guest, if you please." The two brothers lived thus
affectionately together, as if it had been common property, till the
death of the elder put the artist in possession of the whole. How happy
every family of brothers would be, if they would thus share with each
other all they have! It would save all disputing about _mine_ and
_thine_. Every one would be equally pleased that his brother was
enjoying any thing, as if he had it himself.

SECTION II.--THE GOLDEN RULE.

GENEROUS BLACKSMITH.

Mr. Wilson, passing late one evening by a blacksmith's shop, and hearing
the sound of the hammer much later than usual, stepped in to inquire the
cause. The man told him that one of his neighbors had just been burned
out, and had lost every thing; and he had undertaken to work an hour
earlier in the morning and an hour later at night to help him.

"This is kind, in you," said Mr. Wilson; "for I suppose your neighbor
will never be able to pay you again."

"I do not expect it," replied the blacksmith; "but if I were in his
situation, and he in mine, I am sure he would do as much for me."

The next morning, Mr. Wilson called and offered to lend the blacksmith
fifty dollars without interest, so that he might be able to buy his
iron cheaper. But the man refused to take it, but told Mr. Wilson that,
if he would lend it to the man whose house was burned down, it would go
far towards helping him rebuild his cottage. To this, Mr. Wilson
consented, and had the pleasure of making two men happy.

_Michael Verin._

Michael Verin, a Florentine youth, was always foremost; and his
compositions being more correct than those of any other boy in school,
he always obtained the first prize. One of his school-fellows, named
Belvicino, studied hard night and day, but could never get the prize.
This grieved him so much that he pined away and grew sick. Verin was
strongly attached to Belvicino; and, discovering the cause of his
illness, he determined to remove it. The next composition day, he made
several faults in his Greek version. Belvicino's was judged the best,
and he took the prize. This so delighted him that he quickly recovered
his health and spirits. But he would never have known to whom he was
indebted for his success, had not the preceptor pressed Verin to tell
him why he had made such palpable faults in his composition.

SECTION III.--GRATITUDE AND BENEVOLENCE.

PLANTING TREES.

An old man was busily employed in planting and grafting