PREFACE.

To the friends and patrons of the Annual, we herein present another collection of writings for juvenile readers; such as we hope will be worthy a continuation of their generous favor, and even a recommendation from them to the many who are yet strangers to the work.

To our correspondents we are sincerely grateful for their aid, transmitted in offerings for these pages, so interesting, so simple, so instructive, that they who read will be made better, and they who glance merely will be induced to read.

To our young friends the readers, we would appeal, for an attentive and studious perusal of our little book, not because we are engaged in it, but because the writers who have so kindly assisted in its preparation, have done so for the good of all our readers. Among the variety you will find a good number of tales, considerable poetry, with a few pieces of another character. And here we would entreat our older readers not to pass by those excellent articles, merely because they are not stories. They are all within the comprehension

of children ten years of age; they should be read by all who own the book or borrow it. Will you not read them from respect to the authors as well as to benefit yourselves?

To patrons, correspondents and readers, we are humbly grateful for the encouragement offered for the presentation of this second Annual. We hope it will in no particular disappoint the expectations of those who have waited its appearance or aided in its publication.

M. H. A.

THE LONG DAY,

AND HOW IT ENDED WITH A LONG TALK.

BY MISS JULIA A. FLETCHER.

"OH, mother!" said Ned Willis, one bright summer's morning, as he ran down stairs with his little sail-boat in his hand, "oh, mother! do let me play all day to-day. I want to sail my boat and fly my kite, and do lots of other things." "You forget, my child," said Mrs. Willis, "that your teacher will expect you at school."

"School! dear me, that old school! I wish there were no such word as school, s-k-u-l-e, school. I wonder what such places were ever made for!" muttered Ned, with a very cross look.

"To teach you to spell better than you do now," said his mother, "and to be more obedient and industrious. You have often grieved me, Edward, with your wish to stay from school, and play. To-day, I will grant your wish, as a punishment. You must not go to school, nor do any work to-day. Go and play in the fields, spend your time in any way you like,-only remember, you must not do anything which can