Sure enough, the sign disappeared from the window and was seen no more. Crawford became errand boy to the well-known firm of Peters & Company. He had a little room neatly fitted up next to the attic, where he spent his evenings, and at the foot of the bed hung a motto which Mr. Peters gave him.

"It tells your fortune for you; don't forget it," Mr. Peters said when he handed it to Crawford; and the boy laughed and read it curiously:

"He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much."

All this happened many years ago. Crawford Mills is an errand boy no more; but the firm is now Peters, Mills & Co. and young Crawford has found his 15 fortune.

1. What test did Mr. Peters give to the boys who applied for work? What did he want to find out?

2. Why did he hire Crawford Mills? Why did Crawford later become a member of the firm?

3. Find the meaning of any of these words that you do not understand. Pronounce them properly: eccentric; miscellaneous; ignorance; leisure; disappeared; curiously; faithful.

4. List the above words, indicating their syllables and accents. Place the proper mark over or under each leading vowel. Your dictionary will help you do this.

5. Make these words your own by using them in your conversation at least four times within the next week.

S. H. R. FIFTH -II

ΤΟ

15

T

THE WILL AND THE WAY

HERE'S something I'd have you remember, boys,
To help in the battle of life;

It will give you strength in the time of need

And help in the hour of strife.

Whenever there's something that should be done,
Don't be a coward, and say,

"What use to try?" Remember, then,
That "where there's a will there's a way.'

There's many a failure for those who win,

But though at first they fail

They try again, and the earnest ones

Are sure at last to prevail.

Though the mountain is steep and hard to climb

You can win the heights, I say,

If you make up your mind to reach the top,
For "where there's a will there's a way."

The men who stand at the top are those
Who never could bear defeat;

Their failures only made them strong
For the work they had to meet.
The will to do and the will to dare

Is what we want to-day;

What has been done can be done again,
For the will finds out the way.

THE MAGIC OF KINDNESS

BY LOUISA M. ALCOTT

ITTING in a station the other day, I had a little

SITTING

sermon preached in the way I like; and I'll report it for your benefit, because it taught one of the lessons which we all should learn, and taught it in such sa natural, simple way that no one could forget it.

It was a bleak, snowy day; the train was late; the ladies' room dark and smoky; and the dozen women, old and young, who sat waiting impatiently, all looked cross, low-spirited, or stupid. I felt all three, and 1o thought, as I looked around, that my fellow beings were a very unamiable, uninteresting set.

10

Just then a forlorn old woman, shaking with palsy, came in with a basket of wares for sale, and went about mutely offering them to the sitters. Nobody bought Is anything, and the poor old soul stood blinking at the door a minute, as if reluctant to go out into the bitter storm again.

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She turned presently, and poked about the room as if trying to find something; and then a pale lady in 20 black, who lay as if asleep on a sofa, opened her eyes, saw the old woman, and instantly asked, in a kind tone, "Have you lost anything, ma'am?"

"No, dear. I'm looking for the heatin' place, to have a warm 'fore I goes out again. My eyes is poor, 25 and I don't seem to find the furnace nowheres."

"Here it is," and the lady led her to the steam radiator, placed a chair, and showed her how to warm her feet.

"Well, now, isn't that nice!" said the old woman, spreading her ragged mittens to dry. "Thanky, dear; s this is proper comfortable, isn't it? I'm most froze to-day, bein' lame and wimbly; and not selling much makes me kind of down-hearted."

The lady smiled, went to the counter, bought a cup of tea and some sort of food, carried it herself to the 10 old woman, and said, as respectfully and kindly as if the poor woman had been dressed in silk and fur, "Won't you have a cup of hot tea? It's very comforting such a day as this."

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"Sakes alive! do they give tea to this depot?" cried the old lady, in a tone of innocent surprise that made a smile go round the room, touching the gloomiest face like a streak of sunshine. "Well, now, this is just lovely," added the old lady, sipping away with a relish. "This does warm the cockles of my heart!” 20 While she refreshed herself, telling her story meanwhile, the lady looked over the poor little wares in the basket, bought soap and pins, shoe strings and tape, and cheered the old soul by paying well for them.

As I watched her doing this, I thought what a sweet 25 face she had, though I'd considered her rather plain before. I felt dreadfully ashamed of myself that I had grimly shaken my head when the basket was offered

to me; and as I saw the look of interest, sympathy, and kindliness come into the dismal faces all around me, I did wish that I had been the magician to call it out.

It was only a kind word and a friendly act, but someshow it brightened that dingy room wonderfully. It changed the faces of a dozen women, and I think it touched a dozen hearts, for I saw many eyes follow the plain, pale lady with sudden respect; and when the old woman got up to go, several persons beckoned to 10 her and bought something, as if they wanted to repair their first negligence.

Old beggar women are not romantic; neither are cups of tea, shoe laces, and colored soap. The lady's act was not done for effect, and no possible reward Is could be received for it except the ungrammatical thanks of a ragged old woman.

1. What happened in the station? Who were present? Who were the chief actors?

2. Is it always wise to give to beggars? Discuss.