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"Well, I believe I should have done so, if that cook hadn't come in. As it was, I left the head." "The head of what?" said Growler.

"How inquisitve you are!" said the black cat. "Nay, but I should like to know," said Growler. Well, then, of some grand fish that was meant for dinner."

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"Then," said Growler, "say what you please; but, now I've heard both sides of the story, I only wonder she didn't hang you.' *:*

Valued, prized.

Courage, bravery.

Alter, change.

Victuals, food, provisions. Increase, grow larger, opp. decrease.
Diligent, industrious. Attempt, try. Appearance, look.
Despair, fright, (so as not to know what to do).
Experience, trial.

Disposition, free, or natural inclination.

THE STORY OF THE TWO DOGS. IN a part of the world, where there are many fierce wild beasts, a poor man happened to bring up two puppies of that kind which is most valued for size and courage.

He gave one of them to the squire, which was called Jowler; while he brought up the other animal, named Keeper, to guard his own flocks.

From this time, the manner of living was entirely altered between the brother whelps. Jowler was sent into a plentiful kitchen, where he quickly became the pet of all the servants, who fed him with broken. victuals. Stuffing himself from morning to night, he increased in size, and grew sleek and comely. He was, indeed, not only fat, but so cowardly that he would run away from a dog only half as big as himself.

Keeper, in the mean time, who lived at a cottage in the country, neither fared so well, or looked so

*Leisure Hour.

plump, nor had he learned all those fawning tricks which earned for Jowler his nice tit bits. Keeper's master, too, was obliged to be continually in the air in all sorts of weather, so his dog like him grew hardy, active, and diligent. By his care and courage, too, he so well looked after the sheep of his master, that not one was ever missing. His honesty, also, was so great, that though left alone in the kitchen while the meat was roasting, he never atempted to taste it; but received with thankfulness whatever his master chose to give him.

About this time it happened that the squire went out to the woods, taking Jowler with him. The squire could not help looking down upon the rough appearance of Keeper and his awkward ways, so unlike Jowler's.

This opinion, however, soon took a new turn. As he was walking in a thick part of the forest, with no other company than the two dogs, a hungry. wolf, with eyes that sparkled like fire, bristling hair, and a horrid snarl that made the gentleman tremble, rushed out of a neighbouring thicket, and seemed ready to devour him. The squire gave himself over for lost, more especially when he saw that his precious Jowler, instead of coming to his aid, ran sneaking away, with his tail between his legs, howling with fear.

But in this moment of despair, Keeper, who had followed him humbly at a distance, flew to the spot and attacked the wolf with so much. courage and skill, that the latter was forced to use all his strength in his own defence.

The battle was long and bloody; but, in the end, Keeper laid the wolf dead at his feet, though not without receiving several severe wounds himself. The gentleman was filled with joy at his escape and gratitude to his deliverer.

Thus he learned by his own experience, that appearances are not always to be trusted, and that great virtues and good dispositions may be found among the poor and humble.*

Excellent, very good, first-rate. Finish, to end, complete.
Sensible of, aware, conscious of.

Recommend, praise, advise to accept.

Consider, think, reflect. Satisfaction, pleasure, gratification

ONE WHO IS WARM THINKS ALL SO. FRISK, my lady's dog, had a way of standing on his hind legs and looking out of the window to see what was going on in the world without. One fine winter morning having finished an excellent breakfast of bread and milk, and warmed himself thoroughly on the hearth-rug, he ran to his old place, at the window, which was open to let in the fresh air. He had just settled himself, when, Growler and Drover, two sheep dogs, met underneath the window, their coats looking dingy against the white snow, and rough and shabby with hard running, while their breath puffed out like steam in the frosty air.

"Good day, Drover - it's terribly sharp," said Growler.

"Ay, pretty well for that," said Drover.

"I've seldom known the weather to set in so bad as this so early," said Growler.

"No-it is trying," said Drover; "especially in the mornings, I can hardly feel my legs."

"Our sheep are just frozen," said Growler; " and as to the cows, their teeth pretty well freeze to the turnips."

"Poor brutes! no wonder I heard old Dobbin

*Sandford and Merton.

cry out that his shed was so cold he was as stiff as the old barn-door that won't go on its hinges. What in the world do all those poor creatures do that lie out on the common-the stray donkeys and the gipsy horses?"

"What, indeed! it makes one's teeth chatter to think of them."

"Fie! fie!" said Frisk, looking down on them; "I'm sure this is most seasonable weather -- what would you have? a fine fresh sparkling air, a bright blue sky, and a healthy crisp frost. It is charming weather if you would only be sensible of it: you should try for a contented mind, friends, and recommend the same to the sheep, to Dobbin, and the stray donkeys. Consider, I pray you, it is, all of it, what they are used to, and what they may always expect."

Frisk said all this with much with a smirk of satisfaction on his "Ah!" said Drover, looking up, breakfast?"

"Yes," said Frisk.

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liveliness, and

face.

66 have you

had

Pray where did you have it?" asked Drover. "By the fireside," said Frisk.

"So I thought," said Drover; "perhaps if you knew what hard life was, you wouldn't be quite so contented. Change places with us for a few days, and then let us see what sort of advice you would send to Dobbin and Company.”*

*Leisure Hour.

Glance, look at hastily. Delicious, pleasant, sweet, nice.
Hopes vain, hopes groundless, useless, without result.
Proceed, go on.

BUSINESS FIRST, PLEASURE AFTERWARDS.
"PUT the young horse in the plough," said the
farmer; and very much pleased he was to be in a
team with Dobbin and the grey mare.
It was a
long field, and briskly he walked across it, his nose
upon Dobbin's tail; for he had hard work to keep
at so slow a pace.

"Where are we going now?" he said, when he got to the top. "This is very pleasant." "Back again," said Dobbin.

"What for?" said the young horse rather surprised. But Dobbin had gone to sleep, for he could plough as well asleep as awake.

"What are we going back for?" he asked, turning round to the old grey mare.

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"Jee up!" said the grey mare, or we shall never get to the bottom, and you shall have the whip at your heels."

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Very odd, indeed," said the young horse, who thought he had had enough of it, and was not sorry he was coming to the bottom of the field. Great was his astonishment when Dobbin, just opening his eyes, again turned, and proceeded at the same pace up the field.

"How long is this going to last?" asked the young horse.

Dobbin just glanced across the field as his eyes closed, and fell asleep again, as he began to reckon how long it would take to plough it.

"How long will this go on? repeated the young horse.

"Jee up, I tell you," she said, "mind your own business."

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