ur with her books upon
her lap.

"Not quite, mother."

"Have you been studying all the time, my dear?"

"Pretty near; there was a man beating his horse dreadfully, and I just
looked out of the window a minute."

Mrs. Manvers smiled, and yet sighed, for she knew that Emily had spent
half an hour humming a tune and gazing idly from the window upon the
passers by.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * * * *

Original.

A CHILD'S READING.

In this day of books, when so many pens are at work writing for
children, and when so many combine instruction with entertainment, every
family should be, to some extent, a reading family. Books have become
indispensable; they are a kind of daily food; and we take for granted
that no parent who reads this Magazine neglects to provide aliment of
this nature for his family. How many leisure hours may thus be turned to
profitable account! How many useful ideas and salutary impressions may
thus be gained which will never be lost! If any family does not know the
pleasure and the benefit of such employment of a leisure hour, we advise
them to make the experiment forthwith. The district library, the
Sabbath-school or village library in almost every town afford the
facilities necessary for the experiment. But my object is not so much to
induce any to form the _taste_ for reading, for who, now a-days, does
not read? nor is it to write a dissertation on the pleasures and
advantages of reading; but simply to suggest a few plain hints upon the
_subject matter_ and the _manner_ of reading.

And, in the first place, the parent should know _what_ his child reads.
The book is the companion or teacher. Parent, would you receive into
your family a playmate or a teacher of whose tastes and habits and moral
character you were ignorant? Would you admit them for one day in such a
capacity without having previously ascertained as far as possible their
qualifications for such an intimate relationship to your child? But
remember that the book has great influence. It puts a great many
thoughts into the mind of the young reader, to form its tastes and make
lasting impressions; and how can you be indifferent to this matter, when
our land is flooded with so many vicious and contaminating books; when
they come, like the frogs of Egypt, into every house and bed-chamber,
and even into the houses of the servants! A single book may ruin your
child! You yourself may not be proof against ev