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218  THE SWEEP AND THE TOMBSTONES.
ent from some idle children who are glad of any excuse to escape their lessons, he offered to pay two marbles for every lesson, and to wash his hands carefully every day.  This was in vain; his teacher was either tired of the task, or afraid of being blamed about his book.  All now seemed to be at an end, when Jack recollected that he had seen letters on the tombstones in the churchyard, and as these could not be hurt by his black fingers, he mentioned this plan to the boys, and offered to go on paying any one who would teach him to read the words on the stones.
7. The boys were struck with his anxiety to learn, and agreed that they would take it by turns to teach him, and immediately began.  After continuing this method for some days, one of them offered to take him to a Sunday school.  Jack readily agreed.  The superintendent was pleased with his anxiety to learn, and took pains to procure him instruction on week days also.  He applied diligently, and soon was able to read and write; and what was far better, from the instructions he received, he was brought to love the Bible and the truths it contains.
8. If any of your little readers feel tired of their lessons, I hope they will think of the "Sweep and the Tombstones;" and I hope, also, that like him they will learn the best wisdom-"for the soul to be without knowledge is not good;" but it is of very little use to be able to read and write, if they

BENJAMIN BANNAKER.  219
remain ignorant of Christ, or only repeat texts and chapter by rote.  Then "incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding; if thou seekest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God," Prov. ii. 2, 4, 5.
ANN G-.
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BENJAMIN BANNAKER,
A NEGRO of Maryland, went to Philadelphia, and without any other encouragement than his desire for acquiring knowledge-without books, except the works of Ferguson, and the table of Tobias Mayer,-he applied himself to astronomy, and published almanacs for the years 1794 and 1795, at Philadelphia; in which were calculated and exhibited the different aspects of the planets, a table of the motions of the sun and moon, their risings and settings, and the courses of the bodies of the planetary system.  Bannaker has received his freedom.