O, how that mother's straining eyes followed the struggling youth! How her heart sunk when he went under, and with what joy she saw him emerge again from the waters, and, flinging the waves aside with his strong arms, struggle on in pursuit of her boy!

But it seemed as if his generous efforts were not to succeed; for, though the current was bearing off the boy before his eyes, scarcely ten feet distant, he could not overtake the drowning child.

Twice the boy went out of sight; and a suppressed shriek escaped the mother's lips; but twice he reappeared, and then, with hands wrung wildly together, and breathless anxiety, she followed his progress, as his form was hurried onward.

The youth now appeared to redouble his exertions, for they were approaching the most dangerous part of the river.

The rush of waters at this spot was tremendous, and no one ventured to approach it, even in a canoe, lest he should be dashed to pieces.

He

What, then, would be the youth's fate, unless he soon overtook the child? seemed fully sensible of the increasing peril, and now urged his way through the foaming current with a desperate strength. Three times he was on the point of grasping the child, when the waters whirled the prize from him.

The third effort was made just as they were entering within the influence of the current above the falls; and when it failed, the mother's heart sunk within her, and she groaned, fully expecting the youth to give up his task.

But no; he only pressed forward the more eagerly; and, as they breathlessly watched, amid the boiling waters, they saw the form of the youth following close after that of the boy.

And now both pursuer and pursued shot

to the brink of the falls. An instant they hung there, distinctly visible amid the foaming waters. Every brain grew dizzy at the sight.

But a shout burst from the spectators, when they saw the child held aloft by the right arm of the youth-a shout that was suddenly changed to a cry of horror, when they both vanished into the raging waters below!

The mother ran forward, and then stood gazing with fixed eyes at the foot of the falls. Suddenly she gave the glad cry, "There they are! See! they are safe! Great God, I thank Thee!"

And, sure enough, there was the youth still unharmed. He had just emerged from the boiling vortex below the falls. With one hand he held aloft the child, and with the other he was making for the shore.

They ran, they shouted, they scarcely knew what they did, until they reached. his side, just as he was struggling to the bank. They drew him out almost exhausted.

The boy was senseless; but his mother declared that he still lived, as she pressed him

to her bosom. The youth could scarcely stand, so faint was he from his exertions.

Who can describe the scene that followed -the mother's calmness while striving to bring her boy to life, and her wild gratitude to his preserver, when the child was out of danger, and sweetly sleeping in her arms?

"God will give you a reward," said she. "He will do great things for you in return for this day's work, and the blessings of thousands besides mine will attend you."

And so it was; for, to the hero of that hour were afterward confided the destinies of a mighty nation. Throughout his long. career, what tended to make him honored and respected beyond all men, was was the spirit of self-sacrifice which, in the rescue of that mother's child, as in the more im

portant

events of his
events of his life,

George Washington.

characterized,

Directions for Reading.-Read the first two pages of the lesson quietly, but not slowly. About the middle of page 299, the manner of reading should be changed, when the feeling of anxiety is turned to that of joy.

Language Lesson.-Let pupils rewrite the first paragraph of the lesson, changing past tenses to present tenses throughout.

What effect will this change have upon the meaning?

The ostrich is the largest of all birds. now existing, and is found chiefly in the sandy deserts of Africa and Arabia.

A full grown African ostrich stands from seven to nine feet in height, to the top of its head, and will weigh from two to three hundred pounds.

The body of the ostrich is large and massive; the legs are long, measuring four feet or more, and the neck is of about the same length as the legs.

The head is small for so large a bird; but its feet with their two great toes are of good size, and possess astonishing strength.

An ostrich's beak is short and blunt; its neck slender and covered with gray down. Its eyes are large and bright, and the sense of sight so keen that it can readily see a distance of from four to six miles. It