11.  “At night, the sand in the hourglass has run through twelve times.  The hour hand of the clock has moved all around its great face.

12.  “This because they keep work every minute.  They do not stop to think how much they have to do, and how long it will take them to do it.”

13.  Now, Frank’s mother wanted him to learn a little hymn; but he said “Mother, I can never learn it.”

14.  His mother said, “Study all the time.  Never stop to ask how long it will take to learn it.  You will be able to say it very soon.”

15.  Frank followed his mother’s advice.  He studied line after line, very busily; and in one hour and a half he knew the hymn perfectly.

LESSON LXIII.

sleet cheer’ly cru’el taps free

[Illustration:  Road through forest.]

March.

1.  In the snowing and the blowing,
     In the cruel sleet,
   Little flowers begin their growing
     Far beneath our feet.

2.  Softly taps the Spring, and cheerly,—­
     “Darlings, are you here?”
   Till they answer, “We are nearly,
     Nearly ready, dear.”

3.  “Where is Winter, with his snowing? 
     Tell us, Spring,” they say. 
   Then she answers, “He is going,
     Going on his way.

4.  “Poor old Winter does not love you;
     But his time is past;
   Soon my birds shall sing above you;—­
     Set you free at last.” 
                                Mary Mapes Dodge.

LESSON LXIV.

late straw Jen’ny snort’ed Tem’plar

aunt rogue re port’ graz’ing di rect’ly

ditch act’ed ser’vice sup pose’ ca ressed’

hired e rect’ pricked mo’ment gro’cer ies

JENNY’S CALL.

1.  “It’s of no use, Mrs. Templar; I have been trying the greater part of an hour to catch that rogue of a horse.  She won’t be caught.”

[Illustration:  Man and boy chasing horse.]

2.  Such was the report the hired man brought in to Mrs. Templar one pleasant May morning, when she had been planning a ride.

3.  “I suppose it can not be helped, but I wanted her very much,” she said, as she turned away.

4.  “What was it you wanted, mother?” asked Jenny Templar, a bright, brown-haired, brown-eyed girl of twelve, who had just come into the room.

5.  “Fanny,” said the mother.  “It is such a beautiful morning, I meant to drive down to the village, get some groceries, then call for your Aunt Ann, have a nice ride up the river road, and bring her home to dinner.

6.  “But father is away for all day, and the men have been trying nearly an hour to catch Fanny; one of the men says she can’t be caught.”