winter, when she forsakes the rich pasture, a well-built house is provided for her, well painted, and maintained in the most perfect order. Her stall is of ample dimensions; the floor is scrubbed and polished; and her hide is daily curried and brushed, and sponged to her heart's content.

XVIII.-THE HEAVENLY BODIES.

ADDISON.

[Joseph Addison, a native of England, born 1672, died 1719, was highly distin guished as a writer of prose. His poetry was popular in his own age, but is not now much read, with the exception of two or three of his hymns, which have much merit both in sentiment and expression.}

THE spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue, ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.

Th' unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's power display,

And publishes to every land

The work of an almighty hand.

Soon as the evening shades prevail,

The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;

While all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,

And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What though in solemn silence all,
Move round the dark, terrestrial ball?
What though nor real voice nor sound
Amid their radiant orbs be found?

In reason's ear they all rejoice,

And utter forth a glorious voice,
Forever singing, as they shine,
"The hand that made us is divine."

XIX. THE FLYING FISH.*

MOORE.

WHEN I have seen thy snow-white wing
From the blue wave at evening spring,
And show those scales of silvery white
So gayly to the eye of light,
As if thy frame were formed to rise
And live amid the glorious skies,
O, it has made me proudly feel
How like thy wing's impatient zeal
Is the pure soul that rests not, pent
Within this world's gross element,
But takes the wing that God has given,
And rises into light and heaven.

But when I see that wing, so bright,
Grow languid with a moment's flight,
Attempt the paths of air in vain,
And sink into the waves again,
Alas! the flattering pride is o'er;
Like thee, a while, the soul may soar,
But erring man must blush to think

Like thee again the soul must sink.

Certain species of fish are enabled to throw themselves out of the water, and rise into the air, by a wing-like action of the fins. But this power is very limited. They cannot remain in the air more than thirty seconds, or fly more than two hundred yards.

O virtue, when thy clime I seek,
Let not my spirit's flight be weak;
Let me not, like this feeble thing,
With brine still dropping from its wing,
Just sparkle in the solar glow,

And plunge into the depths below;
But, when I leave the grosser throng
With whom my soul hath dwelt so long,
Let me, in that aspiring day,
Cast every lingering stain away,
And, panting for thy purer air,

Fly up at once, and fix me there.

XX. AN ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR.

MAYNE REID.

[Captain Mayne Reid is a native of Ireland, who has lived much in North and South America, and is familiar with the scenery, animals, and vegetable productions of both countries. He has written a number of works, descriptive of prairie and forest life, which are great and deserved favorites with young people.

The following extract is from the Boy Hunters, a book which narrates the adventures of three brothers, Basil, Lucien, and Francis, sons of a retired French officer living in Louisiana, in an expedition to the western part of North America, in search of the skin of a white buffalo, which their father wished to procure for a friend in Europe. After many hardships and dangers they succeed in the object of their quest, and return in safety. They are all represented as quité young, Basil, the eldest, being only seventeen years old.]

THE three brothers slept on the ground, within a few feet of one another. They were under a large, spreading tree, and, wrapped in their blankets, had been sleeping soundly through the night. Day was just beginning to break, when something touched Francis on the forehead. It was a cold, clammy object, and pressing upon his hot skin, woke him at once. He started as if a pin had been thrust into him, and the cry which he uttered awoke his companions also. When his eyes were fairly open, he caught a glimpse of two animals running off at a distance.

They were about the size of wolves, but appeared to be quite black, and not like wolves at all. What could they be? They had suddenly passed into a darker aisle among the trees, and the boys had only caught a glimpse of them as they went in. They could still distinguish their two bodies in the shade, but nothing more.

They remained in this position, straining their eyes up the gloomy alley after the two black objects, that had stopped about fifty yards distant. All at once, the form of a man rose up before them, and directly in front of the animals. Instead of retreating from the latter, as the boys expected, the upright figure stood still. To their further astonishment, the two animals ran up to it, and appeared to leap against it, as if making an attack upon it. But this could not be, since the figure did not move from its place, as one would have done who had been attacked: on the contrary, after a while it stooped down, and appeared to be caressing them.

The three mysterious creatures continued to remain near the same spot, and about fifty yards from the boys. But they did not remain motionless. The two smaller ones ran over the ground, now separating from the upright figure, and then returning again, and appearing to caress it as before. The latter now and then stooped as if to receive their caresses, and would then rise into an upright position, and remain motionless as before. All this went on in perfect silence.

There was something mysterious, awe-inspiring, in these movements; and our young hunters observed them not without feelings of terror. They were both puzzled and awed. They talked in whispers, giving their counsels to each other. Should they creep to their horses, mount, and ride off? That would be of no use; for if what they saw was an Indian, there were, no doubt, others near, and they could easily track and overtake them.

They felt certain that the strange creatures knew they were there; for indeed their horses, some thirty yards off, could be plainly heard stamping the ground and cropping the grass.

Moreover, one of the two animals had touched and smelt Francis; so there could be no mistake about its being aware of their presence. It would be idle, therefore, to attempt getting off unawares.

What then? Should they climb into a tree? That, thought they, would be of just as little use; and they gave up the idea. They resolved, at length, to remain where they were, until they should either be assailed by their mysterious neighbors, or the clearer light might enable them to make out who and what they were.

As it grew clearer, however, their awe was not diminished; for they now saw that the upright figure had two thick, stronglooking arms, which it held out horizontally, using them in a singular manner. Its color, too, appeared reddish, while that of the small animals was deep black. Had they been in the forests of Africa, or in South America, they would have taken the larger figure for that of a gigantic ape. As it was, they knew it could not be that.

The light suddenly became brighter, a cloud having passed off the eastern sky. Objects could be seen more distinctly; and then the mystery that had so long held the young hunters in torturing suspense was solved. The large animal reared up, and stood with its side towards them; and its long, pointed snout, its short, erect ears, its thick body and shaggy coat of hair, showed that it was no Indian, or human creature of any sort, but a huge bear standing upright on its hams.

"A she bear and her cubs!" exclaimed Francis; "but see!" he continued, "she is red, while the cubs are jet black."

Basil did not stop for any observation of that kind. He had sprung to his feet, and levelled his rifle, the moment he saw what the animal was.

"For your life, do not fire!" cried Lucien; "it may be a grisly bear."

His advice came too late. The crack of Basil's rifle was heard; and the bear, dropping upon all fours, danced over the ground, shaking her head and snorting furiously. The light had