illies,
And columbine blossoms,
He levies a tax!

3. Buzz! buzz! buzz!
The sweet-smelling clover,
He, humming, hangs over;
The scent of the roses
Makes fragrant his wings:
He never gets lazy;
From thistle and daisy,
And weeds of the meadow,
Some treasure he brings.

4. Buzz! buzz! buzz!
From morning's first light
Till the coming of night,
He's singing and toiling
The summer day through.
Oh! we may get weary,
And think work is dreary;
'Tis harder by far
To have nothing to do.
Marian Douglas.

LESSON XXIII.

un hap'py prom'ised heed'less be came' grow'ing

care'less harsh'ly leav'ing eas'i ly ef fects'

an noy' ma'am blame worse torn

hard'ly nic'est spend hab'it e'vil

[Illustration: Mother and daughter sitting under a tree.]

THE TORN DOLL.

1. Mary Armstrong was a pretty little girl, but she was heedless about
some things.

2. Her way of leaving her books and playthings just where she had used
them last, gave her mother much trouble in picking them up and putting
them in their proper places.

3. She had often told Mary the evil effects of being so careless. Her
books became spoiled, and her toys broken.

4. But worse than this was the growing habit of carelessness, which would
be of great harm to her all her life. It would make her unhappy, and would
annoy her friends.

5. One day Mary and her mother went out into their pleasant yard, to spend
an hour in the open air. Mrs. Armstrong took her work with her.

6. Mary ran about and played with Dash, her pet dog, and was having a
happy time.

7. But in a corner of the yard she found her nicest doll all torn and
broken, and its dress covered with mud.

8. She knew, at once, that Dash had done this, and she scolded him
harshly.

9. Carrying the broken doll to her mamma. she showed it to her, and could
hardly keep from crying.

10. Mrs. Armstrong asked Mary if she had not left the doll on the porch
where Dash could easily get it; and Mary had to answer, "Yes, ma'am."

11. "Then you must not blame the dog, Mary, for he does not know it is
wrong for him to play with your doll. I hope this will be a lesson to you
hereafter, to put your things away when you are through playing."

12. "I will try," said Mary. And her mother promised to mend the doll as
well as she could.