l walk, for
then, he can soon take her out with him in his walks. You know that it
is said we must all "creep before we walk," well, I will illustrate this
for you by a nice story. "Many centuries ago, there reigned over Thebes,
Laius and Iocasta. Laius was one day killed on the road as he was airing
himself in his chariot. Shortly after, a terrible plague broke out in
Thebes, and the Sphinx ravaged all the neighborhood. The Sphinx gave out
that the plague would cease and his ravages be ended, when this riddle
was solved:--'What animal walks on four feet in the morning, two at noon
day, and three in the evening.' None of the wise men could solve it, and
so their misfortune continued. At length, Iocasta the Queen, said that
whoever could solve the riddle, should be king and have her hand in
marriage. One Oedipsus hearing of the offer, and having been insulted in
Corinth, went to Thebes, and thus rendered the solution of the riddle.
'The animal,' he said, 'was man. In his infancy, the morning of life, he
walks on hands and feet: at manhood, the noon-day of life, he walks on
his feet alone: in old age, the evening of life, he walks with a stick.'
Oedipsus was married to Iocasta and reigned as King."

[Illustration: The Ill Natured Girl.]

THE ILL NATURED GIRL.

Here is a representation of an ill natured little girl. See what an
angry and unpleasant expression her countenance has assumed. She is
angry at her sister and is tearing up a note, sent to her sister by her
grandmother. I will tell you the story. The grandmother of those three
children, was on a visit to the house. She had observed how violent and
overbearing Susan was, and how properly her sister Annie behaved. Annie
was of a gentle, mild, and willing disposition. If Susan's brother
should happen to take up her book, she would immediately scream out in a
sharp tone, "let my book alone." If her brother should attempt to reply,
she would snappishly retort, "I don't care, you shall not meddle with
it." Her conduct towards Annie was just the same, in fact, she more than
once answered her grandmother in such a tart and abrupt manner, that her
mother whipped her for it.

A few days after the grandmother had left, there was a package came
for--"Miss Annie." It proved to be a most beautiful writing desk, made
of rosewood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. It was filled with fine paper,
pens, wafers, sealing wax, and a nice seal. It contained a note in these
words:-