EARLY DAYS.

JULY, 1858.

THE WHITE CONVOLVULUS.

The convolvulus requires a support; but, if it twine round a wer, it soon fades away.

O, WHEREFORE art thou twining,
All loveliness and grace,

My flower, around another

Of thy frail and dying race?

While closer, closer clinging
To such a feeble stay,
Each fervent grasp but hastens
Thy premature decay.

For such support will wither;
And on the' unfriendly ground,

Its beauty soil'd, and fading,
Will my loved flower be found.

But, though so weak and helpless,
Thy nature is to rise,

And bear thy pure white beauty
Still nearer to the skies.

And yet, while upward tending,

There evermore should be,

Not of thy own selecting,

Some prop, sweet flower, for thee.

Then leave it to thy Guardian,
Who thy weakness knoweth well;
And what will best uphold thee,

'Tis He alone can tell.

St. John's Wood.

ELIZA W. BRadburn.

FISH-BARK OF ST. PETERSBURG.

THE fish-barks of St. Petersburg are floating fishmongers' shops, in which are bought and sold all the fish consumed in that capital during the summer. This ark is surrounded by numerous floating cisterns and boats, either pierced with small holes to admit the clear waters of the Neva, or filled with salt water for the natives of the sea. In these are kept various kinds of fish alive, while the bark is the fishmonger's residence, which communicates with the quay by means of a railed plank.

On the application of a customer for a fish, the person is conducted down a sloping plank to the reservoirs, and makes choice of the fish, which are secured by means of a small landing-net; those which are not approved being returned to the proper vessels. In winter this mode cannot be practised; for the water is ice; and, besides, all sorts of food, as "fish, flesh, and fowl," are frozen as hard as wood.

THE STORY OF PRINCE ARTHUR.

I SUPPOSE children, as well as older people, sometimes feel discontented, and disposed to find fault

h the circumstances in which they are placed; and y think, if they could only exchange situations h some one who seems to possess many more rces of enjoyment than themselves, they could ily be contented and happy. Perhaps you have ught, sometimes, that it would be a very fine ng to live amid the splendours and pleasures of a at palace, with wealth and servants at your mmand. But I think we shall see, from the story am going to tell you, that to be "happy as a Ince," is not always being as happy as many a Ele boy or girl who reads the "Early Days." Prince Arthur was the grandson of Henry II., ng of England, and, on the death of his uncle chard, was the rightful heir to the throne. But uncle John, who was a heartless, unprincipled n, determined to have the kingdom for himself, I was really crowned very soon after his brother's th. Arthur's father was dead; and his mother k him to the court of the French King, Philip, o pretended to be very much interested, and >mised to help Arthur to obtain his rights. But

promises of Kings in those days meant very le, and were not at all to be depended upon, if rsonal interests could be served by breaking m. King Philip soon found it convenient to ake peace with King John, and left poor Arthur win his kingdom as he best could.

So the young Prince went back to his old home Brittany, and lived there very quietly for a time. thur was Duke of Brittany; and the people loved m very much, partly on account of an old tradi