247 



some have had no comfortable fireside of 

 their own, and have had to shiver by some 

 way-side seeking the charity of passers by. 



See here is one. You wonder who or what 

 he is. Well, I will tell you. This man went 

 to school at the same time, and was in the 

 same class as our familiar Johx. He had 

 the same chances in life as he had, and might 

 now have been, if not in as good a position, 

 at any rate, comfortable. When he arrived 

 at manhood he was to be found horse-racing, 

 betting, and drinking; his sense of honour by 

 degrees left him altogether, from the race- 

 course to the pothouse, and from the pot- 

 house to the prison, we find him at last a 

 ruined man, cared for by none, but despised 

 by many. 



But let us see how old Winter is getting 

 on. He is just taking a handful of snow into 

 the house. " John," says he, " bring out that 

 microscope, and let us see what this is like." 



So a portion was put under the glass, and 

 it was found to be composed of the most 

 beautiful six-rayed crystals of various forms, 

 but of the most symmetrical beauty. 



" But here are some red spots which I do 

 not understand," said John. 



" Let me see," said the old man, " O, yes, 

 I dare say these are the same things which 

 make the snow so red sometimes in northern 

 regions. I have been told that it is a small 

 plant called PvotococcllS.' , 



" Well," said John, " I dare say it is. you 

 know we have a similar plant here, only it is 

 green, and is also called Protocol ens. It is 

 that green film which you see covering damp 

 walls, &c. Very few people suppose it is a 

 plant, but it is just the same as these single 

 cells." 



A few days after this the ladies had been 

 out for a walk through the woods, and had 

 found the first 'moth of the year — Phigalia 

 pilosaria, for now the snow was gone again, 

 and the weather was calm and mild, robins 

 and missel thrushes had begun to sing, insect 

 life had begun to put in an appearance, and 

 out in some warm quiet nook or corner could 



be founds solitary daisy or primrose, send- 

 ing forth its blossoms as the advent of ap- 

 proaching warm weather. 



Reader, with this we leave the party whose 



. acquaintance, in one way or another, we 

 have so long enjoyed. It is hoped that you 



i have seen how happy a life can be made by 

 the simple study of the grand works of 



j nature. Through every season of the year 



1 there is some object of interest to be gathered 



I — something to be learnt. 



" 'Tis holy exercise of mind, 

 Most valued by the most refin'd." 



To go out and gather flowers by the way 



i side, to peep into crannies and crevices in 



• search of insect treasures, to view the whole 



] landscape with the eye of a naturali>t leads 



I up the mind from a path of narrowness to 



i one of broader comprehension. Whenever 



I did anyone meet with a naturalist who would 



not say that the happiest moments of his life 



j have been when he has been out in the 



I balm) air of the country, seeking the objects 



of his study. It gives health, it lengthens 



' life : it is a study adapted to both sexes. 



: The happiest moments of childhood are wnen 



; they are out in the fields making garlands of 



| buttercups and daisies ; youth should find an 



\ equal pleasure in learning something about 



j their structure, and their names. How often 



I young people go out for a quiet walk, and 



how these walks might be made happier, and 



the persons wiser if they would learn the 



| alphabet of the Book of Nature. It has been 



my object so to induce young persons to 



read, and if by these few stray notes, if by 



this random story. I have succeeded in 



lightening one sad heart, all the labour 1 



have bestowed will not be begrudged, but I 



shall consider myself amply repaid. 



Reader, Ibid thee farewell; we met friends, 



and I hope we part friends dearer still. 



Thy wish and mine are both the same, but 



to diffuse a taste for nature we must show its 



advantages to persons who have yet to begin 



at the A. B. C. 



THE END. 



