370

and saw a carriage, drawn by two large
white horses, stop at the door. It was
their aunt’s. She had brought her little
son and daughter, named James and
Mary, to spend the afternoon with their
cousins, and all looked as happy as if they
were expecting to have a rare good time ;
and so they were.

Their aunt went into the house, and
the children played together out in the
yard. When they were tired of that,
they went into the mowing field, where
the hay was spread to dry, and began to
throw it upon each other. This they en-
joyed very much, till Charles began to
cry, and say they should not throw the
hay upon him. He wanted to pelt the
others, but was not willing to have them
pelt him. this contrary boy spoiled
the whole play, and he cried so loud that
his mother had to call him into the house.
When he was gone, James laid down in
the hay, and told his sister and cousin to
cover him up in it. When he was hidden
entirely, so that they could not see him,
he jumped up suddenly, and ran to catch
them, with an armful of hay, to pay them
for treating him so. They laughed very
loud, and were very happy, now they
had no one to disturb them with crying.
They were soon called in to tea.

Charles had not been very well in the
morning, and his mother was afraid to
give him as many strawberries in his milk
as the rest. So Charles began to cry,
and said he would not have any. His
mother then sent him out of the room,
and did not allow him to return until
his cousins had gone.

You see how many pleasant things he
lost by being so contrary. His mother
said she could not buy him a dog, until
he had learned to be a good boy. His

 

THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

cousins said they did not want to go
and see him again, for he spoiled their
play; and when his mother went to see
his aunt, she took William, but left Charles
at home. She said she could not take
him with her until he was willing to do
as others wished to have him, and not al-
ways cry to have his own way. By-and-
by, Charles learned that it was better to
be pleasant at all times, and not get out
of humor when things did not exactly
suit him; and then everybody loved him,
for he was a good little boy in every other
respect.—English Magazine.

 

Never Give a Kick for a Hit.

LEARNED a good lesson when I was
a little girl, says a lady. One frosty
morning, I was looking out of the
window into my father’s barn-yard,
where stood many cows, oxen and horses,
waiting to drink. It was a cold morning.
The cattle all stood very still and meek,
till one of the cows attempted to turn
round. In making the attempt, she hap-
pened to hit her next neighbor; where-
upon, the neighbor kicked and hit another.
In five minutes, the whole herd were kick-
ing each other with fury. My mother
laughed, and said, “See what comes of
kicking when you are hit. Just so, I
have seen one cross word set a whole
family by the ears some frosty morning.”
Afterward, if my brothers or myself were
a little irritable, she would say, “Take
care, my children; remember how the
fight in the barn-yard began. Never give
back a kick for a hit, and you will save
yourself and others a deal of trouble.”