t she had so much power over herself that she neither
moved nor cried out. This effort, though it cost her some pain at first,
did her good, for in a minute or two she left off trembling. Her fear
went away by degrees, and then she could observe and wonder at the
curious manner in which the spider spun long lines of thread out of its
own mouth, and made them fast to each other and the wall just as he
pleased; and could also admire the sleek coat and bright eyes of the
little gray mouse on the table. Mary's book slipped from her lap, and as
she stooped to catch it, that it might not fall on the floor, she was
seen by the two visitors, who instantly fled away to their retreats in
the greatest fright possible. Neither spider nor gray mouse appeared
again that day; and ever after Mary Charlotte had courage and prudence,
and took care not to do mischief to others, nor deprive herself of
pleasure, by the indulgence of foolish fears.

The Broken Crutch

One hot day in the month of June, a poor sunburnt lame sailor, with but
one leg, was going along the road, when his crutch broke in half, and he
was forced to crawl on his hands and knees to the side of the road, and
sit down to wait till some coach or cart came by, whose driver he would
ask to take him up. The first that passed that way was a stage coach,
but the man who drove it was a surly fellow, and he would not help the
sailor, as he thought he should not be paid for it.

Soon after this the tired sailor fell fast asleep upon the ground, and
though a thick shower of rain came on, yet still he slept: for sailors
when on board their ships have to bear all sorts of weather.

When the wind blows, the waves of the sea often dash over the deck of
the vessel and wet the poor men to the skin while they are pulling the
ropes and shifting the sails.

When the lame sailor awoke he found a boy's coat and waistcoat laid on
his head and shoulders, to keep him from being wet; and the boy sat by,
in his shirt, trying to mend the broken crutch with two pieces of wood
and some strong twine. 'My good lad,' said the sailor, 'why did you pull
off your own clothes to keep me from being wet?' 'O,' said he, 'I do not
mind the rain, but I thought the large drops that fell on your face
would awake you, and you must be sadly tired to sleep so sound upon the
bare ground. See, I have almost mended your crutch, which I found broke;
and if you can lean on me, and cross yonder field to my un