in his own native village. Many | people who had seen how earnest he was, followed him there; and then, with the help of another good man called JEROME, he told the people more of God's great love and mercy towards them through Jesus. Soon after this the Archbishop of Prague died, and John Huss returned there. At last the Pope and Cardinals resolved to destroy him. The Cardinals, Bishops, and Priests met at a place called Constance, where they made a "council" to try him. They sent for him, and gave him a letter from SIGISMOND, the Emperor of Germany, which promised that he should not be hurt. So Huss resolved to go, and tell the Truth to the Council. liberty for Truth,"-I think I could give up that, rather than tell a lie. P. The next thing he gave up was his life. The Duke of Bavaria one day sent for him. He was taken out of prison, led through the streets by the soldiers, and fastened to a stake in the ground. Faggots were then heaped round him, and he was told by the Priests that if he did not give up the Truth now, he would be burned. L. Oh, papa! P. He thought they might burn him if they liked, but they couldn't burn the Truth. So he let them burn him. The fierce crackling fire soon put an end to his life, but the Truth which he brought out will never end; it has lived ever since, and in time will spread happiness all over the earth. He was met on his way by crowds of people from the different towns in Germany, but when he It always made John Huss happy. reached Constance, the "Council" It gave him great joy when he would not hear him. They did found it-joy when he preached it not care for the Emperor's letter,joy when he was driven from the or safe conduct, as it was called, but put the old preacher in prison. Here he was kept, in a filthy dungeon which was very dark, with chains about his legs which he could hardly move, and with his arm fastened by a ring to the wall at night. But he would not give up the Truth, even to be set free. He could see God through the prison's darkness. W. That was "giving up his OUR Fathers were highminded men Nor should their deeds be c'er forgot, Who struggled hard for sacred rights, University-joy when driven from Prague-joy when he was in the dungeon-joy when he was in the fire-joy when, above, he saw Jesus coming to meet him-and it gives him great joy still, when he meets many spirits coming to heaven who would not, perhaps har heard the truth but for him. Ion. Then if truth gives so muci joy as that, it is worth-ah! more than one's life! And such as our forefathers were, Then we'll uphold the cause of Right; HOW WE KNOW AN ANIMAL FROM A PLANT. M. We have learned how to know Animals and Vegetables from Minerals, to-day we will learn how to tell an Animal from a Vegetable. So we will leave the stone in the box, and will only take out the acorn, and the chrysalis. I think that before we find out the differences between them, we will take some notice of the points in which they are alike. L. They are alike, mamma, organs. W. We may say, "therefore, they have organs," for, if they have life they must have organs. We learned that in the last lesson. M. True. And the organs with which they procure their nourishment are called organs of nutrition. But, they have other organs. I told you that all things that have life will also have death, and will perish. Suppose, that all the animals and vegetables which are now growing had no other organs but organs of nutrition. They would feed-and grow-and when they had ceased to grow, they would decay and die. And-what then? W. Oh, but they would make some new ones before they died, or else there would be none left; and, I see now, they must have organs for making new ones. M. That is right. Think! How wonderful that the acorn, when grown into a tree, should not only put forth buds and leaves, but actually make new acorns, exactly like itself; and each of these new acorns, when made, has the power of growing and forming a tree. The butterfly, too, before it dies makes eggs, each of which will form a new butterfly. All kinds of animals and vegetables have this power of producing again; that is, of making young ones exactly like themselves before they die. You know that the little word "re" placed before another word means again. So when the old animals and vegetables produce these young ones, we say that they re-produce them; and the organs with which they do this are called organs of reproduction. Ion. And we may say, I suppose, that they must have these organs for making others, because they perish themselves. M. Yes. And why must they have organs of nutrition? Ion. Because they have life. If they are to be kept alive, they must be nourished. Of course, both animals and vegetables must have these organs, and that is why they are alike. Let me repeat it once more. All ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES are animate, therefore they have organs of nutrition. ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES are perishable, therefore they have organs of reproduction. W. I like to see that. Because they are alike in two things, they are obliged to be alike in two other points. M. There are more points yet in which they are alike, but we will leave them for the present. Let us now see in what they differ. Tell me. How do you know an animal from a vegetable? Suppose I were to call this chrysalis a vegetable, how would you teach me better? Indeed. I will say so. I have an idea that this chrysalis is a vegetable. It is a vegetable! Now, will you prove that it is not? Ion. Ah! mamma, wait until it is a butterfly, and you shall see it fly about-a vegetable can't do that. L. And it will see you; that is more than a vegetable can do. W. And I'll tell you something. It would know you, and would get out of your way, if you were to come near to it. A vegetable does not know anything. Ion. And it would feel, if you were to pinch it. M. Ah! Then perhaps it is an animal, for I see that it has more organs than the vegetable; or, as I should say, "it is more highly organised." soon suck up all the juice in the place where it was; so, of course, it must make a great many more mouths to go to other parts of the ground. You called these little mouths "rootlets," I remember. M. That is right. Trees and plants have thousands of mouths, or rootlets; and these organs not only procure the food, but fir the plant in the ground. The word 66 plant" means fixed. L. But an Animal is not fixed. It can move about from one place to another, and it can carry its mouth to the food; so it only wants one mouth. M. This is true of nearly all animals. Ion. Then we will say "most animals;" so, this is the first dif But let us consider this matter very carefully and slowly.-I should like to teach you to consider slowly.ference. There is no doubt, then, that animals have more organs than vegetables. You can tell this because you see them. But if you never had a chance of noticing these organs, you might, by considering, have found out that animals must have them. I told you once that I thought the Great Creator had a reason for every difference we see in his works. Now, when your eyes tell you that the Animals have more organs than Vegetables, would you not like to know why they have them? Ion. I should, mamma. M. Then, let us think. First, et us notice their organs of nutrition. The plants have to get food. Where is the mouth of a plant? L. The root is its mouth; or, it really has hundreds of mouths, because each little fibre in the root food. sucks up W. I have thought why it has so many mouths, because it is fixed in the ground! If the oak-tree had only one mouth, that mouth would 1st, VEGETABLES are fixed to the ground, and they have many mouths: but ANIMALS can move from one place to another, so they have only one mouth. 66 M. Now for the next difference. You may find another one in their 'organs of nutrition." The food of an animal or a vegetable has to become part of its body; to spread all through it, and to mix with every particle. In what state must the food be?-solid or liquid? L. I should suppose that it must be in a liquid state before it can do that. It must be very thin. W. Well, we do chew our food, so that it may not be quite solid. M. Yes, and it has to be "chewed" more after you have swallowed it. It must be dissolved and be quite liquid before it can mix with your blood. What organ have you for dissolving your food? Ion. I don't know, mamma. I'll Your M. That is the organ. stomach receives the food, and makes it liquid. Can you find this organ in vegetables? L. I should think not, mamma. They do not want a stomach, for they have not to make their food liquid, they live on the juices of the earth, and water, and air. M. That is correct. Now state the difference. Ion. I will say it, mamma. 2ndly, An ANIMAL lives on solid food,so it has an organ called a stomach: but a VEGETABLE lives on liquid food, so it has no stomach. Are there any more differences, mamma? M. Yes. You shall see. When the roots of a plant absorb water from the earth, it is conveyed through little sap vessels, up to the leaves; and then, coming down again, it hardens, and forms new wood. This juice in the vegetable is called "sap." Ion. I have heard that word before. And we have seen some sap, too! When we broke the branch of the lilac tree the other day, and peeled off the skin from one of the twigs, it was quite wet. M. Now, when you eat food, it does not form sap, but blood. This blood is not merely sent up your body and down again. It is sent through nearly all its different parts, in all directions, and it flows through little vessels called veins and arteries. Thus it is always moving-or circulating, as we say; so animals have an organ within them, for the purpose of keeping it in motion. This organ acts very much like a pump. What is it called? W. I think it is called "the Heart;" is that the organ? M. Yes, it is your heart which circulates the blood-so you may call it "the organ of circulation," if you like. W. I will repeat the third difference, mamma. 3rdly, ANIMALS change their food into blood, which is always being circulated, so they have an organ called the Heart. VEGETABLES have not any heart. M. There are more differences yet, but we will leave them until next Tuesday, when we will make up the whole lesson. THE DAISY. THERE is a flower, a little flower, The prouder beauties of the field In But this small flower, to nature dear, It smiles upon the lap of May, To sultry August spreads its charms; Lights pale October on his way, And twines December's arms. THE SAXON HEPTARCHY. THE ALLODIAL SYSTEM. P. Where did we stop in our History last week? Ion. You said, papa, that the Saxons had driven out the Britons, and had divided England into seven kingdoms. P. These seven kingdoms are called a "Heptarchy." Who can repeat their names? L. I can, papa. 1. Northumberland. 2. East Saxons. 3. East Angles. 4. Wessex. 5. Sussex. 6. Mercia. 7. Kent. And all these were formed in 150 years. When did the Saxons first come, papa? P. About 20 years after the departure of the Romans. L. That is, in the year 450, and then 150 years more make 600; so that the seven kingdoms were all made and finished about the year 600. P. A little before that time. But do not say "made and finished," say established. You may call this period "the period of the Saxon In vasion." W. So we will say, "The Roman period ended A.D. 430." "The period of the Saxon Invasion ended A.D. 600." P. Now you shall hear of the period of the Saxon Heptarchy.Listen. I told you that the SAXONS and other barbarians were constantly wandering about, for they were fond of conquering new countries. All at once they would dislike the place where they were living, and would say, "Oh, we'll go and seck for a better land, and conquer it." And this is the way they would do it. One or two strong chiefs would meet together, and begin to grum ble. another, "Do you want to leave?" Then they would ask one W. They should have said "emigrate"-"Do you want to emigrate?" P. And if they all said "Yes," then they would arrange about it. They would get some money to buy a ship, or perhaps two, and would "call a meeting." All round about, for many miles, they would send messages to the other chiefs, saying, "Come to such a place, at such a day, and bring your people with you, for we are going to hold a 'Comitatus.'" Then they would meet on a large open place, where there was plenty of room; and there you would see a thick crowd of wild, half-naked fellows, waiting to hear what was to be said One of the grumbling chiefs who had determined to migrate would stand up in the middle of the company, and make a great speech. He would flourish his spear and shield, as though he were very angry; and if he intended to go to Britain, he would say, "I know of a country much better than this one. There is an Island-over there! (pointing to Britain)-which, I have heard, is a most remarkable spot." Then he would speak of the green fields there, the rich lands, and say many things to make them think it was a comfortable place; and would tell them that the Britons could be easily conquered. Then he would add that he was going himself, with his friends on the left, and that they had provided ships. He would further explain, perhaps, that when those who chose to go should have conquered the country, it was to be divided between them-each man to have a piece, and those who were bravest were to have the largest shares. |