The race for life, unconsciously on the part of the pursued, was now fairly begun. The swimmers, in their friendly rivalry, strained every nerve; but the shark gained rapidly upon them.

5. Manning, though inwardly tortured with anxiety, still preserved his calm and smiling appearance, as he continued to utter incentives to increase the speed of his unfortunate friends. "Look at it, gentlemen!" he exclaimed; watch that cost me a hundred pounds in London. Think of the glory of winning it! Faster! faster! Don't give up!"

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6. They were still a long way from the shore, when one of them showed some signs of fatigue, and was apparently about to relinquish the race. That was a moment of agony to Manning. "What, Farnum!" he exclaimed to this friend, "do you grow a laggard so soon? Fie, man! fie! A few more good strokes, and you will be the conqueror ' Bravo!29 That's it! that's it!

7. The tired competitor, thus encouraged, struck out his arms with new vigor. On came the shark behind the still unconscious swimmers, nearer and nearer, his enormous fins flashing in the sunlight. The swimmers approached the shore; the shark was so near them that he turned upon his side to make the final plunge at them, and begin the work of death.

8. At this moment, Manning rushed into the water with his cane, by which he frightened the shark, and then, dragging his amazed and exhausted friends upon the bank, pointed to the baffled sea-monster, Low angrily lashing the waves with his fins.

9. Then the swimmers comprehended the imminent danger from which they had escaped, and one of them fell fainting to the earth. They never forgot the unconscious match with the shark, nor the admirable presence of mind of their friend Manning, to which they were indebted for their Lives.

XCIX. THE THREE COLORS

A FABLE.

1. It was a bright summer morning; but as noon approached the air became sultry, the sky clouded, a storm was gathering. The three colors began to vie with each. other as to which was the fairest.

2. “I,” said the Yellow, "am loved by the early spring flowers; I gild the clouds in sunset, and spread myself over the ripening corn; nestle among the leaves, and forsake them not till they die."

3. "In the damask rose I am seen," said the Red; "I am with all the bright summer flowers; I tint the gayest butterflies; in the glowing autumn skies I am seen in full glory. Who can vie with me?"

4. "Look to the cloudless summer sky; to the deep shades of the green wood, where the blue-bells grow, and there thou wilt see me, said the Blue. "The modest violet is mine, the hare-bell, and forget-me-not. I am in the deep waters also. Where, indeed, am I not?"

5. The rain came down in torrents; the sun broke out, and smiled upon the storm; and, lo! in a beautiful rainbow, which stretched over the heavens, the three colors appeared blended in the most perfect harmony.

1. A SPANISH traveller met an Indian in the desert. They were both on horseback. The Spaniard, fearing that his horse, which was not one of the best, would not hold out to the end of his journey, asked the Indian, whose horse was young, strong and spirited, to exchange with him. This the Indian refused to do.

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2. The Spaniard, therefore, began to quarrel with him. From words they proceeded to blows; and the aggressor, being well armed, proved too powerful for the native. So he

seized the poor Indian's horse, and, having mounted him, pursued his journey.

3. The Indian closely followed him to the nearest town, and immediately complained to a justice. The Spaniard was summoned to appear, and bring the horse with him. He, however, treated the rightful owner of the animal as an impostor, affirming that the horse was his property, and that he had always had him in his possession, having brought him up from a colt.

4. There being no proof to the contrary, the justice was about to dismiss the parties, when the Indian cried out, "The horse is mine, and I'll prove it." He took off his blanket, and with it instantly covered the animal's head; then addressing the justice,-"Since this man," said he, "affirms that he has raised this horse from a colt, command him to tell in which of his eyes he is blind."

5. The Spaniard, who would not seem to hesitate, instantly answered, "In the right eye."-"He is neither blind in the right eye nor the left," replied the Indian. The justice was so fully convinced by this ingenious and decisive proof, that he decreed to the Indian his horse, and gave orders that the Spaniard should be punished as a robber.

CI. THE BEACON-LIGHT.

1. DARKNESS was deepening o'er the seas,
And still the hulk drove on;

No sail to answer to the breeze,
Her masts and cordage gone.

Gloomy and drear her course of fear,
Each looked but for a grave,

When, full in sight, the beacon-light3
Came streaming o'er the wave.

2. Then wildly rose the gladdening shout
Of all that hardy crew;

Boldly they put the helm about,

And through the surf they flew.

Storm was forgot, toil heeded not,
And loud the cheer they gave,
As, full in sight, the beacon-light
Came streaming o'er the wave.

3. And gayly of the tale they told,
When they were safe on shore;

How hearts had sunk, and hopes grown cold,

Amid the billows' roar;

When not a star had shone from far,
By its pale beam to save,
Then, full in sight, the beacon-light
Came streaming o'er the wave.

4. Thus, in the night of Nature's gloom,
When sorrow bows the heart,

When cheering hopes no more illume,
And comforts all depart;

Then from afar shines Bethlehem's star,
With cheering light to save;

And, full in sight, is beacon-light

Comes streaming o'er the grave.

MISS PARDOE.

CII. WHICH WAS THE COWARD?

Scene the First.

Ralf. GOOD-MORNING, Cousin Laura! I have a word to say to you.

Laura. Only a word? It is yet half an hour to schooltime, and I can listen.

Ralf. I saw you yesterday speaking to that fellow Sterling - Frank Sterling.

Laura. Of course I spoke to Frank. What then? Is he too good to be spoken to?

Ralf. Far from it! You must give up his acquaint

ance.

Laura. Indeed, Cousin Ralf! I must give up his acquaintance! On what compulsion must I?

Ralf. If you do not wish to be cut by all the boys of the academy, you must cut Frank.

Laura. Cut! What do you mean by cut?

Ralf. By cutting, I mean not rec'ognizing an individual. When a boy who knows you passes you without speaking or bowing, he cuts you.

Laura. I thank you for the explanation! And I am to understand that I must either give up the acquaintance of my friend Frank, or submit to the terrible mortification of being "cut" by Mr. Ralf Burton and his companions!

Ralf. Certainly. Frank is a boy of no spirit — in short, a coward.

Laura. How has he shown it?

Ralf. Why, a dozen boys have dared him to fight, and he refuses to do it.

Laura. And is your test of courage a willingness to fight? If so, a bull-dog is the most courageous of gentle

men.

Ralf. I am serious, Laura; you must give him up. Why, the other day, Tom Harding put a chip on my hat, and dared Frank Sterling to knock it off. But Sterling folded his arms and walked off, while we all groaned and hissed.

Laura. You did? You groaned and hissed? O! Ralf, I did not believe you had so little of the true gentleman about you!

Ralf. What do you mean? Come, now, I do not like that!

Laura. Frank Sterling refused to degrade himself to the level of the brute, and engage in a rough-and-tumble fight, and so you joined in insulting him! Shame upon you, Cousin Ralf!

Ralf. O it is easy to say "shame; " but, if a fellow of my own size dared me to fight him

Laura. You would not have the courage to refuse. And why? Because you are afraid of being hissed. Now,