“I have learned a sad lesson to-day; and that is, never to do any-thing in anger.”

DOCTOR GOLDSMITH.

There was once a kind man whose name was Oliver Gold-smith.  He wrote many de-light-ful books, some of which you will read when you are older.

He had a gentle heart.  He was always ready to help others and to share with them anything that he had.  He gave away so much to the poor that he was always poor himself.

He was some-times called Doctor Goldsmith; for he had studied to be a phy-si-cian.

One day a poor woman asked Doctor Goldsmith to go and see her husband, who was sick and could not eat.

Goldsmith did so.  He found that the family was in great need.  The man had not had work for a long time.  He was not sick, but in distress; and, as for eating, there was no food in the house.

“Call at my room this evening,” said Goldsmith to the woman, “and I will give you some med-i-cine for your husband.”

In the evening the woman called.  Goldsmith gave her a little paper box that was very heavy.

“Here is the med-i-cine,” he said.  “Use it faith-ful-ly, and I think it will do your husband a great deal of good.  But don’t open the box until you reach home.”

“What are the di-rec-tions for taking it?” asked the woman.

“You will find them inside of the box,” he answered.

When the woman reached her home, she sat down by her husband’s side, and they opened the box; What do you think they found in it?

It was full of pieces of money.  And on the top were the di-rec-tions:—­

     “To be taken as often as ne-CES-si-ty requires.”

Goldsmith had given them all the ready money that he had.

THE KINGDOMS.

There was once a king of Prussia whose name was Frederick William.

On a fine morning in June he went out alone to walk in the green woods.  He was tired of the noise of the city, and he was glad to get away from it.

So, as he walked among the trees, he often stopped to listen to the singing birds, or to look at the wild flowers that grew on every side.  Now and then he stooped to pluck a violet, or a primrose, or a yellow but-ter-cup.  Soon his hands were full of pretty blossoms.

After a while he came to a little meadow in the midst of the wood.  Some children were playing there.  They were running here and there, and gathering the cow-slips that were blooming among the grass.

It made the king glad to see the happy children, and hear their merry voices.  He stood still for some time, and watched them as they played.

Then he called them around him, and all sat down to-geth-er in the pleasant shade.  The children did not know who the strange gentleman was; but they liked his kind face and gentle manners.