SELEC

OF

READING LESSONS

FOR

COMMON SCHOOLS,

DESIGNED TO BE USED AFTER

EASY LESSONS IN READING, AMERICAN POPULAR LESSONS,
BOSTON READING LESSONS,

AND OTHER WORKS OF A SIMILAR RANK.

BY THE AUTHOR

OF THE LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC CLASS BOOK.'

"The first books we read can never be forgotten, nor the morals they
inculcate be eradicated."-MAVOR.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE,-to wit, DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE.

BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the fifth day of June, a. d. 1829, and in the fifty-third year of the Independence of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, J. & J. W. Prentiss of Keene, in the said District, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit:

"Sequel to Easy Lessons. A selection of Reading Lessons for Common Schools, designed to be used after Easy Lessons in Reading, American Popular Lessons, Boston Reading Lessons, and other works of a similar rank. By the author of 'The Literary and Scientific Class Book.' "The first books we read can never be forgotten, nor the morals they inculcate be eradicated."-Mavor."

In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned ;" And also to an act, entitled "an act, supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints." CHARLES W. CUTTER,

A true copy as of Record. Attest,

Clerk of the District of N. H. CHARLES W. CUTTER, Clerk

Many of the lessons in this Selection have been abridged and altered by the Compiler. The names of American works and authors are in Italic. The last two engravings are from the Juvenile Miscellany.

SEQUEL

TO EASY AND POPULAR LESSONS.

LESSON 1.

Self-Denial.

"MOTHER" said a little boy, one morning, as he was looking over a book; "here is another of those hard words, that puzzle little children. I wish they wouldn't put such words in our books. Why can't the people who write books, have all the words easy words ?"

"Why, Harry," replied his mother, "the fact is, you are so very little, that it is quite difficult to write anything that you can perfectly understand. But let me see this terrible word, which puzzles you so much. What is the book you are read

ing?"

"Easy Lessons in Reading,' it is called, mother," said Harry, "but they are not so very easy. Here, a boy is talking to his brother about selfdenial, as if it were something little children ought' to know; and I am sure I don't know what it means. It surely don't mean anything we must do, if we can't understand it.”

"But it does mean a great many things that a little boy ought to do, and not to do; and so I will try to explain it to you. You deserve to have it explained, for then I think you will have the pleasure of discovering that you are sometimes good at denying yourself."

"Denying myself, mother! I am sure, when I say anything, I don't deny it; and when I do anything, I don't deny it. I should do very wrong, if I did."

"True, Harry, but wait a little, until you have heard what I was going to say. You know, the other day, when I gave you a sixpence, you wished, very much, to spend it for candy, which you said you would divide between yourself and your sister." "But I reminded you," continued his mother, that had determined to save all your money, in your little strong box, to buy books with; and so, without much hesitation, you went and slipped it into the hole in the lid, and there it is safe as a mouse in a trap; for though you can put it in, you cannot get it out again, you know, till the box is unsealed."

you

"And so mother, I think I might call my box, my money trap." "So you might Harry; but I must not forget what I was going to add, that when you determined to do what I wished, with your sixpence, you refused or denied yourself the pleas ure, you so much desired, of getting the candy,and then you practised self-denial. When you come to open your box, you will be very glac you saved your money; though I dare say, every time you put any into it, you feel sorry you can not do something else, with your little earnings. But good always comes from self-denial; and much evil is prevented by it."

Yes, mother," said Harry, "I suose, if that little boy that got sick yesterday, by eating chestnuts, had denied himself, and not eaten any, or but few;-instead of lying in bed all day, he might have been running and capering about or reading pleasant stories, as I do."

"But mother, when little boys and girls are together, talking and playing, and it is very hard to be still, but they try to be still because their mother

wishes it Is that the same thing with this selfdenial, that you talk about ?" "Certainly it is, my child; and one of the most difficult pieces of selfdenial, children ever have to practice.

"But in the instances, that have been mention ed, you perceive something is gained, or saved. Children who do not spend their money foolishly, save it for useful purposes;-children who do not eat what is unwholesome, or too much of that which is good for them, escape a great deal of sickness and pain, which they might otherwise have."

66

"I think, "said Harry, (6 this hard word will never puzzle me again, please to tell me some more about it." "O! it would take me quite too long, to tell you of all, or one half the occasions for selfdenial which happen every day. But, come, it is time for you to go to school." 'Do let me, mother, stay a little longer, and talk with you, it is so pleasant." "But I shall have talked in vain, if you have not learned a lesson of self-denial, sufficient to teach you, that nothing ought to detain you, one moment, beyond the hour of school."

LESSON 2.

Frank Lucas, a laudable Example of filial Duty.

Mrs. Corbon kept a village school in the state of New-York She had a noble mind, and was a friend to all good children. One cold morning in the winter, a small boy came along, with a saw on his arm, and wanted this. lady to hire him to saw wood. She said, one of her neighbours, a trusty man, would like to saw the wood, and she did not wish to hire anybody else. "O dear," said the boy, "what shall I do?” "Why, little fellow," said she, "what is the matter?"