KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



249 



£7,176 Is. Id., or Is. 7£d. per mile; the time 

 occupied in travelling being 3 years, 27 weeks, 

 and 5 days. Between the same dates he tra- 

 velled 90,932 miles by rail, at a cost of 

 £1,091 5s. 9d., or only 2fd. per mile ; and the 

 time occupied in the journeys was 1 year, 23 

 weeks, and 4 days. If the whole distance 

 could have been travelled by railway, the 

 cost of travelling would have amounted to 

 £2,151 18s. lid.; had it all been accomplished 

 by private conveyance, the cost would have been 

 £14,566 3s. 4d. 



A Song for May-Day. — The subjoined, Mr. 

 Editor, will please many. Please insert it. — A. F. 



Air. — A May-Day morning early. 



With reticule, or with milking can, 



Each maid now goes forth early ; 

 And if she but meets with a smart young man, 



Who vows that he loves her dearly, — 

 She makes him a curtsey — he makes her a bow, 

 There's dew on her lip, and a blush on her brow, 

 He kisses the maiden — one doesn't know how — 

 On a May-day morning early ! 



She strives to forget him, but all in vain, 



For that May-day morning early 

 So dearly is prized, not to see him again 



Would break her poor heart — or nearly ! 

 In making her shopping, or milking her cow, 

 She wants to get married, yet cannot tell how, 

 And wishes he'd pop her the question just now, 

 On a May-day morning early ! 



The relative Colors of Flowers. — Can you tell 

 me what color predominates in flowers ? Is it yellow, 

 or white? I incline to the opinion that it is white. 

 — Rosina, Clifton. 



[You are correct in your belief. The predomi- 

 nating color among flowers is white. Of 4,000 

 species examined, the relative proportions were 

 found to be as follows: — white 1,193, yellow 951, 

 red 923, blue 594, violet 307, green 153, orange 

 50, brown 18, nearly black 8. No flower perfectly 

 black is yet known, nor probably ever will be.] 



The Postage of our Journal to New South 

 Wales. — I have just sent out, in connection with 

 several other families (friends of mine) a quantity 

 of our Journal to friends in Sydney, and other 

 parts of Australia. I was enabled to do this by the 

 new postal arrangements which came into operation 

 on the 1st day of April last. I name it, as it is just 

 possible some of your readers may not be aware 

 of the existing facility for forwarding the Journal 

 direct, to a land where it will be read with so much 

 interest. — Charles H. 



[We thank you for this hint. We have, of 

 course, largely availed ourself of this new channel 

 of communication. It must be borne in mind 

 that if three Journals are sent, they must go in 

 three several envelopes, open at each end. They 

 must not be sent together as " one package." To 

 prevent misconception, we print the regulations : 

 " From the first day of April, 1853, printed books, 

 magazines, reviews, and pamphlets (whether Bri- 

 tish, colonial, or foreign), may be transmitted by 

 the post between the United Kingdom and New 

 South Wales, by the direct packet, via Plymouth ; 



or by the Overland Mail, via Southampton and 

 Singapore, at the following reduced rates of post- 

 age, viz. — For each packet not exceeding \ lb. in 

 weight, 6d. ; ditto exceeding \ lb. and not exceed- 

 ing 1 lb., Is. ; ditto ditto 1 lb. and not exceeding 

 2 lbs., 2s.; ditto ditto 2 lbs. and not exceeding 3 lbs., 

 3s. ; beyond which no packet can be sent. Pro- 

 vided, however, that the following conditions be 

 carefully observed : — 1. Every such packet must 

 be sent without a cover, or in a cover open at the 

 ends or sides. 2. It must contain a single volume 

 only (whether printed book, magazine, review, or 

 pamphlet), the several sheets, or parts thereof, 

 when there are more than one, being sewed or 

 bound together. 3. It must not exceed two feet 

 in length, breadth, width, or depth. 4. It must 

 not exceed three pounds in weight. 5. It must 

 have no writing or marks upon the cover, or its 

 contents, except the name and address of the per- 

 son to whom it may be sent. 6. The postage must 

 be pre-paid in full, by affixing outside the packet, 

 or its cover, the proper number of stamps. If any 

 of the above conditions be violated, the packet 

 must be charged as a letter, and treated as such 

 in all respects.] 



The Child and the Gossamer. — You gave in a 

 former paper, Mr. Editor, a very beautiful descrip- 

 tion of " The Child and the Dew-drop." Let me, 

 as a pendant, send you as beautiful a poetical pic- 

 ture of — 



THE CHILD AND THE GOSSAJfER. 



A sunbeam was playing through flowers that 

 hung 



Round a casement that looked to the day ; 

 And its bright touch wakened a child, who sung 



As it woke and began its play ; 

 And it played with the gossamer beam that shed 

 Its fairy brightness around its head. 

 Oh, 'twas sweet to see that child so fair 

 At play with the dazzling things of air. 



Oh, ne'er was a lovelier plaything seen, 



To childhood's simplicity given ! 

 It seemed like a delicate link between 

 The creatures of earth and Heaven. 

 But the sunbeam was crossed by an angry cloud, 

 And the gossamer died in the shadowy shroud; 

 And the child looked sad when the bright things 



< fled, 

 And its smile was gone, and its tears were shed 



Oh, gentle child, in thy infant play, 



An emblem of life hast thou seen ; 

 For joys are like sunbeams — more fleeting than 



they, 

 And sorrows cast shadows between ; 

 And friends that in moments of brightness are 



won, 

 Like gossamer, only are seen in the sun. 

 Oh ! many a lesson of sadness may 

 Be learnt from a joyous child at play. 



Those who have children — and who love them, 

 can readily appreciate the "joyous innocence" of 

 a little child at play. It is a lovely sight, truly ! 

 — Snow-drop. 



Bathing. — I know your sentiments about bath- 

 ing, Mr. Editor ; I therefore send you an extract I 



