one detefts and fhuns him. If he wishes to enjoy a little play, he never can get hold of a companion. If

he comes where any boys are met to play, they always thrust him out; but if he will not quit them, they leave him. The hatred every one bears him cannot but fufficiently avenge you-

Yes; but he has broken my cane, faid Philip. My papa very lately gave it me; and it was quite pretty, as you know. My father will not fail to ask me what is become of it; he will imagine I have loft his prefent ; poffibly, he will fall into a paffion, and this little fauce-box will have caused it. I did him no harm. I offered to fill up his pitcher, having knocked it down without defigning fo to do. The villain! I will therefore be revenged.

Believe me, my dear friend, faid Stephen, it will be better not to mind him. Your contempt is punishment enough for fuch a one. You are not fuch as he is; and depend upon it, he will fhow himself at all times abler to do mifchief than yourself. And, now I think upon it, I must tell you what, very lately, happened to him.

Quite unlucky for him, he faw a bee upon a flower: he tried to catch it, and pull off its wings for fport; but the bee contrived to fting him, and flew off in fafety to the hive. Quite mad with rage, he faid, as you did, I will be revenged for this! Accordingly he cut himself a switch, thruft it through the hole into the bee-hive, turning it about. By these means Robinfon killed feveral of the little creatures; but in an inftant the whole fwarm all flew at once upon him, and ftung him in a thousand different places. You may guess he uttered piercing cries, and in his agony he rolled upon the ground. His father ran up to him, and could not, without a deal of difficulty, put the bees to flight, by flinging bowls of water on him. He was ill, in confequence of this, for feveral days,

DIALOGUE between CHARLES and HENRY. NOOD morning, Harry; where are you going fo early?

Charles. G
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Harry. I am going to fchool.

Ch. Well, but why in fuch a hurry? There is time

enough this hour yet.

will stop a little while.

I'll be your company, if you

Har. I cannot do that; for I expect to hear the fchool-bell ring every minute; and I would not be late on any account.

Ch. Why, I am fure it is no great affair to be a little tardy now and then. I am belated almost every morning. Stop, I tell you, till I have eaten my fait, and mended my ball, and I'll go with you.

break

Har. Why, really, Charles, I should be happy in you company; but I must tell you, that I have reached the last dialogue, in my fpelling-book; and the mafter fays, as foon as I have learnt that, I fhall go into the next book.

Ch. How is it that you get along so fast? I have gone no further than abfolute yet.

Har. Perhaps you lie a-bed too late in the morning, wait too long for your breakfast, and spend too much time in mending your ball, and fuch kind of things. Ch. But tell me though, Harry, what has helped you along at such a rate through your book?

Har. In the first place, I rife early in the morn.. ing, attend my prayers, wash my face and hands clean, comb my head; and, if my breakfast is not ready, I pray my mamma to order it to be made ready for me. Then I make no ftop to mend balls, nor to make bats ; but take my fatchel, and march right on to school.

Ch. Why, I am pretty conftant at fchool too; but ftill, I am backward in my learning.

Har. There is fomething to be done, after one gets to school. When I am there, I fix my eyes upon my

leffon, and turn neither to the right hand, nor to the leit. If a boy whispers to me, I give him no answer. The moment I began my fpelling-book, I determined to push forward till I faw the end of it; and now, I am happy to fay, I have found the last page. Ch. I wish I could fay fo. But I'll tell you what, Harry, I do love a little play, both in school and out.

Har. I love a little play too in play hours. But my parents fend me to fchool to learn. And they tell me how that many poor children would be glad of the privilege of going to fchool; but can't have it. i herefore, they fay, I ought to improve my opportunity. Befides, my papa fays that a fchool is no place for play; and, if ever he hears any complaint of me from the mafter, he will punish me, and keep me at home. But he never has heard any, and I am refolved he never shall. Ch. I cannot fay fo. My papa has heard feveral

of me.

But I have always found means to perfuade him they were not true. And, I believe, by this time, our master is tired of making his complaints; for my papa told him, the last time he came, that he knew his Charley would not tell a lie for the world; neither would he believe him to be an idle, playful boy, as was reprefented. I confefs my confcience was a little touched at these words of my papa; and I wished in my heart that I could believe as he did.

Har. Ah, my dear Charles, I am forry to hear you give fuch an account of yourself. I hope your parents will not indulge you to your injury. I beg you to confider and attend to your best interest.

Ch. I dare fay I fhall take care of myself; but I am determined not to give up my play; nor will I make a book-worm of myfelt; and yet, I'll warrant you, I fhall make my way in the world as well as you.

Har. Well, you must have your way, and I will have mine; and we shall fee who will come off best in the end. And fo I wish you a good morning.

IMPROPRIETIES in PRONUNCIATION, common among the people of New-England.

HE following collection of vulgarifms has lain by me for fome time. I was doubtful at firit of the propriety of publishing them, for feveral reas fons. Their being fubject to frequent alterations was an objection against printing them in a Spelling-Book ; they were therefore omitted in the two firft editions of the Child's Companion the advantage, which my scholars have derived from them in manufcript, has been fufficient to overcome my objection; and I have now ventured to infert them. I have chofen to do it

by way of appendix, that they may be used or omitted, s best suits the instructor, without the leaft inconve nience. It is not to be fuppofed that they are all in common ufe in every part of New England. Some of them are local. In general, however, they are used more or lefs in all the New-England States. Many more might have been added; but, where there were numbers of one claís, as for inftance, where e

is founded like a, as in fervant, merchant ; for 70, and w for v, as vessel, veal, when, &c. it was thought fufficient to give only one or two examples.

I have not taken upon myself to decide upon fuck words as are of doubtful pronunciation; but have generally omitted them.

There are a few, which I think erroneously pronounced, by fome who feem more fond of novelty than propriety; but, as the error does not extend to the body of the people, it was needless to infert them.

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