“No,—­it is so cold, I do not like to go.”

“Oh! put on your bonnet, and tie your shawl round your neck, and, believe me, you will be warm enough.”

“No, I will not go, and so you need not teaze me any more.”

“O! I will go with you, brother Edwin; I am not cold.”

“Yes, do, there’s a dear little Ellen, and I will show you the long icicles which hang on the front of the arbor; and let us just run to the field, as I want you to see the hoar frost on the grass, and to feel it crisp under your feet.  Is it not a lovely morning, sister Ellen?”

“It is indeed, dear brother.”

* * * * *

[Illustration:  The White Rabbit.]

Susan’s White Rabbit.

Oh!  Mary, I have got such a darling white rabbit as I think you never saw.  I do believe it is the sweetest little rabbit in the world; for I only had it given to me this morning, and yet it will eat clover from my hand, and let me stroke it, or do any thing I please.  And James says that he will make a little house for it, which cousin Henry will paint very nice.  And papa says, that I must call my little pet, Snowdrop, because he is as white as the drifted snow; and mamma says, that its two little bright eyes are like rubies.  Do you not think, Mary, as I do, that it is the sweetest little rabbit in the world?

* * * * *

[Illustration:  The Pet Robin.]

The Pet Robin.

My brother Frederick has a robin, and he calls him a dear little pet, he sings so sweetly.  Oh! you cannot think how well he knows Freddy.  You should see him early in the morning, when we first come down stairs, or at any time when we come in from a walk, how he runs to one corner of his cage, to look at us:  and when Fred whistles and says, “My beauty! my fine fellow!” he stands up so straight, to listen to his kind little masters voice, and then begins jumping and hopping from one end of the cage to the other, just as I have seen happy little children jump and hop about in their sports.

Sometime ago he was ill, and we were sadly afraid he would die; he used to sit from day to day, with ruffled feathers and drooping wings; his food was left untasted, and his pleasant voice was seldom heard; but in two or three weeks he began to grow better, and to eat his food as usual, and to pick amongst the green grass of the little sod we had placed in his cage.  Oh, how happy we all were then, especially Frederick, who took care of him, and watched over him with the greatest love and tenderness.  Indeed, he was well repaid for his care and anxiety, when his little pet once more began to jump about as blithely as ever.

And now, you see, he is quite well, and we treasure his little songs more than ever we did before, for we never knew how sweet they were until we were deprived of them.

And thus it is, dear children, with many blessings we possess; they become so common to us, that we cease to be thankful for them, and know not their value until they are taken away.  We forget who is the Author and Giver of all good; we forget that it is through the mercy and loving kindness of god, that we receive food and clothing, and every blessing we possess.