hy he and Tom Fletcher had not again joined them.
In pity to the confusion visibly stamped on George's countenance, Mr.
Danvers undertook to explain the cause of their absence, and begged that
they themselves would come, whenever it was pleasant to them, to play in
his field. As to Tom, he thought he would not be able to play again
within a week; but on that day se'nnight, if his eye was well enough to
allow of his playing, Mr. Danvers would himself take a part in the game,
and he invited all the party to take tea and refreshments after its
conclusion. The boys seemed delighted with this proposition, and took
their leave, when George accompanied his father and mother into the
house, where they were joined by little Ellen. The accident of the
broken vase was related, at which Mrs. Danvers expressed great regret;
but her vexation was accompanied with the pleasing reflection that the
word of her children might be taken without scruple, for the
good-natured Ann was not easy till she had informed her mistress of all
that she knew respecting the accident.

From this day, Ellen never wished that she was a boy to do nothing but
play from morning till night. She saw, in the example of her brother
George, that idleness generally leads to mischief, and consequently to
unhappiness; and she felt how necessary it was to have performed her
duty well before she could enjoy her play.

Waste Not, Want Not

or

Two Strings to Your Bow

Mr. Gresham, a Bristol merchant, who had, by honourable industry and
economy, accumulated a considerable fortune, retired from business to a
new house which he had built upon the Downs, near Clifton. Mr. Gresham,
however, did not imagine that a new house alone could make him happy. He
did not propose to live in idleness and extravagance; for such a life
would have been equally incompatible with his habits and his principles.
He was fond of children; and as he had no sons, he determined to adopt
one of his relations. He had two nephews, and he invited both of them to
his house, that he might have an opportunity of judging of their
dispositions, and of the habits which they had acquired.

Hal and Benjamin, Mr. Gresham's nephews, were about ten years old. They
had been educated very differently. Hal was the son of the elder branch
of the family. His father was a gentleman, who spent rather more than
he could afford; and Hal, from the example of the servants in his
father's family, with whom he h