright sunny mead, here a silvery fountain,

Shone forth as its rippling waves onward would

flow;

And my spirit seem'd raised from the things of this earth,

And revell'd in scenes to which fancy gave birth.

2. The bright orb of day in full glory was shining, Diffusing its life-giving beams all around;

And Nature, while scatt'ring her favours, was smiling,

And gladness and pleasure were everywhere found;

And I cried, "Who could gaze on a scene such as this,

And not be absorb'd in the magic of bliss?"

3. A deep sigh was the echo which stole on my ear; I started, and turn'd from the brilliant scene,

For

my heart it was chill'd to think woe was so

near

When all nature seem'd rapt in a joy so serene, And discover'd, alas, that this heart-rending sigh Had its source in the breast of a boy who stood by. 4. My gay spirit was check'd-but I cried with surprise,

"Canst thou look on a landscape with charms so replete,

And not be inspired by those bright sunny skies With a joy which would all other passions defeat?"

The boy's answer was short, but it gave to my mind

A thrill of keen anguish, 'twas, "Alas, I am

blind."

brow, the edge.
gazed, looked.
landscape, view.

absorbed, lost in one's
self.

brilliant, bright.

mead, grass field.

serene, quiet.

1. A promise should be kept at all times and under all circumstances. Nothing but absolute impossibility should prevent this. This is a duty binding upon men and women of all ages, all ranks, and all conditions of life. The king has no more right to break his word, or fail to keep his promise, than the poorest subject in his kingdom. We must not say "I forgot," or "I did not think it would matter." No excuses of this kind will clear us from the wrong and sin of a broken promise.

2. Most of us have read the story of the famous battle of Waterloo. The name of the great commander, the Duke of Wellington, is well known. We all remember, when the battle was raging most fiercely, and the issue seemed doubtful, how anxious the brave Duke was for either the Prussians or night to come. He knew well that the Prussians were advancing to his help led by Marshal Blücher, and with that help the Duke felt sure of victory.

3. But the Duke little knew what difficulties were in the way of the advancing Prussians. The roads were very bad, and made much worse by excessive rain. The men were wearied with hard fighting and long marches. But Blucher encouraged his soldiers with words and actions. "Forwards, children! forwards!"-"It is impossible; it can't be done,” was the reply. Again and again the brave hero urged them on. "Children," he again exclaimed to his struggling but loyal men, "we must get on. I have promised my brother Wellington. Yes, promised! You would not have me break my word!" Blucher kept his word, and the victory was secured.

4. A still more touching story is told of another great man, Sir William Napier. This man is distinguished both as a great soldier and as the author of the History of the Peninsular War. But we have not now to speak of his great deeds on the battle-field, but to show that he was good as well as great, and that he valued and honoured truth above everything else.

5. One day he was taking a long walk in the country, when he met a little girl, about five years old, sobbing and crying over a broken bowl. The child had been taking her father's dinner to the field where he was working, and on her return she had dropped the bowl and broken it. She feared that she would be beaten when she reached home. As Sir William was listening to the child's story, in a moment a gleam of hope seemed to cheer her. She looked up into Sir William's face, and said in her simple way,

"But you can mend it, can't you?" Sir William kindly explained to the child that mending the broken bowl was quite beyond his power, but he said he could help her to get another. He felt for a sixpence, but on opening his purse he found he had no silver in it. What was to be done? He promised to meet the child on the next day at the same time and place, and bring her a sixpence. In the meantime he bade her tell her mother that she had seen a gentleman who would bring some money on the next day, and that she was not to be beaten. The child believed him, and went home comforted.

6. On his return home Sir William found a note inviting him to dine at Bath to meet some one whom he was very anxious to see. For a few moments he hesitated, he then tried to see if there was time to meet his little friend at the appointed time, and afterwards go to the dinner. It could not be done. So he sat down, and wrote to decline the invitation, and, turning round to one of his family, he said, “I cannot disappoint the little child: she trusted me."

prom-is-es

ex-cuse

Peninsular war, the war in Spain and Portugal between Wellington and the generals of Napoleon in 1808-1813. hesitated, did not know what to do.

ex-cess-ive

touch-ing

cir-cum-stan-ces wrong wea-ri-ed dis-tin-guish-ed im-pos-si-bil-i-ty fierce-ly en-cour-aged dis-ap-point