X4M 
[April, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[copyright secured.] 
M E R .—Drawn for the American Agriculturist by E. Forbes. 
Boys who have been away from home to boarding- 
school will readily understand the feelings of the poor 
captive in the picture, now for the first time introduced 
to his new companions. One bullying fellow wants to 
pick a quarrel with him ; another waggish character is 
about to play a practical joke by slily pulling his hair; a 
third is disposed to ridicule him for his low spirits ; while 
a few look on with real sympathy. The poor lonely 
creature, with no friends made as yet, sadly thinks of his 
native home, and can find little comfort. Yet if he have 
the true spirit of a monkey he will soon make his place, 
yielding to his superiors, putting down his inferiors, and 
taking rank according to his own merits. No doubt his 
fast friends will be those who at first gave him sympathy, 
which his gratitude will more than repay. While you 
may be amused with the comical figures of these animals, 
do not forget the lesson of the picture. When a now 
companion comes to your school or your neighborhood, 
try to make him feel at home. To take any advantage of 
such an one is despicably mean. Even if he should after¬ 
ward prove unworthy of your intimate friendship, the 
exercise of kind feeling towards him will bring its own 
happiness to yourself and make you richer than any en¬ 
joyment would, that could be had by imposing upon him. 
An East laitliasa CSoa.as* 
Manyyearsago agiant livingin Ceylon fell in love with 
the daughter of another giant in Bengal; so he asked her 
father to let him marry her. But he refused because the 
lover lived on a little island, and was not of much account. 
But the Ceylonese determined to have his bride, and 
so crossed over, seized her, and carried her home. Then 
her father, in a great rage, started to rescue her, but found 
on arriving at the straits which separate the island from 
the main land, that he was not tall enough to wade over, j 
So hack he went through the whole length of India to 
the Himalaya Mountains, and snatched up two of the 
largest to throw them into the strait, to fill it up so that 
he could pass over. But as he strode back with one 
mountain in each hand, large pieces slipped through his 
fingers, and thus came the chain of Hills which extend 
for some three hundred miles through the country. It is 
to bo hoped that on finally reaching the island he be¬ 
came reconciled to his son-in-law; but very likely the 
latter being the larger, made way with him, for, as it hap¬ 
pens, the story very provokingly stops here without 
giving information on this most interesting point. 
Too MsacSi McmIbcJssc. 
Among the American Indians the “ Medicine Man ” is 
next in importance to the Chief of the tribe. He is not 
only the physician, hut the priest, prophet, and general 
agent with supernatural powers, with whom he is sup¬ 
posed to he familiar. During drouth ho is in great de¬ 
mand as a rain maker. In this art they are very success¬ 
ful, as when they once commence their ceremonies they 
never stop until rain begins to fall. Those who have 
witnessed their performances say that their freaks are of 
the most extravagant kind, such as would provoke the 
laughter of all unbelievers in their power. It is related 
of one of these characters, named Wakhadaliakee, that 
while going through his performances lie fired an arrow 
toward the clouds and promised abundant water. Short¬ 
ly after a vessel came up the river near the encampment, 
firing a salute. “Ah, my friends!” said the rain-maker, 
“ my medicine is great—I have brought a thunder-boat.” 
He continued his vaunts and threats from his high place, 
and truly his predictions were fulfilled; in a few mo¬ 
ments the cloud was over the village, and the rain fell in 
torrents. Mr. Catlin, who related the incident, says it 
was a memorable sight. Thunder roared, and livid light¬ 
ning flashed, and in a moment of consternation, a flash 
struck one of the Mandan lodges, and killed a beautiful 
girl. He was rather alarmed lest his fame should be 
held from him ; he ascended the medicine-lodge the next 
morning, and exclaimed: “ My-friends, my medicine, you 
see, is great—it is too great; I am too young, and I was 
too fast; I knew not when to stop. The wigwam of 
Mah-sihsh is laid low, and many are the eyes that weep 
for Kokai, the antelope. . . . Who say that the medi¬ 
cine of Wak-ha-dah-ha-kee is not strong?” A unanimous 
shout of approbation ran through the crowd, and Hair of 
the White Buffalo, by which epithet lie was distinguished 
before, was thereafter changed to the more familiar and 
honorable appellation of the “ Big Double Medicine.” 
A Ibifficialrt SiH.Bag-mag-e. 
A Frenchman of our acquaintance relates the following 
anecdote of himself with great good humor. Shortly 
after arriving in this country, and while he could speak 
the language very imperfectly, he was engaged as teacher 
of French in a young ladies boarding-school. He kept 
his ears wide open to learn every new phrase, and pro¬ 
gressed rapidly. One expression at the meals puzzled 
him for some time. He noticed that the young ladies 
often replied “Yes’m,” when asked if they would be 
helped to some of the dishes. He carefully consulted his 
lexicon, to find the meaning of “Yes’m,” hut the word 
was not there. So lie asked the principal, who informed 
him that it was the same as “ Out, Madame'' in French. 
He then was able to use the phrase correctly himself. 
But one day when asked to partake of something he 
chose to decline, ho answered, “Nos’m,” greatly to the 
amusement of the whole family. “ They all laugh so 
happy,” said he,in relating it, “Ilaugh too, very much. ■ 
