Sucli an Independence Day as v\ill be celebraicd lids 
month was never known before. In ilie earliei lustory of 
the nation, there was |icrliaps equal joy anioii" tlie small¬ 
er number who proudly and gratefully commemorated 
the triumph in the struggle w Inch secured freedom and 
peace, but then only one point had been settled—the right 
of the people to self government. Wise statesmen look¬ 
ing to the unknown future fell that the young nation had 
yet to pass through its .severest ordeal; that tlie time 
would come when the ability as well as the right of re¬ 
publican government was to be tested. They saw evils 
already growing, filled with danger to the young repub¬ 
lic. How could strong party spirit be restrained from 
revolution? How could sectional jealousies be pre¬ 
vented ? These and oilier questions might well occa¬ 
sion anxiety, for they have tecently shaken the very 
foundations of the nation. But now we rejoice in a 
tried nationality, in a Free land. Sectional hate, party 
strife arid slavery have done their worst, and The Re- 
puDuc Lives ! First of all we reverently give thanks 
to God who has granted victory over the terrible rebel¬ 
lion ; next we remember with gratitude and just pride the 
heroes by whose strong arms, stouter hearts and match¬ 
less perseverance, treason is crushed and peace restored. 
They have well earned the welcome that greets them 
on tlieir return to tlie homes they have given so mucli to 
ilefend. The scene whicli our artist has sketched lias al¬ 
ready been enacted in many a village, and is yet to glad¬ 
den liiindreds of districts. Wliile all unite in public 
demonstrations of honor to our noble brothers returning 
from tlie field, let them also be remembered as deserving 
tlie best gifts of the nation wliose life tliey li.ave saved. 
Give them all olTices of trust and honor for wliicli they 
giay be competent ; let cliildrcn learn their deeds, and 
ever show them respect; and where the hard fortunes of 
war have bmue luird on them or their families, let the 
ample provision made for their wants show that we are 
not uiiworlliy of the biessings secured by their hardships. 
I Finally, let all our young readers keep in mind that re- . 
I hellion sprang from the ambition and selfisliiicss of its 
I leaders and the ignorance of its followers, tliat it was 
! overthrown by heroism derived from virtue and knowl¬ 
edge, which are the surest safeguards of a free people. 
* 
Friemds Amostg- iSac ISirtls. 
In response lo tlie invitation in tlie April Agriculturist 
for our young readers to relate their success in making 
friends among the birds, James Dilts, Muskingum Co., 
O., sends an account of a pair of wrens that were made 
familiar by kind treatment. Tliey came lo the house in 
the fall of 1SG2, and made their home in some bunches of 
cotton that hung in the garret, where tliey were fed and 
cared for all winter. In the spring they suddenly dis¬ 
appeared, but in a few weeks returned to the neighbor¬ 
hood with a brood of young. These were soon fledged, 
and set up living on their own account, and the old birds 
built a nest in the corner of a sliop where workmen were 
thumping and pounding continually, and there raised 
another family. When tliese were out of the way, tliey 
moved to a box in the garret where tliey had formerly 
lived. The following spring tliey made tlicir first nest 
in the old location in the shop, but during the summer 
changed llieir quarters. They entered the window, 
passed across tlie garret, went down a stairway into a 
store-room, and found a long-neeked gourd hanging 
there, which they at once appropriated, and held tlirough 
the summer. Fresently they were missed again, but 
tale ill the fall, they returned and passed tlie winter 
among the cotton in the garret. Toward spring one of 
them died ; the otlicr one remained, and when warm 
weather rcliirned, broiiglit in a new mate lo sliare the 
gourd occupied Hie previous summer, where tliey are now 
enjoying life. The new comer is quite sliy, but the old- I 
er acquaintance is .so tame that it has sometimes come I 
into the window and perched on the dress of one of the 1 
girls in the family. tS'o little bird stoned or shot by.- ' 
thoughtless boy ever gave half the pleasure deriveu j 
from iiettiiig and laming tliese friendly wrens. , 
Another young readeri Townsend Forbes of Queens I 
Co., N. Y., reeenlly described a successful metliod of 
attracting tlie birds lo the grounds near his residence. 
He lias a bo.x or tank for containing gold fisli, about Hiree ,1 
feet long, nearly filled villi water. In one end of Hie ' 
tank is a sloping shelf passing down to wliere the water . 
is about two inches deep, where it meets anollier slielf a ! 
few inches wide placed lioiizontally. Tlie tank is | 
placed in the yard and Hie birds of the neighborhood, | 
robins, Ihrnslies, yellow birds, sparrows, etc., find Hiis a . 
convenient place for batliing, and large numbers of Hiem 
come every day to enjoy Hie accommodation kindly pro- I 
vided for them. Tlieir actions wliile batliing are very 1 
diverting, and Hiey repay the favor done them with grate- I 
fill music. The boys who take a hint from this will see 
Hiat any shallow dish in which water is kept will answer | 
the purpose. It is well to have a sloping entrance to Hie 
water as birds are shy and like to enter gradually. 
A CalCMlatiJig- BSch. 
The CanlonMo. Press, is responsible for Hie following, 1 
vvliich is certainly different from any hen performances in • I 
these parts. Our hens are ambitious to sit as extensivel'' 
as possible. “A few days ago, a hen was found on a 
neighboring farm, incubating upon a nest of five eggs. 
Considering tliat too small an undertaking for a full 
grown hen, the owner removed these and placed thirteen 
fresh eggs in the nest. On examination soon after, it 
was discovered that the old biddy ii.ad dcliberalely rolled 
out eight, thus refusing to cover more than Hic original 
number. Four times Hie experiment was repeated wiln 
a similar result, and Hie obstinate hen was finally left In 
her select number, thus furnishing evidence not only u. 
her reasoning powers, but of true feminine spunk.' 
