David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.

And when the Philistines saw that their champion was 5 dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines unto the valley. And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

And as David returned from the slaughter of the 10 Philistine, Saul said to him, "Whose son art thou, thou young man.?"

And David answered, "I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no 15 more home to his father's house. And David went out

whithersoever Saul sent him: and Saul set him over the men of war. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

Philistines powerful tribes who disputed the claim of the Israelites to the possession of Palestine. - ephah: nearly three pecks.. thousand: a military company of a thousand men. - greaves: armor for the leg below the knee. — target: a shield. — shekel: a Hebrew weight, probably equal to half an ounce. father's house: family.—thy servant: it is considered boastful in the East to use the pronoun I too frequently. — assayed: attempted. proved: tested, tried. — scrip: a small bag. - Bethlehemite: one who lives in Bethlehem, a town of Judea in Palestine.

THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM

NOTE. When King Saul died, some of the people chose David for their ruler, and in time he became king of all Israel. His reign was a long and brilliant one, and his name is one of the most famous in Hebrew history.

The Book of Psalms was the hymn book of the later Hebrews, and many of its familiar poems were said to have been written by King David him- 5 self. It is evident that the author of the Twenty-third Psalm was acquainted with the shepherd's life, but the poem may have been written long after the time of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures he 10 leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod 15 and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

my

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of 20 life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

rod and staff: the shepherd's crook, used to guide and protect the sheep as well as to support their master. - a table: a feeding place. The shepherd finds safe pasturage even in dangerous localities. - anointest my head with oil: a common Eastern custom. The wounded or tired sheep are much refreshed by it. -cup: a large two-handled cup is still used for watering the thirsty sheep in Eastern folds.

THE WONDERFUL LAMP-I

NOTE. The story of Aladdin, though always connected in our minds with the tales of The Arabian Nights, was not added to that famous collection of Arabian fairy stories until many years after the others were brought together.

5 There once lived in the capital of China a careless, idle boy whose name was Aladdin. One day he was playing in the street as usual, when a stranger, curiously dressed, stopped to watch him, and questioned some of the other lads about him. Having learned all that he wanted to 10 know, the man, who was an African magician, went up to Aladdin and said to him, "Are you not the son of Mustapha, the tailor?"

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"He was my father," answered Aladdin, "but he died some time ago."

At this the magician burst into tears.

"Alas!" he cried. "My dear brother Mustapha! Aladdin, my boy, you are my nephew. Take these few pieces of gold to your mother, and tell her that I will do myself the honor of supping with her this evening."

Aladdin ran home at once to his mother, and though that good woman could not remember that she had ever heard Mustapha speak of his brother, she was ready to make her new relative welcome. The magician, on his part, seemed greatly pleased with Aladdin.

"You are a clever boy, I can see," he said to his nephew. "Tell me what trade you have chosen."

Aladdin confessed with some shame that he had never learned a trade, and on hearing this the magician showed much concern.

"I will take a shop for you at once," he declared, "and I will give you the stuffs and linens you will need, if only you will promise to be industrious."

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Aladdin promised willingly, for it seemed to him that keeping a shop was the easiest of all ways to earn a living. 10 A few days afterwards the magician said to his sister-inlaw: "I am about to give Aladdin a little pleasure trip out of town to-day. It will be well for him to meet some of the other merchants, and also to see the beauty of the surrounding country. Do not expect him to return before 15 evening."

Aladdin set out in high spirits, and with full confidence in his uncle's generosity and affection. The magician took him into splendid palaces and gardens outside the city, and then by degrees led him away toward the mountains. 20 At length they stopped to rest in a narrow valley, and Aladdin, by the magician's orders, gathered a large number of dry sticks and twigs for a fire. When the blaze was fairly started, the African threw a perfume into it and pronounced certain magical words. Instantly a great 25

smoke arose and the earth opened, revealing a flat stone about eighteen inches square. Aladdin was dumb with astonishment, but his pretended uncle showed no surprise.

"There is hidden under that stone," said he, "an 5 immense treasure which may be yours if you will obey my commands."

Aladdin promised exact obedience, and the magician, putting a ring upon the boy's finger, told him to lift the stone. Having done this with the greatest ease, he was 10 still further surprised to see a flight of stone steps which descended several feet into the earth.

"Go down boldly," said the magician. "You will find at the foot of these steps three great halls filled with chests of silver and gold. If you happen to touch one of these 15 chests, you will instantly perish. After you have passed through the halls you will enter a garden where you may handle anything you see. At the farther end of the hall you will notice, burning in a little niche, a lamp. Throw away the oil and the wick, and bring the lamp to me."

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Aladdin made haste to follow the magician's directions. He passed through the halls, crossed the garden, and placed the lamp carefully in his bosom before he ventured to look about him. Then, indeed, did he behold a wonderful sight. Every tree was loaded with diamonds 25 and other precious stones of the rarest brilliancy. Aladdin