"A pretty story, truly!" said the merchants; "but where are the jewels which formed a part of his cargo?

"I have neither seen your camel nor your jewels," repeated the dervise.

On this they seized his person, and forthwith hurried him before the Cadi, where, on the strictest search, nothing could be found upon him, nor could any evidence whatever be adduced to convict him, either of falsehood or of theft. They were then about to proceed against him as a sorcerer, when the dervise, with great calmness, thus addressed the

court:

"I have been much amused with your surprise, and own that there has been some ground for your suspicions; but I have lived long and alone; and I can find ample scope for observation even in a desert. I knew that I had crossed the track of a camel that had strayed from its owner, because I saw no mark of any human footstep on the same route; I knew that the animal was blind in one eye, because it had cropped the herbage only on one side of its path; and I perceived that it was lame in one leg, from the faint impression which that particular foot had produced upon

the sand.

"I concluded that the animal had lost one tooth, because, wherever it had grazed, a small tuft of herbage was left uninjured in the centre of its bite. As to that which formed the burden of the beast, the busy ants informed me that it was corn on the one side, and the clustering flies that it was honey on the other."

This story is not without its moral. A habit of observation-of noticing what is going on around us-is of great use in storing the mind with knowledge, and preparing us for usefulness.

LESSON XIV.

Economy.

1. "SAVE those fragments, Laura; let nothing be lost which can be of use," said Mrs. Marsh to her daughter, as she was about to consign to the flames sundry odd bits and ends, of various colors and sizes, which she had thrown upon the carpet, during her morning's employment of sewing.

2. "What signifies a few little pieces of cloth, mother?" 3. "These are not very little pieces, my dear," said Mrs. Marsh, drawing from Laura's reluctant hand several of respectable size, and holding them up to her view. "And even if they were, so many, wasted every day, in every family, would signify a good deal to the paper-manufacturers; and the worth of them, in the course of a year, might possibly signify even to Miss Marsh."

4. "I am sure, mother, you cannot expect me to trouble my head about the paper-makers; and all the scraps I could save in a year, would not be worth sixpence."

5. "I assure you, my daughter, I do expect you to trouble your head about whatever concerns the interest and welfare of others, even though it should cost you as great an effort as the saving your paper-rags. How much the world is in debted to the manufacturers of paper, I suppose both you and your friend understand," (glancing at a young lady, who had sat silently listening to the conversation ;)" and even if their value were but one sixpence a year, that is too much to be wasted; but I know, from long experience in housekeeping, that it is several. I recommend to you to save every scrap, that is good for nothing else, for the papermills.

6. "Save even your basting threads to use again," she continued, while she busied herself in collecting several long threads which were adhering to the before-mentioned pieces, and like them destined to the flames. "Save, in

short, for one year, the numberless little things you are in the daily habit of wasting; keep an exact account of all; and at the end of the year, put the amount into your charity purse; I am confident you will find your power of doing good considerably increased by it."

7. "If I thought, mother, the sum saved would be at all worth the while, I am sure I should be willing to take some pains for such a purpose."

8. "Well, my dear, which do you doubt, my judgment, or my word, upon the subject?"

9. "Neither, dear mother," answered Laura, coloring; "I am sure you know best; and I know you never speak what you do not think. If you please, I will begin to-day, and try to follow your recommendation through the year."

10. Elizabeth Sutherland, their young visiter, had risen

during this discussion, and stood, rather impatiently awaiting its conclusion.

11. "We will go out to walk with Elizabeth, now," said Mrs. Marsh, smiling; "if her patience, which I am sure is exemplary, will hold out till we can fetch our hats and parasols."

Mrs.

12. "What a stingy woman Mrs. Marsh is," said Elizabeth Sutherland to her mother, when she came home. Sutherland gave no signs of acquiescence in this opinion; and the young lady, after waiting what she thought a reasonable time, asked, rather impatiently, "Don't you think so, mother?"

13. "

No," answered Mrs. Sutherland.

14. "Then I don't know what stinginess is."

15. "I agree with you there, entirely," answered the mother, smiling.

"If you

16. Elizabeth colored, even to her temples. knew what I know of Mrs. Marsh, mother, I am almost sure you would think as I do about her."

17. " Nay, my daughter, she has been my best friend more years than you have lived in the world. All this time I have known her for a liberal and judicious economist; and I cannot believe she is at once changed into so vile a character."

18. "Liberal economist, mother! is not that an odd phrase? I do not think liberality and economy can ever be joined together."

19. "No, my dear; because you have not right ideas of these virtues. You call economy, stinginess, and extravagance, liberality, I suppose. The truth is, they are not at all allied to each other. Economy is careful not to waste, but does not grudge to use the bounties of Providence; to use or waste is alike painful to stinginess.

20. " Economy saves, that she may open wide her hand to the sons and daughters of want; stinginess saves, that he may hoard. Economy is careful that the expenditure does not exceed the income, and that every shilling goes for something really wanted; stinginess grudges the most necessary expenses, and will almost deny himself food and raiment, that he may lay up the money which should purchase it."

21. “And what is the difference between extravagance and liberality, mother?"

22. "To answer your question in as short a manner as possible, I may say extravagance is the foolish throwing away of money for the gratification of every idle fancy; and liberality is the judicious using it for the benefit of ourselves or others."

23. "If you please, mother, I will now tell you why I called Mrs. Marsh stingy; and I am sure, much as you like economy, you will think she carried it a little too far." When she had detailed the occurrences of the morning, she added-" Now that seems a saving too small to be worth any one's attention."

24. "That, my dear, is because you think of the 'little matters' alone, and not, as you should, in connexion with the very serious consequences, which flow from daily and hourly neglecting such little matters.' One cent a day seems very little indeed; but I should like to have you tell me how much it would amount to in a year."

.

25. Elizabeth, after a momentary pause, answered, "Three dollars and sixty-five cents; is it possible!"

"

26. Certainly, my dear. Little matters,' you see, by continual accumulation, amount to great matters in time. Drops make the ocean; minutes make the year."

27. "

Well, mother, I believe I must allow that my opinion of Mrs. Marsh was too hastily formed."

28. "And not very decorously expressed-you will acknowledge that, too, my daughter, I hope.”

29. "Yes, mother," answered Elizabeth, with a crimson cheek. "But still I cannot think Mrs. Marsh was quite right; for when we went into the milliner's shop, she de clined purchasing a bonnet for Laura, which she reall needs."

30. "Perhaps she wants it, but does not need it."

31. "Indeed, mother, the milliner said she needed onc and Laura said so; and I said so. Now I am sure yo think that parents ought to supply the wants of their chur dren, if they can."

32. "Certainly, my dear, the real wants, but not the fancied wants. If I rightly remember, Laura's bonnet is quite fresh and clean,"

33. "Yes, but that is because she is so careful of every thing; she has worn it a long time."

34. "That is no reason why she should not continue to wear it, if it be unsoiled and unfaded."

35. “But it is so unfashionable, mother.”

36. "Unfashionable! What magic is in the sound! No matter how comfortable, or pretty, or becoming any thing is, let but that word be breathed over it, and it passes at once into oblivion! But this is not to the purpose. I think Mrs. Marsh was quite right in judging for herself about what she could afford, or what was proper for her to purchase, instead of suffering herself to be led by others. She best knows her own resources, and the demands likely to be made upon them.

37. Mrs. Marsh is not rich. She has enough for the comforts of life-nothing for its costly decorations. Yet limited as her income is, she contrives by her excellent management to command all that is really valuable and useful; all that can actually add to the happiness of herself and family.

38. "You can perceive, my dear, that if there be only money enough to purchase necessary and useful things, and part of it go for superfluities, there must be a deficiency of the others. You would not much like to see your friend Laura with a new bonnet, and an old, untidy pair of shoes; or with a pretty necklace and a faded dress. It would shock Mrs. Marsh's taste, even more than yours. There is a beautiful fitness and propriety in her whole establishment, which shows her judgment and good sense.

39. "She has the true economy to proportion her expenses to her income, while she makes it produce to her family all the happiness it is capable of producing; and she has the true wisdom to wish for those things only, which it is propr and right for her to have. If the occurrences and conrsation of this morning prove a salutary lesson to you, if u will make Mrs. Marsh your model in the management your yearly allowance, I shall dare to hope that you will time become as useful and estimable a woman."

LESSON XV.

Keeping Promises—A DIALOGUE.

Eliza. I Do not wish to go out this morning, mother, it is so cold; would you not like to have me read to you? Mother. I should indeed like to hear you read; you know that always gives me pleasure. But why do you think of going out?