QUADRILATERAL FIGURES. Equilateral Triangle, A Right-angled Triangle. P. To-day we will learn of figures with four angles. Here are two different ones, who can describe them? W. I can, papa. Let me see! The first is a square. P. True, Willie-but then, you are not describing it. If a blind man were to bring you an animal to describe, and you were to say to him, "It is a dog" W. Then he wouldn't be any wiser, he would say, "You are only telling me its name; tell me all about it-what sort of a thing it is!" P. Then, suppose I am blindNow, I want you to tell me what the square is, not, what it is called. W. Well, then, the square is a thing P. It is not exactly a real thing, it is a shape-a figure. W. Then, the square is a figure with four sides-all of the same size-all equal, I should say. It has four equal sides, and four right angles. P. Now, what is the next figure? W. What is it called, papa? P. Never mind its name-what is it? W. It is a figure with four equal sides. I can tell that without measuring. P. And so is a square. W. But I have not finished yet, papa!-It has two acute, and two obtuse angles. That is it!-It is a figure with four equal sides, and two acute, and two obtuse angles. P. Very good-but, are you sure now that you have described it exactly? Have you given me such a description that I cannot mistake it for any other figure? W. I think so, papa. P. Perhaps I might think that you were describing this one? Ion. Is not this drawing rather rhomb properly, you will then difficult, papa? P. No. If you will first take pains to draw the square and find it very easy to join them together, and to make the drawing. 11th Week. FOR THE MONDAY. Moral Lesson. "Deep rivers move with silence." | have a quiet steady way with them Listen! W. To what, papa? P. To the waterfall! Do you hear the bustling sound it makes? Let us go up the side of the vale. Now you can see the little rill beneath those shady bushes. L. I see it, papa! How it sparkles in the gloom-as it runs between the two pieces of rock. And, now watch it, papa, as it makes a broader stream over the gravel! What a singing it makes! And, how i; dances about! There it goes-sparkling, singing, and dancing-all down the hill. P. Now, see how it has grown -another stream has joined it, and it makes more noise. See now! Three or four more streams have joined it-and it is beginning to think itself very great and important. Ion. Yes, and now it forms a waterfall. Hear what a very bustling noise it makes, as much as to say, "Make way for me, I'm somebody!" P. Ah, but if you will come with me six miles further down, you will see how differently it moves-like an old experienced stream. It has been joined by other large streams; and there it forms A RIVER. It has learned on its way that there are many streams as broad and deep as itself, and some, perhaps, broader-so now it makes very little noise about its importance. Ion. And yet, perhaps, it is a great deep river! Well! rivers -rivers never do seem to make any noise at all. P. And this is the way, Ion, that men grow up. At first-they are little boys like you and Willie, full of play. They love to dance, and sing, and, when they talk with sparkling looks, they make a merry noise-like the little rill. As they grow up and get out into the world, they see themselves growing, begin to think of their importance, and say to people, "Listen to me!"-"Make way for me!"-"I am a great somebody!" -So, when they talk, they make a boasting noise-just like the waterfall. But, when they are full grown, when they have mingled with many men-and have gathered a little from one, and a little from another-when their minds are thus deepened with thoughts-then they do not talk with a boasting noise. They have learned to be humble and to talk less-so, like deep rivers, they move on with silence. W. Ah, then! when anybody talks very much indeed, I suppose that is because he has not grown up to be a man. But men do talk very much, sometimes! P. No, Willie-if you hear any one always talking very much, you may be sure that he is not a man yet. It is very often so-and oh! it is a sad thing, Willie, that many boys, ah! thousands of boys, never become men before they die! They may grow to be tall-they may live on to be 60 or 70 years old-they may have the bodies of men-and the age of men-but they themselves-their minds, their souls-never grow enough to become men! W. Oh, I hope I shall become a man! But do, papa, tell us a tale about some quiet man-a man who was a deep river! P. Well, I remember now a tale which I think will suit you. I read it in some book about twenty years ago I think it was in "The Visitor." Hearken! "I understand it! I understand it!" said Jem Timmings, "I can see-exactly what you want, sir. It shall be sure to be done!"-So he shut up his two-foot rule, putting it in his pocket. "I quite understand, sir-good day, sir," he said as he shut the gate. And, he walked off hastily like a man who knew what he was about-better than anybody could tell him! Now, the mischief of it was, that Jem Timmings thought that he understood, not only the business he had then in hand, but everything else too. So, as usual, he had made so much noise and talking, with such impatience and boasting in receiving his orders, that he had not had time to hear properly all that had been said. he set up for a master directly. Being always talking very much of what he could do, at first many people resolved to try him Jem had been sent for by the churchwarden to make him a pigeon-house; and it was after the interview about it, that he said so confidently-"I understand it! I understand it!" 66 Got a job to do for churchwarden-am going to make him a pigeon-house-what do you say to that, man!" he said, as he met one of his companions. As Jem went along whistling, with his hat on one side of his head, he met with his old master, Parkenson, who also happened to be going to the churchwarden's. He gave him a very familiar nod as he passed. He thought that now he had begun to work for the churchwarden, he should soon put poor Parkenson in the background. The truth was, that the churchwarden had a long job, of & parulcular description, to give to a carpenter, and was anxious to compare the work of old Parkenson with the work of Jem Timmings, before he decided which man he should employ. For this purpose he had sent for Jem to order a pigeonhouse, the form and make of which he particularly described. He sent, too, for Parkenson, to order one of the same description, and was very particular in giving his directions to them both, saying, that if not made exactly to order he would not have it. Jem Timmings was a carpenter. He had served his time with old Thomas Parkenson, a clever, though an humble man. He had usually passed for a smart young fellow at his business, so long as he followed his master's directions; -but, in nine times out of ten he Jem Timmings was not five mistook what had been said. "I minutes in taking the order-he tell you what," said old Thomas, knew how it was to be done-he one day, "you will never under- understood all about it! Old Parstand anything as long as you kenson, on the contrary, was very make so much noise and talk so careful in thoroughly comprehendmuch!" ing how every part of the pigeonAfter Jem had served his time, house was to be completed, and he made a rough drawing before he left the churchwarden, so that he might not forget anything He then went quietly home to work. Jem Timmings set to work at the pigeon-house, but was not quite certain of the number of holes he had been ordered to make. He was, too, in some doubt whether the pigeon-house had been ordered four feet three inches high, or three feet four; but, being ashamed to ask, he made the pigeon-house at a venture. Old Parkenson had no doubt at all about the matter; he had taken care to have a clear understanding of every part, and he made his pigeon-house exactly according to the directions he had received. The two pigeon-houses were sent to the churchwarden's, and as Jem Timmings went there to know if the one he had made gave satisfaction, he overtook old Parkenson. Both of them were surprised when they found out that they were going to the same place, and still more so when they saw two new pigeon-houses standing, side by side, in the churchwarden's yard. In a little time they were joined by the churchwarden, who pointed out to Jem that the pigeon-house he had sent was a foot too short, and had two pigeon-holes in it more than were ordered. He then showed him the one made by Parkenson, which was in every respect correct, and just the thing he wanted. "I understand it! I understand it!" said Jem, and proposed to rectify his mistake. "No, no," cried the churchwarden, "I wish you to understand that Í will never employ a young fellow who is more fond of talking than of listening to the orders of his employers." Jem Timmings slunk away; his ill-made pigeon-house was sent after him; and in two or three days he heard that old Parkenson and his men were busily employed in putting new pews to the parish church. W. Ah, I see who was the deep river. Old Parkenson was! He went to work slowly, and worked in silence. P. Then you may copy himalthough I do not like to see boys and girls like old men and women, yet it is a good thing for them to move with silence, sometimes. Do you remember your last arithmetic lesson?-when I taught all three of you to work questions in "Proportion ?" Ion. Yes, papa. Willie and I, both, made blunders, and could not succeed. P. And Lucy's work was correct. Ion. Well! now, I remember how silent Lucy was all the time. She sat down, and listened to every word you said, while Willie and talked so much just like two "Jem Timmingses!" P. Yes, both of you were quite sure that you knew the rule, long before Lucy, who first filled her mind with the thoughts I gave her. W. Until it was very deep. P. Yes, and then sat down to work silently. W. And worked through her sum like a good old woman! Ion. Or like old Parkenson! P. Or like a deep river! "DEEP RIVERS MOVE WITH SILENCE." " |