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Laura has often amused herself during the past year by little exercises in composition. The following story, written during the absence of her teacher, will serve as a specimen of her use of language. The last sentence, though not grammatical, may be considered as the moral, and a very good moral, of the whole.

"THE GOODNATURED GIRL --

"Lucy was merely nine years old. She had excellent parents. She always did with alacrity what her mother requested her to do. She told Lucy when it was time for her to go to school; so Lucy ran and put on her bonnet and shawl and then she went back to her mama. She offered Lucy a basket containing some pie and cake for luncheon. And Lucy went precisely at schooltime and when she got to the house she took her own seat and began to study diligently with all the children. And she always conformed to her teachers wishes -- In recess she took luncheon out of her basket but she gave some of it to her mates -- Lucy had some books with pictures and slate in her desk --

"When she went home she found that dinner was all ready -- Afterwards her mother took her to take tea with her friends. Lucy was much delighted to play with her little cousins Lucy and Helen; and they let her see their play things. After tea Lucy was sorry to depart; and when she went to bed she thought that she had made it pleasantly to all her friends with little joyful heart."

Laura keeps a sort of diary, in which she writes with her own hand an account of what passes every day. It is generally a bald narration of the facts; but an extract will give an idea of her daily routine of study. The diary is generally very legibly written. I will transcribe a day's record, exactly as she wrote it, with her spelling and punctuation, putting any explanations that may be necessary in brackets. The only alteration is in the use of capitals, which she has never been taught to make.

"SIXTH OF JAN TUESDAY.

"I studied arithmetic before my breakfast. Afterwards Miss Wight was occupied for Dr. till quarter to ten. Then she read to me about Bible. Abraham went to live in the city Gerar. He and his wife lived in the western corner of Palestine place -country-. But his son Isaac was very kind to comfort his parents when they grew old-.- Isaac was always good to take care of them and made them feel very happy. Abraham thanked God for his kindness exceedingly.

"Wight taught me two more lessons geography and history. Putnam was a farmer who was ploughing his land with the cattle in a field. When tidings were brought to him of a battle at Lexington he did not stop to unhartness the cattle but ran very rapidly to his home and went to live in Boston. In a few weeks thirty thousand of soldiers arrived to Boston. Most of them had no cannons nor leads nor guns. And the British went to Bunker Hill from Boston to attack the Americans and expel them away when they were going to fire upon them. And when the British saw them ready they were surprised."

Her store of knowledge has been very much increased during the last year. It will be seen, too, that she has improved in the use of language; and when it is considered that other deaf mutes have as great advantage over her as we have over them, if not greater, her style will bear comparison with theirs.

She has become somewhat more thoughtful and sedate than formerly, though she is generally very cheerful, and sometimes displays a childish humor that shows her age is to be measured by the degree of her mental development, rather than by the number of years that she has lived.

She has extended the circle of her acquaintance, and has endeared herself to many persons who have learned to converse with her. It is the earnest hope of all that her life may be prolonged, and that we may be enabled to do our duty to her and to ourselves by making it as happy and as useful as possible.

S. G. HOWE.