i; 
IMHHm 
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lTh 
»meu*rv. 
The Cottage Cyclopedia of Hrs-roRT and Biookaput. 
A Copious Dictionary of Memorable Persons. Events, 
Places and Things, with Notices of the Present State 
of the Principal Countries and Nations of the Known 
World, and a Chronological View of American History. 
Bv Em M. Piekce. [ 8 vo.—pp. 1004.1 Hartford: Case, 
Lockwood & Co. Syracuse: W. A. Burnham. 
We regard this as a very valuable work. Not cum- 
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Sketches fob the Firemdk ; Or, Anecdotes for the 
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fSvo.-pp. mi Syracuse: W. A. Burnham, 
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People's Book of Biography: Or, Short Lives of the 
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Containing more than Eighty Sketches of the Lives 
and Deeds of Eminent Philanthropists, Inventors. Au¬ 
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A vert good idea of the scope of this work is ob¬ 
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Independent Fifth Reader • Containing a Simple, 
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David, the King of Israel : A Portrait drawn from 
Bible History and the Book of Psalms. By Frederick 
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Tishbite,” etc. Translated under the express sanction 
of the Author by the Rev. M. G. Easton, M. A. [ldmo. 
pp. 518.] New York: Harper & Brothers. 
The Psalms,—those sublime poems of the Bible,—are 
the outbreathings, in part, of a life second in interest and 
significance to none other, merely hnman, of which the 
Scriptures treat. The Sweet Singer who sang for Israel 
so many centuries ago, sings still for a whole world, aud 
his songs are the sweetest and grandest that thrill hu¬ 
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before us, has a rare charm for all. Dr. K hum mac iiek is 
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Dora. By Julia Kavanauh, Author of “Nathalie.” 
“ Adele,” “ Queen Mab,” etc., etc. illustrated by Gas¬ 
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Sold by Adams & Ellis. 
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Bart. [12mo,—; pp. 171 .] New York: D. Appleton & Co! 
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Littell’s Living Age.— This republication of choice 
foreign literature, which Las been issued regularly for 
over twenty years, maintains a high reputation and is 
deservedly popular among scholars and literateurs. As 
its conductors truly affirm, “it contains the best Reviews, 
Criticisms, Tales, Fugitive Poetry, Scientific, Biographi¬ 
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f lic liarflcf. 
THROUGH NICARAGUA. —No. III. 
THE TRANSIT. — CONCLUDED, 
Castillo, according to tradition, dates back some 
two hundred years or more. It shows the sad 
effects of ignorance and superstition, in its utter 
want of elegance and culture. It contains from 
sixty to seventy inhabitants, who speak nothing 
hut Spanish, aud do little besides smoking and 
lounging. It consists of one street, lying along the 
river; the buildings are made of bamboo, thatched 
with palm leaves; the apartments are generally two 
or three In number—one for the bar, one for sleep¬ 
ing, aud one for cooking, I guess, us from this came 
the dishes we ordered. The food was "cry ordiuary, 
and neither butter nor milk did we see; but having 
had little or nothing for two days, we relished it as 
though it had been fit for a king’s feast, so true is 
it that— 
“ Our stomachs make what’s homely, savory.” 
We were obliged to remain over night at Castillo, 
sleeping on the boat, which was entirely destitute 
of bunks or berths. But m had a very patriotic 
slumber, for having obtained permission to occupy 
the pilot-house, we took the old flag, folded it to¬ 
gether, spread it on the floor, and ou it stretched 
ourselves out for the night. To some, this may 
seem sacrilege, hut let these ride three or four days 
and nights on an open deck, with nothing hut a 
bench to rest upon, ( we were not so fortunate as to 
possess a hammock,) and even the Star Spangled 
Banner will be greedily “gobbled up” for weary 
heads to rest upon. You can readily imagine that 
our dreams were very patriotic, and sweeter slum¬ 
ber it has never been my fortune to enjoy. 
The next morning we took a brief survey of the 
town, especially of the fort, of which it seems so 
proud. This latter is an old, balf-falleu down affair, 
built of stone, but now so moss-covered aud ivy- 
grown that oue could hardly tell the original ma¬ 
terial. When or by whom it was built we could 
not learn. It is situated very beautifully on a bigb 
eminence, overlooking the river for miles. Orange 
and lemon trees grow thickly on the hillside, and 
vegetation of every description greens rich and 
beautiful ou every foot of soil. We were desirous 
of investigating this imposing (?) structure, but 
at the entrance stood a grim native, flourishing an 
old musket with flint lock, and assuming an 
importance equal to that of a Brigadier-General. 
We tried expostulaiou and entreaty, but could 
get no satisfaction save an ominous shake of 
the head, and “no saves-,' 1 so we must needs be 
content with a tour around the premises, and then 
return to the street. I wonder what that same 
native guard would do if one of Uncle Sam’s shells 
should come whizzing into that old tumble-down 
fort?—presume he is just woodeny enough to stand 
there and mutter, “ no saves," thiuking his old flint 
lock a secure protection against all modern firearms. 
The principal occupation of the Castilians seems 
to be aelling villainous whisky, aud still more vil¬ 
lainous coffee and tea. The women, as a general 
thing, look neat and tasteful, wearing some light 
muslin skirt, ruffled or braided, with a short, loose 
body, slipping low from the shoulders, revealing 
olive neck aud bosom, over which their long, black 
hair hangs in heavy braids or waves. Their chief 
attraction is their eyes, which are very beautiful,— 
large, soft and dreamy as those in eastern harems. 
They are shaded with long, black lashes, which, 
when raised, reveal the fervor aud passion of the 
old Castilian stock. I have looked into such eyes 
in other days, and the memory even uow touches a 
sad, sweet chord, that will vibrate while life lasts. 
I met, aud in broken Spanish and English con¬ 
versed with one real lady—Senora C amina Orrega 
De Osokno. With true feminine curiosity she 
tried on my hat, and quizzed me as to dress, &c,, 
while I asked the Spanish name of everything I 
saw. We became very good friends in the few 
hours we tarried there, as we sat together in the 
hammock and smoked the irrepressible cigaretta. 
Friday morning, July 12th, we left Castillo, and 
after a day’s smooth ride came alongside the lake 
steamer, to which we were Boon transferred, and ere 
many minutes were sleeping sweetly, while the en¬ 
gine worked tirelessly on, bearing us across the 
quiet waters of Lake Nicaragua. 
Upon coming out in the morning, the first thing 
that greeted onr eyes was a fine view of two mag¬ 
nificent mountains,—Ometipe and Madeira. They 
rise right up out of the lake, and stand there as 
monuments of the ages, grand and unmoved by all 
the commotions of earth. We seemed only a short 
distance from them, bnt the captain said they were 
at least ten miles away. About 10 o’clock A. m. we 
steamed into Virgin Bay, — wherefore named we 
know not, for we looked in vain for the virgins. 
This place is iu size and appearance about like Cas¬ 
tillo ; bnt it has one American hotel, to which we 
quickly betook ourselves, and were refreshed with 
a good, square Yankee meal. The proprietor, Mr. 
Sanborn, and his good lady, are real Boston people, 
and know how to entertain the hungry traveler, bnt 
how they ever came to stray off here in this heathen 
land and live, is a mystery to me. 
From Virgin Bay to Sau Juan del 8ur is a land 
transit of twelve miles, which distance we passed 
over in rather dubious coaches, drawn by four sorry 
looking mules, which were constantly spurred on 
by the horrid yells of onr native driver. One mule 
at last kicked ont of the traces entirely,—would 
not go another inch, aud so had to be left behind. 
During this melee we trudged up “the summit” 
on foot. This is the highest elevation in the twelve 
miles, and from it you can see the lake on one side 
aud the broad Pacific on the other. 
The same luxuriance of vegetation prevails here 
as along the river. It seems as though Nature had 
exhausted all her resources tu this unrivaled glory 
of fruits and flowers. There appears to be nothing 
elseno government, with justice and liberty for 
corner stones, — no institutions 0 / learning, — no 
church _ edifices, and no creed save bigotry and 
superstition,—no social life ,—nothiucj but this end¬ 
less and exhaustless growth of vegetation. 
After four hours’ travel, we arrived at San Juan 
del Sur, and were soon on board the steamer, 
“Moses Taylor,” unjustly christened the “Rolling 
MoseB” by the far-famed editor of the N. Y. Tri¬ 
bune—U. G. And so we have “crossed the Rubi¬ 
con”—viz: the much dreaded Isthmus. We were 
three dayB and nights in making the transit, and 
though weary and worn, we would not exchange 
the experience of those few days, with all the 
accompanying discomforts aud inconveniences, for 
another route with luxury and ease. 
The transit, although somewhat wearisome, is 
very healthful, aud teems with sights and scones 
full of interest and instruction. And it is confi¬ 
dently expected that very speedily matters will be 
so arranged that the present disadvantages will be 
entirely removed. A railroad will be built around 
CORRIDOR UNDER SOUTH WING OF THE CAPITOL, WASHINGTON. 
In the last volume of the Rural we quite fully 
illustrated the National Capitol at Washington. 
Believing that all our readers must feel a deep in¬ 
terest in that magnificent structure, of which, as a 
people, we are justly proud, we devoted considera¬ 
ble space to engravings portraying different portions 
of its interior, and representing various paintings 
and pieces of statuary found therein. From these, 
and the large and very fine picture of the entire 
building, as seen from a north-eastern approach to 
it, (which we gave in November,j a fair idea could 
be formed of the Capitol’s beauty and splendor. 
The engraving given above isacorrect representa¬ 
tion of the Corridor through the basement of the 
South Wing. That there can be grace and beauty 
of design even in a basement, is here shown; and it 
needed but this for us to demonstrate that the Na- 
the rapids and across the laud; the river steamers 
will be made more commodious and convenient, 
and then this line will rival any in the world. We 
wish all success to the Company which has so per- 
severingly kept the route open, in the face of many 
discouragements and even losses, and hope to see 
the day when its highest expectations shall be fully 
realized. 
— But the blue, peaceful waters of the Western 
Ocean are shining and rippling in the warm rays of 
the July sun, and we leave the Transit for another 
toss upon 
“ The sea, the sea, t he open sea. 
The blue, the fresh, th ter free.” 
♦ “Nevada.” 
Various Iflpics. 
INDUSTRY OF NEW YORK. 
It is an interesting subject of investigation to 
ascertain the different kinds of industry in which , 
our vast population are engaged. The variety of all 
occupations, aud the preponderance of certain spec¬ 
ial ones, are illustrative of national character and a 
standard of civilization. Iu Paris, for example, 
which is estimated to have two milliou inhabitants, 
about seveuty thousand persons are concerned iu 
feeding and one hundred thousand in clothing this 
enormous population. About eighty-live thousand 
workmen are engaged in building houses to lodge 
them, forty-five thousand in fumishiug the same, 
and a vast uumher in supplying luxuries, including 
twenty thousand who manufacture jewelry alone. 
Thus, at least three-fifths of the working class are 
engaged in supplying the necessaries of life, while 
less than two-fifths furnish the luxuries, and this, 
too, in Paris, the emporium of articles of beauty 
and vert a. 
In New York, and probably in every other city in 
the world, the same proportion exists, though in 
this PariB of the New World there is also a great 
demand for the luxuries and vanities of life. In 
1860, there were 7,575 establishments, employing 
upwards of 40,000 persons in making clothing for 
our population, which was then 800 , 000 . There were 
also 7,715 establishments, with about 85,000 hands, 
employed in supplying food; and 2,500 others, with 
about 20,000 hands, engaged in building and furnish¬ 
ing houses. Next in importance are the caterers to 
the mind, about 8,000 persons being engaged in sup¬ 
plying books, newspapers, and other mental nutri¬ 
ment. The luxuries of life, including laces, silks, 
cigars, perfumery, confectionery, i&c., occupy over 
6,000 persons. There were 1,505 establishments, 
employing about 12,000 persons, iu different me¬ 
chanical trades, exclusive of those already men¬ 
tioned ; 4,300 dealers in or manufacturers of liquors, 
employing 20,000 persons; L,805 lawyers; 2,000 
agents, bankers or brokers of various kinds; 460 
establishments connected with shipping, 481 drug¬ 
gists, 91 nurses, 1,149 physicians, 500 clergymen, 
and 95 undertakers. There were 300 firms con¬ 
nected with the manufacture of wagons and harness, 
222 with leather, 315 with hardware, 258 with coal, 
and 164 with oil for illumination. These figures 
do not include the large number employed as 
cartmen, drivers, laborers, servants, and venders, 
comprising many thousands in all.—iV. T. Him. 
-■ ♦•»■»»• »- 
A BABY’S SOLILOQUY. 
I am here. And, if this is what they call the world 5 
I don’t think much of it. It’s a very flannelly woild, 
and smells of paregoric awfully. It’s a dreadful light 
world, too, and makes me blink, I tell you. And I 
don’t know what to do with my hands: 1 thiuk I’ll 
dig my fists in my eyes. No, I won’t. I’ll scrabble 
at the corner of my blanket and chew it up, and then 
I’ll holler; whatever happens, I’ll holler. And the 
more paregoric they give me the louder I’ll yell. 
That old uurse puts the spoon in the comer of my 
mouth in a very uneasy way, aud keeps tasting my 
milk herself ail the while. 8he spillud snuff in it 
last night, and, when I hollered, she trotted me. 
That comes of being a two days' old baby. Never 
mind, wheu I’m a man, I’ll pay her back good. 
There’s a pin sticking iu me now, and if 1 say a word 
about it I’ll be trotted or fed, and I would rather 
have catnip tea. I’ll tell you who I am. I found 
out to day. 1 heard folks say, “ Hush, don’t wake 
tional edifice is not only massive, but chaste and 
finished, from the very foundation up to the Statue 
of Liberty which crowns the splendid dome. There 
have been years of labor spent in ornamenting the 
different basements. Upon the walls of that under 
the North Whig are many paintings, —portraits of 
noted Statesmen, Signers of the Declaration of Inde¬ 
pendence, &c,, — but the corridors are not light 
enough for them to be seen to advantage. Some 
have been much injured, indeed, by the dampness 
of the walls. It is doubtless true, as has been 
asserted, that certain things about the Capitol are 
not in keeping, and that portions of the statuary and 
painting are in bad taste; but where so much iB in 
perfect harmony,—so happily conceived and wrought 
out,— we are disarmed of all criticism, and are con¬ 
tent to admire. 
up Emmeline’s baby.” That’s me. I’m “ Emme¬ 
line’s baby,” and I suppose that pretty, white-faced 
woman over on the pillows is Emmeline. 
No, I am mistaken, for a chap was in here just 
now and wanted to sec Bob’s baby, and looked at me, 
and said I “ was a funny little toad, and looked just 
like Bob.” He smelt of cigars, and I’m not used to 
them. I wonder who else I belong to. Yes, there’s 
auother one—that’s “ Ganma.” Emmeline toidme, 
and then she took me np and held me against her 
soft cheek aud said, “ It was Ganma's baby, so it 
was.” I declare I do not know who Ido belong to• 
but I’ll holler, and, maybe, I’ll find out. 
There comes Snuffy with catnip tea. The idea of 
giving babies catnip tea when they are cryiug for in¬ 
formation ! I’m going to sleep. I wonder if I don’t 
look pretty red in the face V I wonder why my 
hands won’t go where I want them to "l—Exchange. 
-- *•«-» »» - 
FISH CULTURE. 
The New England States have united in the at 
tempt to restock their rivers with fish. Owing to ob¬ 
structions made by dams, fish which formerly were 
plentiful, have been prevented from ascendiug to the 
upper waters of the streams to deposit their spawn. 
As they always return to the locality where they 
were born, it would do uogood to remove the dams. 
To meet these difficulties the spawn is now introduc¬ 
ed into the npper waters by a species of artificial 
process, invented by Seth Green; and that the fish 
may return, after being grown, to their native 
grounds the next year, fish-ways are built over the 
dams, by which they can ascend in their journey 
from the sea to their spawuiug beds, aud they can 
thus carry on and perpetuate the enterprise. Mean¬ 
while, proper laws for protecting the works and in 
particular to prevent the ravages of sportsmen, are 
enacted, and it may be expected that the extreme 
penalties will l^e visited upon whomsoever shall be 
convicted. 
-««*■ 
CURE FOR CORNS. 
The safest, the most accessible and the most 
efficient cure of a corn on the toe, is to double a 
piece of thick, soft buckskin, cut a hole in it large 
enough to receive the corn, and bind it around the 
toe. If in addition to this the foot is soaked in 
warm water for five or more minutes every night and 
morning, and a few drops of sweet oil, or other oily 
substance are patiently rubbed in on the end after 
the soaking, the com will almost infallibly become 
loose enough iu a few days to be easily picked out 
with a finger naiL This saves the necessity of par¬ 
ing the com, which operation has sometimes been 
followed with painful and dangerous symptoms. If 
the com becomes inconvenieut again, repeat the 
process at once.— HalVs Journal of Health. 
-- 
A Pleascno Incident.— Wheu Marshal McMahon 
was entering Paris in triumph after the battle of 
Magenta, a little white-robed girl in the throng ad¬ 
vanced to present him with a huge bouquet. He 
took the little one up and stood her before him on 
the saddle, and not all his deeds of heroic valor ever 
called forth such shouts of applause as this simple 
act. The child wound one little arm about his neck, 
and kissed again and again the bronzed face of the 
warrior, who returned her caress with a father's ten¬ 
derness. From that moment he was doubly the 
idol of the enthusiastic multitude. They looked 
for bravery, but hardly for tenderness and iove in 
their proud general. 
—--•»»■ ■ ■ 
Life in Yeddo. —Among the two millions of peo¬ 
ple by whom Yeddo, in Japan, is inhabited, there 
la not a beggar in the streets, not a man unable to 
read, not a boor, not a drunkard, not a ruffian. The 
women are beautiful. the men are robust and ener¬ 
getic, there is no trouble about fashions, education 
is universal, books are plentiful, though there are 
no newspapers; life is simple and easy, marriage is 
universal, and children go naked. 
Ancient Relics, —Seven more skeletons of hn¬ 
man beings, who are supposed to have lived long 
before the present geological era of the earth, and 
consequently before the period assigned in our or¬ 
dinary chronology to the creatiou, have been dis¬ 
covered in France. Two of the skeletons were 
destroyed by the ignorant laborers who unearthed 
them; but five were preserved, and their skulls j 
were sent to Paris for examination. 
DON’T LEAVE THE FARM. W 
Comb, boys, I have something to tell yon, 1 } 
Come near, I would whisper It low— 
Yon are thinking of leaving the homestead, 
Don’t be in a burry to go. 
The city has many attractions, 
Bnt think of the vices and sins; 
When once in the vortex of fashion, 
How soon tho course downward begins. 
You talk of the mines of Australia— 
They’ve wealth in gold without doubt; 
But ah I there Is gold on the farm, boys, 
H’ only you'll shovel it out: 
The mercantile life is a hazard, 
The goods are first high and then low; 
Better risk the old farm u while longer, 
Don’t be in a bnrry to go I 
The great busy West has inducements, 
And so has the busiest mart, 
But wealth is not. made in a day, boys, 
Don’t be in a burry to start I 
The bankers and brokers are wealthy. 
They take in their thousands or so; 
Ah! think of the frauds and deception, 
Don’t be (u a hurry to go 1 
Tho farm is the safest and surest, 
The orchards aro loaded to-day; 
You’re free as the air of the mountains, 
And monarch of all you survey. 
Better sl ay on tho farm a while longer, 
Though profit comes in rather slow, 
Remember you've nothing to risk, boys, 
Don't be in a hurry to go! 
-- 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
TALKS WITH OUR BOYS AND GIRLS. 
BY UNCLE PAUL. 
KITE-FLYING IN CHINA. 
Spring has really come at last, and kite-flying is 
one of the sports of the season. Half the boys in 
our neighborhood have been flying their kites for 
, several clays past. 
Charlie caught the kite fever yesterday, and 
succeeded in making a honse-kite, as he calls it, 
which mounts up nobly. He calls it a house-kite 
because of its shape. It is pretty nearly square, 
with the two upper corners cut off ; and it has a tail 
about twenty-five feet long. Ho has been flying it 
to-day, the wind being just right, and now wishes 
ns to tell him, as we this morning promised to do, 
something of kite-flying in China. 
The Chinese are a very queer people. They have 
many queer ways. One of their peculiarities is that 
the men fly kites and spin tops, while the boys look 
on. It would be a very funny sight indeed, for you, 
to stand in the suburbs of some Chinese city or 
town and see scores of boys watching the men at 
their sport. So many engage in it that the air 
seems filled with curious objects; and there is such 
a buzzing and whirring overhead ns you never heard 
before! Their kites are of all shapes, almost; some 
look like birds, with broad wings, some like butter¬ 
flies, Borne like the sun, and some like the moon; 
and all have very long tails. 
The bird kite is the most common. This is gen¬ 
erally made to represent a hawk. A piece of paper 
is first cut the exact shape and size of the bird when 
on the wiug, and then painted the natural color and 
stretched on ribs of bamboo, arranged very much 
in the shape of a cross-bow when strung, leaving 
the parts which represent the endB of the wings and 
tail-feathers unbound by the twine, so as to shiver 
in the wind. It rises easily and gracefully, just like 
the real bird, and imitates the bird perfectly; now 
taking a long swoop downward, then soaring again, 
and poising itself with a flutter before repeating the 
process. Sometimes a number of these kites are 
flown at once, by attaching them at different inter¬ 
vals to the string of some larger kite, and the effect 
is very amusing. It looks like a llock of birds 
circling over their prey. 
Some of the kites are shaped like men and women, 
and painted very fantastically. At times they join 
two such ones together, with au umbrella over their 
heads, and send them up among the clouds, where 
they look as though they were walking on the air! 
This sight would seem very’struuge to you, would 
it not? Now and then one is seen shaped Like a 
huge centiped, which, you know, is an animal like 
a worm, but having many feet,—a thousand-legged 
worm, maybe you call it. This, with its scaly joints 
stretching ont from fifty to seventy-five feet, closely 
resembles a terrible centiped creeping down out of 
the clouds. 
They send many messengers up on their kite 
strings, and these are often as curious as the kites. 
The butterfly messenger is the prettiest, and is made 
so that it flutters with open wings right up to the 
kite, but then closes, by means of a little spring, 
and comes down very quickly. Such singular kites 
could not be made by the Chinese, were it not that 
the paper they have is much stronger than ours, yet 
; very light, and the bamboo furnishesjplenty of light 
, but very strong wood for the frames. Our boys 
need hardly hope, then, to make any kites quite 
. equal to those seen in China. 
A GRATEFUL TIGER. 
A caged tiger had a live dog thrown to it, one 
day, for its dinner. Not being very hungry, the 
usually fierce creature did not touch the trembling 
little victim. This quietness gavejthe dog courage, 
and he began to lick the tiger’s eyes, which were 
sore. This act seemed pleasant to the wild beast, 
and the dog continued it, from time to time, till the 
eyes of the savage got well. The tiger from that 
time took his tiny, four-legged doctor under his pat¬ 
ronage, looked upon him kindly, and allowed him 
to eat what he chose of the food thrown into his den. 
Henceforth they lived like bosom friends. 
Thus you see even a fierce tiger can be grateful 
for a little favor, How much more, then, should 
children learn to be grateful to their friends for the 
great favors they have received V When I see boys 
and girls unkind aud insulting to their parents, who 
have done and suffered bo much for them, I tell 
them the story of the tiger and the dog, and say,— 
“Children, don’t be less grateful to your kind pa¬ 
rents than the tiger to the little dog.” 
-- 
Choose Well.— The line of conduct chosen by a 
young man during the five years from fifteen to 
twenty, will, in almost every instance, determine 
bis character for life. As he is then careful or care¬ 
less, prudent or Imprudent, indust rious or indolent, 
truthful or dissimulating, intelligent or ignorant, 
temperate or dissolute, so wifi he be in after years; 
and it needs no prophet to cast his horoscope, or 
calculate his chances in life. 
- 4'l«n> - 
Wa are all kings and queens in the cradle, and _ 
each babe is a new marvel, a new miracle. 
