Q96 
AMI^P.TCAN AaKTCULTURTST. 
fATJGtlST, 
"YOU HIT M E."— From a Drawing of C. E. Bcettcukr. 
If thepe two little boys could be properly trained they 
would maKe splendid fishlers. They look strong, hardy, 
resolute, and full of pluck. The world needs plenty of 
just such men as these may become. They are wanted 
to meet and conquer danger and difficulty in thousands 
of planes ; to fight the great waves of the ocean and to 
inaUe them bear ships safely to port ; to level mountains 
that are in the way ; to force the earth to give up its pre- 
cious ores ; to compel barren fields to yield plentiful har- 
vests ; to restrain the winds, guide the liglUnings, and 
make a slave of steam ; to struggle against error and 
wrong; to endure persecution ; in short, to win triumphs 
by making the world better, wiser, and happier. For all 
these great works, just those qualities are nL-eded, wliich, 
when wrongly trained, make men brutal bullies. See in 
the picture how the dog enjoys the prospect of a fight; 
the boys are putting their combativeness to a wrong use. 
They may win applause from docs, and dog-like people, 
but how much nobler to use their fi-jhling powers in the 
way GoJ iniended. and thus secure the approbation of all 
the good. Flight boys ! there are plenty of battles to win, 
but be sure to fight in the right way. 
The SCi^Iftt Road.—" It was a first command and 
coun'^el of rny earliest youth," said Lord Erskine, "al- 
ways to do what my conscience told me to be a duty, anl 
to leave the consequence to God. I have always fol- 
lowed it, and I have no reason to complain that my obe» 
dience to it has been a temporal sacrifice. I have found 
it, on the contrary, the road to prosperity and wealth, 
and 1 shall point out the same path to my children." 
Sonicttiin^ A1>oiit the Xoa<l. 
The toad is a homely little hunchback, with a rough 
warty skin, and seems at Jeast deserving of pily. But 
like many other unfortunates, he has been judged a vil- 
lain from his looks, and fallen a victim to prejudice. No 
more harmless animal lives ; he can not bite, scratch, or 
inflict other injury, yet long chapters of his supposed 
vices and crimes have been written. One writer says: 
'* If lie burrows near the root of a tree, every one who 
eats a leaf thereof will die, or if he only handles it he 
will be shuck wiih sudden cramp.*' The cause of this 
poison was said to be its liver "which is very vicious, 
and causeth the whole body to be of an ill temperament." 
Fortunately, however, toads were said to have tv\o liv- 
ers, and "altliou'-'h both of them are corrupted, yefone 
is full of poison, and theother resists poison." An cITi-c- 
tual remedy for toad poison w.is said to be composfd of 
"plantain, black hek-bore, powdered cral>s, the blood of 
the sea-tortoise mixed with wine, the stalks of dogs' 
tongues, the vermet of a hare, the quintessence of trea- 
cle, and the oil of a scorpion mixed !" But even in the 
days when this pro- 
digious prescription 
was invented, some 
good was acknow- 
ledged to exist in the 
toad. It w as said to 
have a precious jew- 
el in its head, and 
also to liave great 
power to slop the 
flow of blood. Says 
one, "If any one fall 
and knock his nose 
against a stone, he 
can stop the blood, if 
he hold a dried toad, 
in his hand ; because 
the horror and fear 
constrain the blood 
to run into its proper 
place, for fear of a 
beast so contrary 
to human natuie.'* 
Such nonsense as 
this is now scarcely 
heard, except in 
some ignorant dis- 
tricts in Europe, 
where people know 
little more than what 
their ignoi ant parents 
handed down to 
them. The toad cer- 
tainly can not be 
praised for his beau- 
ty, although Jiis eyQ 
is as bright as a jew- 
el ; but like many 
other homely crea- 
tures he has rare vir- 
tues. He does no 
haim. He may live 
in t^ garden among 
the most tempting 
berries and flowers, 
but not one will he 
pluck ; his taste docs 
not run that way. 
But let a fly, a bug, 
or a worm show him- 
self within leach, 
and ttie dull stupid 
looking toad instant- 
ly appears like anoth- 
er being ; he is all 
animation, and his 
eye glistens with ex- 
citement ; his tongue 
is shot from his mouth 
like a flash, and the 
insect disappears 
down the throat of 
the happy toad. His 
tongue is admirably 
contrived for this 
use. Its base or root 
is fastened at the en- 
trance of the mouth, 
the lip end when at 
rest pointing down 
the animal's throat. It is covered with a sticky slime, to 
which the insect adheres if hit ; and then the vic- 
tim makes a very rapid journey to the toad's stomach. 
Gardeners will do well to encourage the visits of these 
insect killers. Entnmologists may also procure many 
rare specimens by killing the toad and examining the in- 
sects which he has swallowed. The next time you find 
a toad, try his expertness with a few bugs and worms ; 
observing his habits will give much pleasure. Perhaps 
by becoming well acquainted with him, you may chance 
to see him change his coat and pants, which he does oc- 
casionally — curiously enough, when he takes oflf his old 
skin, he rolls it into a ball and swallows it ' 
An Auctioneer was selling a library at auction. 
He was not very well read jn books, but he scanned the 
titles, trusted to luck, and went ahead. " Here you 
have" lie said, " Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress; how 
much 'm I offered for it? 'Tis a first-rate book, gentle- 
men, w-ith six superior illustrations ; how much do I hear? 
All about the Pilgrims by John Bunyan I Tells where 
they come fiorn, an' where they !an. ted. an' what they 
done (irter they landed ! Here's a picter of one of 'em 
going about Plymouth peddhii' with a pack on his back !" 
A MAN proves himself fit to go higher, \\ho shows that 
he is faithful where he is. 
