the
race? A friend with him expressed surprise. "Do you think," said he,
"I would be less polite than a negro?" I hope, when you are tempted to
be uncivil to those whom you consider beneath you, you will not forget
the good example of the Father of his Country. I suppose the secret of
Washington's politeness and greatness was, as his mother proudly said
of him, that "George was always a good boy!"

He was a gentleman--such a gentleman as I should be glad to believe
every boy who reads this book will one day be. If you would be polite
to all, you must cultivate kind feelings towards all. A gentleman is
not a rough man. He may have great energy and power of character, as
had Washington, but still he is a _gentle_-man.

GENEROUS NELLY; OR, THE WILLING MIND.

Nelly Wallace is about six years old. She has a pleasant, attractive
face. Her long hair curls in ringlets over her neck. She is one of the
neatest and most gentle children I ever saw, and gives her mother but
little trouble. Indeed, she is so orderly, and active, that she is
quite an assistance to her. She sings like a lark, and is patient as a
lamb. She is very generous, too.

Her father is obliged to live on a small salary.

Nelly is a favourite with her father's friends, and often receives a
present from them.

One day, she heard her mother say to her father that they needed some
particular article very much, but he told her he had not money enough
to purchase it. She quietly left the room, and went up stairs.
Presently she returned, and placed a five-dollar gold-piece, which had
been given to her, in her mother's hand. "Please use my money,
mother," she said; "I should rather you would use it for what you
need, than keep it to buy something for myself."

At another time, her father was obliged to take a journey on business.
Nelly brought forth her purse, and offered its contents to him to
defray his expenses. Dear child! she knew nothing about the cost of
travelling, nor the value of money. She thought her three-cent pieces
would be all he would need.

[Illustration: Nelly brought forth her purse.]

Paul, when exhorting the Corinthian church to liberality, says, "If
there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man
hath, and not according to that he hath not." Nelly had a willing
mind, and her father was as much gratified by her thoughtful
consideration as he would have been if she had been able to furnish
him all that he n