KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



59 



the highest praise. She deserved it, as a reference 

 to Vol. II., page 299, will prove. However, I 

 must not quote your Latin compliment, — 



" Mi-cat inter omnes" 



whilst packing up that cask ! We must make it, 

 s'il vous plait, — 



" Mi-cat restat ! " 



for she is such a de — ar ! The breed I have in 

 view for export, are a prime sort — warranted good 

 mousers ; and of a handsome presence withal. 1 

 know where to get a nice lot more of the same sort ; 

 so you may safely negotiate. Keep my name and 

 address secret, and all will be safe, I am in your 

 hands ; and feel you will do me justice. We quite 

 understand each other, — eh ? — Your's, Fanny. 



[" Close as wax " are we, Fanny. We will 

 make inquiries as soon as possible. Meantime, — 

 "Mum!"] 



A Fresh-Water Vivarium. — Can Borne one of 

 your readers tell me whether anybody has yet 

 undertaken to fit up in private houses, a Fresh- 

 Water " Vivarium " on the principle of the marine 

 one now exhibiting in tlie Regent's Park? Surely 

 nothing could be more ornamental to a room than 

 a glass tank ; so arranged that the animal and 

 vegetable worlds might balance each other, — 

 keeping the water pure without the necessity for 

 changing it. Just throw out the hint. — J. B. M., 

 Glasgow. 



First-rate Skylarks. — I want, Mr. Editor, a 

 first-rate Skylark; but after the treatment you 

 met with from that good-for-nothing fellow, John 

 Tuthill, of Edinburgh (calling himself a medical 

 man), I dare not ask you to get one for me. 

 Please direct me where to apply. — E. W., Dundee. 



[Use our name, and write to Mr. Clifford, 

 24, Great St. Andrew Street, Holborn. He has 

 some remarkably fine songsters just now; and you 

 may place every reliance on him. You speak of 

 John Tuthill. He has never re-imbursed us for 

 the cost of his German canary ; nor could we ever 

 induce him to give back the bird. He is an arrant 

 villain, as we wrote and told him. We believe he 

 still resides at 23, Clyde Street, Edinburgh. His 

 having had " a gentlemanly education " only adds 

 to his knavery. We have now quite done with 

 choosing, buying, and sending birds " cost and 

 carriage free ! "] 



On the Verbena: — 



When rudely handled, or severely press'd, 



How sweet the fragrance from thy leaves ex- 



press'd ! 

 Injur'd by man, a lesson here we learn, — 

 For malice, love; for evil, good return. 



Catharina. 



Sympathy of the Poor for each other. — I was 

 much delighted at those remarks of yours, on page 

 352, vol. iv. ; and apropos of that same subject, I 

 send you the following : — Early one lovely sum- 

 mer morning, a poor travelling woman requested 

 me to give her a cup of cold water. It was a 

 humble request, — so humble that the water 

 became milk ! It was not a costly substitute — 

 but how thankfully it was received ! Being more 



than she required, the good soul asked if she 

 might give the remainder to her child, who was 

 waiting in the road? Of course I said yes; and 

 the child having drained the cup to the bottom, 

 smilingly returned it. Both then trudged forward 

 on their way. Nothing more was thought of them ; 

 but, in about an hour afterwards, looking from a 

 window which commanded a sight of the road, I 

 observed the child in a state of seeming distress (she 

 was at some considerable distance). On going to 

 the spot, there lay the poor mother — almost in a 

 hopeless state. Strong stimulants being applied, 

 she recovered sufficiently for us to become aware 

 that the milk she had swallowed had occasioned 

 violent cramp. She told us, too, that the object 

 of her journey was to dispose of some list shoes at 

 a neighboring town. This, she said, would enable 

 her to discharge her rent, and so keep a roof over 

 the heads of herself and children. At this 

 moment, whilst we were anxiously debating how 

 to act, a travelling tinker carrie up. He at once 

 saw what was the matter; spoke soothingly to 

 the child, and sympathetically to the mother, — 

 slyly and hastily slipping a silver coin into the 

 poor woman's hand. " God help you ! " said he, 

 in an under tone, "your wants are greater than 

 mine ; and I shall not miss it." We overheard 

 enough to make us try to detain him. It was no 

 use. Turning a deaf ear, he was speedily out of 

 sight, and carried with him — an honest, a tender 

 conscience. . . Two days subsequently, we 

 had the satisfaction of seeing these two poor 

 creatures leave the parish workhouse (whose 

 Master was a credit to humanity), quite restored. 

 They called on us, invoked blessings on our head, 

 and departed. . . About three months after- 

 wards, a clean, neatly-dressed woman stood at 

 our door. It was our old casual acquaintance of 

 the highway. She had travelled twenty miles, 

 and came with a little offering of gratitude — in the 

 form of list slippers, for each one of the family. 

 This we could not altogether refuse ; so we com- 

 promised the matter by accepting one pair. We 

 were gratified in hearing that the sale of her shoes 

 had been effected ; her rent paid, and all her other 

 little affairs " set straight." Of the tinker, we 

 heard no more. I have thought of that tinker, — 

 oh, how often ! and more than once envied him 

 his feelings on the day I first saw him. You 

 quite understand me, I am sure. Else am I a 

 stranger to the recesses of your heart. — Mimosa. 



[Yes, Mi-mi — ,you have touched a chord of 

 sympathy. Behold ! — anotherjewel in our crown !] 



Hurrah for the Potato ! — What a voice has a 

 potato ! — What a wonderful gift too is it from 

 God to man ! reproving him at once for all his 

 ingratitude, and teaching him how dependent he 

 is upon his Maker, who is so bountiful in all his 

 provisions for his creatures. A potato is welcome 

 at all times — in all seasons — in all climates — in all 

 forms, — whether for luncheon, dinner, or supper, 

 the potato is ever heartily received. First think 

 of a plain boiled potato. Then fancy it nicely 

 mashed, in company with a little milk, cream, &c, 

 &c How aged people do enjoy it ! — Is it not deli- 

 cious ? Oh — yes ! See it fried, or baked celafait 

 venir V eau a la bouche. Have you never had your 

 olfactory nerves regaled on your way home from 

 the parish church, on the sabbath, with the 



