d out the marks, saying it was of no
use to try to keep account.

Marcia Lewis wrote on her slate, "It's smile all the time."

Before Miss Capron dismissed the school at night, she said:--

"My head ached sadly before recess, and I fear I was impatient with you.
Your good conduct since has convinced me that I must have been in fault.
I thank you, my dear girls, for your love and kindness, and hope you
will forgive my faults as freely as I do yours. School is dismissed."

Instantly she was surrounded by all the girls and showered with kisses.

"We have been very wicked," said Marcia Lewis, "and it is not your fault
at all."

Little Libbie Denny then related the whole story of the conspiracy, and
when she told the part that Mary Paine had taken, Miss Capron put her
arm about Mary, and kissing her, said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called the children of God."

"Well, my dears," she added, "which was best, looking for frowns or for
smiles?"

"O, the smiles," said they all together.

"I wish you might learn a lesson from this, to remember all through your
lives. Overlook the bad and seek for what is good in everybody; and so
you will help to make both yourselves and others happier and better.
What is the lesson, girls?"

And each voice responded, "We will overlook the bad, and seek only for
what is good in those around us."

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

WHAT ONE LIE DID

It was winter twilight. Shadows played about the room, while the ruddy
light flickered pleasantly between the ancient andirons.

A venerable old lady, whose hair time had silvered, but whose heart he
had left fresh and young, sat musing in an armchair, drawn up closely by
the fireside. Suddenly the door opened, and a little girl hurried to her
side.

"Well, Bessie," said the old lady, laying her hand lovingly on the
child's sunny ringlets, "have you had a good slide?"

"Beautiful, Aunt Ruth; and now won't you tell me one of your nice
stories?"

Bessie was an only child, whose mother had just died. The little girl
had come to visit her aunt, who had learned to love her dearly because
of her winning ways and affectionate disposition.

But Aunt Ruth's eyes were of the clear sort, and she soon discovered
that Bessie was not only careless about telling the truth, but that she
displayed little sensitiveness when detected in a falsehood.

[Illustration: _The Spelling Class_]

Now, if there was any one trai