she would have groaned most pitifully, and have had just cause for complaint; for he did not wish to go to school that day, and his mother, to pacify him, and make him willing to go, gave him some candy, and some chestnuts, and that large red apple which he had wished for a long time.

39. As soon as the little fellow had wiped away his tears, he started off to school. Recess came. He then put his hand into his pocket for his apple, which he nibbled, and nibbled, till it was all gone; then came his candy, which he thought was very good. "Ah!" sighed his stomach, "what shall I do? I cannot possibly get rid of all this apple, and candy, and so I must let it remain here, till I take a nap to rest me;" but she could not sleep much, for the chestnuts came rattling down, one after another, and asked admittance.

40. Soon school was done, and William ran home; but for some cause he did not feel as happy and comfortable as he did in the morning. He said it was because he had been compelled to go to school, and could not play at home

In a short time dinner came on to the table, and William of course took his seat by the side of his father.

41. He must eat because he generally does: so away goes a slice of beef, then some potato, and a great many other things, into his stomach; but she had not sent away all his apples and nuts-so she could not help grumbling and getting out of patience, and declared that she would not take anything else.

38. What would the stomach have seen could she have looked into Willy's pocket? 39. What did she do with his apples, etc.? 40. What were William's feelings, and to what did he attribute them? took place at the table?

41. What

IMPORTANT LESSONS.

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42. This made William feel so uncomfortable that he could not hold his head up, but had to go and lie down on the bed. When his mother went to him he was so hot and feverish, that she sent for the doctor to come and see her poor boy, and said she was sorry that she urged him to go to school; for now he was sick. She did not once think that her sympathy should extend to his poor stomach, which she had assisted in so unmercifully stuffing, and which in return had caused her little William's sickness.

43. The doctor came, and at once told her what the matter was with the boy. He took pity on the stomach, and gave the boy some medicine, which caused him to throw up what was not needed, and what could not be properly digested; and said he must take only light nourishment for several days.

44. As I was talking thus, William, who sat by my side, blushed and seemed confused, as if he had done something wrong. Said he, "How did you hear my stomach speak the other day? It is very wonderful; but I will not make it feel so bad again."

45. Children, you know that the stomach cannot talk or think, although it can feel; but this is what it would say a great many times if it could; and I merely supposed this circumstance, to teach you the following important lessons, which you must not forget:

1. That you must not eat in haste.

2. That you must chew your food fine.

3. That you must not eat after your regular meals.

42. To whom did Willy's mother's sympathy extend? 43. What was the doctor's prescription? 44. What effect did this story have on William ? 45. Can the stomach talk? What can it do? What five important les sons should be remembered?

"Why," said William, "because I am hungry, to be sure; and I can scarcely wait to come to the table." That is right, William; but what becomes of your bread, and butter, and cheese, and apples?

William could not answer a word; but Alfred instantly replied, "My mother says, that what we eat makes us grow; but how I cannot tell."

13. Here are William, and Alfred, and Sarah, and Jane, and a great many more children, who are eating, eating all they can get, and yet they do not even think whether it does them any good or not, or in what way it benefits them.

14. But, children, our food makes blood, and our blood increases our size. Now let us examine this curious subject for a few moments, and see how it is done. You have probably been at a mill where corn, wheat, and other grain, were ground into flour and meal. For this purpose, they have large stones, which, by turning round, cut the kernels of corn, and press them very fine. We have also something prepared to grind our food.

15. We have teeth, sharp and strong, with which to chew our food, and there are also in the mouth little vessels called glands, that contain a fluid like water, which is called saliva. This moistens the food, the same as a cracker becomes soft when put into water. This saliva is called by boys and girls who do not know any better, spittle.

16. If this saliva did not exist, the mouth would soon

we eat?

12. Could William tell what became of his food? What was Alfred's reply? 13. Do children generally think why they eat? 14. Why do How and where is grain ground? 15. With what do we chew our food? What do the glands in the mouth contain? How does the saliva act? What is this saliva sometimes called? 16. Is this saliva of any use in the mouth?

become very dry and parched. In the back part of the mouth, there are three passages: one which leads into the nose or nostril; one into the wind-pipe, through which we breathe; and the third, which is called the gullet or œsophagus, goes down into the stomach. The latter is the one through which we wish the food to pass. But how do we know that it will take the right course? for if it should pass down either of the other ways, the person would not be able to breathe, and would soon become sick, and perhaps die.

17. Listen, and I will tell you how it is prevented from going wrong. There is a little piece of flesh at the root of the tongue which moves upward and downward, called a valve or trap-door, which shuts down over the wind-pipe when we swallow, just like the cover to a book or box, and fits so nicely that the food passes along down the throat, until it reaches the stomach.

18. The following cut represents the stomach, which is shaped like a bag, and usually contains about two or three pints in an adult or full-grown person. It is capa ble of being contracted or extended, as the case may require. The letter C is the tube through which the food passes, called the cardiac orifice. The letter P shows the outward passage, which is called the pylorus or "door-keeper," as it prevents the food from passing out until it is properly digested, and also prevents it from returning after it has been sent out. I shall give you only a few hard names, and these I wish you to remember.

16. What passages are in the back part of the mouth? Through which does the food pass? What would be the consequence if it should take either of the other passages? 17. How is it prevented from taking a wrong course? 18. Describe the stomach. How much does it usually contain?

19. The stomach is situated on the left side of the body, under the ribs, and has three coats or coverings. The stomach has also a fluid resembling that in the mouth, called the gastric juice, which mixes with the outside portion of the food, making it into a soft substance called chyme. All the water that we drink is

taken up by the veins of the stomach, and is absorbed in about three minutes. It is for this reason, that, when a person has fasted, or has not taken food for some length of time, he derives nourishment quicker from drinking than from eating, because the water is soon sent all over his body. Many ignorant persons suppose that there is one passage to the stomach for all the water which we drink, and another for all the food which we eat.

19. Where is the stomach situated? What fluid does the stomach contain? How is chyme made? What becomes of the water which we drink? Why does a person derive nourishment from water quicker than from food? What idea do many persons have in reference to eating and drinking?