When we walk, we should let the weight of the body rest on the soles of the feet. We should lift the foot free from the ground and carry it straight forward when we step. Some day, if you will study the difference between the walk of a good horse and that of a carabao, you will see how a man should walk. The horse lifts his hind foot, carries it straight forward, and sets it down almost exactly in the print his front foot made. The carabao lifts his hind foot, swings it outward in an awkward curve, brings it back into line, and sets it down in much the same way as the horse. But he loses a little time swinging it outward, and he looks very clumsy, as well. Now, some people, instead of walking like horses, walk like carabaos. They scuffle along the street with dragging steps, rolling their hips, and swinging their feet outward, just as these animals do. They look lazy and clumsy, and as if they could hardly hold their bodies together. People should learn to walk well while they are young. The bones are covered with muscles, which are what we mean when we say the _flesh_. There are a great many muscles in the body. They give it shape and move it about. When we bend an arm or a finger, we do it by the action of the muscles. The brain tells the muscles how to act, as we have seen. It sends messages along the nerves, and the muscles obey. We can make our muscles strong by exercise, but if we do not use them enough, they will grow weak and soft. QUESTIONS. How does the brain send messages to the different parts of the body? What does the heart do? What does the blood take up from the body? How does it get rid of impurities? What becomes of food after it is swallowed? How are the bones of a child different from those of a grown person? How does it hurt the bones to sit or stand badly? Why should we sit up straight? How ought babies to be carried? Why is it hurtful to carry them on the hip? What do we call the muscles? What are their uses? How can we make our muscles strong? CHAPTER II. THE STORY OF WATER. [Illustration: GOVERNOR-GENERAL CARRIDEO Who gave Manila her waterworks. ] Many years ago there was a wise governor-general in the Philippine Islands, who left a large sum of money to the city of Manila. This money was to be put out at interest and allowed to increase, and in his will the governor-general directed that when there should be a large enough sum, it should be used to build waterworks for the city of Manila. [Illustration: PUMPING STATION, MANILA WATERWORKS. ]