British man-of-war. On approaching that vessel, he called to its crew to send a party on board, as he had six prisoners to deliver.

5. The Frenchmen, intim'idated, and glad to be saved from the storm, made no effort to escape. When the party came from the war-vessel, they actually found the six Frenchmen already made prisoners by the boy, who had gathered all their arms beside him. The ship and cargo were saved for the owners.

3. Alas! none knew him there!

He pointed to a stōne,

On which the name he breathed was traced,

A name to them unknown;

And then the old man wept.

"I am friendless, now," cried he, "Where I had many friends in youth, Not one remembers me!"

T. H. BAYLY.

LXXVII.

THE CROCUS'SEI SOLILOQUY."

1. Down in my solitude, under the snow,
Where nothing cheering can reach me,
Here, without light to see how I should grow,
I trust to nature to teach me.

I'll not despair, nor be idle, nor frown,

Though locked in so gloomy a dwelling;

My leaves shall shoot up, while my root 's running down,
And the bud in my bosom is swelling.

2. Soon as the frost will get out of my bed,
From this cold dungeon to free me,

I will peer up, with my bright little head;
All will be joyful to see me!

Then from my heart will young petals diverge,"
Like rays of the sun from their focus,EI
When I from the darkness of earth shall emerge,
All complete as a beautiful Crocus!

3. Gayly arrayed in gold, crimson and green,
When to their view I have risen,

Will they not wonder how one so serene
Came from so dismal a prison?
Many, perhaps, from so simple a flower
A wise little lesson may borrow :—

If patient to-day through the dreariest hour,
We shall come out the brighter to-morrow!
MISS H. F. GOULD.

1. A PIOUS father had an unruly son, who, refusing all exhortations, spent his days in the company of bad men, and indulged in every sensual pleasure. Thus his heart became more and more corrupt, and every virtue was deadened within him. The father mourned in silence for the perversity of the youth.

2. After some time the father fell dangerously ill; and,

When

when he felt death approaching, he sent for his son. the son appeared by the bedside of his father, the latter said to him: "Fear not, my son, that I shall reproach thee with thy way of life. Behold, I shall die, and thou shalt be heir to my possessions. But fulfil the last wish which I shall address to thee. It is easy to accomplish it; therefore I trust thou wilt promise to fulfil it, and wilt keep thy word."

3. The son answered that he would do so, if it lay in his power. Then the dying father said, "Promise me, my son, that, for the space of two months, thou wilt come every night into this chamber, and devote one half-hour to solitude. and reflection."

4. The son promised faithfully to do so, and gave his father his hand upon it; his father blessed him and died, and his mortal body was buried. The son returned to his companions, and lived merrily and thoughtlessly as before.

5. But when the night came he remembered his vow, and the image of his dying father admonished him to keep it. At first it was very troublesome to him to be alone; it seemed so dreary and silent, and fear fell upon him. But he overcame this feeling on account of his pledged word, thinking, "Two months will pass quickly."

6. But, behold, now his eyes were opened concerning his life; his heart accused him, and the fear of the Lord entered into his soul; he com'muned with himself, and wept, and became henceforth another man.

FROM THE GERMAN OF KRUMMACHER.

LXXIX.

MACGREGOR AND LAMONT- A TRUE NARRATIVE.

1. To be able to subdue one's feelings of anger and revenge in moments of great temptation, is one of the noblest triumphs of the human being in this dis'ciplinary world. The power was well exercised by a chief of one of

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the Highland clans in Scotland, about the year 1625. His example is worthy of being remembered.

2. His name was Macgregor. One day his son went, with a party of associates, on a shooting excursion. In their wanderings they met with an acquaintance of the name of Lamont'; whereupon all the young men repaired to a kind of inn on the road to take some refreshment.

3. Here was the beginning of mischief.

"Refreshment! 123 The word is a harmless one in itself, but how often is it perverted and misused as a cover for tippling, dram-drinking, and the most degrading excesses!

4. When, after wholesome exercise and labor, we swallow a draught of pure water, or partake in moderation of needful food, we may say, with truth, that we have had refreshment. But when, from vile habit or degenerate appetite, we resort to intoxicating liquors, it is not refreshment, but abasement of body and soul that we undergo.

5. How many murderous brawls, how much domestic misery, how many wrecks of mind and fortune, may date their origin from what is falsely called "taking refreshment" in a bar-room or tavern! "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath wounds without cause? They that tarry long at the wine!"

EI

6. In the case of young Macgregor and Lamont, they met as friends; but it was not long after they had "touched glasses" and taken wine together, before some trifling dispute broke out, and, the fumes of the wine having mounted into their brains, and made them foolish and quarrelsome, they became as foes towards each other.

7. It is not recorded how the quarrel began. Perhaps one knocked the other's cap off in jest, and the other took it as an insult meant in earnest. Perhaps one trod on the other's toes, and the other threw a glass of wine in his face. A drunken man needs but a straw to make a quarrel about. 8. High words arose; and after words came blows; and then dirks were dra wn, and the scuffle ended in Lamont's

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stabbing young Macgregor mortally to the heart. For a moment Lamont stood paralyzed with horror. In his sober moments he was a mild and honorable youth ; and here he was, suddenly transformed into a homicide !I

9. He fled from the tavern during the confusion caused by the event; but he was soon hotly pursued by Macgregor's friends. He managed to conceal himself all night in the bushes; and early in the morning he made his way towards the nearest house he could see.

10. The occupant of the house opened the door, and beheld before him a stranger, pale and haggard. "Save my life," said the stranger, "for men are in pursuit of me to take it away."-" Whoever you are," replied the man of the house, "here you are safe."

11. Lamont was conducted to an inner apartment, and had just been introduced to the family, when a loud inquiry was made at the door, if a stranger had entered the house. "He has," said the occupant," and what is your business with him?"

12. "In a scuffle," cried the pursuers, "he has killed your son; deliver him up, that we may instantly revenge the deed." And so it was! Lamont had taken refuge in the house of the father of the young man whom he had slain.

13. The wife and the two daughters of Macgregor, when they heard the intelligence, gave utterance to the most heart-rending cries. Lamont, now for the first time aware in whose house he was, came forward and said, "Give me up, sir; I have no longer any claim upon your hospitality." -"Ay! give him up! He shall not live!" cried the young men at the door, brandishing their swords.

14. "Silence!" said the chief, while the tears streamed down his cheeks; (l would you bereave me of my honor as well as of my son? Let no man presume to touch this youth; for he has Macgregor's word for his safety; and, as the Lord liveth, he shall be safe and secure while in my house!"