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Lea diagrammes suivants iiluatrant la m4thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 HOVA SCOTU SCHOOL 8EBIE8. READING-BOOK. No. IV. Illttsiratffe, HALIfAJl: A. & -w-. MAOKINLAY « CO. Pkotince of Nova Scotia. Be It remembered that on this third day of November, 4 ». 1865. A & W SJ^« Jhflu',"' ?* 1"^,°' ^'^"^ *" "**'* ^'■°''"*"^ »>»^« 'iePoslted In tht; office the t le of a book, the co-MyiJght whereof they claim h, the words following: "Nova Scotia Series: Readlng-Book, Na IV.." and authorized by the Council of Public Instruction, Halifax, Nova Scotia. A. A; W. MACKINLAY, la conformity to chapter one hundred and sixteen of the Revised Statutes. CHARLES TUPPER, Provincial Secretary. P . PREFACE. ADDBESS TO TEACHEBS AND FABElfTS. No principle has been more thoroughly established by recent ex- perience, or is more generally insisted upon by intelligent Teachers and School Inspectors, than that good reading is more readily acquhred by practice than by precept. Without under-rating the importance of the watchful care and supervision of a judicious Teacher, it may safely be affirmed that in this as in other things It IS practice that makes perfect. The more children read, they will read the more fluently, the more intelligently, the more grace- fully. How, then, are children to be induced to read much 1 Obviously by giving them subjects to read about in which they will naturally feel interested, and by so treating these subjects as to lender them attractive. It is with special reference to this principle, both as regards matter and style, that this Reading-Book has been prepared. It IS a common error to suppose that it is easy to write for children. Nothmg,- really, is more difficult. Indeed it is nearly as hard for mature minds to write for young people, as it would be for chU- dren to write for l^e edification and instruction of their seniors. The ideal chUd's book would be a book written by a chUd • and the nearest approach to that ideal is a book written in whole or m part by those few men and women who have the special gift and knack of writing for children. It wiU not be denied that A. L. 0. E. IS one of those writers who possess this peculiar gift- m proof of which it is only necessary to refer to the lessons in this volume which bear thar favourite signature. It is the chief «um of the volume to train young people, not only in the art of ••^ PIUSFACE. reading, but to the love of it It appeaU, in the first instance, to the powers of observation and imagination J but it does not overlook the fact that it is through these faculties, in the case of children, that the judgment and reasoning powers are first reached, and the taste and moral sensibilities are first cultivated. The pieces selected are of a character well calculated to give life, and point, and fresh interest to the daUy work of the class-to aUure the chUdren to read, and to make them delight in exercising their power of reading. They avoid as much as possible that dull solidity which so much tends to make school hours a weariness to the young. The numerous Illustrations afford an important aid,m this respect The interest of children is far more readily quickened through the eye than through the understanding ; indeed it is through the eye that the understanding itself is most quickly reached. Good pictures are amongst the best incentives both to reading aud to thinking. Certainly be were a dull boy who cocild look upon the clever picture of the Sleeping SaUor surrounded by the NightH»pped Monkeys at page 66, or of the Tiger at page 62, or of the Dog and Shadow at page 126, without wishing to know « all about it." It should not be overlooked, at the same time, that pictures like those in this volume, which are not only appropriate and instructive, but highly artistic, serve an import- ant end in training the eye and cultivating the taste. Nearly the whole of these Illustrations have been designed and drawn specially for tiiis book. They are tiierefore not merely pictures thrown in for the sake of convenience or variety—they are really illusti»tive of the lessons to which they are attached. The Proverbs, Anecdotes, &c., scattered through the volume wiU afford a pleasant change from the more continuous lessons • whUe the eUiptical form in which many of them are given wiU exercise the ingenuity of the children, and encourage tiiem to voluntary working,-truly tiie best assistant which the Teacher ean have in the performance of his arduous duties. CONTENTS. ** ♦* Those in Italics at.' Poetical A<«i. SECnON I. T" tor Tat Bravo Bobby ne Doff at his Master's Grave iii • Tlie Doy who was Always Too Late .!! TlieCat. Parti The Cat Part 11. ... The Lion a Giant C.it Part L !." Tho Lion a Giant Cat. Part IF. ". "'. The Lion a Giant Cat. Part III. ..! "j The Rain Lesson Red and Black ... ." The Blind Boy Tho Stone that Robonndcd !.'! '. The Better Land ;.'; Try Again. PartL TryApaln. Part II. ... EtupTicAi ExKBCisKs:— Anecdotes EujPTiCAi, ExKBCisBs (fof the Slate) .!. SECTION II. n»Ark(mdtMDT> Tr_4.i. *•• ••• •.. Sntithati Southey • •* • •• • •• • >• • •• • •• • tB • •• • ■• • •• • ■• ■ •• ... 87 89 ... 81 .. 03 . 94 . G6 . 98 . 101 . 105 . 109 111 113 113 116 118 120 121 123 125 126 128 139 133 135 140 143 144 145 147 149 152 156 161 1C2 l(i3 166 171 174 177 183 184 185 186 188 • •• ... 87 ... 89 ... 01 . 03 94 . C6 98 101 105 109 111 112 113 116 118 120 121 123 12o 126 128 129 133 135 140 143 144 145 147 149 152 15G 1«1 1G2 las 166 171 174 177 183 184 180 ISS 188 READING-LESSONS. sit-ting eat-ing hearting langh-ing TIT POR TAT. mis-chief win-dow feriow knnc^es be-tween mo-ment stretched meriri-ly A BOY was one day sitting on the steps of a door. He had a broom in one hand, and a large piece of bread and butter, which somebody had kindly given him, in the other. While he was eating it, and merrily humming -^ tune, he saw a poor little dog quietly sleeping n.>t far from him. He caUed out to him, " Come here, poor feUow !" The dog, hearing himself kindly spoken to, got up, pricked up his ears, wagged his tail, and seeing the boy eating, came near him. The boy held out to him a piece of bis bread and butter; and as the doff stretched out his head to take it, the boy hastUy drew banlr hig har\A a-nA v,u i.:^ _ i -t "^ iS5 .„,ua ivtivi iiiu iiiui a fiara rap on the nose. The poor dog ran away howling most f, 8 TIT foa TAT, showiruf )i,-m - • ' ^ ^"° "^"J® time and ^ K /, P'*^"' '''■• *''* 'he boy. smilin. • and he hastily ran over to seize the priz; ° ' hand L . '°*"°'°* ^^^^ h« "'r^tohed out his Imnd, he got so severe a rap on the knn«H.. f a cane which the gentleman' had thbdSm' Z he roared out like a bull! ' '"' " What did you do that for ? " said Im «,„!,• a very long face, and rubbing hil Zl "^ Su"! ""WJ said the gentlemaa "He dirln'f i^ l you, nor ask you for your bread -idS' 1 you served him I have sen-ed ^ot^"^ rt w oeliave kmdly towards poor animals in future." BRAVE BOUDT. pas-sen-gers of^fi-cer frol-ic-some play^mate grey-hoand fran-tic BRAVE BOBBT. leaped sud-den-ly a-long^side re-cov-ered sound-ed GoKI&r donb-led al-low-ing lev^eUed 8hat-tered New-found-land hur-rah Some years ago, a ship bound for China had on board, among other passengers, an officer, his wife their only child a little boy five years old, and a large Newfoundland dog called Bobby. Everybody in the shin liked l^nhhxr Uq «,„« „« good-tempered and frolicsome ; but the little boy to BBAVB BOBBIN, wa« the dog's constant plavmatp TTn «, ^nttZlZ'Zi:^ '""'* °^^' •' " '-»<' over .. " clearing h Ukt f ri^ °T *''" ''^' "^ *^« «Wp. the stem g^yhound, and s„am towail boat wL t«2. K? Stit^^^^^h- The and in a moment bmve Bobh^^ l m ^'^*''" '^'■'=«' delighted ; and bra^ STk' P*'*"*' ^«^ ea^^ by all ^ "^^ P^**«<1 and his ..ife and child bJfT f ,',?'"' '''' '">''' ^^'h ^ve Bobby iart:ri^:ri^-- "" in vaia, for tbcv 1.^1^ u~-„ .,„ °r r^' ""' they held ¥im till °the wT was BBAVB BOBBT. 11 near the shore. No sooner did the officer give the signal than the dog was set at Hberty, and away he went full dash into the sea. Suddenly the poor animal set up a shrill howl, and threw himself out of the water. At first it was thought he had been seized with cramp ; but it w*»s worse than that—a shark was after him ! "A shark ! a shark!" sounded from the boat to the ship. Bobby swam right and left, and dived and doubled, showing his teeth, and never allowing the shark time to turn on Km back, without doing which the monster could r bite him. The officer in the boat soon saw that there was httle chance of reaching the spot in time to save the dog. Poor Bobby swam and dodged, and was a^ost exhausted. « Stop rowing," cried the officer to the men, ''and turn the boat round." Just at this moment the shark, which had got very dose to the dog, turned on his ba<;k and opened his horrid mouth I Bobby was all but gone. His master rose, levelled his gun, and fired. In a moment the wo fcer was tinged with blood : the horrid jaws of the shark were shattered to pieces! The men then rowed to the spot where Bobby was swimming about. The offiper pulled the do^ into the boat; the child threw his little arms around iim; and the men in the boat and the sailors in the ship cried out with joy, <' Hun-ah ! hurrah! P7 ^ joy ! Bobby is safe 1 the shark is kiUed ' Hurrah! hurrah!" 12 THE DOO AT HIS MASTER S GBAVE. THE DOG AT HIS KASTEE'S 6EAVE. an-guish grave ffuard-ed glowed grate^ful con-trolled^ rus-tled quiv-er-ing moum-ful Pit-y-ing of^fer-ings ba-ried moan-ing tomb-stone strug-gled - o-^— ^^ 11, nignt and day; TK1£ I AT HIS MASTSK*S GBAYB. 18 The love that glowed in his grateful breast. For the friend who had fed, controlled, caressed. Might never fade away. And when the long grass rustlei: nearf*^ Beneath some hasting tread, mi He started up with a quivering ten*, For he thought 'twas the step oSis master dear, Returning from the dead. But sometimes when a storm drew nigh. And the clouds were dark and fleet, He tore the turf with a mournful crj', As if he would force his way, or die, To his much-loved master's feet. So there through the summer's heat he laj'. Till autumn nights grew bleak, Till his eye grew dim with his hope's decay, And he pined, and pined, and wasted away, A skeleton gaunt and weak. And oft the pitying children brought Their offerings of meat and bread, And to coax him away to their homes they sought ; But his bm-ied master he ne'er forgot. Nor strayed from his lonely bed! Cold winter came with an angry sway, And the snow lay deep and sore ; 14 THB DOO AT mg MAfinSB's OBATE. I'lU close where the broken f/.m w ^ i ^' •"© teJl, to nse no m^re. . ^' "^An^n" ?u '^^^^"^ ^'h '-ortal pain Mas. SioouBNay. «-ned han Solo^ 'f^^-f ;^ His mother '^we chad ; 'slow aid swT' . '^'' "'^^ ^ « "Yes," said his Z^. ^Cl^.^' ^«"-" and unless he become a Kttl! "^ *'"* "^o^. -Utae less lazy. I sh^ „! ^ f°'« ^wck. and a When he ^^I^, T '"'*" * '^'^ °f him/ «ome friends X:J '^7^ .oH his fotheratd ''if a large vSthe^^::; "tJ^ '°'-*' ^"^ on at seven in the momW ^^l.^'^.^^r'^^ ««* ^'.«i.e.rd his father sayToth;-^Sr^ TM BOY WHO WAB ALWAYS TOO LATB. 10 The Bun was shining very brightly when he awoke at six the next morning, but he waa as lay Bs ever. "If I get up about ten minutes before seven," said he, "I shall be down in plenty of tima" So he lay stiU in bed, and heard aU the party pass his door as they went down stairs They even called to him ; but he gave no answer, and only la^y roUed himself up in the clothes. At last, up he jumped, dressed, and ran down stairs • but he found the breakfast-room empty, and the van gone ! Snatching up his hat, he ran a^ fast as he could down the road ; but there was a high wmd, and the dust was in clouds everywhere. He screamed and bawled for the van to stop; but all m vam. No one could hear him ; and at last, tired with running, and half choked with dust, he walked sulkily home. But even this did not cure him. He was a lazy boy, and grew up to be a la^y man ; and when in business, though the coach passed his door every *''i% ^(.^IP.P "*-^Wi»J|JHpB« 16 THE OAT. men-ag^-rie leop-ard ez-am-ine butch-er THE CAT. PART I. pa-tience orouohed glit-ter-ing light-ning foot^step ac-oonnt-a-ble phys-i-cal struc-ture " Would it not be well first to know a little about the animals you are going to see at the menagerie next week?" said Mm Myrtle to her childrea "Shall I tell you something about some of them till papa comes home? With which shall we begin V " With the camel," said Bessie. " The great roaring lion," said Harry, "What," said mamma, "if we should bedn (fi9) ^ THB OATk w with pussy, lying asleep there on the hearth- rug?" The children, laughing, said, " W« do not need to go to the menagerie to see pussy/' " True," said Mrs. Myrtle; *' but as pussy is in most respects eatactly like the great roaring lion, and the fierce tiger, and the spotted leopard, and is, in fact, of the same genus or kind, it will be easiest for us to examine her; for you would not like, I am pretty sure, to'see a roaring lion spring up on my lap to have his teeth and claws looked at. But first tell me how pussy gets her food. What does she like best to eat ?" "Mice and birds," cried both the children at once. " And does she catch them alive V* "Oh, yes!" " Then she does not need a butcher to kill her meat for her. She is a beast of prey. Have you ever seen her watch for a mouse ?" " Yes," sa;id Harry ; « if she can get into the store-closet she will sit a whole day watching for a mouse to stir." " All the animals of her race," said Mra Myrtle, " are remarkable for the patience with which they wait and watch." " But, mamma," said Bessie, " pussy is often very cruel I saw something one day fi'om a back window, which makes me dislike her every time I think of it. She had caught such a pretty HttlA bir<1 anA if al-ia ha A AO't-A-n ii- .««« ^i. a. would not have been so bad ; but she let it cet a (»9) 2 18 TBMOMS, good way off, and then crouched dwrn and fixed her green ejres upon it. and it seemed not to be able to help foofang at her. I thought it might have got off, a it had only spread its yLg, quickly and flown away; but she held it with her ffUtter- mg eye and they stood looking at each other such a time that my heart beat so loudly for the poor bird that I could hear it But when- ever it made a little flutter, she darted on it like I'ghtiung and shook it in her month, and tossed 7t h. . P*"^'- ^*'' *« l«t it off again and I thought this time I would tnr to save it 1 ran quickly out but whenever she heard my foot- steps she seized it and darted oft' in a moment Oh cruel pussy!" said Bessie, looking reproachfully at the cat But pussy, warm and comfortable, did not seem m the least conscious of the charges brought against her. * " My dear child," said Mra Myrtle, •• you must remember that pussy has not a soul as you have • she ,s not at all aware of her cruelty. She wants' the sense of nght and wrong,_that which in human beings is called the moral sense, and which makes them accountable for their actions. She Zll r v*"""^' ^ °° ''''°''»- She mw>t act according to her nature and physical structure. children " P^"'"*^ *'''"'='"'*'" aa^ed both the " The way in which her body is made," replied heir mother, « which fits her for a certain way of - —, ,^. ^^c«a^i,x^, ^jyuiJ not^ ^^^ p^gg^ ^^^ THX CAT. 19 mice and birds, even if you were ever bo willing, be- cause jrour physical structure is entirely different But let us proceed to examine Mistress Puss, and then you will see better what I mean. Lift hex up gently on my knee." Bessie and Harry made a cat's cradle of their little hands, and placed pussy where they were told. She purred a little, stretched herself, and lay down to sleep again. cush-ion vel-vet-y pierce par^ti-cles di-lates' THE CAT. PART IL stir^ring langh-ing scat^tered nutl-ing dis-tino-tion . at-ti-tiide in-tense' muscles ill-tea-tines ohoos-ing "Now," said their mamma^ "look first at her paws. Tell me how they are made." " Oh !" said Harry, " they have a nice pad or cushion under each toe." " And for what are these ?" asked Mra Myrtle. " I know," cried Bessia " It is to make her tread softly, so that the mice and birds may not hear her when she goes to catch them." " And are her paws always as soft and velvety as they are now ?" asked mamma. " No, indeed !" said Harry, laughing. '* When * vt«,oc iici, one jiuus uut iier Boarp ciaws and gives me a good scratch." UBSBil ( 20 TBI CAP. " Do you think, then, these claws were giyen to her for nothing but to scratch you V* "Oh! I dare say," said Bessie, "she puts them out when she makes her great jump, and catches hold of poor little mousey with them." "Exactly so," said Mrs. Myrtle. "Without them the smooth skin of the mouse, or the '^hiny feathers of the birds, would slip out of her paws, which would be too soft and velvety to hold anything. Now hold back her head, open her mouth gently, and see what sort of teeth she haa" " She has," said the children, « four terrible ones at the comers, which must pierce like speara She has ba«k ones too, for eating with ; but perhaps she kills and tears with the four long ones." " Feel her tongue," said Mrs. Myrtle. " We need not do that," replied the children ; " she often licks our hands, and we know that her tongue is rough. What is that for ?" " It is that she may lick all the small particles of flesh clean off the bones, supposing that these should be too big for her to swallow. One thing more I shall point out to you, and that is her eyes. Do you know which part is the pupU /" " Is it not the black thing in the middle ? " asked Bessie. " Yes ; and that is just an opening for admit- ting the Ught Now, if a great glare of light were to enter her eyes, she could make the pupils quite small, so as to shut it out On the ^n- trary, when there is very little lights she cUlates, TBI OAT. H or opens them wide, in order to catch all that there ia It is this which enables her to find her food during the night; for the night is her natural time to be stirring and providing for herself. She cannot really see in total darkness ; but in what seems darkness to us, she catchea in those wide- opened pupils all the scattered mys of light. Her hearing, too, is very quick. I believe you will never catch her in so sound a sleep but that, if she hears the smallest rustling or chirping resem- bling that of a mouse or bird, she will instantly raise her head and listen." " I have often seen her do that," said Bessie. " It is very curious to see her wake in a moment, prick up her ears, and listen with all her body." ' "That is a very good distinction," said her mamma smiUng. " If it were a human being, you would say "with all her soul/ but her attitude does give one the idea of an intense life pervading the whole being, which is altogether peculiar to her . race. Now, when I tell you that every other part of her body is exactly and beautifully fitted for the same end— that is, to enable her to pro- vide for her wants— -you will see that her way of life is not of her own choosing. When you are old enough to study the subject further, j^ou wiU know that all her muscles, all her bones, and all her vntestinea, — that is, her inward parts— are as exactly made and put together for one and the -^«^.. «««, «o vzixjzsG wiiicn you can tiuderstand a little about even at present" iOBiijaHi ft TUl UOS A OUNT OAT. i '^^tif'./'. j,'llW LION. THE IIOBT A GIANT CAT. ' i<--N. »,j PART I. ez-ola-ma-tion shag^gy sur-prise' buf-fe-loet stomach an-te-lopea fe-line taw^ny oon-fa-sion pow-er-less earth-quake shiv^er-ing ;' Now, mamma," said Harry, at the next 1 ..^oii, shaU we have the great roaring lion t^.^ '•»,-., " ^^ "Very well, darling, you shall,'' said his mamma : but do you know that your great roaring lion is uoti^ing more than a giant cat ?" TL ohi'rii^n uttered an exclamation of surprise. i->v. :t u quite true^*' continued Mrs. Myrtle. TUl UOJf A QIAUT CAT, n Q tKi' ^u^. ?*• "Its teeth, its paws, its eyt , ears, stomach and all, are made quite like IL ose of the cat ; and it makes the same use of them— that is, it watches for its prey in the same still, patit nt manner, and then seizes it with an immense bound. Now you must try to remember that all animals of the cat kinJ ure said to belong to the feline race,** Thi3 children repeated tjjis wordover several times. " Ihen," said Harry, " I suppose that the lions are the giants, and the real pussies are the dwarfs, among the cata But the lions look very different in the pictures. They have great faces, large heavy heads, shaggy manes, and long tails witli a tuft at the end." " It is true that they look different," said Mrs. Myrtle. « The animals they prey upon being large and strong, such as deer, oxen, and buffaloes, they are more fitted to inspire terror than if they were in appearance merely great cats over again, ten or twelve feet long. Besides, God delights in making things different, and yet the same." "Different and yet the earner* repeated the children; " how can that be ?" " You must think for a little while, both of you,^ said Mrs. Myrtle, " and then teU me whether you have found out how that can he!* " Well," continued she, after a pause, " have you made it out?" The same," cried Harry eagerly, " if his skin . ^-« : -or.ra iias given tne lion a diiferent skin, and painted it differently." ' u. JTBUI IWIIIIiia it 3SE LIOIV A QUmn, OAX* ^' So iSuf •oirect/' said Mrs. Myrtie. " Bessie^ what do you say?" "The same," said Bessie^ "in the chief things, mch as his paws and teeth, and different in litUe things that are of no consequence." " Very well, my dear," said Mrs. Myrtle ; " only we cannot say of the smaUest change that God makes that it is of no oonaeqiieTice, y^lken we make changes in our dresses, for example, we do so %A^en-ten-oe8 mas-tered pro-oeed-ed teach-er TEY AGAIN. Pi.ET II, gathered tire-some stead-i-Iy de-ter-mi-na'^tion im-pulse school-mate ap-pli-ca-tion cheer-ful-ly _ "These two Httle words gave him a fresh^^im- pulse, and he bent his mind afain to his ta.t 1 was only a sunple firrammar Jt^a^n ««* j.-xc. ,. by any means. GraduaUy he began to find the TBY AGAIN. i5 sentences lingering in his memory ; and soon, to his surprise and pleasure, the whole lesson was mastered! With a livelier motion and a more confident manner than he had ever before shown in going up to say a lesson, he rose from his seat and proceeded to the teacher's desk. , " * What do you want now V asked the teacher. " * To say my lesson, sir.' " • Did you not try half an hour ago V " * Yes ; but I ccm say it now, sir,' timidly urged the boy. " * Go on, then.* "Henry commenced, and repeated the whole lesson without missing a word. The master gave hiin a look of pleasure as he handed him back his book, but said nothing. As the boy re- turned to his seat his step was lighter, for hLs heart beat with a new impulsa " * Did you say it V whispered his kind-hearted school-mate. " * Every word!' replied the boy proudly. " * Then you see you can learn.' " * Yes, but it is hard work.' " * But there is nothing like trying.* " * No ; and from this hour,' replied Henry, firmly, ' I will never say I cannot.' " From that day," continued Mr. Prentice, "there «ras no boy in the school who learned more rapidly than Henry. It required much thought and ap- plication ; but these he gave cheerfully, and success crowned his efforts" 46 *RY AOAIN. #■. "And did he always continue thna to leam f asked George, looking up into his fether's Se "R-om that day till the present hour to has been a student ; and he now ^ his son GeoS to try agam,' as he tried." ^ " fj'f ^af it indeed yw, father?"«sked his son eag^riy lookzng „p into the fa^ of his kind pIZ' , ,. . ' ^7 "^^^ That dull boy was yow own father m his early years." ^ "Then I ««i try again," said Geom., in a de- cided tone ; and, flinging aside his half-ma^e kite he turned and re-entered the house Za^ ' u^-nAi^^^ • . *iwuse, ana was soon bending in earnest attention over hi, lesson. I learned the lesson, fether !" repUed the boy " I can say every word of it." ^" "Did you find it hard work ?" „.,''5°!, !t ?7 ^^^ "^^ I 1"^ °n<» made up my nund that I vmM learn it Indeed I nUr J^ped to think, as I usually do, about it ^Z difccult or tiresome, but went right on until f had mastered every sentence" "my you never forget this lesson, my son"" said Mr. Prentice, feelingly. "You possLTow he secret of success. It Ues in never s(ZL« to «unk about a task being difficult or tiresomX ZS" "" "" """^ " ^'^ detonnination to EUimOAL BXER0IS18. 47 ELLIPTICAL EXEEGISES. %* The following are all the words reqtdred hi this paga Tho pupU tnnst f M oat the right word for each blank spac& Wild moment thonght surprise gate know adventures people nothing fattens replied tdmia conntry ran sent swing answered schoolmastez scholars THE LATIN FOR COLD. A asked one of his in the winter time what was the Latin word for cold. "Oh, sir," the boy, "I forget it at this but I have it at my fingers* ends. A SLY HIT. JoHNwas to be very stupid. Hewas .... to amill one day, and tho miller said, " John, some say you are a fooL Now tell me what you .... and what you don't know." "Well," John, "I know miUerrf ho^^s are fat!" •* Very well, John. Now tell me what you don't know." " I don't know," said John, " whose com them." TRUTH AND FICTION A TBAVELLEB relating his to some friends, told them that he and his servant had once made fifty .... Arabs run. His stared in ........ , but he told them there was wonderful in it after all. " For," says he, " we '. . . and they . . . after us." HAPPINESS. ** Were I but a king," said a boy, " I woidd eat my fill of fat bacoQ} and upon a all day long. 4d *LUPTIOAL aXEBCaSBa^ EUIPnCAt BXEKCISE8. W0ED8 PSOHOUVCED ALIKE. BUT 8PE1T LIFPEREHTIT. %• The «or«ct .peuihg of tlw word tor e»:h bl«,k n>«oe either to b« • ^ giTen oraU7 or to be written on the slate. S* * ' '^ 7' "l^rrff ^~l '^w an . . . and aome last.. J •" did ... I could to help him. bJ* "."^tfolW ?" "" "' '" «»" ^^ • • • '«''*■=' "■! >"• "io-ld J7 ■ ,r. htf r " "'" • • • •"""^"^ '»' ^"■■- ""• ""■« " bmd Ihe» p,„„p chicks, wer. . . . . ,p „ . ^^ ., M like 2JW Tb. Uj. „rf gi,,i . . , , pea« „d ^ 'TrtrTut'.v.v °' '""""-^ •/"« "^ • • • • --sb b. POWB Whjdoyoa TO, r„„i,„. ... iioaa iardly alile to walk. • . . . .=.j swai, aaa seem THE ARK AND TUB DO VI. THE AEK AND THE DOVE, del-Qge re-fused^ thith-er safe^ty cease-less ease-ment pin-ion bound-less des-o-la-tion dis-o-be-di-ence peace-fnl right-eons wan-der-ing wea-ried lis-ten-er love-li-ness e-ven-ing ear-li-est In the following lines a motlier relates how she told the story of the Ark and the Dove to her little girl : — "Tell me a story, please," my little girl Lisped from her cradle. So I bent me down, And told lipr hrwtr it- ■.^i,.^A — ,1 ?.. _ i i . . -_ _-i — — . .„^„ ^„ iwiuuvi iiuu luiiiea ana raine«L Till all the flowers were covered, and the trees 00 THE ARK AND TUB DOVR Hid their tall heads, and where the houses stood And people dwelt, a fearful deluge rolled • Because the world was wicked, and refused lo heed the words of God. -ft . __ Who long had warned the wicked to repent Obey and live, taught by the voice of Heaven Ha4 built an ark ; and thither, with his wife And children, turned for safety. nfu^ I , , . , Two and two, Of beasts and birds and creeping things, ha took. With food for aU; and, when the tempest roared ^ f'^d the great fountains of the sky poured out A ceaseless flood, till all beside were drowned A hey in their quiet vessel dwelt secure. And so the mighty waters bore them up And o'er the bosom of the deep they sailed For many days. But then a gentle dove Scaped from the casement of the ark, and spread iler lovely pinion o'er that boundless wave. All was desolation. Chirping nest Nor face of man, nor livng thing she saw ; ^or aU the people of the earth were drowned isecause of disobedience. Q . 1 , , Naught she spied, feave wide, dark waters, and a frowning sky Nor found her weary foot a place of rest : So, with a Wf rif rvliTT^ ;^ u i, bole fruit of her drear voyage, wuich perchance THS AJLK AND THB DOYB. SI ses stood I; 3ed >od man, 3ent, [eaven, wife md two, ha took, it roared, id out vned, I spread 'e. aed, Upon some wrecking billow floated by, With drooping wing the peaceful ark she sought The righteous man that wand'ring dove received, And to her mate restored, who, with sad moans, Had wondered at her absence. Then I looked Upon the child, to see if her young thoughts Wearied with following mine. But her blue eye Was a glad listener, and the eager breath Of pleased attention curled her parted lip. And so I told her how the waters dried, And the green branches waved, and the sweet buds Came up in loveliness, and that meek dove Went forth to build her nest, while thousand birds Awoke their songs of praise, and the tired ark Upon the breezy breast of Ar rat Reposed, and Noah with A spirit reared An altar to his God. Since, many a time, When to her rest, ere evening's earliest star. That little one is laid, with earnest tone. And pure cheek pressed to mine, she fondly says, " Tell me the story of the Dova" Mas. SiaouRNKY. I I ance dan^ger-ons fort^night fright^ful deign-ing ley^eUed oap-tore couched in-stinct with-drew' al-low^ing stealth-i-ly Eu-ro-pe^ans In W there are enonnous tracts of waste land, S, hai. 1^ *''*'' '^'^^ *''^* *•"« %«' has life, and God has create,! fl,« ♦: r._ ., . , m m,a„ co.e to clea.-and-^urvrtele'lVd'*'" 8T0KII8 or TIOIBB. 53 Have you ever thought of what use whiskers are to cats ? lions have great whiskers, and so have tigers, panthers, and all other animals of the cat tribe. Wherever you find an animal with whiskers like the cat, you may be sure that that animal is meant to steal softly among branches and thick bushes. At the roots of the tiger's whiskers there are nerves, which make him sensible of the slightest touch. In this way he knows in a moment whether there is anything in his path which would make too much noise and alarm his prey as he creeps through the jungla The wild cat's whiskers were given her for a life in the woods ; the lion's for the woody mountains in which he lives ; and the tiger's for the tangled jungla In India, which may be called the kingdom of the tiger, he attains his greatest size and strength. He seizes his prey by day as well as by night; ^nd when an army is marching near a jungle, it sometimes happens that a tiger will spring out with an enormous bound and a frightful roar, seize upon a man, and carry him off Unlike the lion, he runs so swiftly fhat the fleetest horse cannot overtake him. By making bounds or springs, one after another, he clears a vast space of ground in a few moments. Should he miss his mark, he sel- dom renews his spring — at least for the time; be seems ashamed of his failure, and bounds off to his lair with a smothered roar. M STOBIBS OF TIGSBa Some years ago a number of English officers in India went out to hunt In returning home after their day's sport, they found in the jungle a little tiger kitten, not more than a fortnight old. They took it with them, and when they reached their quarters, the little tiger waa provided with a tiny dog-collar and chain, and attached to the pole of their tent, round which it played and gamboled to the delight of aU who saw it. How- ever, just aa it was growing dark, about two hours after the capture, the people in the tent were checked in the midst of their mirth by a sound that caused the bravest heart amongst them to quail It was the roar of a tiger ! In an instant the httle kitten became every inch a tiger, and strained at its chain with aU its baby strength, while it repUed with a loud wail to the terrible voice out- side. The company in the tent were panic-struck, there was something so sudden and so wild in the roar. Suddenly there leapt into the centre of the^ tent a huge tigress ! Without deigning to notice a single man there, she caught her kitten by the neck. She snapped, by one jerk, the chain which bound it, and, turning to the tent door, dashed off at full speed. One cannot be sorry' that not a gun was leveUed at the brave mother as she bore her young one off in triumph. ^ When taken young the tiger seems capable of oemg tamed. The fakirs, a class of Indian devotees who are in the habit of going about begging, often STOBDES OF TIGERS. 56 i officers ig home e jungle brfcnight en they provided ached to yed and How- vo hours nt were 3. sound ihem to bant the strained i^hile it ice out- -struck, i in the jntre of oing to kitten e chain it door, e soriy mother able of Bvotees J, often lead about with them tame tigers and leopards ; but they are dangerous pets. A story is told of a gentleman in India who nearly lost his life by a tame tiger which he had reared. He was sitting one evening outside his tent reading, with his pet couched down be- side him. One hand hung by his side, while the other held his book. The tiger began to lick his hand, and continued to do so for some time. A low growl made the gentleman turn his head and look down. He saw that his hand was covered with blood ! In an instant he knew that the fatal instinct of the animal had awoke, and that if he withdrew his hand, the tiger would at once spring upor -i. Calling to his servant, whom he saw at a little distance, he told him to fetch a loaded gun, and shoot the tiger dead on the spot. He then sat quite still, allowing him to growl and to lick the blood at his pleasure. We may feel sure the moments seemed very long to him. Speedily, however, the servant brought the gun, approached very stealthily so as not to disturb the animal, took a steady aim, and shot him through the heart. The general way of hunting the tiger is with elephants. Though the horse can be made to face a lion, he will seldom face a tiger. The elephant, on the contrary, stands steadily while his rider takes aim just before the tiger makes his spring. The Hindoos rarelv hunt or even fire on the ticrft,- . they let him prowl about their houses, and carry away their cattle, and even their children : but eH STOniES OF TIGSBS.: wherever Europeans go. they strive to rid the country of such dangerous animals. Sometimes in hunting, the tiger wUI spring out upon the elephant and fasten his teeth and claws in his neck or shoulder. Then the real struggle comes to be between the elephant and tlve tiger. The former will try to kneel on his enemy and crush him by the weight of his great legs and heavy body; but sometimes they both roll on tlie ground together, and a fearful combat ensues, generally, however, ending in the death of the tiger, either from the strength of the elephant or from a bullet from the hunter's rifle. Bine oaks ELLIPTICAL EXERCISES. gained say diah seen cliuketh never grains labour late A penny saved is a penny Better late than Better to live well than to live .... Better to do well than . . . well. It ia never too .... to learn. Idle people have the most Little strokes fell great .... No pains, no A stitch in time saves .... ''-'^^ Sin is sin though it be not As the fool thinketh so the bell TU£ £NaiJBH GIRL AND B£U AYAH. 57 THE EHQII8H OIEL £ND HEE A7AH. at-tract-ed tim-id-ly hnr-ried pur-snif veg-e-ta-tion ter-ri-fled mor-tal-ly strug-gling sense-less Prov-i-dence re-cov-ered faith^ful ad-ven-ture breath-ing de-creased' be-thonghf in-no-cent mer-ci-fol A LITTLE English girl in India was one day play- ing outside her father's tent, near the edge of a jungla Her attention was attracted by a beauti- ful little fawn, that seemed too young to run about, and which stood timidly gazing at the child with its soft dark eyea The giri advanced to- wards it; but the fawn started back with a fright- 58 THl ENGLISH GIRL ANT> HUE AYAH. aw. ened look and fled. He chad gave chase; but the fawn wag soon hid among the taU reeds and graas of the jungle. * When the girl's ayah (nurse) missed her charge ♦t' IZ^^ ^""^ '^'^ ''«'•• But so eager hfd the chUd been in pursuit of the fewn that she was some distance from the tents before the ayah over- took her Catching up the girl in her arms, she grew so high that she oould scarcely see two yaids before her. She walked some steps with the little ^1 in her arm^ then stopped, and looked round with a frightened air. " We are lost !" cried the poor Hmdoo, '• lost in the dreadful jungle i " « Do not be so fiightencd, Motee," said the fair-haired Enghsh gTl; "God can save us, and show us the way UcW The little child could feel as the poor Hmdoo could not, that even in that lonelv jungle a great and loving Friend was beside her i Agam the ayah tried to find her way; again she paused m ala^. What was that d^ldf^Tound hke a growl that startled her, and made her sink on her knees in terror, clasping the little giri all the dirertion from which that dreadful souid had proceeded. What was their hoxror on behoidSg Je stnped head of a Bengal tiger above thf Z2^ ^«-y-t uttered a terrified scream, f, and a little round hole to go m and out by ; and it is lined with grass and feathers and soft tufts of v/ool. When these birds fly away to Africa, they do not forget the places m England where they have once built their nests. When they return in the foUowing spring they are almost sure to come back to the same place, and to make use of the very same nest. There is an amusing story told of two martins One spring, on coming back to thek old nest, they iound a sparrow had already taken possession of it as her own. When the martins tried to get in, the HLLUTIOAL £X£ECI8£S. 91 Sparrow pecked at *^hen and would not lea ^he nest The raai-tin calle me of their con* as to their aid ; but lo whii. they would, they juld not ma 3 the sparrow stir. At last they flew away , and the spa.rov tho '^ht they had left her to enjoy the nest iu quiet. But the next day they all came back. There were more than a 1 -^ndred martins, and each L a a bit of clay in its bek^. 'i. len they set to w^ ik and walled up the dooi with the clay ; so that the poor span- get out, and died of course from wan air I There are many other kinds of birds besides swallows th. leave us during the winter, for warmer couiiti.ea Others, that live in cold countries, come to England during the winter, and fly back to their own land when summer comes again. All these birds are called birds of pasacige. nest lid not xuod and ELLIPTtCAL EXEECISES. glitters needy may perform command quarreil number tongae It takes two to make £t . . . . . . All is Bot gold that Be slow to promise, but quick to A young man idle, an old man Do what you ought, come what . . . TTfifln crrinH nnnri'haTiv. and hfi One of the ...... _ J. g J. ^. J .- - — Better to slip with the foot than with the .... i Command your temper, lest it you. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V. 1.0 I.I aai2j8 |2.5 2.2 2.0 i.8 ■^ 1^ i Ki ». ii |L25 1.4 1 >-<^ -« 6" — ► % -rm >1 A o /A / 1C Photograph^ Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 02 THX BOBXN's petition. THE ROBIN'S PETITION. sap-pli-ant ad-mit-tanoe pre-ferred' home-hold 8tom-aoh-er oon-scions minstrel myr-i-ads soar^let flat-ter-ere as-sent^ing feathered cher^ished em-bold-ened en-tan-gled " A SUPPLIANT to your window cornea, Who trusts your faith and fears no guile ; He claims admittance for your crumbs, And reads his passport in your smile. For cold and cheerless is the day, And he has sought the hedges round; No berry hangs upon the spray, No? worm nor ant-egg can be found. THK E0BIN*8 PBTITIOll, ^9 Secure his suit will be preferred, No fears his slender feet deter ; For sacred is the household bird That wears the scariet stomacher." Lucy the prayer assenting heard, The feathered suppliant flew to her ; And fondly cherished was the bird That wears the scarlet stomacher. Emboldened then, he'd fearless perch Her netting or her work among ; For crumbs among her drawings search, A.nd add his music to her song ; And warbling on her snowy arm, Or half entangled in her hair, Seemed conscious of the double charm Of freedom and protection there. Tte migrant tribes are fled away To skies where insect myriads swarm ; They vanish with the summer day, Nor bide the bitter northern storm. But still is this sweet minstrel heard, While lowers December dark and drear— The social, cheerful, household bird. That wears the scarlet stomacher. Then let us to the summer herd Of fortune's flatterers prefer Tlie friend like this, our winter bird. That wears the sca/Iet stomacher. Charlotte Smith. 94 BFTBOTS OP CAKBLESBNESB. EFFECTS OF CARELESSNESS. fai'tened gen^r-al-ly oon-se-quence ponl-try cMck-ens re^mind^ing re-mained' wan-dered i^ron-ing kitchen dangh-ter •prained dis-a'bled pnr-snit soorehed fort^night ao-oonnf siz'peii'ny There was a farmer who had a little gate which opened from his yard into a field. This little gate wanted a latch, and therefore could not be fastened. When he passed through the gate he was always very careful to pull it after him ; but other people were not always so mindful. Even with all his care, the wind would often blow it open again after he had closed it. The result was, that the gate was generally either flapping backward and forward in the wind, or standing wide open. In consequence of this the poultry were always getting out, and the sheep and lambs always get- ting in ; and it took up half the children's time to run after the chickens and drive them back into the yard, and to send the sheep and lambs back into the field. His wife was always reminding him that he ought to get the latch mended ; but he used to say that it would cost sixpence, and was not worth while; and that the children might as well be driving the sheep and poultry in and out of the yard and field as be doin^ nothino"- Sn fl^e '"ite remained without the latch. 11 11 i c i EFFECTS OF OARELSSSNEflS. ^0 One day a fat pig got out of its sty, and, push- ing open the gate, ran into the field, and thenoe wandered into a large wood. The pig was soon missed, and a hue and cry was raised after it. The farmer was in the act of tying up a horse in the stable; but he left it to run after the pig. His wife was ironing some clothes in the kitchen, and she left her work to follow her husband. The daughter was stirring some broth over the fire, and she left it to run after her mother. The farmer's sons and his man joined in the chase after the pig; and away they all went, men and women, pell-mell, to the wood. But the man, making more haste than good speed, sprained his ankle in jumping over a rmce ; and the farmer and his sons were obliged to give up the pursuit of the pig, to carry the man back to the house. The good womau and her daughter also returned to assist in binding up the injured limb. When they returned they found that the brodi had boiled over, and the dinner was spoiled; and that two shirts, which had been hanging to dry before the fire, were scorched and utterly ruined. The farmer scolded his wife and the girl for being so careless as not to remove the shirts and the broth from the fire before they left the kitchen. He then went to his stable, where he found that the horse, which he had left loose, had kicked a fine young colt, and had broken its leg. The servant was uuuuueu u) iiiic suusac iVi «> av*vj..^..» by the hurt on his ankle. 96 HALF THE PROFIT. Thus, without taking into account the pain the poor man suffered, the farmer lost two weeks' work from his servant, a fine colt, a fat pig, and his two best shirts, to say nothing of the loss of his dinner — all for the want of a sixpenny latch ! In this way were two good old proverbs veri- fied : — For want of a nail the wheel comes off Safe bind, safe find. HAIF THE PROFIT. no^ble-man re-8id-ed sea^shore celebrate mar^riage a-bun-danoe fish^r-man ap-pear-anoe aa-ton-isbed resolute ac-cord-ing-ly dis-oharge' A NOBLEBIAN, wLo resided at a castle a long way from the sea-shore, was about to celebrate his mar- riage feast. There was abundance of meats, game, and fruits, for the important occasion, but no fish] as the sea had been very boisterous. On the very morning of the feast, however, a poor fisherman made his appearance with a large tui-bot. Joy was in the castle, and the fisherman was brought with his prize into the salocn where the nobleman stood in the presence of his visitor. " A fine fish," said the nobleman. " Fix your own price: vou shall be naid at tmojx TT^«r yv.«^i, do you ask 1 '* HAXF THE PROFIT. w " Not a penny, my lord; I will not take money. One hundred lashes on my bare back is the price of my fish. I will not abate one lash from the number." The nobleman and his guests were not a little astonished, but the fisherman was resolute; they reasoned with him in vain. At length the noble- man exclaimed, — "Well, well, this fellow has a strange whim, but the fish we must have. But lay on lightly, and let the price be paid in our presence." After fifty lashes had been given, " Hold, hold!" exclaimed the fisherman ; " I have a partner in this business, and it is right that he should receive his shara" " What! are there two such fools in the world?" exclaimed the nobleman. "Where is he to be found ? Name him, and he shall be sent for in- stantly." " You need not go far for him," said the fisher- man; "you will find him at your own gate, in the shape of your own porter. He would not admit me until I promised that he should have half of whatever I should get for my turbot." " Oh, oh," said the nobleman, " bring him up instantly ; he shall certainly receive his half with the strictest justice ! " The porter was accordingly brought, and had to submit to his share of the bargain. He was then discharged from the nobleman's service, and the fisherman was amply rewarded. (M) 7 9S THE COAT AND BUTTONS. THE GOAT AND BUTTONS. Qt-tered re-ooMeo1/ in-ter-rnplred rongh'ly •hep^herd PART I. fright-ened flram-bol im-ag^ine pit-e-ons-ly at-tend-ing shiv^r-ing twist-ing worsted itretohed jonr-ney-men "I THINK it would be very funny to hear my coat Bpeak," said Edward one day. Scarcely had he uttered these words when he heard a soft voice from the bosom of his coat, which spoke as follows : — "I recollect once growing on the back of a sheep." Edward could not help starting back with sur- prise ; but recovering himself, he said, "I am afraid, Mr. Coat, you do not know what you are talking about ; for coats do not grow, nor do sheep wear coats." . " I was only wool when I grew on the sheep," replied the voice ; " and a very pleasant life we led together, spending all the day in the green fields, and resting at night on the grass. Some- times, indeed, the sheep rubbed himself so roughly against the trees and gates, that I was afraid of being torn off; and sometimes the birds came and picked off a few flakes of the wool to line their nests, and make them soft and warm for their young — but they took so little that I could easily spare it. " We had long led this quiet life together, when THE COAT AND BUTTONS. 99 one day there was a great alarm. The shepherd and his dog drove all the sheep into a fold, and then took them out one by one and washed them in a stream of water which ran close by. The sheep on which I grew was sadly frightened when his turn came; and for my part I could not imagine what they were going to do with me, they rubbed and scrubbed me so much. But when it was over, I looked so very white, that I was quite vain of my beauty, and I tliought we were now to return and fi-isk and gambol in the meadow, as we had done before. But, alas! the sheep and I were going to be parted for ever ; and I was never more to behold the fresh grass on which I had rested with so much pleasure. "Instead of setting the sheep at liberty, the shepherd took out a large pair of shears. Only imagine our terror! — the poor sheep, I believe, thought his head was going to be cut off, and began to bleat most piteously ; but the shepherd, without attending to his cries, held him down and began cutting me off close to his skin. When the sheep found that the shears did not hurt him, he remained quiet: it was then my turn to be fright- ened. It is true taat the shears did not hurt me either, because I could not feel ; but then I could not bear the thought of being parted from my dear friend the sheep, for we had grown up to- gether ever since he had been a little lamb. The Siicep, vviiO couiu leel, suffered even more than I did from the parting. As soon as he was set free 100 THE COAT AND BUTTONS. he went about shivering with cold, bleating and moaning for the loss of his dear fleece. " As for me, I was packed in a bag with a great many other fleeces, and sent to some mills, where there were a number of strange little things that \7ere for ever twisting and turning round. They seized hold of us, and pulled us, and twisted us about in such a wonderful manner, that at last we were all drawn out into worsted threads, so unlike wool that I hardly knew mj'self again. It was still worse, when, some time afterwards, they plunged me into a large copper of dark dirty- looking water; but when I was taken out, instead of being white, I was of a bright blue colour, and looked very beautiful " Well, some time after this, I was sent to the cloth-mills, and my threads were stretched into a machine called a loom, and there I was woven into a piece of cloth. I was then folded up, and lay quiet for some time." " Indeed," said Edward, "I think you wanted a little rest, after going through so many changes." "Soon after," said the voice, "I was bought by a tailor, and lay on a shelf of his shop, when one day you and your papa came in and asked to see some cloth to make you a coat. I was taken down and unfolded on the counter with several other pieces, and, if you remember, you chose me on account of my beautiful colour." " So I did/" said Edward ; ' but you are not so bright a blue now as you were then." THE COAT AND BUTTONS. 101 "SomethiDg the worse for wear/' replied the coat ; " but if you stain me and cover me with dust, that is your fault, not mine. But to conclude my story: the tailor took out his hirge scissors, which made me think of the shears, and cut me into the shape of a coat. I was then sewed up by some journeymen, who sat cross-legged on a table; and, when I was finished, I was sent to you; and, ever since, I have covered the back of a little boy, instead of that of a sheep.'' THS GOAT AND BUTTONS. PART II. but'tona jin-gling rub^bish stran-ger o^pen-ing fl-e-ry 80-oi-e-ty ham-mers lathe siz-penee showed brushed Edward was much pleased with the story of the coat. " But these bright buttons," said he, " are not made of wool ; have you nothing to say about them?" " They were perfect strangers to me till they were sewed on," said the coat ; " I know nothing about them ; they must speak for themselves." Upon this, the whole row of buttons raised their sharp voices at once, which sounded like the jin- gling of so many little bella This made such a rtrtioA f.nof. "R/ltwo'r/1 /i/Milil nrA: 1-toaT> o. iw/wil •f.Vi<»\r said. He therefore commanded silence ; and, lay i63 iux ooAi AKi) iu'rfoiis. ing hold of one of them with his finger and thumb, he said, " Come, Mr. Button, let me hear the story frotn you, while all the rest remain quiet." Pleased to be chosen thus, the face of the button that was spoken to shone brighter than usual, and in a small, shrill, but distinct voice, he began : "We lay for a long time under ground, not bright and shining as you now see us, but mixed up with earth and rubbish. How long we remained there it is impossible for me to say; for, as it was always dark, there was no telling day from nighty nor any means of counting weeks and years." "But could not you hear the church clock strike?" said Eilward ; "that would have told you how time passed." "Oh, no," replied the button; "though we had had ears, we could not have heard, so deep were we buried in the bowels of the earth." "Oh, dear, how dismal that must have been !** said Edward. "Not for us, who neither thought nor felt," replied the button. " Well, after having lain there for ages perhaps, all at once there was an opening made in the ground, and men came down where we lay, and dug us up. They talked about a fine vein of copper. * I am glad we have reached it at last,* said they; * it will repay us for all our labour.' They then put us into a basket, and we were taken up above ground, and into daylight. The glare - — o — -"^' 'Jv^-vijQ w wo, TTiiv iiau uc;uii so lOns in utter darkness, that, if we had had eyes, it would THK COAT AMD BUTTONS. 103 thumb, lie story Pleaaed bat was id in a nd, not i mixed mained I it was 1 nighty •s." ii clock ^e told we had ip were been !" • felt/' Q there pening where ' a fine d it at abour.' > taken 3 glare long would have almost blinded us. Well, after that, we were put into a fiery furnace." " I am sure you must have been glad then that you could not feel/* said Edward ; "and were you bun d to ashes?" "Ob, no/* replied the button; "copper is a metal, and metals will not bum: but we were mt bed; and, as the earth and rubbish which were mixed with us do not melt, we ran out through some holes that were made on purpose for us to escape from our dirty companions, who were not fit society for us. We were then shut up in moulds, where we were left to cool and become solid again. Men then came with hammers, and beat us till we became quite flat. Every time they struck us we cried out as loud as we could, and our cries were heard at a great distance; but they went on all the same." " What !" said Edward; " had you voices to cry out?" "No," replied the button; "but do you not know that if you strike against metal it rings or resounds ? The sound of a bell is nothing but the metal tongue striking against the inside of the bell; and you know what a noise it makes." Just then the dinner bell began ringing, and Edward cried out, "That it does, indeed." " Well,*' said the buttoh, " after we had beeli beaten into flat sheets, we were sent to the turner's. ittrli/ iTfcfrk liffin Vfcifja or\A fVian nlftniiil iifl nnA TT ii\-' \:XXV ',^i^ iixv^-r Jtrwxvr r^Jt v*-'j ».^a«.V» v*«^'i After the other, into a strange kind of machine, 101 THE COAT AND BUTTONS. called a lathe. He held us there while he turued a wheel with his foot so fast that it would have made one giddy — " "That is, if you had had a head to be giddy/' said Edward, laughing. "When I was taken out of the lathe, I was quite surprised to see what a pretty round shape I had. I wondered what was to be done to me next ; for as there was nothing by which I could be sewed on to a coat, I did not think that I was to be made into a button, but that I was meant for a piece of money." ^ "Yes; a round flat button is something like a sixpence," said Edward ; " but then you were not made of silver." "True; and I soon found that I was to be a button; for they fastened a tail to me, and rubbed me for a great length of time, till T became very bright. I was then stuck with the rest of us on a sheet of thick white paper." "Oh, I remember," cried Edward; "you were all stuck on the paper when the tailor showed you to papa and me, and you looked quite beautiful" Edward then listened, thinking the button would go on with his story, but it was ended, and his voice was gone. From this time Edward took more care of his coat than before; ana when from any accident he swled it, he brushed it clean ; and now and then rift TVJI5I fioon ■••i»ViV»i*»rti *V.« "U.^lX X-- 1 n ehine bright. LITTLE BOBEBT THE TKirPBR. 105 mom-ing^ diead^fnl Eng^Ush piok-axe Tues-day ac-ci-dent miss-ing de-liv^r-anee res-cae fore-most star-7b-tion fright'ened LITTLE ROBERT TEE TRAPPER. ez-am-ine snf^fo'cat-ing gal-ler-ies in-stant-ly res^n-ers grat-i-tude One morning while the pitmen were at work in a coal mine, they heard a noise louder than thunder. In a moment every lamp wa^ out, and men and boys threw down their tools ana ran. It is Tuesday morning. The men reach the mouth of the pit, and count their number. Five are missing, four men and one little trapper,* Robert Lester. People above hear the noise and rush to the pit's mouth. The workmen are taken up. the agony of the wives and mothers of those who are left behind! Brave men go back to their rescue. They light their lamps and reach the crush. There is nothing but a heap of ruins. Were the poor fellows instantly killed, or are they shut in to die of starvation? It is a dreadful thought. They called and shouted, but no answer. Up go pick-axes and shovels to cigar the way. It is great labour and great risk. The news of the accident brings help from far and near. Men flock from all quarters to offer their services. How they * The business of the trappers is to sit at the trap-doors which lead out of the passages of the mine, and to open and shot them as reqalred. Often little boys are en^lQired In thia It is not bard, buj it 1» very diamnl and tiresome work. 106 LTTTLS BOBSET TBJS, TAAPPKH. work! Towai-ds night they hear something. Stop! hark! listen! It is not a voice, but a tapping. It can just be heard. GUnk, clmk, cUnh, clink, dmk! five times, and then it stopped. Clink, clink, five times again, and then it stopped. Five more^ and then a stop. What does it mean? One man guessed. There were five missing, and the five clinks showed all five were alive waiting for deliverance. A shout of joy went up in and above the pit. Among the rescuers was the father of little Robert the trapper. Night and day he never left the mine, and hardly quitted work. " You'll kill yourself, Lester," said a fellow-workman. "Go take a little rest, and trust the work to us." " No, no, Tom," cried the poor father; "I promised Robert's mother we'd come up together, and so we will, if it please God," he said, wiping the tears from his rough cheek; and he hewed away with all his might. . How does it fare with the poor prisoners ? They were frightened like the rest by that sudden and awful noise. Little Robert left his door and ran to the men, who well knew what it meant Wait- ing till everything was quiet, they went forward to examine the passage-way Robert had left. It was blocked up. They tried another; that also was blocked up. Oh, fearful thought, they were buried alive! The men went back to the boy. " I want to go home ; please, do let me go home/' said little Robert. « Yes, yes, aa soon as we find LIT¥J" Ne find a way out, my little man," said Truman, in a kind yet husky voice. The air grew close and suffocat- ing, and they took their oil-cans and food-bags to one of the galleries where it was better. Truman and Logan were the names of two hewers. They were Christian men. " Well, James, what shall we do next?" asked Truman. "There is but one thing we can do," said Logan. " God says, ' Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee.' " They told the boy of his danger. "But we must keep up a good heart," said the men; "and the way to do so is to put our trust in the Almighty God more than in man. He heard Jonah cry to Him from the whale's belly, and He can hear us from the bottom of a coal pit. Let us pray to Him." They all knelt down. Poor little Robert cried bitterly. But as the pitmen prayed, first one and then the other, their heai-ts giew lighter, and even the little trapper dried his tears. When it waa time for dinner they ate sparingly, in order to make the food they had last at least three days, for it might be that time before they could be dug out. Meanwhile what should they do for water t A trickling noise was heard. Water! water! Yes, it was water dripping from the rock. " It seems," said Logan, " as if this water were sent on purpose to put us in mind that God won't forsake us." The men soon got their pick-axes : but what a hopeless task it seemed, to cut through the terrible mass of earth and stones to daylight ! Their hearts 108 LITTLE BOBEBT THE TSAPPER. beat with hope and joy when they firat heard the sound of their friends working on the other side. It was then they made the clmk, clink /ith their pick-axes, which was heard, and so encouraged their deliverers. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and no rescue. What dark and dreadful days ! Worse than all, the sounds beyond did not appear to draw nearer. And yet prayer and songs of praise might have been heard in that dismal cavern. By Friday morning their food was gone, and by Friday night their oil was used up. " Our food is gone, our light is gone, but our God is not gone," said Truman. " He says, * I will never leave you, nor forsake you.' Can you trust Him still, mate? "Yes, I can," said his comrade; They tried to sing a hymn, but their strength gave way long before they got through. As for little Robert, he was so weak he could not sit up. His mind wandered, and he talked about the sun and the grass as if he saw them. Saturdry came. Five days, and the men out- side knew there was not an instant to lose. They were too anxious even to speak. It was only work, work, work, for dear life. For hours they had heard no signals. Were their poor comrades dead? Suddenly the wall was pierced ; a hole was made through ; feeble voices were heard. " Tru- man, are you there?" "Yes, all here."— "^Z^ livinn?*' " Va« fKnr^l- n«/i «ii !:„,•>._»> ** ah living! aU living!" shouted the men: and the shout MOTHER, WHAT IS DEATH f 109 went up to the mouth of the pit. When Robert's father heard that his son was lilive, the good news was too much for him, and he fell down senseless. One hour more and the rescuers reached their comrades. Who can describe, the meeting, or the joy and gratitude of wives, mothers, and friends, as one and another were brought up to the light ? Here comes Mr. Lester with Robert in his arms ! What a huzza rent the air as they came in sight " Safe, safe! God be praised 1" MOTHER, WHAT IS DEATH? langh-ing pleas-ant-ly daugh-ter oase-ment with-ered chrys-a-lis fa-tore lightqy heav^en-ly " Mother, how still the baby lies ! I cannot hear his breath ; I cannot see his laughing eyes ; — They tell me this is death. My little work I thought to bring. And sit down by his bed ; And pleasantly I tried to sing; — They hushed me — he is dead. They say that he again will rise, More beautiful than now : That God will bless him in the skies — O mother, tell me how." no MOTHXB, WHAT 18 DE4TH 1 " Daughter, do you remember, dear, The cold, dark thing you brought* And laid upon the casement here — A withered worm you thought? I told you that Almighty Power Could break that withered shell, And show you, in a future hour. Something would please you well. Look at the chrysalis, my love — An empty shell it lies ; Now raise your wondering glance above, To where yon insect flies 1" " O yes, mamma ! how very gay Its wings of starry gold ! And see ! it lightly flies away Beyond my gentle hold. O mother, now I know full well. If God that worm can change, And draw it from its broken cell, On golden wings to range, — How beautiful will brother be. When God shall give him wings, Above this dying world to flee. And live with heavenly things !*' ELLIPTTCAL EXERCISES. Ill ELLIPTICAL EXEBCISES, nrprlMd expected ehargcfi retired eandlee miming pockete supplied attacked commodore defended slept UUed flght Tessel magasine COOLNESS. While Commodore Anson's ship was engaged in close with a Spanish ...... which he afterwards took, a sailoi came to him and cried out,— " Sir, our ship is on fire very near to the powder * " Then," said the quietly, " run back and help to put it out." THE SCOTCHMAN AND THE HIGHWAYMEN. A SCOTCH pedestrian was once by three robbers. He •. . himself with great courage, but was at last overpowered, and his rifled. The robbers , from the resistance he had made, to find a rich booty, but were to discover that the whole treasure which the sturdy Scotchman had at the risk of his life was only a crooked sixpence ! "Why," said one of the rogues, " if he had had eighteen- pence, he would have us all." PAYING IN KINO. An eccentric old man once at a hotel in a certain town. He was with two wax which he did not use, as he very early to bed. In the morning he found he was two shillings for wax candles ; so, instead of fees to the waiter and the cham- ber-maid, he gave each of them a wax candle and walked gravely away. 112 ELLIPTICAL EXEECXSES. ELLIPTICAL EXERCISES. Continutd from page iO. Btfiel Did the thief anything else but the watch and steal hammer) strait We sailed across the . i .... of Dover to Calais straight in two hours. time Your looked very withered the last .... I saw it in thyme the garden. their I see that is a wide di£ference between opinion there and yours. throne When he had himself on his knees before the thrown he begged for mercy. too ... spoonfuls will not be . . . much. Indeed, I would give two him . . . more. threw Frederick ..... the stone the window by ao* tliroogli cident. wring They may .... a bell for joy just now, but they will .... ring their hands for grief ere long. weight .... a little and he will tell you its exact I cannot wait .... just now; I'll come again. weigh Stand out of his ... till he this sack. He will soon way doit. week He felt very .... and fatigued all last . . . . ; but he is better weak now. wood you like a walk in the ... . before dinner 1 yes, would I very much. wade Did the soldiers, down with their arms and knap- weighed sacks, attempt to ... . through the river 1 won ... of you has . . . the first prize, and the other the one second. your Where is the ... . which I saw in ... . room a short time ewer since ] It was a very pretty one. ewe not. When did ... see it ? you THE RUSSIAN 8KBF. 113 THE RUSSIAN SEBF. oonnt^eM ap-proach' Bus-si-an no-ble-man travel-ling sledge hard-ened pol-ished sigh-ing mean-ing whis^per-ing howl-ing anx-ions meas^vred de-voured' In the dark forests of Eussia, where the snow lies on the ground for at least eight months of the year, wolves roam about in countless troops ; and it is a fearful thing for the traveller, especially if night overtakes him, to hear their famished howlings as they approach neai*er and nearer to him. A Bussian nobleman with his wife and his only ^68) 8 '4? 114 THE RUSSIAN »RJir. daughter were travelling in a sledge, in the eai'ly part of winter, over one of the bleak plains of Russia. The driver was a serf, who bad been bon) on the nobleman's estate, and who loved his master as he loved his own life. The sledge drove rapidly over the hardened snow, and there seemed no signs of danger. The moon began to shed her light, so that the road appeared like polished silver. At length the little girl said to her father, " What is that strange dull sound that I hear?" Her father replied, "Nothing but the wind sighing through the trees of the forest we have just passed." The child shut her eyes and was quiet; but in a few minutes afterwards, with a face pale with fear, she turned to her father and said, " Surely that is not the wind ; I heai it again: do you not hear it too? — listen!" The nobleman listened, and far far away in the distance behind him, but distinct enough in the clear frosty air, he heard a sound of which he knew the mean« ing, though those who were with him did not. Whispering to the serf, he said, " They are after us; get your musket and pistols ready ; I will do the same; we may yet escape. Drive on! drive on!" The man drove wildly on ; but the mournful howl- ing, which the child had first heard, began to come nearer and nearer, and it was perfectly dear to the nobleman that a pack of wolves had got scent and were in Dursuit of them. Meanwhile he tried i - - — to cabn the anxious fears of his wife and child TBE RUSSIAN 8SBV, 11& A.t huat the baying of the wolves was distinctly heard, and he said to his servant, " They will soon be on us : single you out the leader, and fire ; I will single out the next ; and as soon as one foils the rest will stop to devour him : that will be some delay, at least." .j> By this time they could see the pack fast ap- proaching with their long measured tread. A large dog-wolf was the leader. The nobleman and the serf singled out two, and they fell : the pack immediately turned on their fallen com- rades and soon tore them to pieces. The taste of blood only made the others advance with more fury, and they were soon again baying at the sledge. Again the nobleman and his servant fired, and they shot two more, which were instantly devoured. But the next post-house was still far distant. The nobleman then said to the servant, ** Let one of the horses loose from the sledge, that we may gain a little more time." This was done, and the horse was left on the road : in a few minutes they heard the loud shrieks of the poor animal as the wolves tore him down. Again they urged on the sledge, but again their enemies were in full pursuit Another horse was cut loose, and he soon shared the fate of his fellow. At length the servant said to his master, ** I have served you since I was a child, and I love ^Trtii oa T Irkira tY»Tr /\TirTi lift* Tt. la olooi* tj\ ma 'f.nfl.ii we oannot all reach the post-house alive. I leave lid ) 91«^eUM SSRF. my wife imd iJiiilin u> you — ^yoii will be a fathex to them — ^you liave been a &iher to me mrhen the wolves uejLt reach us, I will jump down and do my best U> stop them." "No, no," crierl the master; "we will live to- gether, or die toj^ether." But the aei /ant waa resolute. The sledge drives on as fast as the two remain- ing horses can drag it. The wolves are close on their track, and almost dash against the sledge. A sound is heard. It is the discharge of the servant's pistols as he leaps from his seat. Soon the gate of the post-house is reached, and the &mily are safe 1 On the spot where the wolves pulled the de- %..4ed tiervant to pieces there now stimds a large wooden cross, erected by the nobleman, with this text upon it, — " Greater love hath no man than this, that one lay down his life for his friend." OLD FATHER WILLIAM. heart^y rea-son re-plied' re-mem-bered a-bused' health pleas-nref grieve has-ten-ing cheer^M oon-verse' at-ten-tion "You are old, Father William," the young man cried. OLD f ATHSB WILLLUI. afathex hen the and do live to- kot was remain- close on sledge. of the Soon nd the the de- a large ith this n than nd" 117 I ig man ray; Vou are hale, Father William, a hearty old man ; Now tell me the reason, I pray?" — " In the days of my youth," Father Willii n replied, ** I remembered that youth would fly fast, And abused not my health and my vigour at first, That I never might need them at last." "You are old. Father William," the young man cried, " Ant* (/' 'ftsures with youth pass away. And yet you lament not the days that are gone ; Now tell me the reason, I pray? " — " In the days of my youth," Father William replied, "I remembered that youth could not last; I thought of the future, whatever I did. That I never might grieve for the past." " You are old. Father William," the young man cried, * "And life must be hastening away; You are cheerful, and love to converse upon death ; Now tell me the reason, I pray? " — " I am cheerful, young man," Father William re- plied, "Let th*^ cause thy attention engage: in the days of my youth I remembered my God, And He hath not forgotten my age! " SOUTIISY. 118 TILS OUJLfi AJfD THE COW-BOY. THE LUKE AND THE COW-BOY. no-ble-man gen-tle-man res-i-dence man-age know-ing difl-tress' sov^er-eign sMiqing ac-qnaint-ed as-sem-bled battler in-dig-nant-ly slt-n-a-tion man-li-nes8 hon-es-ty One day a Scotch nobleman, who took a great interest in farming, had bought a cow from a gentleman in his neighbourhood. The cow was to be sent home the next morning. Early in the morning, as the duke was taking a walk, he saw a drive the cow to his residence. Vciiii The not cow was very unruly, and the poor boy could manafje her at mU. TUIS DUltfi AKD TUB COW-BOy. 119 f^Kfy-r<>\}k mt-ly Ion ess f a. great from a 3w was ' in the i sp.w a sidence. y could The boy, not knowing tlie duke, bawled out to him, "Hallo man! come here and help me with thio beast." The duke walked slowly on, not seeming to notice the boy, who still kept calling for his help. At last, finding he could not get on with the cow, he cried out in distress, " Come here, man, and help me, and I'll give you half of whatever I get." The duke went and lent a helping hand. « And now," said the duke, as they trudged along after the cow, " how much do you think you wiU get for the job 1" « I don't know," said the boy; "but I am sure of something, for the folk up at the big house are good to everybody." On coming to a lane near the house the duke slipped away from the boy, and entered by dif- ferent way. Calling a servant, lie put a sovereign into his hand, saying, « Give that to the boy who brought the cow." He then returned to the end of the lane where be had parted from the boy, so as to meet him on his way back. " Well, how much did you get?" asked the duke. « A shilling," said the boy ; " and there's half of it to you." "But surely you got more than a shilling f said the duke. "No," said the boy, " that is all I got; and I think it quite enough." « I do not," said the duke ; " there must be m U'f m THE DUKE AND THE COW-BOY. some mistake; and as I am acquainted with the duke, if you return I think I'll see that you get more." They went back. The duke rang the bell and ordered all the servants to be assembled. " Now," said the duke to the boy, " point me out the person who gave you the shilling." " It was that man there," said he, pointing to the butler. The butler fell on his knees, confessed his fault, and begged to be forgiven ; but the duke indig- nantly ordered him to give the boy the sovereign, and quit his service immediately. " You have lost." said the duke, " your money, your situation, and your chamcter, by your deceitfulness: learn for the iiiture that honesty is the best policy." The boy now found out who it was that had Iielped him to drive the cow; and the duke was so pleased with the manliness and honesty of the boy that he sent him to school and provided for him at his own expense. ELLIPTICAL EXERCISES. reap found wealth leap Uttle danger Look before you Lost time is never again. Little little care. Promise but do much. Sow well. well. Out of debt, out of , THE FOX AND THE STORK. 121 .■ H THE FOX AND THE STOKK. ma-li-cious in-ten-tion prac-ti-cal ap-point-ed ap-pe-tite re-tired' dis-pleased' com-pli-ment has-tened mor-ti-fi-ca-tion ad-mit-ted gen-er-ous A FOX asked a stork to dinner, with the malicious intention of playing a practical joke on his guest. The stork came at the hour appointed, with a good appetite for her meal. But little pleased was she on finding that it consisted of mince served up in a dish so shallow that she could scarcely, with her long slender bill, pick up enough to satisfy a sparrow I The fox lapped up the food 122 TnS PBAOnCAL JOKB. Hi readily enough, only stopping a moment to say, "I hope, madam, that you relish your feast '( Don't you think -that my mince is first-rate V* The stork made no reply, but retired hungry and much displeased from the almost untasted meal A few days afterwards the stork returned the cjompliment by asking the fox to dinner. Reynard hastened to the place of meeting, where the stork had made ready her meal. Great was the mortification of the fox to behold the food served up in a long-necked jar, which admitted the stork's slender bill, but into which he could not thrust even his pointed nose ! " I hope, sir, that you relish your feast?" said the stork, who was not generous enough to return good for evil, and who wished to give Reynard a lesson. And as the hungry fox looked sadly up into her face, she added, " Those who cannot take a joke in good part should never make one. Never do to others what you would not like them to do to yourself." THE FBACTIGAL JOES, re-lac-tant 8uc-ceed-ed rhymes in-con-sid-er-ate re-lief cro-quet ap-peal' ex-claimed' in-hos-pi-tal-i-ty indeed I don't know how to shoot ! " cried Anna, as Lydia forced her bow into the hand of her shy, reluctant guest. "Oh, nothing is easier! you must try: just awk-ward laughed an-noyed' " But indeed THE PRACTICAL JOKE. 123 o say, feast 1 r Hungry itasted sturned r. where jftt was le food Imitted 3 could ?" said return nard a idly up lot take Never n to do 1-tal^i-ty shoot!" he hand ry : just put the arrow here, and place your right hand so — oh, how awkward you are ! " laughed Lydia, as the arrow dropped on the ground. ^ " I never touched a bow before, I would mther not try!" pleaded poor Anna, who was really annoyed at making a display of her want of skill, before all tlie other gueste at the Grange. But the poor girl's annoyance afforded amuse- ment to Lydia, who insisted upon her tiying again. Anna this time, indeed, succeeded in sending the arrow about a dozen yards wide of the target; but her hand being unprovided with a guard, the recoil of the bow-string hurt her wrist, and the pain made her eyes fill with tears. "I cannot — will not shoot again!" exclaimed Anna, throwing down the bow, and turning away from the spot with feelings of mortification whicli led to an evil desire to make Lydia bitterly repent her unkind, inconsiderate conduct. About a week afterwards Lydia returned the visit. She was looking forward to a delightful day with Anna and her sister, and was full of glee when led to their play-room, especially as she spied a croquet-box in the corner. " Shall we have a game?" cried Lydia; "croquet — or archery V she added with a smile. "Our games are of a different sort," replied Anna, going up to the table, on which were laid three pencils and some loner slips of paper. " We are going to play at terminations." Terminations! what are they?" cried Lydia. <{ rp. 124 THE PHACTICAL jokb. " We have a set of words that rhyme together written on each of these slips," answered Anna; "see, here are rat, fat, diversion and aversion. Each of us will take one slip, and write a verse of poetry, each line ending with one of these very worda" "Poetry!" exclaimed poor Lydia, who could never even manage to compose a common note, and who was weak on the point of spelling ! " I could not put two rhymes together, though my life depended upon it." " Oh, but you must try !" insisted Anna ; "you can't think how amusing the composing is ! I daresay you will enjoy it," she added, with some malice, "as much as I enjoyed learning to shoot !" To the great relief of Lydia, at this moment Anna's mother entered the room. " Oh, Mrs. Mayne," ciied the girl, almost ready to cry, " must I write poetry to amuse Anna, whether I like it or not ?" "Poetry!" repeated the puzzled lady, turning to her daughter for an explanation. Anna burst out laughing. " I am only acting out the fable of the fox and the stork !" she cried. " Lydia teased me with her bow and anew, so I tease her with my pencil and paper." " That fable," observed Mrs. Mayne, " was never intended to teach inhospitality to a guest, or petty revenge — as mean as it is unkind. Keep to its true moral, my child ; which is, that since we find how painful anything like practical jokes are when played on ourselves, we should ever be care- ful not to play them on others." A. L. 0. E THE DOG AND THB SHADOW, 125 THE DOa AND SHADOW. re-fleo-tlon pos-sessed' snatched cov-et-ous car-ry-ing snatohed en-joyed' A DOG, as he was crossing a brook with a bone in his mouth, saw his own reflection in the clear water, and took it for another dog carrying an- other bone. Not contented with what he himself possessed, the greedy creature snatched at the prize which he thought he saw below, and in doing so dropped the real bone, which fell into the brook and was lost ! — The covetous, grasping at more than they have, often thus lose even that ^hich they might in peace have enjoyed ! 'I i 130 THE AMBITIOUS BOT. THE AiraiTIOirS BOT. ihonl-der neph-ew bough de-ois-ion ne-gleot^ing an-nonnoed' ir^ri-ta-ble am-bi'tioiit " 1 NEVER knew before, Csesar, that you were so fond of drawing,"' said Aunt Sophia, as she glanced over the shoulder of her nephew, who was busy with his pencil. " You really have made great progresa" « I need to do so," cried Caesar, " if I am to carry off the prize for drawing, as I am resolved to do this term." "I should have thought," observed the aunt, " that you had little chance against Lee. He is an artist's son, and has used the pencU, one might almost say, from his cradle." " That will double the pleasure of beating him !" cried Csesar, dashing the bough of a tree into his picture with an ak of decision. "I'm working now at this four hours a day ; he never draws more than two." " You are not neglecting your Latin for it, I hope ? You have had the Latin prize every term for these three years past," said Aunt Sophia. "Yes," replied Caesar, with a proud smile ; "there is no boy in our class can match me in that, though Bussell is now working hard. But I am not con- tented with one prize : I cannot rest till I have won the paint-box for drawing, of which Tom Lee makes THE AMBITIOUS BOY. 127 so sure. It would be glorioas to beat the son of an artist on his own ground ! '* "Take care," said his aunt, gently laying her hand on his shoulder, " that you do not lose the Latin prize in trying for that which you are not likely to gain. Remember the fable of the dog that dropped the substance, catchingat the shadow." On the evening of the day on which the names of prize-winners had been announced, C&sar came home from school gloomy and grave. His looks told his aunt enough to make her spare him the pain of questions ; but his little sister Rosey was less observant, or less discreet. " Oh, Caesar!" she cried, running eagerly up to him, " tell me, are you to have the two prizes?" " No," said Csesar, with a growL " Only one," cried the child in a tone of dis- appointment. " Not one" muttered the boy. *' I was so busy tr3ring to beat Lee, that I could not hold my ground against Russell." Csesar flung himself on a chair, in so irritable a mood that even Rosey did not venture to question him further. Their aunt silently hoped that the lesson might prove worth the pain which it cost, and that the ambitious boy might not again require to be reminded of the dog in the fable. A. L. 0. B. 128 ELUPTICAL EXEB0I8E8. ELLIPTICAL EXEKOISES. uuwer returned present salute allow review regiment eqnal beat try manners exceed POLITENESS. An English nobleman once the salute of a negro who was passing. " Sir/' said a gentleman who was , " do you conde- scend to a slave?" "Why, yes," replied the nobleman ; "I cannot a man in hia condition to me in good " FREDERICK AND THE ENGLISH AMBASSADOR. It is said that Frederick, King of Pi-ussia, one day, at a of a splendid of grenadiers, asked the English ambassador if he thought an number of Englishmen could .... them. " No," replied Lord Hyndford, " I cannot be so bold aa Bay that; but I will for it that half the number would . . ." FBOVEEBS. Bonud employed fruits enough fear master poverty conquers A good servant makes a good Better face a danger than be always in ... . Debt is the worst kind of Deeds are , words are but leaves. Empty vessels make most ..... Poor indeed is he who thinks he never has The greatest conqueror is he who himself. He is idle who might be better THE ELEPHANT. 139 ^■^g^^^^ reaoh-ing fonr^teen ma-jes-tic ap-pear-aiice hair-less THE ELEPHANT. wrin-kles four-foot-ed vis-i-ble re-mark-a-ble ob-tained' Shef^field slaugh-ter as-sails' pierc-ing po-ta-toes The elephant is tlie largest, strongest, and wisest of land animals. There are two kinds of elephants ; tlie one found in Asia, the other in Africa ; the first reaching the height of ten feet, the second that of fourteen. The elephant has, from his great size, a very majestic appearance- but otherwise he is no beauty. His huge head seems small when 180 THV BUiPHANT. il compared with the bulk of his body. His haxk is so long that many men might ride on him at once, if it were not at the same time too broad for them to stretch their legs across. His thick, hairless skin, usually of a dark-gray colour, looks like a covering of coarse leather, or the bark of an old tree, and hangs in wrinkles round him, as if it were too large for his body. " His legs," say the people of India, who take a pride in the four-footed giant, "are like pillars, his forehead is like a shield, his ears like fans, and his tail like a tre- mendous whip." The last, indeed, is more like a stiff rope, with a few thick hairs at the end. His foot is large, round, soft, and divided into four parts, having small hoofs overhung with skin so that they are scarcely visible. Yet, clumsy OS he seems, the elephant sometimes runs so fast that a swift horse cannot escape from him ! His neck is short and strong. His eyes are small and bright. But the most remarkable tilings about the elephant are his ivory tusks, and, above all, his wonderful trunk. The tusks hang like swords from his mouth, one on each side. The male elephant has always a pair ; the female sometimes none. These tusks supply ivory, which is employed for many purposes of use and of ornament. The tusks are usually from three to seven feet in length, but they have been found as long as fourteen feet ; and they v/eigh IS obtained frPfla the tusks of other animals besides THIS ELEPHANT. 181 back is .t once, ir them lairlesA like a an old ks if it say the •-footed like a a tre- I like a be end. ed into g with clumsy 90 fast ! His lall and 3 about ove all, mouth, always le tusks purposes lly from ^ve been Y v/eigh TvATV . J I besides the elephant, but those of the elephant luinish the chief supply. The demand for this article is so great, and the supply so constant, that it may seem a wonder that the noble nee of animals which yields it has not long since become extinct. It is Baid that the slaughter of above twenty thousand elephants yearly would be required to meet the demand for ivory in the town of Sheffield alone ! Many broken and shed tusks are found, however, in the forests of Asia and Africa ; and then, in the north of Asia there are ivory minee, from which the tusks of thousands of elephants long since dead and buried are dug. The African tusks are the best, being harder and finer than those of India, and less apt to get yellow. The elephant is commonly quiet and harmless, and a child may put a hundred of them to flight When attacked or wounded, however, they turn with the utmost fury upon the person who assails them, and unless he has provided a way of escape, they seldom fail to catch and kill him, piercing him through with their tusks and tram- pling his body on the ground. The elephant, when tame, is exceedingly gentle, and does what- ever he is bid. He understands the signs made to him by his driver, who sits upon his neck and guides him by an iron rod hooked at the end. He raises the knee to enable persons to mount ; and with his trunk he even helps the person by whom he is loaded. Wild elephants live and move together in large II 132 THE TRUNK OF THB BLEPHANT. herds. They feed upon grass, roots, and branches of trees ; and love to bathe in a running stream. The tame elephant, as may be supposed from his size, is not easily kept in food. We have seen his bill of fare for one day, and it contained a bushel of barley-meal made into soup, thirty pounds of potatoes, and half a dozen pails of water, to say nothing of the hay and straw I THE TRUNK OF THE ELEPHANT. pro-vides' ▼a-ri-e-ty dif^fer^nt pe-cul-iar ez-am-ple de-iign' re-qnired^ ad-mi-ra-bly breathes lengthened in-stm-ment pro-dig^ions God provides in a variety of ways for the wants and for the comforts of beasts, birds, fishes, and insects, as well as for those of man. And as the eiid for which He made them is very different from that for which He made us. He has given them bodies different from ours, and suited to their different ways of living and to the country and the climate in which, they live. Every kind of creature has something peculiar to itself, fitted to lead us to admire the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, TKa Inrifir +.mT»lr nf f.lno olanKfrnf ia o -wwrrk-nAekm- ful example of design and skill. The neck of THE TRUXK OF THE ELEPHANT. 133 four-footed animals is uauaUy long, to enable them to reach their food without difficulty ; but the ele- phant has a short neck, to enable him more easily to support the weight of his huge head and heavy tusks, the difficulty of getting food being admirably provided for by his long trunk. The trunk of the elephant is to him what the neck is to other animals; It is also a Tiose to him, for at the end of it there is a hollow place like a cup, and in the bottom of the cup are two holes or nostrils, through which the animal smells and breathes. It is an ai-ni and a hand too, with a very curious ^n^er at the end of it, with which he feels, and does a thousand things easily and quickly. It has been said that the elephant carries his nose in his luind; and it might also have been said that he breathes by his hand. How strange it would seem to us if we were to breathe through our hand ! At the extreme end of the trunk there is a curious part about five inches long which forms the finger. With this finger the animal can pick up a pin from the ground, or the smallest piece of money ; he can select herbs and flowers, and take them one by one; he can untie knots; he can open and shut gates, by turning the keys or pushing back the bolts ; and with this finger an elephant has been taught to make regular marks like letters, with an instrument as small as a pen ! -.,-.- vi^ixrx v-i .-% xuii-gi^wu eiepnanii is aooiu eight feet long. It can be made shorter or longer as the animal chooses^ and can be moved 134 TUB TRUNK OF THE ELEPHANT. with great ease in every possible direction. It hafi such prodigious strength that he can knock down a man with it, and can pull up trees of moderate bize by the roots. An Englishman who travelled a great deal in India, says : " I performed many long journeys upon an elephant, and whenever I wished to make a sketch, the docile creature would stand perfectly still till my drawing was finished. If at any time I wished ripe mango-fruit which was grow- ing out of my reach, he would select the most fruitful branch, break it ofi", and offer it to me with his trunk. Sometimes I gave him some of the fiTiit for himself, and he would thank me by rais- ing his trunk three times over his head, making a gentle murmuring noise as he did so. When branches of trees came in my way, he broke them off at once, twisting his trunk round them ; but he often broke off a leafy bough for himself, and used it as a fan to keep off the flies, waving it to and fro with his trunk. When I was at breakfast in the morning, he always came to the tent door to be cheered by my pmise and caresses, and to receive fruit and sugar-candy." S TOBIES OF THE SLEPHAMT. 186 STOBIES OF THE ELEP2IANT. Cey-lon' build bridg-es ebnrolL^ salrii-flod en-gi-neer' bal-ano-ing ob-sta-ole dif-fl-cul-ty sa-ga-cious tease pre-tend'iug cangbt car-a-van' loos-ened wrapped touched In the island of Ceylon there are large herds of wild elephants. Many have been caught and tamed, and have been made useful in hcdping to build bridges, houses, and churches. Travellers tell us that some of them are as careful about the neatness of their work as men could be. An elephant has been known to step back a few 13G STORIES OF THE ELEPHANT. I li yards to see if it had laid a block of wood or stone straight ; and then, if not satisfied, to re- turn and push it into its right place. Some years ago an engineer in Ceylon had to lay pipes to convey water nearly two miles, over hills and through woods where there were no roads. To assist him in his work he had to employ several elephants, and nothing could be more interesting than to witness the way in which the elephant engineers did their work. Lifting up one of the heavy pieces of pipe, and balancing it on its trunk, each animal would march off with it, and convey it safely over every obstacle, to the place where it was to b^ laid. When it reached the spot, it would kneel down and place the pipe exactly where the driver wislied. On one occaiion an elephant, find- ing some difficulty in getting one of the pipes it had brought fitted into another, got up and went to the other end of the pipe, and putting its head against it, soon forced it into its right place. In a show of wild beasts at Balh, some years ago, there was a large good-natured elephant Among the crowd who went to see it was a baker. He thought it a clever thing to tease the elephant, by pretending to give it a cake, and then pulling away his hand. The elephant bore this for some time well ei ^ugh, but at last got angry, and putting its trunk out of the cage, caught the baker round fllA -nroiaf liA^i/l kJw. 4-« 4.1»-, A^-. ^r Xl- - - ^' T7«jirjv, xi«.5njvi uiLU fcV? fciliC bUp UX liU.V i^kmVBiD, and bumped his head with great force against the STORIES OP THE ELEPHAMT. 137 roof. Everybody thought the man would be killed But all at once the elephant loosened its trunk and dropped him from the roof to the ground, in the very midst of the people. There he lay for a minute or two, looking half dead ; but when the people came to him, he got up and walked away as if nothing had happened. He waa terribly frightened, but not hurt. He ne/er tried to play tricks with elephants again. A person in the East, who often sat at the door of his house, near to a place where elephants were daily led to water, used sometimes to give one of them some fig-leaves, of which elephants are very fond. One day the man took it into his head to play the elephant a trick. He wrapped a stone round with fig-leaves, and said to the driver, " I will give him a stone to eat this time, and see how it will agree with him." The driver told him the elephant would not be so foolish as to swaUow a stone. The man, however, held out the packet; but as soon as the elephant touched it with his trunk, he let it fall to the ground. " You see I was right," said the keeper, and went on his way. After the elephants were watered, the keeper was leading them back to the stable. The man who had played the elephant the trick was still sitting at his door. Before he was aware that the elephant meant to attack him, the animal ran at him. threw his trunk round his body, dashed him to the ground, and trampled him to death. . 138 STORIES OF THE ELEPHANT. I [ aeH)ns-tomed treat-ment re-oeiv6' ez-pect-ed hu-monr ap-pa-rent-ly drowned pour^ini^ wit-neseied fa-tifl^ed' oar^ria^e oare-Ail-ly Ik tibe city of Delhi, in India, a tailor was in the habit of giving some fruit to an elephant that daily passed the place where he sat at work. So accustomed had theanimal become to this treatment, that it regularly put its trunk in at the window to receive the expected gift. One day, however, the bailor bein<* out of humour*, tiirust ^^0 needle into the elephant's trunk, telling it to begone as BTORIES Of THE ELEPHANT. 139 he had nothing to give it. The elephant passed on, apparently unmoved ; but on coming to a pod of dirty water near by, it filled its trunk and re- turned. Thrusting its huge head in at the win- dow, it half drowned the poor tailor by pouring a tiood of water over him, to the great amusement of those who witnessed the scene ! An army in India v/as marching up a hill The large guns, whkh were very heavy, were di'awn by elephants. There was a long train of those animals in regu- lar file, one close behind the other, each drawing its piece of artillery. On the carriage of one of the guns, a little iu front of a wheel, sat a soldier resting himself. The man being very much fatigued dropped asleep, and in this condition fell from his seat. The wheel of the carriage, loaded with its heavy gun, was just on the point of rolling over his body. There was no time to get out of the way. The elephant in the rear, seeing the danger, but unable to reach the man with its trunk, seized the wheel, and lifting it up, passed it carefully over him, and set it down a little beyond ! m A MONKEY ON BOARD SHIP. A MONKEY ON BOARD SHIP. pas-sen-ger mon-keys a-wak-ened pnr-suif ac-tive-ly break-fast oon-ceal' ex-er-cise jeal-OTi« de-scend' pit^-ous-ly pun-ish-ment pen-al-ty touched an-chor en-gaged' ap-plied' neigh-bour-hood The following account of a Senegal monkey was written by a lady who was a passenger on board the ship in which it was brought to England : " We had several monkeys i board, kit Jack, tlie cook's monkey, was the prince of them all. Jack had been first kept to his own part of the A MONKEY ON OOAfiD SHIP. 141 r.^' deck by means of a ooi 1 ; but as he grew more tame he got more liberty, till at last he was allowed the whole range of the ship, except the captain's and passengers' cabin. " At an early hour I was often awakened by the quick trampling of feet on the deck, and knew it arose from pursuit of Jack for some mischief he had been doing. He would snatch the caps off the sailors, steal their knives and tools, and if not very actively pursued, would sometimes throw them overboard. "When breakfast was preparing, Jack would take a seat in a corner near the grate, and, when the cook's back was turned, would snatch up some- thing from the fire, and conceal it. He sometimes burned his fingers by these tricks, which kept him quiet for a few daya But no sooner was the pain gone than the same thing was done again. " Two days in each week the pigs which formed part of our live stock were allowed to run about the deck for exercise, and then Jack was happy as the day was long. Hiding himself behind a cask, he would suddenly spring upon the back of one of them, which then scampered round the deck in a fright. Sometimes Jack would get upset, and if saluted with a laugh from the sailors, he would put on a look of wonder, as much as to say, * What can you have got to laugh at ?' "Besides Jaxjk, we had on board three little monkeys with red skins and bhie faces, and Jank would often get them all on his back at once, and » i'li 142 A MONKEY ON BOABD SHIP. carry them about the vessel. When, however, I began to pet these little creatures, he became jealous, and freed himself from two of them by throwing them into the sea ! " One of his drollest tricks was performed on the poor little monkey that was left. One day the men who had been painting left their paint and brushes on the upper deck. Jack enticed the little monkey to him; then seizing him with one hand, with the other he took the brush and covered him with white paint from head to foot ! The laugh of the man at the helm called my attention to this ; and as soon as Jack saw that he was discovered, he dropped his dripping brother, and scampered wp to the main-top, where he stood with his nose be- tween the bars looking at what was going on be- low. Jack was afraid to come down, and only after three days passed in his lofty place of refuge did hunger force him to descend. He chose the moment when I was sitting on deck, and swing- ing himself by a rope, he dropped suddenly into my lap, looking so piteously at me for pardon, that I not only forgave him myself, but saved him from further punishment. Soon after this I took another vessel, and Jack and I parted, never to meet again." Among the rules of the port of London is one which forbids, under a heavy penalty, the firing of a gun from any vessel lying there. An armed ship had just come in from a long voyage, during A MONKEY ON BOARD SHIP. 143 jrever, I became lem by I on the ihe men brushes nonkey ith the n with 1 of the s; and ired, he d I'p io ose be- on be- d only ■refuge ose the swing- ly into !)ardon, ed him I took jver to IS one ring of armed during which she had touched at several places, and at each of them on anchoring had fired a salute. A monkey that was on board, naturally wondering why this was omitted when he saw the anchor dropped at London, concluded that, rather than it should not take place, he would fire the salute himself ! Accordingly, while the attention of all on board was engaged with the arrival of the ship, he went to the cooking-place, and with the tongfl took out a live coal, which he applied to the touch- hole of one of the guns, and forthwith the whole neighbourhood was startled by the roar of the cannon. The captain of the vessel was prosecuted for breaking the laT^ ; and he could only clear him- self by proving that the cannon had been fired by the monkey. ELLIPTICAL EXERCISES. enMoies heaven ditch thonghts fown efteems gafhm perfnmuuioe Much on earth, little in False friends are worse than open Promises may get friends, but it is that keeps them. He that knows himself best himself least. Many things grow in the garden that were never . . . there. Half a leap is a fall into the A rolling stone no moss. Give Qod the first and last of each day's . , , 144 KLLIPnOAL EXER0I8E8. ELLIPTICAL EXSRGISIS. condenmtd notorioni inibrmed pointijig end Mutible destroying offered friends efforts pointed Judge obeys reproached tried dMtroy orderM enforce oiBloers enraged THE KINO AND HIS ENEMIES. Some courtiers once a king, that, instead of his conquered foes, he admitted them to fayour. "Do I not," said the king, "effectuaUy them when I make them my ? KING HENrtY V. AND THE JUDGE. When King Henry V. was Prince of Wales, one of his com- panions was brought before a judge for some crime. Notwithstanding all the made in his favour, he was The prince was so at the issue of the trial, that he struck the on the bench. The judge at once, with great spirit, the prince to be sent to prison. Henry, by this time of the insult he had to the laws of his country, quietly suffered himself to be led away to jail by the of justice. The king, Henry IV., was no sooner of what had taken place than he said, " Happy is the king wlio has a judge possessed of courage to the laws of his country » and still more happy to have a son who them," A SHARP QUESTION. Jeffreys, a jujjge in tlie time of Charles I., with his cane to a man who was about to be said—" There is a great rogue at the end of my cane." The man at inquired, "At which .... my Lord!" THE UPEAKIHQ CHIP. 145 ohar-aoal ar^ti-ole ■u-per-ia.tend'ing war^ri-or in-ex-prea^si-ble THE SPEAKIKO CHIP. M-ton-iih-mont re-ceiT^inff con-tempt' set^tie-ment ar-nv^ngr in-volved' re-solv^ing mys^ter-y myg-te^ri-oua aur-round^ed As I had gone to work one morning without 2 square, I took up a chip, and with t So charcoal wrote upon it a request that M^ Wi^. hams would send me that article. I called a cWef who was superintending his portion of the work and said to him, "Friend, take this; go Jot house, and give it to Mrs. Williams » ' ^'^ ^ "^"^ He was a singular-looking man. He had been a gi^eat warrior; but in one of the nulrou" battles he had fought he had lost an eye. GivW lake that! she will caU me foolish and .oold me if I carry a chip to her." ' With a look of astonishment and contempt he mis speak ( Has this a month ? " _ I desired him to take it immediately, and not -^uu. 80 n,u«u time in talking about it On ar- rmng at tlie house, he^gave the chip to 1^1 1 46 TBE SPEAKING CHIP. Williams, who read it, threw it away, and went to the tool-chest, whither the chief, resolving tc see the result of this mysterious proceeding, fol- lowed her closely. On receiving the square from her, he said, " Stay, daughter ; how do you know that this is what Mr. Williams wants ? " *' Why," she replied, " did you not bring me a chip just now ? " " Yes," said the astonished warrior, " but I did not hear it say anything." " If you did not, I did," was the reply, "for it made known to me what he wanted; and all you have to do is to return with it as quickly as possible." With this the chief leaped out of the house ; and catching up the mysterious piece of wood, he ran through the settlement with the chip in one hand and the square in the other, holding tliem up as high as his arms could reach, and shouting as he went, "See the wisdom of these English peo- ple ; they can make chips talk \" On giving me the square, he wished to know how it was possible thus to converse with persons at a distance. I gave him all the explanation in my power ; but it was a circumstance involved in so much mystery, that he actually tied a string to the chip, hung it round his neck, and wore it for some time ! During several following days we fre- quently saw him surrounded by a crowd, who listened with intense interest while he narrated the wondfti's which tlie chip had performeci. Wit.liamb' Miwiomry Enterprise. tRAVJSLLBai' WOWMBfl. TEAYEUEBS* WOKBSBS. PAET I. 147 hardened un-pal^a-ta-ble toang-pa-rent veg^-ta-bles diMov^red va^ri-oui-ly ex-traor^di-na-ry pre-vailod' powdered nauseous e-ven-ing coaxed in-hab'i-tants qnad-ru-ped dwell^ings JZTy. °'^'*' ^* *"' ^^^ °^ ^^' y««. ^ '^ country had much ado to keep themselves from starving They wer^ dad partly in the skins of animalT^I partly m garments made from the outer oov;,^g of a middle-sized quadruped, which they weiT^? cruel as to cut off his back while he was^allT They Uved m dwellings which were partly sunk under ground. The materials we.* either riles or earth hardened by fire; and so violent in S many of them covered their roofs all over with in the r ^: r? "' ''"''' ''°-- ^ holes Zti in the hght; but to p^vent the cold air and r*in from coming m, they we.^ covered with a sort o" ti-ansparent stone, made of melted sand or flinte As wood was i-ather scarce, I know not what they rZ r' TV\ *""«' '""J ^^y "<" discovered m the bowels of the earth a verjr extraordinary 148 TBAYBLUSBS* W0NDKB8. I : kind of stone, which, when put among burning wood, caught fire and flamed like a torch. Well — but their diet too was remarkable. Some of them ate fish that had been hung up in smoke till it was quite dry and hard ; and along with it they ate either the roots of plants, or a sort of coarse black cake made of powdered seeds. These were the poorer class : the richer had a whiter kind of cake, which they were fond of daubing over with a greasy substance, the product of a certain large animal This grease they used, too, in almost all their dishes; and when fresh it really was not unpalatable. They likewise de- voured the flesh of many birds and beasts, when they could get it ; and ate the leaves and other parts of a variety of vegetables growing in the country, some absolutely raw, others variously prepared by the aid of fire. Another great article of food was the curd of milk, pressed into a hard mass and salted. This had so rank a smell, that persons of weak stomachs often could not bear to come near it. . For drink, they made great use of water in which certain dry leaves had been steeped. These leaves, I was told, were brought from a gi-eat dis- tance. They had likewise 'a method of preparing a liquor from the seeds of a grass-like plant steeped in water, with the addition of a bitter herb, and then set to " work" or ferment I was prevailed upon to taste it, and thought it at first nauseous enough ; but in time I liked it pretty well irning Some smoke y witli sort of These whiter Q.ubing t of a id, too, •esh it Lse de- , when [ other in the riously article A hard 11, that bear to ater in These eat dis- eparing steeped srb, and revailed auseoiia L TBATMLLEBs' WONBEES. TEAVEILEES' W0KDEK8. PART II. ud de*li'cioii8 tem-per-a-tnre oen-tre en-livened en-ter-tained' oiy^il-ized fl-bres rel^iahed par-tic-a-lar-ly ca-ressed' man-n-fee-tured ti^ni-ert dis-gnis^ing nn-in-teWi-gi-ble Hot-ten-tot« for^ign-er stiff^ened sa-lut^ing When I had sojourned in this cold climate about Imf a year, I found the same people enjoying a delicious temperature and a country full of bZty and verdure. The trees and shrubs were furnished witti a great variet^ r fr„iu These, with other vegetable products, ^ade up a Urge part of the food of the inhabitante. I particulariy relished certain bernes growing in bunches, some white and Bome red, of a very pleasant sourish taste, and so transparent that one might have seen the seeds at their very centre. Here were whole fields full of extremely sweet-smelling flowera, that they told me were succeeded by pods bearing seeds that afforded good nourishment to man and beast. A great variety of birds enlivened the groves and rrthnf T!..*i;''' ^ ^^' highly entertained by onMhat, with little tea^^hing, spoke as plainly as a The people were tolerably gentle and civilized, and^ossessed many of the arts of life. Their dre«3 in warm weather was very various. Many were dad only in a thin cloth made of the long fibres 150 TSAYKLLEBS' WONt>J&&S. of the stalk of a plant cultivated for the purpose : this they prepared by soaking in water, and then beating with large mallets. Others wore doth woven from a sort of vegetable wool growing in pods upon bushes. But the moat singular material was a fine glossy stuff, used chiefly by the richer classes, which, as I was credibly informed, is manufactured out of the webs of a certain kind of grub worm. This is a most wonderful circum- stance, if we consider the immense number neces- sary to the production of so large a quantity of the stuff as I saw used. This people are very peculiar in their dress, especially the women. Their clothing consists of a great number of articles impossible to be described, and strangely disguising the natural form of the body. In some instances they seem very cleanly ; but in othei-s the Hottentots can scarcely go be- yond them. Their mode of dressing the hair is remarkable: it is all matted and stiffened with the fat of swine and other animals, mixed up with powders of various kinds and colours. Like many Indian nations, they use feathers in the head- dress. One thing surprised me much : they bring up in their houses an animal of the tiger kind, with formidable teeth and claws, that is played with and catessfed by the tiniest and most timid of their children!" " I am sure I would not play with it," said Jttck. It TITI _.>^.. ^^i^'Ut #*l.n«>MA i-n. Mick'i- ort itrvlTr ani*a.fnn if you did," said th« Captain. TBlVELLEfis' WONOEKS. 151 "The language of' this people seems very harsh and unintelligible to a foreigner ; yet they talk to one another with great ease and quickness. One of the oddest customs is that which men use on saluting each other. Let the weather be what it wiU, they uncover their heads, and remain un- covered for some time, if they mean to be extremely respectful. ^ "Why, that is like pulling off our hats," said Jack. "Ah, ha, papa!" cried Betsy, "I have found you out ! You have been teUing us of our own country, and what is done at home, all this while!" " But," said Jack, " we don't burn stones, nor eat grease and powdered seeds, nor wrar skins and webs, nor play with tigers." "No?" said the Captain; "pray what are coals but stones; and is not butter grease; and corn seeds; and leather, skins; and silk the web of a kind of caterpillar; and may we not as well caU a cat an animal of the tiger kind, as a tiger an ani- mal of the oat kind?" Baruauld. 152 T£A AND TALK. fort-night daresay hay-stack meas-ores TEA AND TALE. spoon-fuls thon-sand bnild-ing puz-zles emp-tied tre-men-dons wrin-kled cU'ri-os-i-ty [Matty making tea. Liek, Lubin, and Nelly round the table.] Lubin. One more spoonful, Matty ; don't grudge the tea; you know that I like it very strong. Matty. How fast the tea goes, to be sure ! It is not a fortnight since I filled the caddy quite i(Uli. TEA AND TALK. 153 Ndhj. I sometimes think bow cunous it would be if we could count up all tbo pounds of tea that are used in England, Scotland, and Ireland, in the course of a single day. I daresay that if it were all piled up it would make a heap as big as — as a hay-stack. Luhva, Oh, that is rather too much of a good thing, Nelly I You forget that every one measures out tea by tiny spoonfuls, and what a number it would take to make up the size of a hay-stack. ^ Dick, Don't laugh at Nelly, Master Lubin, till you ai-e sure that she has not the right on her side. I happen to have been reading lately a good deal upon the subject. Tea comes from China ia chests; each chest is about twenty-one inches high, and holds about ninety^six pounds of tea. Now, about two thousand four hundred and sixty-six chests of tea are used every day in the British Islands, and if they were all emptied out on the ground, I think that they would go some way towards building up a pretty high stack of tea. LuUn, You don't mean to tell me that we drink up all that tea in one day ! Dick. You must remember that there are mil- lions of tea-pots to be filled. Matty. It puzzles my head to understand num- bers. When one gets above a hundred, it seems all the same to me whether one talks of thousands or millions. Lubin. That lUst the wav with IT1*». 1 Jrnn'ur ill i how big a hay-stack looks, but I have not the 154 TXA AKD TALK. smallest notion how many pounds of tea it would take to build up anything like it. Dick, Suppose, then, that we measme by time. If the cart-loads of tea to be used in one day were brought to our yard, and we emptied out one of the heavy chests every half minute, it would take us— let me think — it would take us from four in the morning till past twelve at night to empty them all, even if we did not stop for a single minute to rest. Lubin. Or to take our dinner ! Dick It is said that eighty-five miUicma and a hdf of pounds of tea are used in one year in the British Islands. Lvhm, I told you that I could make nothing out of these tremendous numbers. Dick Tliis may help you to understand them : If all the chests of tea consumed in a year were piled the one on the top of the other, they would form a column — [Ae 'pauses to think] — a column tvjo hundred and nvnety-seven miles, five furlongs, forty-five yards, two feet and six inches high ! Lubin. Why, that would reach to the moon ! [The others hurst out laughing.] Dick Softly, my good friend. I cannot say that; but if laid on the ground it would more than measure the length of Scotland from north to south ! Matty, Oh, Dick I what a head for counting you have I Lubin [twisti/n^ a dry tea-leaf in his fingers]. I wonder what the Chinese make their tea of TEA AKD I'AUL 155 Dick You don't mean to say that you have never heard that? Lubin. A little, dry, wrinkled, curled -up thing — it is like nothing else that one sees. Matty. But all the world knows that it was once a green leaf growing on a plant. Dick A plant which bears white blossoms, some- thing like those of our own wild rose. The leaves are gathered, three times in the year: the fresh young ones form the finest teas. As soon as they are gathered, the leaves are put into baskets, and then-^ spread out to be dried, the finer kinds in the air, the coarser in heated iron pans. They are then gently rolled up with the hand, packed in chests, and sent abroad. Nelly. It is strange that what comes from a distance of thousands of miles should be so common, that the poorest old woman would think herself badly off indeed if she could not ha^e her cup of warm tea every morning and evening ! Dick It was not ahVcays common. The Dutch are said to have been the first to bring tea into Europe. For a long time it was very costly and rare. In 1664 the East India Company made a present to King Charles the Second of two pounds of tea! Matty. I hope that the Meiiy Monarch did not faU into the blunder of the old woman whosf^ sailor son long ago brought her home some tea as " "fv ! o. mimrkaif.TT ! the dainty, cooked the tea, threw away the vjater m BVQAR. in which she had boiled it, chopped up the tea- leaves, and served them up with butter I LuUru Oh, what a dish ! what a disli !— tea- leaves and butter I ha I ha ! ha I what did her neighbours think of the treat ? MaUy, They wondered that great folk should think so much of their tea Lubin. So she threw away the water! ha I ha! —that is not what TU do, Matty, if you will pour out a good cupful now, with plenty of sugar and cream. ▲. L. 0. 1. SUGAB. por-poise ne-groes em-ployed' con-ti-nent pos-ses-sions po-ta-toes trop-i-cal squeezed Ve-ne-ti-an thir-teenth en-oour-aged 8ub-8ti-tute clev-er-est ep-i-gram sweet-meats [Dick Lubin, Mi Hy, and Nelly, at breakfast] Dick Hollo! stop Master Lubin; put down these sugar-tongs, if you please. You have had four lumps of sugar already, and if you go on at that rate you will grow as fat as a little porpoise! Lubin. Why should I grow so fat ? Dick. Because it is the property of sugar to fatten. It is said that the negroes, when employed in cutting sugar-canes, live entirely on the produce for the time, and grow quite plump on the sweets I SUQAR. 157 Nelly. I suppose that in the British Islands we use as much sugar as tea. Dick, More ; a great deal more. Matty. Think of all the sugar used in preserves — Lvhin, Tarts, puddings, jellies, and hundreds of other things. Dick. It is said that we consume sugar at the rate of thirty-seven pounds weight a head during the year ; but I am sure, my good Lubin, that you have a hundred- weight at least for your share. Nelly. What a quantity must be eaten in Eng- land, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales ! Dick. Enough, if packed in tea-chests, to make a row thirteen hundred and eighty -five miles long. That would nearly reach from Ireland to Newfoundland across the great Atlantic ! Nelly. Where does all the sugar come from ? Dick. A great deal comes from the West Indies, some from the continent of America, some from our own possessions in India. Lubin. Can we not grow it here? I should like a field of sugur-canes much better than a field of potatoes. Dick I daresay you would, my fine fellow; but the cane requires a great deal more heat than we ever have in Old England. Only black men seem to be able to endure the fiitigue of hoeing the plaatations under a burning tropical sun. Afatty. What is the siigar-eane like ? 168 aUOAR. Pyik.li is something like a gigantic reed, witli ft jointed stem, twelve or fourteen feet in height, bearing on the top a graceful drooping tuft ol flowe^;~that is to say, it would do so if the cane were hot cut down before the flowers had time to form. These canes are carried to a mill, where all their sweet juice is crushed out. Luhin. There is some treacle on the table ; is that squeezed out of a cane ? Dick That is the liquid which drains from the sugar, the part which will not harden into grains like the brown sugar there in the cupboard. Luhin. And how comes this loaf-sugar to be so t1.;a« 9 rrr- Ti' LilMXi H /»/•.•! t L-ae? ixropa a jijm Lump into fiia tea.l SUOAB. 159 Dick. It is carefully cleftred and refined. Nelly. And when did sugar first come to Europe ? JHck. I have heard that it was brought over by Marco Polo, a famous Venetian traveller, in the middle of the thirteenth «:>ntury; but sugar had been known to the Chinese nation for two thou- sand years before that. Lubm. And so those funny fellows with their hair in long tails were feasting on all kinds of swifts when our poor forefathers — Bick. Were eating berries and f oitas 1 Luhiru Ah, well,we shall make 1:0 ibr 1.. it time now. [He drops a sixth lump r co his tea, Matty, laughimg, puts the sugar bami, out of his reach.] Nelly. Can sugar be got from nothing but canes ? Dick yes ; many plants contain sugar, but few in sufficient quantity to make it worth our while to cultivate them for the purpose. The maple has been used in America ; and in France the beet-root has been tried. Matty. What ! that vegetable that is of such a lovely bright red, that I often wish I could dye my bonnet ribbons with the juice? Dick That's it, Matty ; that is what has been cultivated for the sake of the sugar that it yields. Napoleon Buonaparte at one time encouraged the growth of beet-root, in the hope of raining our West Indian nln.nf.nfinTls l-iv rkrnvirliTirp Q en'Kofi-l-i-ifi. their canes. i 160 SUGAR. Nelly. What is a substitute, Dick ? Dick Something that will take this place of another thing. Matty. And did Napoleon's plan produce much sugar ? DicJc. I do not knaw about that ; I only know that it was the cause of the production of one of the cleverest epigrams that ever was written, faulty though it may be in spelling and gram- mar. Lubin. Give a« the epigram, Dick, if it is any- thing funny or meriy. Dick. — • •' Says Bony, ' I now have a substitute found, And no longer require your sweet.' * Very well,' says John Bull, ' I will then use the cane, Since you are content to get beet* " [AU the children laugh except Lubm, who rubs his head as he cannot make out the joJce.] Nelly. But now that the French and we are allies — ^ DicJc, They will help to buy our cane sugar in a friendly way ; and in a friendly way we will help to eat up their sweetmeats. Matty, just hand in your box of bon-bons ! A. L. 0. S. 80N0 OP THE GHASS. 101 SOVG OF THE GBASS. creepiing oheer'ing ©v^r-y-where toa-ing »J»-dy ii-lenWy ttoi^ qui-et-ly num-bered nar-row grrate^fU-ly beau-ti-fy Here I come, creeping, creeping everywhere ; By the dusty road-side, On the sunny hill-side, Close by the noisy brook. In ev'ry shady nook, T come, creeping, creeping everywhere In the noisy city street My pleasant face you'll meet Cheering the sick at heart, Toiling his busy part. Silently creeping, creeping eveiy where. i You cannot see me coming, Nor hear my low, sweet humming ; For in the starry night, And the glad morning light, I come, quietly creeping everywhere. When you're numbered with the dead In your still and narrow bed. In the happy Spring I'll come And deck your silent home. Creeping, silently creeping everywhere. i 162 KINDNESS TO ANIMAIA. My humble song of praiae , Most gratefully I raise To Him at whose command I beautify the land ; Creeping, silently creeping everywhere. KINDNESS TO ANIMALS. help-less re-qnired' crea-tures way-ward bound-less re-oeive' de-ride' be-stowed' light-ly Turn, turn thy hasty foot aside, Nor crush that helpless worm ; The frame thy wayward looks deride Required a God to form. The common Lord of all that move. From whom thy being flowed, A portion of His boundless love On that poor worm bestowed. The sun, the moon, the stars He made, To all His creatures free ; And spreads o'er earth the grassy blade For worms as well as thee. Let them enjoy their little day, Their lowly bliss receive ; — do not lightly ^'t ke away n .Tan/Ml IT don't be too subb. 163 SOH'T BE TOO ST7BE. Na-po-le-oa Buo-na-parte oon-quest ohau-nel cel-e-brate in-va-sion in-terrupt-ed con-tin-ued a-shamed' Wa-ter-loo' Wel-lington Por^-gal Por-tu-guese' in-viu-ci-ble un-der-neath' " Father, don't you want me to be clever and great ? '' said Willie to his father one day. "I want you, my boy, to do your duty in the station whatever it may be, to which it shall please God to call you, and not to set your heart on, or make too sure of, any mere earthly sue- iTth. .'V 'Vf^' ^ '^' ^^^^^S goes, count- ing their chickens before they are hatched, it brin^rs mto my m^d what I read lately about the .famous Napoleon Buonaparte." uZ ^V^^ T ^^^'' ^^^^^ ^''^> ^^*^«r. You can talk quite well at your work, and I like to hear what you get out of those learned books that you bvlfp w/^^r/^^ '^ '" ^'''^' ''''^> written J^i .1 71V*^' ^'^' ^^ *^' ^'^^«* William Pitt," said the fa her ; "and it is all cinie^I have not a doubt of it When Buonaparte was ruling over France, he wished to rule over old England too • and so, being sure of conquest, he fixed on the verv' time when he would come over and invade ua siups to cany them across, and he looked over tha 164 don't be too sure. blue waves of the Channel, and thinks he, ' I'll soon land in England, march up to London and take it" " He made too sure," laughed Willie. « He made so sure," said the father, " that — would you believe it, my boy ?— he had actually a medal made to celebrate his invasion of Eng- land r " But he never invaded it ! " interrupted Willie. " And on the medal was stamped in French, • Struck at London* " continued the father. " But he never entered London ! " cried WUlie. « He made so sure of success," said the father, " that he prepared a medal in honour of the con- quest of a city that he was never so much as to set his foot in ! " " Well, that was counting his chickens before they were hatched— making too sure ! " exclaimed the boy. " How ashamed Buonaparte must after- >vards have felt, whenever he thought of that medal !— Have you any more stories for me, father?" " Yes ; I remember another, which I read some time ago/' replied the father. " It's about a very different man from him who struck the medal ;— • it's about the Duke of Wellington — " "Who beat Napoleon Buonaparte himself at the battle of Waterloo I " cried Willie. " I hope that he hadn't his medal ready beforehand V .. -x-r ^ 1 -^« ^/v..1'>nT>a vnn (\c\r\*iL, Knrt"W. mV " I OU KUUW, Wl jjfcxsifij-rr? j^--^^ --.' '-.? lad, that Wellington was sent over to Portugal to • *^"^'t B£ too subb. 255 gene j;S- su^ o": ^S^ol^ Tu ^"^ vnir'a « ij« gvwu cause, 80 the f>np- my B sold,e« were driven „„t, and p;^:! ::, oriid^M.-^''^ ""^ Portuguese must have been " medal-when the battle had been foughi tnd saidlh^feLr"°rj''«J'«- -'I"' - struck." Buese did tL I j ^" y"" ^'"'' "'« Portn- .. J; '"'' ^'^ invincible ' mean, father J " It means-one who cannot be conquered." Oh, that was making too eure ! The Duke Print aomir T i^^ ^"" *° ""'"1 him the pnnt, so Wellington got a copy and sent if b ! he would not allow that boa^ng t"? f be the bottom of his likeness «« \f i li, , wood" ' "'" *'"" ^ ^"^ "* the ICG THE TWO 31ULES, .iND HOW THEY WORKED. Willie burst out laughing. " That showed the Duke's good sense,' .;aid he. " Ay, and good feeling too, my boy. It showed that lie was not a man of a boastful spirit, but knew that the highest may have a fall. When you are tempted, Willie, to make too sure of the morrow, just think of Buonaparte ^ad his medal — of Wellington and his print." A. Xh. 0- 1. I vc-2-3''tior8 to-mor-row mis-ohief %n-swered sup-press' em-broi-der-y sen-si-ble THE TWO EULES, AWD 'RQiW THEY WOEKBD. fa-votir4te in-quired' ob-jec-tion oar-selves' pro-posed' " H^^RE are two rules for you, Fred," said Giles Warn r, looking up from the paper he was read- ing and ?5peaking to a younger brother, who Ivas sitting by the fire playing with a favourite dog. " Well, wliat are they ? " said Fred, stopping his sport with his dog. " The first is, * J^ever get vexed with anything ymi can help' The second is, * Never get vexed with anything you can't help' " " Cannot these lules be as useful to you as to me ? " inquired Fr«d, archly. " No doubt of that," replied Giles ; " but what Bay you, if we both should adopt them ? " '* i think they take a pretty wide sweep," said fe TAi TWO RtJLJW, JlHd how Tfliv WOftKED. l67 Fred. « They leave one no chance at all to set vexed/' , ° "That might be an objection to them," said Gifes, "if any one were wiser, better, or happier for gtvfcHog vexed. I think they are sensible rules. It iBjooLiah to vex ouraelvos about anything that can be helped, and it is useless to vex ourselves about what can't be helped. Let us help each other to remember and obey these two simple iuiea What say you ? " " V\\ agree to it," said Fred, who was usually ready to agree to anything his brother proposed, if it was only proposed pleasantly. "That's too bad!" exclaimed Fred the next morning, while preparing for school. " What is the matter ? " inquired Giles. " I have broken my shoe-string, and it is vexa^ tious ; I am in such a huiTy." " It is vexatious, no doubt," replied Giles, " but you must not get vexed ; for this is one of the things that can be helped You can find a string in the left drawer in my room." " But we shall be late at school," said fed. "No, no>" said Giles. "We staU only have to walk a little faster. Bfesides, if you keep cod you will find the string, and put it in, much sooner than if you betlome vexed and worried." " That's true," said Fred, as he started fot- thfe string, quite restored to good humour. Several opportunities occurred during the day for putting into practice the newly adopted rulea The last waa this : — 168 THE 1'WO RULES, AND HOW THEY WORKED. In the evening, Giles broke the blade of bia knife, while cutting a bard piece of wood. "It can't be helped," said Fred, " so you must not get vexed about it." " It might have been helped," said Giles, " but I can do better than to fret about it. I can learn a lesson of care for the future, which may some day save a knife more valuable than this. These rules work well. Let us try them again to- morrow. The next morning Fred devoted an hour before school to writing. After he had written half a dozen lines, his mother called him away to do something for her. During his absence, his sister Lucy made use of his pen and ink to write her name in a school-book. In doing this, she let fall a drop of ink on the page he had been writing. Fred returned while she was busily employed in doing what she could to repair the mischief. " You have made a great blot on my copy-book," he exclaimed, looking over her shoulder. " I am very sorry. I did not mean to do it," said Lucy. Fred was so vexed, that he would have answered his sister very roughly, if Giles had not been there. " Take care, Fred ; you know the thing is done, and can't be helped." Fred tried hard to suppress his vexatioa "I know it was an accident," he said pleasantly, after a brief strusrsrle with himself. uu - - - Lucy left the room, and Fred sat down amiin m wo BOLES, AND nOW THEY WORKED. 169 to Write. After a moment, he looked up "No g.-eat ha„„ !.«« been done, after all.'Te safd Two or three alterations are much needed Tnd -^1 rf 7^ ''"' ■«""• I -» ""k" them " fc>o much for not getting vexed," said qL laughmg. "Our miles work well" "*"""'""• a f^ce"'" ^"^ *"" '"^ *"" "'""« ""-"Wug over "That's too bad," said he. mlLT'' ^ ""^^^'"^^ «i'-; "it can be "I'S !'"*''"'*\^bat troubles me," said F«d. Giles proposed that Fred should ask Lucy to do be cross rf asked to do it; but he at last decided employed with a piece of embroidery, and quite ateorbed with her work. F«d looked at S when he saw how his sister was occupied b^ he had gone too far to retreats ^ ' "I wish to ask a great favour of you Lucv" 8a,dFVed;..butIfearIhavecomeatawro^S" • What do you want ?" said Lucy "I am ahnost afraid to tell you. It i., too bad to ask you to leave that t.r,Wv — -'- - i T. you disike." '^ -^ "'* "" ^^ ^'■a* 170 ttiK tW(* ttULBS, AJrt) HOW tHEV WORKED. " You are a long while in telling me what is wanted," said Lucy, laughing. " Come, out with it." Fred, thus encouraged, held up his arm and dis- played the rent. "Well, well, take it off, an< ir < ) my best," said Lucy, cheerfully. "You are a dear, good sister," said Fred. " When I saw what you were about, I thought that you would not be willing tu do it." " My good nature quite puzzles you, docs it ? ** said Lucy, laughing. " I shall have to let you into a secret. To tell the truth, I have been thinking all day what I could do for you in return for your not getting vexed with me for blotting your copy-book. So now you have the cause of my willingness.'* "So much for our rules !" exclaimed Giles, triumphantly. " They work to a charm." " What rules ? " inquired Lucy. " We must tell Lucy all about it," said Giles. They did tell her all about it ; and the result was, that she agreed to joih them iti trying the niBW rules. I COALS OF FIRE. in COALS OF FIRE. ooas-in el-e-g nt-ly rigged lannohed PART I. chnok-led glo-ri-ous icam-per-ing nn-ea-sy mo-tion-lesB hnr^ry-ing nn-fas-tened doubt^ful-ly Joe Benton lived in the country. Not far from his father's house was a large pond. His cousin Herbert had s^iven him a beautiful boat, elegantly rigged with mast and sails, all ready t be launched. The boat was snugly stowed away in a little cave near the pond. At three o'clock on a Saturday afternoon the boys were to meet and launch the boat. On the morning of that day Joe rose bright and early. It was a lovely morning. Joe was in fine spirits. He emi«; ded with delight when he th( ignt of thr "ternoon. " Glorious !" said he to himself, as h« tinisl i dressing. "Now, I have just time to run c. to tiie pond before bfeak- fast, and see that the bout is all right. Then I'll hur-y horn and learn my lessons for Monday, so as to be ready for the afternoon." Away he went scampering tow ds the cavo whore the b nt had been left ready for the launch. As nr^ arew near he saw signs of m'.ch ^f and felt ttHChsy. The big si one before the cavt ad beeti roiied V The ni he rVlt 1 i^ t- _ iJili lie burst into a I^Ud dry. fhefe wi s the beat d 172 COkLA OF FIRC boat, which hid cousin hod given him, with iU mast broken, its sails all torn to pieces, and a large hole bored in the bottom ! Joe stood for a moment motionless with grief and surprise; tl^en with his face all red with anger he exclaimed, " I know who did it I It was Fritz Brown; but I'll pay him for th'n caper— see if I don't I" Then he pushed back the boat into the cave, and, hurrying along the road a little way, he fastened a string across the footpath, a few inches from the grounr\ and carefully hid himself among the bushes. Presently a step was heard, and Joe eagerly peeped out. He expected to s.d Fritz coming along; but instead of Fritz it was his cousin Herbert. He was the last person Joe cared to meet just then, so he unfastened the string and lay quiet, hop^ ing that he would not observe him. But Herbert's quick eye soon caught sight of him, and Joe had to tell him all that had happened ; and he wound up by saying, « But never mind ; I mean to make him smart for it!'' " Well, what do you mean to do, Joe?" asked Herbert. " Why, you see, Fritz carries a basket of egg^ to market every morning, and I mean to trip him over this string, and smash them all !" Joe knew timt this was not a right feeling, and expected to get a sharp lecture from his cousin. ?« t' n^ i"^, swrpiise, lie only said, in a quiet way, " ^Yell, I think Fritz does deserve some punish- COAI^ OF FIBl. 173 mant: but tl.e string is an old trick; J can telJ you something better than tJiat." " What V cried Joe, eagerly on l^TLIr'^"" "■'«*" rut a few coals of /5r« "What! burn him?" asked Joe, donbtfullr a. cousin nodded his hea^, and gave a que^S Joe clapped his hands. " Bmvo ! " said he "ZtV ri\hickhf^"Tr'^^- ^--'•'■•"hai h« W • ! ^"ff "*'* K** ''"™«'» ""'Oh before • "l^- *',"* *""*'"y ^"''S*'"' fe«d him; if he thirst pveh,m drink: for in so doing, thoi shalt he^p Hrbert-t^'ri-'^'"'^'^"'' There," said »K* wu .^** '* ^°^^ "^"y "^ «ii« lic auiu SUiieuiv "But you Lave told me a story, Cousin Herberi^' You 174 COALS OF WIRB. said this kind of coals would bum, and they don't burn at all." " You are mistaken about that," said Herbert. "I have known such coals bum up malice, envy, ill- feeling, and a great deal of rubbish, and then leave some cold hearts feeling as warm and pleasant as possible." Joe drew a long sigh. " Well, tell me a good coal to put on Fritz's head, and I'll see about it." " You know," said Herbert, " that Fritz is very poor, and can seldom buy himself a book, although he is very fond of reading ; but you have quite a library. Now suppose — but no, I won't sup- pose anything about it. Just think over the matter, and find your own coaL But be sure to kindle it with love, for no other fire burns like that." Then Herbert sprang over the fence and went whistling away. COALS OF FIRE. PART II. car-ry-mg un-com-fort-a-ble some-times day-light af-ter-noon ap-pe-tite ap-point-ed twin-kle bus-inesB Before Joe had time to collect his thoughts, he saw Fritz coming down the road, carrying a basket of eggs in one hand and a pail of milk in the other. For a moment the thought crossed Joe's COALS OF FIRE. 175 mind, " What a grand smash it would have been, if Fritz had fallen over the string!" But he drove it away in an instant, and was glad enough that the string was in his pocket. Fritz started and looked very uncomfortable when he fii-st cauc^ht sight of Joe ; but the good fellow began at once with, "Fntz, have you much time to read now ?" "Sometimes,''said Fritz, "when I have driven the cows home and done aU my work, I have a little daylight left ; but the trouble is, I have read everv book I can get hold of" " How would you like to read my new book of travels?" Fritz's eyes fairly danced. « Oh ! may I, may I ? I would be so careful of it." " Yes," answered Joe; "and perhaps I have some others you would like to read. And Fritz " he added, a little slyly, " I would ask you to come and help to saU my new boat this afternoon; but some one has gone and broken the mast, and torn the sails, and made a great hole in th j bottom. Who do you suppose did it?" Fritz's head dropped on his breast ; but after a moment he looked up with great effort, and said — " Oh, Joe, / d'i it ; but I cannot teU you how sorry I am. You did not know I was so mean when you promised me the book, did you?" " Well, I rather thought you did it," said Joe slowly. "And yet you never—" Fritz could not get any I7C COALS OP FIRE. further. He felfc as if he would choke ; his face was as red as a- coal. He could stand it no loncrer, so off be walked without saying a word. " That coal does bum," said Joe to himself. " I know Fritz would rather I had smashed every egc. m his basket than that I had offered to lend him that book." Joe took two or three leaps along the road, and went homo with a light heart and a grand appetite for breakfast. When the boys met at the appointed hour they found Fritz there before them, eagerly tryinc^ to repair the injuries; and as soon as he saw Joe he hurried to present him with a beautiful flao- which he haa bought for the boat with a part of his egg money ! The boat was repaired and launched, and made a grand trip ; and everythincr turned out as Cousin Herbert had said, for Joe's heart was so warm and full of kind thoughts, that he never had been happier in his life. And Joe found out afterwards that the mgre he used of this curious kind of coal, the larger supply he had on hand— kind thoughts, kind words, and kind actions. " I declare, Cousin Herbert,^' said he, with a queer twinkle in his eye, " I think / shall have to set up a coal-yard .'" ^ I should be glad to have all of you, my youncr fnends, engage in this bmnch of the coal business! If every family were careful to keep a supply of Joe Benton's coals on hand, and make a good use ol them, how happy they would be ! L.P. COTTON. dif-eov-'er-y ICan-ehes-ter fi^bre He-rod-o-tus Christ^ian craved COTTON. pin-a-fores del-i-cate-ly gros-sa-mer thun-der-ing ma-chines' sweet-meat stream-ing pro-pelled' treas-ured sup-plyiing^ mankind ZS Jiff ^^'^ -«^%. ^nur tails! found a tree that bears^lambs' ^k [looking v^ ^ mrprisel Tliat bears 1a \(jhat^ ^ 178 COTTON. Matty. Not really lambs' tails, of course, but something very like them, a little longer than my; hand, covered with wool so white and soft ! I am sure that it must be cotton. The ground was all white with the down ! Dick. Ah ! I know what tree you mean ; it grows at the end of the field. I have been told that it is the black poplar. That is not a cotton tree, though it produces a kind of cotton. Tha fibre of this is too short and weak to make it of use for weaving. Nelly. Where does the real cotton plant grow ? Lick. It was first known as a native of India. The writer Herodotus, who lived more than four hundred years before the Christian era, tells of the Indians possessing "a kind of plant which, in- stead of fruit, produces wool of a finer and better quality than that of sheep." Calico was named from Calicut in India. An immense quantity of cotton is also grown in both North and South America, as well as in other parts of the globe. Like the sugar cane, it requires a great deal of heat. Matty. Is cotton the flower of the plant ? Dick. No; it is the bed of soft white down in which the dark seeds are cradiei The cotton flower has five bright yellow petals, witli a dark red spot upon each. It grows upon a plant which is usually about two feet high. After the flower has dropped ofi*, its seed vessel swells larger and larger, till when about the size of a filbert it bursts COTTON. 179 neSeTfo*"'"'^ """" '""'^'''^ '^'^y ^^ '^^ ; Many. A field of ripe cotton must look as if It were covered with snow /)«. All cotton is not so beautifolly white LTtr ""■ "'' P'"'^^'^'-*^ of nankin? Matty. They were a kind of dull yeUowish buffi I always wondered why they were dXof that colour instead of pink or light blue. ^ J^ick. They had never been dyed at all Thev were made of a peculiar cotton that 1^ n Sukin" "'" """' "'^'^^'^ fr°"» ''- "5 of f^f^- 1^ ""' ™"sl'n made from cotton » ,1.1 fi ^*'' """^ '° ^""^^ has been woven so" of It could be drawn through a lady's ring i made of that; It must be almost like the gossamer web that glitters with dew on the fiSd on a morning in autumn' ^ or t? ^''T '' T' """^"^^ ''f y""'- «^«- wearing or seeng such a dreas. The poor Hindoos who patxentty wove with the hand that delioarii" web have been thrown out of employ by our bi» Matty, that you could vi,rit Manchester as I have fZ: Ti}"^ .*« '"-P-»' -d thunders, of hnLif'^ ".••"-.unes, lite .-,.■■ giants at wo^k ' In half an W one of them can spin , cotlon 180 COTTON. thread that would reach all the ivay from Ma/a* cheater to India ! And as for the weaving — Matty. Oh, I should like to know, if all the cotton brought over in one year were woven into cloth, how large a space it would cover. Bich. If all the cotton imported into our islands in the year 1860 were woven into common print, and spread out at once over the land, it would cover half of Yorkshire ! and if woven into the thinnest kind of cloth, it would cover tlie wliole of Yorkshire, the largest county in England, contain- ing a city, sixty market towns, and more than a milUon of people! [All the children held up their liands in sur- prise^ Dick 111 make you open your eyes a little wider yet ! Suppose that, instead of covering up Yorkshire till it look as white as a wedding-cake, we take the common print-cloth, a yard wide, and begin rolling it like a band round the globe — Matty. I am accustomed by this time to youi' going great lengths, Master Dick ; I should not wonder if you told us that it would reach right round the world, so that, wherever sailors crossed the line, they should find it made of white cotton! [All tJie children laugkl Dick. You think that you have gone pretty far, Matty ; but you have not gone half far enough for the truth ! The cloth woven from the cotton imported in 1860 would stretch two hundred iir/iea round the big round globe ; — ^your coitoa line would be two hundred yards wide 1 COTTON, 181 Matty, Well, if ever I heard sucb a thing in NeUy. To think of all that cotton coming lion, the pods of a plant ! Luhm. What endleas bales must have come pouring m at our porta in that year 1860 t rr- ^on\ «■ placed in a row, to extend to a distance of three thousan* three hundred and seventeen miles— or nearly a§ for as from Liver- pool to New York ! MaUy. WeU, I am half inclined to envy the people of America and India, they are so rich in good things. Their clothing growson their bushes— Luhrn. And if they want a sweetmeat, why they have but to break off a bit of a cane as thev walk, and they find it streaming with juice like honey. Lick And yet I am not sure that I would ex- change our hard diy crop n,r '.heir sweet one, or om- black crop for theii- white one. ^ Matty. Our black crop— what can you -lean ? 1 never saw a black crop on the grour j in my Wh. Dich No; my h\^k crop is deep unaor ground Matty, Surely you must mean ccal ! J^'dly, And the liard dry crop must he— iron. Vide. You have quickly guessed my riddle. Luhm [laughing]. But as we cannot ^oear coJ bX "'"' *^"'^ *^"' '^^ ^^'*^^ ^^^ -^-- ^^i mtr fi.w Dick Stop a momnnf, the rich cargoes from foreign lands brought i How are 182 OOTXON. abundance to us? Are not the engines of ateamers of i/ron; and are they not fed with coal? How is the soft down of the cotton plant changed, as if by magic, into calico, muslin, lace and net, and so made fit to be used as clothing? Mighty engines, formed of iron, and propelled by steam, do the wondrous work, giving employment and food at the same time to hundreds of thousands of people; We receive produce in a raw state, we work it, and then send it over the world, chiefly by means of the iron and coal which are treasured up in our mines. Nelly. And, oh, how often have I heard my mother say how good God is, thus to divide his gifts amongst various nations ; how he teaches us by this that we are intended to love and to serve one another! While we exchange goods for our profit, each land supplying the need of others, we should learn that no nation is made to stand alone, but that each and all may bring something by which to increase the geneml welfare of mankind A. L. 0. i:. POETICAL PIECES. THE PARBOT. A PARROT from the Spanish Main, Full young and early caged, caino o'er With bright wings to the bleak domain Of MuUa's shore. To spicy groves where he had won His plumage of resplendent hue, His native fruits, and skies, and sun, ' He bade adieu. For these he changed the smoke of turf, A heathery land and misty sky, And turned on rocks and raging surf His golden eye. But petted in our climate cold. He lived and chattered many a day ; Until, with age, from green and gold His wings grew gray. At last, when blind, and seeming dumb. Ho scolded, laughed, and spoke no more, A Spanish stranger chanced to come To Mulla's shore. He hailed the bird in Spanish speech ; The bird in Spanish speech replied, Flapped round the cage with joyous screech, Dronf flnwn anA AinA Campbell. 181 POOR DOa TRAY. POOR DOO TRAY. On the green banks of Shannon when Sheelah wai nigh, No blithe Irish lad was so liappy as I ; No harp like my own could so cheerily play ; And wherever I went was my poor dog Tray. When at last I was forced from my Sheelah to part, She said, (while the sorrow was big at her heart,) Oh ! remember your Sheelah when far far away ; And be kind, my dear Pat, to our poor dog Tray. Poor dog! he was faithful and kind, to be sure; And he constantly loved me, although I was poor ; When the soiu'-looking folk sent me heartless away, , I had always a friend in my poor dog Tray. When the road was so flark, and the night was so cold, And Pat and his dog were grown weary and old. How snugly we slept in my old coat of gray. And he licked me for kindnp.:^ -my old dog Tray. Though my wallet was Bzmit l remembered his case, Nor refused my last crust ic i^ pitiful face; But he died at my feet on a cold winter day, And I played a sad lament for my poor dog Tray. Where now shall I go, poor, forsaken, and blind? Can I find one to guide mo, so faithful and kind? To my sweet native village, so far far away, I can never more return with my poor dog Tray. Oahpbill. #li THE DOO A..D THE WAT£,4 LILY. THE DOO AND THB WATER Uiy. ^''^.^^}}}^^i^^v^hon )usea lyed ills lilies 11(3 u } ! a: Their beauties 1 intci aurveyod, .,.A°<^ one I wished my own. With cane extended far ' might To steer it iose to land • Biit still the prize, though nearly caught, Escaped ix -er hand. ^T-M ''i'^'®'^ ^"^' ""successful pains Witii fixed, considerate face, And, puzzling, set his puppy brains lo compre'- nd the case. But with a cherup clear and strong ^parsing all Lis dream, I uieuce withdrev I follo,,ca long The windings of stream. x»Iy ramble ended, I returned ; Beat!, trotting far before. The floating wreath again discerned, And plunging left the shore. I saw him with that lily cropped Impatient swim to meet Myquick approach, and soon he dropped I he treasure at my feet ! Charmed with tJie sight, "The world," I cried, ShaU hear of this thy deed: My dog shall mortify the pride Of man's superior breed ! But chief myself I will enjoin, Awake at duty's call, To shmy a love as prompt as thine -- "'12 w«u gives me aiL' Cowpaa. 186 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // // ^ A c< 1.0 I.I mm J^ ■M 12.0 m IIIL25 Ml 1.4 ■ 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation as WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4S03 >% s^ 186 AFTER BLBNHEDI. AFTER BLSHHEIM. It was a summer evening, Old Kaspar's work was done, And he before his cottage door Was sitting in the sun, And by him sported on the green His little grandchild Wilhelminc. She saw her brother Peterkin Boll something large and round, Which he beside the rivulet In playing there had foimd : He came to ask what he had found, ' That was so largo and smooth and round. Old Kaspar took it from the boy, Who stood expectant by ; And then the old man shook his head, And with a natural sigh— " 'Tis some poor fellow's skull," said he, " Who fell in the great victory. " I find them in the garden, For there's many here about ; And often when I go to plough The plough-share turns them out : For many a thousand men," said he, " Were slain in that great victory."— " Now tell us what 'tw^as all about," Young Peterkin he cries ; And little Wilhelmine looks up With wonder-waiting eyes : " Now tell us all about the war, And what they fought each othor for." — *' It was the English," Kaspar cried, " Who put the French to rout; AFTER BLE>'H£IM. But what they fought each other for I could not well make out • * But everybody said," quoth he, mat twas a famous victory. " My father lived at Blenheim then, Yon little stream hard by • They burnt his dwelling to the ground. VI And he was forced to fly ; So with his wife and child he led, i>for had he wliere to rest his head. " With fire and sword the country round Was waited far and wide And many a childing mother then And new-born baby died : But things like that, you know, must be At every famous victoiy. ** ^^^y say it was a shocking sight After the field was won ; For many thousand bodies here Lay rotting in the sun : But things ako that, you know, must be Atter a famous victoiy. " Great praise the Duke of Marlbro' won „ ^^ ^"^ Sood Prince Eugene."- ' Why, 'twas a very wickea thing I" Said little Wilhelmine.- "Nay, nay, my little girl," quotli he. It was a famous victory. " And everybody praised the Duke ^^ Who this great fight did win."— But what good came of it at last V Quoth little Peterkin.— rj^^.*^** ' ^^'^^^ *<' said he, -"^tf vTTao « ijiiuous Victory." SOVTUXY. 187 188 KSUOF HATTO. BISHOP HATTO. The summer and autumn had been so wet. That in winter the corn was growing yet : 'Twas a piteous sight to see all around The grain lie rotting on the ground. Every day the starving poor Crowded around Bishop Hatto's door, For he had a plentiful last year's storo ; And all the neighbourhood could tell His granaries were furnished well At last Bishop Hatto appointed a day To quiet the poor without delay : He bade them to his great barn repair, And they should have food for the winter there; Rejoiced such tidings good to hear, The poor folk flocked from far and near ; The great barn was full as it could hold Of women and children, and young and old. Then when he saw it could hold no more, Bishop Hatto he made fast the doer ; And while for mercy on Christ they call, He set fire to the barn and burnt them aU. " r faith, 'tis an excellent bonfire !" quoth he, " And the country is greatly obliged to me. For ridding it, in these times forlorn. Of rats, that only consume the corn." So then to his palace returned he. And ho sat down to supper merrily. And he slept that night like an innocent man ; But Bishop Hatto ucvor glcpr- again. BISHOP HATTO. In the morning as he entered the hall, Where his picture hung against the wall, A sweat like death all over him came, For the rats had eaten it out of the fiime. As he looked there came a man from the farm- He had a countenance white with alarm : " My lord, I opened your granaries this mora, And the rats had eaten all your corn." Another came running presently, And he was pale as pale could be : II Fly ! my Lord Bishop, fly !" quoth he ; " Ten thousand rats are coming this way— The Lord forgive you for yesterday !" " I'll go to my tower on the Rhine," repUcd he • " 'Tis the safest p!.;i. u in Germany ; The walls are high, and the shores are steep. And the stream is strong, and the water deep." Bisiiop Hatto fearfully hastened awaj*. And he crossed the Rhine without delay, And reached his tower, and barred with 'care All the windows, doors, and loopholes there. He laid him down, and closed his eyes. But soon a scream made him arise : He started and saw two eyes of flame On his pillow from whence the screaming cama He listened and looked— it was only the cat ; But the Bishop he grew more fearful for that ; For she sat screaming, mad with fear. At the army of rats that was drawing near. For they have swam over the river so dfiop, And they have climbed the shores so steep, * 189 190 BISHOP OATTO. And up tke tower their way is beut, ' To do the work for which they were sent. They ture not to be told by the dozen or score-^ By thousands they come, and by myriads and more ; Snch numbers had never been heard of before, Such a judgment had never been witnessed of yore. Down on his knees the Bishop fell, And faster and faster his beads did he tell, As louder and louder, drawing near, The gnawing of their teeth he could hear. And in at the windows, and in at the door, . And through the walls helter-skelter they pour. And down from the ceiling, and up through the floor, From the right and the left, from behind and before, From within and without, from above and below; And all at once to the Bishop they go. They have whetted their teeth against the stones, And now they pick the Bishop's bones : They gnawed the flesh from every limb, For they were sent to do judgment on him. SOUTHIT. more; yore. le floor, before, low; nes, PHIT,