grafting for tjjf forntg. 
THE ADVENTURES OF MILTIADES PETER- 
KIN PAUL. 
Littijs MiUiades Peterkin Paid 
Had been heard to declare lie feared nothing at all. 
*• Tliere’s Abiathnr Ann." he would nay, “ new at her 
age, 
One would think she miglit eliow a little more courage. 
Why, 1 really believe she would fall dead with friKlit, 
If nhe came down the lane by herself in the night. 
I can tell you. though, that’s not the #tu0 ! «ui made of, 
1 never saw anything I was afraid of!" 
But one. warm summer evening it chanced to befall, 
That little Miltiades Peterktn Paul, 
Having been to the village for John Henry Jack, 
Found it growing quite dark when he came to start 
hack. 
But he thought. "Tooh! I don’t care for that, in the 
least!" 
And he winked at the full^noon, just ui> in the east; 
Then with his hands in hie pockets he swaggered along, 
While he. kept up hie courage with whistle and song. 
All at once young Millladee Peterkin Paul, 
Am he turned down the lane perceived dose by the 
wall; 
Straight before him, a dark, ghostly Shape, crouching 
low,— 
Which frightened poor little Mlltlados ho 
That he turned cold all over—our valiant young hero— 
Just an though the tliermomelor’d dropped down to 
zero; 
Then, his heart heating loudly, he covered his face 
With UiH hands, and trudged on at a much quicker 
pace. 
But little Miltiados Peterkin Paul 
Had not gone many steps, when he thought, " After 
all. 
1 may be mistaken; perhaps I mistook 
Some old stump, or a rock, or the cow, for a * spook.’ 
Why, what could I be thinkiug of!" Then, growing 
bolder, 
He ventured to cast a glance over his shoulder; 
When, what was his wonder and horror to find 
That the specter was following him close behind. 
For one moment Miltiados Peterkin Paul, 
Was 00 terribly frightened, he thought he would fall. 
Then he flung his checked apron up over Mb head 
To shut out the dread sight, aud luglorloualy fled. 
But, alas! by the footsteps behind ho soon knew 
That liis ghostly pursuer began to run. too; 
And he uttered a shriek, and sped on without knowing. 
(With hiB eyes covered up), just which way he was 
going. 
But little Miltiados Peterkin Paul, 
Though ho ran like the wind, found ’twas no use at all. 
The footsteps grew louder behind, and at last 
He suddenly fouud himself naught and held fast. 
Whereupon, faint with terror, he sank to liis knees, 
And in piteous accents besought, " O sir, plense. 
Good, kind Mr, Ghost, let me go! O, pirate do! 
I ajn sure I would do ic much, gladly, for you!" 
But. Just then the Ghost spoke and Bootlied his alarms 
And he found he’d rushed into his own brother’s arms. 
“ Why," cried Johu Henry .Tank, " What does this 
mean, my lad? 0. 
I see, Jla! ha! ha' Why, sir, that's your men shadow 
And, sure enough, when be uncovered his face. 
Our hero saw plainly that such was the case. 
“ Well!” said little Miltiades Peterkin Paul, 
Please don’t tell our Abiathar Ann—that is all!” 
[ Wide Awake. 
THE RURAL 
It; but at length my boy, with the sagacity and 
perseverance of a hound, ferreted It out, and 
away we went again. 
About 11 o’clock we got Into a patch of very 
thick, scrubby brush (what the Kaffirs call “tdoro’* 
brush), In a deep kloof between the hills, and here 
we went along with great care and caution, ex¬ 
pecting every minute to see the elephants, aR 1 
made sure they would not puss a place bo favora¬ 
ble for their midday siesta : however, they went 
clean out of here, and up the steep hill on the 
other side. Arrived at tbe top, we looked down 
on a large kloof, Inclosed on all sides with steep 
hills, and covered with dense bush, t hicker a great 
deal than that, we had just come through; and as 
I looked I felt sure rny friends were standing 
sleeping not many hundred yards off. 
At this Instant, glancing to the right, I per¬ 
ceived four elephants coming down the side of 
the hill a little on ahead (my hoy afterward 
claimed to have headed them back toward the 
valley) so I ran to intercept them. 
I was just in time, and ns they passed In front 
of me, at. not more than forty yards’ distance, In 
single tile, I gave the last one (he having t he finest 
ivory) a shot In the middle of t he shoulder, but a 
few Inches too high; however, It slackened his 
speed considerably, and ho left the others. Quick¬ 
ly reloading, I followed, and getting to where the 
hush was a little more open, shouted behind him : 
“ III, there!—woho, old man!" and fatal curiosity, 
or perhaps a wish for vengeance. Inducing him to 
turn, i planted another four-ounce ball in Ms 
chest, lie wheeled round Immediately; but his 
strength falling him. only walked a few yards, 
and stood under a tree; and, after receiving an¬ 
other bullet square on the shoulder, gave a llerce 
shake of the head, making his huge ears flap 
and sinking slowly down wah his hind legs 
doubled out, surrendered up Ms tough old splrlt- 
looklng for all the world, though dead,;ilke a tame 
elephant when kneeling down for people to ascend 
the howdah. 
-YORKE 
AUG, 41 
ed female ? We of the present generation should 
be deeply grateful that we live In more enllghted 
times, partly because of the deserved advance In 
the condition of the fair sex, but mainly on ac¬ 
count of our juster appreciation of the luscious 
savor of the oyster. With these few’ serious 
hints on what that Individual did not feel, 1 
leave it to more frlvilous souls to tell amusingly 
how be felt, SotoMON Sap. 
A Question of Morals. 
Dear Uncle True : Last week my father (1 am 
too old to call Mm papa any longer) was kind 
enough to take me to New York City. My first 
visit. 
lam not going to tell you or all that transpired, 
but of one Incident only. We dined one day at 
a restaurant. Next to our table sat two young 
men. Fashionable young men. Though but a 
few years older than myself, they called for 
cigars, tooth-picks, and as they were going, one 
left a ten cent piece upon the table for the waiter, 
lie did It In such a matter-of-conrso way, that 
the waiter did not notice it, until he had gone. 
Then he saw It, and in what seemed to me a sly 
way, put It into his pocket. 
I ask the kind cousins if that was right? 
Did he steal? 1 think he did. 
Uncle True, I am writing a letter to you for one 
of the prizes you offer. 
Love to all good cousin, 
Job Nkilb. 
>abktj) llraiiutg. 
LETTERS FOR BOYS 
GIRLS. 
NOTICE. 
Uncle True begs to warn competitors for 
the prizes offered in issue of July 21, that Aug. 
18 will be the limit for tbe reception of such 
articles. 
-- 
MY FIRST ELEPHANT. 
Some years ago, says a traveler. In my first 
hunting t rip in Africa, I had been tramping about 
for days lu the hot, sands, which l seemed to 
moisten as l walked; aud at last, wearied out,, we 
camped down for the night close to a pool, l was 
In the land ot dreams, and back In England, when 
] was awakened by one or my Kaffirs, and, slicing 
up, there was about the SWiulgfiSt noise of wal¬ 
lowing, spouting and trumpeting I had ever 
heard. It was for all the world as. It some great 
boast were playing with water, and kept saying 
“Pomp ” 
“ Elephants," my boy whispered. 
And wo lay listening—1 without the slightest 
desire to go and attack them in the dark ; and at 
last, all becoming silent, I dropped again Into 
that sound sleep enjoyed by the tired man. 
The next morning, on seeking the nearest pool, 
the first glance convinced us that, our ears had 
not played us false In the night, tor there, deeply 
impressed In the soft mud, lay the giant foot¬ 
prints ot several splendid bulls. 
Acarerul survey round about showed us that 
they bad come down che valley to the right, and, 
after drluklug and splashing about In all the 
pools, had gone out into the low hills on the left; 
so putting my best spearing Kaffir on the track, 
we lost no time In St irttog lu pursuit. 
The troop, as well as could be judged, consisted 
of about ten or t welve bulls, amongst them three 
or four regular old teasers, with footprints nearly 
two feet In diameter. 
After following their spoor about a couple of 
hours across an easy sort or country, It led us to 
some much higher aud more rugged Mils, and 
here they had ceased to feed aud taken to an 
old path, stepping it out at a brisk pace In single 
file. 
After following the spoor for about another 
hour along this path, It once more left It, and 
struck off again In the old direction across the 
hills, and, just here getting among a lot of yester¬ 
day’s tracks, we had great difficulty in following 
About the Oyater. 
Dear Uncle True : In a late Issue of your paper, 
you offered the somewhat Indefinite premium of 
“ another book," for the most amusing descrip¬ 
tion of what must have been t he feelings of the 
first man who was asked to swallow an oyster. 
The vague possibilities of such a prize, coupled 
with the imaginative scope of the subject, would 
have strongly tempted me to become the winner, 
were it not that the touch of comicality, neces¬ 
sary in the description, would be wholly Inconsist¬ 
ent with the gravity that must always distinguish 
the productions of my pen. in all my studies I 
have railed to discover anything "amusing” In 
the works of my revered namesake. Now, 
through Ufe, T have resolved to imitate. In my 
writings, the grave wisdom of bis, lienee, the 
lncomputabtUty of •’ fun " with anything over my 
signature. Moreover, in tills case, It must have 
been a serious matter to Insult, the taste and 
judgement of a man by so atrocious a proposal, 
and on principle, I object, to a comical treatment 
of a serious subject. 1 toko It that the individual 
to whom this proposition was first made, must 
have been knowu to ids suggestive companion as 
the possessor of an excellent temper, since In the 
barbarous age, when the first faint Idea arose that 
the slippery mollusk might, possibly not bo so 
loathsome to the human palate as Its appearance 
indicated, it would have been dangerous to make 
such a proposition to any savage whose disposi¬ 
tion was not of the sweetest, kind, For It, Is only 
a high degree of culture or a sunny nature that 
will enable one to submit calmly either to a prac¬ 
tical joke or an outrageous suggestion. 1 1 should 
bo borne In mind, however, that In those primi¬ 
tive days, the sensibilities of the race were few 
in number, though strongly developed, for, while 
civilization multiplies human emotions it modi¬ 
fies their force. The gentle savage, therefore, at 
whom we areJooklng back, through the mists of 
untold ages, as ho stands naked on the sands of 
the forest-lined seacost, could not possibly have 
experienced a tithe of the sentiments ot disgust, 
abhorrence, Indignation or resentment., with 
which a man tormented by our present multiplic¬ 
ity ot delicate senstbllilies, would have received 
such a strange, proposal. Moreover, the stomach, 
accustomed m those rude days to coarse, and 
doubtless, often unclean fare, was much more 
robust, than our present digestive organs, and 
would not have been so ready to rise In rebellion 
against the reception of such a morsel. Probably, 
therefore, the good-natured aborigine viewed the 
matter as a huge Joke, und with agutteral rattle, 
the discordant predecessor ot the rippling laugh 
Of to-dny, thrust his semi-developed thumb be¬ 
tween the hairy ribs of his comrade, and ex¬ 
claimed, “Not for Joseph! ” 
It was probably not less than ten thousand 
yeare after this, that the first oyster was actually 
eaten, for long steps In human progress were 
taken slowly in those early days, when the Intel¬ 
lect ot mankind was still in its Infancy. A great 
deul has often been said with regard to the lavor- 
ableiufiucnceot woman on civilization, and there 
can be little doubt but that tbe world owe6 a debt 
of gratitude to one or that sex for having been 
the first to swallow an oyster. Among the fierce 
savages ot remote time the position of woman 
was extremely abject." It was also not an uncom¬ 
mon practice among them to test the effects of 
novel experiments on worthless creatures. My 
brulher Sam tells me that t his usage was after¬ 
ward characterized as rxpvritnenlnm in copore 
vili.) What more natural, therefore, than that 
they should have tested the consequences of 
eating an oyster for the first time on some wretch- 
HIDDEN GULFS. 
1. “To bo or not to be?” 
2. One gate was left open. 
8 . On the river Cam hay trees grow. 
4 . ’Twas a reef on Secanda’s beech. 
5. Tls a fast law, Reneedo. 
6 . in Ico yams abound. 
7. Why fl.v lu a rage or giant strides take ? 
8 . It is a bad ulcer. 
9. I gave Nozue lace for a jacket. 
10 . Had Arle no friends? 
H. I call old age no accusation. 
12. One tun Is enough. 
13. Thou art an Imposter. 
14. Bravo, Lottte mine. 
15. Richard Antzl came rrom Spain. 
16. I live In Macon, Tessa dear. 
17. It must be a burg, as It Is not a town. 
tsr~ Answer In two weeks. Little One. 
ANAGRAMS OF BIRDS. 
1. Ma log fin. 2. Nero II. 3. Jaw Cad K. 4. 
Coke powder. 5. Philip, row low, 0. Clan pic. 
7. Pine gun. 8. Home kitchens cry care. 9. Any 
car. 10. Iam, Peg. 11. Ale slug. 12. Dog flinch. 
13. An ash pet. 14. Trap dirge. 16. New R. 16. 
Karl. 17. Klorot. IS. Low. 10. It’s cow. 20. G, 
true. 21. Ten ribs, T. 22. Her gin sklf. 23. So 
was cur. 24. To Konal. 
Iir Answer In two weeks. Md. 
HJEMONY. 
f" Amono the rest a small, unsightly root, 
But of divine effect, he culled me out ; 
The leaf was darkish, and had prickles on it. 
But in another country, as he said. 
Bore a bright golden flower, but not in this soil— 
He called it Haauiony.—JWUf on.] 
A t.tttle dust the summer breeze 
Had sifted up within a cleft, 
A slanted raindrop from the trees, 
A tiny seed by chance airs left— 
It was enough: the seedling grew. 
And from the barren rock-heart drew 
Her dimpled leaf and tender bud. 
And dew* that did the bare rock stud; 
And crowned at length her simple head, 
With utter sweetness, breathed afar, 
And burning like ft d natty star— 
Sweetness upon so little fed, 
Ah me! ah me! 
And yet hearts iro uncomforted. 
For hearts, dear lorn, such seedlings are, 
That need «o little, »h. so less 
Than little on this earth, to bear 
The sun-sweet blossom, happiness; 
And sing— thonc dying hearts that, come 
To go—their swan-song flying homo. 
A touch, a tender tone, no more; 
A face that linger* by the door 
To turn and smile, a fond word said, 
A kiss-these thing* make heaven; and yet 
We do neglect, refuse, forget, 
To give that little, ere ’tis fled; 
Ah me! ah me! 
Aud sad hearts go uncomforted. 
I asked of thee but little, nay. 
Not for the golden fruit thy bough 
Ripens for theo and thine who, day 
By day, beneath thy shadow grow; 
Only for what, from that full store. 
Had made, me rich, nor left theo poor— 
A driftof blossom,needed not 
For fruit, yet blessing some dim spot; 
A touch, a tender word soon said. 
Fond tones that seem our dead again 
Come back after long years of pain; 
Lonely, for these my sick heart bled— 
Ah me! ah me! 
Sad hearts that go uncomforted. 
[Ellice Hopkins. 
STAR PUZZLE. 
1. A town on the Erie Railway. 2. A city of 
Mississippi. 3. A city of India. 4. A city of China. 
Arrange as a star. 
kw Answer In two weeks. l. o. 
DROP-LETTER PUZZLE. 
I.-RD h-v- m-re- up-n -s, -nd -ncl-n-r h- -rts 
t- k- -p th-s 1-w. Fill the blanks with vowels, and 
find a response of the P. E. Church. 
utr Answer In two weeks. Dr. 
- 
WORD-SQUARE ENIGMA. 
1. The prince of darkness. 2. To humble. 3. 
Tapestry. 4. To move one side. 5. A French 
river (transposed). 
lay Answer In two weeks. n. b. 
-*♦«- 
NAME PUZZLE. 
Place the names of four ladles so that the In¬ 
itials form a fifth. 
szr Answer In two weeks. b. 
-.—»-*■■»■—--- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-July 28. 
Hidden Islands.— 1, Alan: 2, Anglesea; 3. Coa; 
4 . Madagascar; ft, Bermuda; R, Tobago; 7, Bahama; 
8 , Coney; «, Staten; 10, Long; U,Martinique: 12. 
Sunrta ; 13, Formosa ; 14, Fox; 15, Wight; 16, Staffa; 
IT, Mull, 
Cross-word Enigma.—B toughton. 
Double AOROSTrc.—Primals, John C. Calhoun , 
finals, Patrick Henry. 
Central PrzzLS.— Asbestos. 
Triple acrostic.— Primals, George; centrals, 
Samuel; finals, Walter. 
Transposition of women’s Names.—1, Char¬ 
lotte ; 3, Aruholla ; 3, Catharine ; 4, Deborah ; 5, Er¬ 
nestine; «, Florence; 7, Georgina; 8, Isabella; 9, 
Honorin; 10. Margaret. 
STAR PUZZLE.— 
TON 
EES 
L L 0 
IMPOSTERS 
8 T O 
A I O 
RAP 
T L E 
Word-square enigma.— 
skin 
kino 
INTO 
NOON 
WHAT MAY A CHRISTIAN READ! 
Perhaps there was never a time when there was 
need of so much prayerful study over this serious 
question. Sensible people are tolerably circum¬ 
spect with regard to the kinds of food they eat. 
When they learn from experience that a certain 
kind Is hurtful to them, they abstain lrom It in 
future, but It would bo a rare thing to find one as 
considerate with regard to food for the mind. The 
world Is so full of books and periodical literature 
that they would lie In wait tor us at every move 
we make. No wonder the young are beguiled by 
mueh that Is only sweetened poison for mind und 
soul, when older heads are led astray by the 
same. 
How shall we decide what to read ? Doubtless 
here, as In the matter of food, each must decide 
for himself, excepting of course those things 
which are known to be bad. No one need to be 
told to let alone a tainted Joint, so no one should 
hesitate a second over a tainted book. But t here 
lsa great deal of reading which Is currently set 
down as “ good,” which may better be left alone. 
When 1 was young, Miss Edgeworth's Moral 
Talcs were counted most Improving reading for 
youth, and older people also delighted In them. 
The celebrated Robert Hall read them with a 
keen relish, but here Is the conclusion at which 
he arrived with regard to thorn : “ When reading 
these tales, the talent of which is exceedingly 
great, but which are distinguished by the total 
absence of religion, and Die want of all reference 
to it, even lu the scenes of death, the Influence on 
my mind was such that during the time devoted 
to that reading It was with great difficulty and 
perplexity 1 was able to discharge my ministerial 
duties. It became, therefore, painfully evident to 
me, that to be conversant, long together, with 
tra ins of thought, or associations of Ideas from 
which religion Is entirely excluded, Is of most 
dangerous tendency." 
If it was dangerous for Robert Hall, with all his 
mental power and discipline, how would It he 
likely to Influence the thoughtless and undisci¬ 
plined mind of youth ? A dear little girl, only 
nine years old who was ripening fast tor heaven, 
voluntarily laid aside those pretty story books of 
Mrs. Edgeworth’s though very fond of them, be¬ 
cause she found 6he did not love so well to read 
her Bible afterwards, nor could she draw so near 
In prayer to her blessed Jesus. Taught by the 
same Spirit, she. had arrived at the same conclu¬ 
sion with the learned divine. 
Here we may all nod a test that will help us to 
decide with regard to our own reading. If it 
draws us away from Ood, we need no one to tell 
us that it is a sin unto ub. The field from which 
to choose is so wide, and the time so short, how 
can we afford to waste an hour on that which 
makes us neither wiser nor better.— [Christian 
journal. 
You and I cannot spare our cross. It we think 
of any one that may go, aud the Lord should send 
a ray of light Into our souls, we should exclaim, 
“ Lord, let not that go; I see now that It Is an es¬ 
sential to my well-being.” 
God sees us in secret, therefore let us seek His 
face in secret. Though heaven be God’s palace, 
■ yet It Is not His prison. 
