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it did the great baron himself, for he knew how
high he stood in the Emperor's papers.
His
Majesty was obliged to submit to his minister's
will, and they say that M. Ollivier had an old
spite against the famous demolisher of Paris.
The family immediately set out for Nice, where
report affirms that a deputation of Englishmen
has been to him from London to beg him to
accept English hospitality, and to study how
London may be embellished.
We wish you
joy if such be the case, and sorry that you did
not take him from us before.

It seems that when Louis Napoleon was named President, M. Haussman was préfet at Bordeaux, and the Prince President went to

that town to see the truth of certain complaints addressed to him of this préfet. He was received in great state, and paraded about town and country side by side in the same carriage with M. Haussman, who is an immense man in stature as well as importance. The outside populace not unnaturally mistook him for the Prince, which rather annoyed Louis Napoleon. Pardon them, your Highness," said the préfet, they take the 'Drum-major' for the Little Corporal!"" (The "Little Corporal" was a pet name given by the army to Napoleon I.). The President was disarmed, and, instead of dismiss ing him the service, he called him to Paris, where he has reigned absolute monarch of the city ever since.

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Have you heard of Gambon's cow? It has been one of the Parisian amusements of the month, when we have had time to amuse ourselves. M. Gambon is a republican, thoroughbred, and for that very reason he refuses to pay anything resembling a tax, so the tax-gatherer seized a cow belonging to him, sold it, and paid the tax with the money. Great indignation of the republicans, Rochefort at the head, opened a subscription to buy M. Gambon another cow, which act of patriotism has been laughed at by all the journalists, and "la vache à Ġambon" has become a byword.

At St. Pol, near Vissant, has just happened an incident, if not a crime, which we only meet with in novels. A mason was at work, when two men came and requested him to join them, wall. The workman, without hesitation, did as with necessary implements, to make a hole in a he was told, and entered the carriage that was waiting for them, carrying with him all that was distance the two men seized him, showed him requisite. After they had proceeded a short two pistols, threatened him if he stirred they would shoot him; after which they blindfolded him, but promised that no harm should come to him if he remained quiet. After about two hours' ride the carriage stopped, and the men helped the mason out, and led him into a house, when they took the bands from his eyes, and he We already begin to talk of marrying our laid a lady as if asleep, and a strong odour of found himself in a large room, where, on a bed, little Prince Imperial. It is time he will soon be fourteen years old. Four candidates are on opium pervaded the place. A coffin was near the list for the young gentleman's heart. First her. The men, who were masked, ordered the comes the Princess Blanche D'Orléons, the stonemason to make a hole in a place they indiyoungest daughter of the Duke de Nemours.cated large enough for the coffin, which he did. Would papa consent to it? Next comes the Princess Marie, daughter of the Duke de Monpensier. Papa would perhaps not refuse there? Then there is the Princess Louise, daughter of the King of Belgium; and last, the Archduchess Giselle, the fair child of the Emperor of Austria. The last named lady is the most talked of as the probable future Empress of France, if really there is any talk at all of such a thing in the

Palace.

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Talking of marriages, a good woman in the environs of Yvetot presented herself before the Mayor (the civil tyer of the matrimonial knot in France), requesting him to join her in the holy bonds of marriage with the man that accompa nied her, and who seemed to have fêted his marriage before it had been solemnized, by rather too copious libations. "I cannot marry a man in that state," said the magistrate; come again in a week's time when he is sober." The next week the would-be happy lady accompanied her intended in a ten times worse state than at first. "I tell you, woman, I cannot marry a man in that state," exclaimed the Mayor again. "O, never mind, sir, he can say 'yes' very well, answered she; "only just try him." The Mayor refused The lady, in despair, said, "Pray do, sir; because, when he is sober he changes bis mind, and will not be married at all."

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They then put the lady into the coffin, which was lined with crimson velvet, and nailed it up, and forced him to help them to put it into the hole, after which he closed it up again. They put the band on his eyes, after giving him three thousand francs for his trouble, led him back to the carriage, and conducted him near to his home, threatening him with certain death if he mentioned the adventure. The poor man was so frightened, that as soon as he got home he was seized with fever, and had to call in a doctor, to whom he related the whole affair. The inhabitants of St. Pol are lost in conjectures, there being no probability of their ever being able to clear up the mystery.

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A little anecdote, for the end, as a specimen of the "concierges" (doorkeepers) in Paris A gentleman was invited out to dinner the other day: it rained fast, or had done so scarcely had he set his foot on the stairs when the concierge appeared. "Monsieur has not wiped his feet well." The gentleman descended, and rubbed as much of the dirt off as he could. "They are uot clean yet." And, eyeing the visitor with disdain-"I have not the honour of knowing you; but, if you had ever been here before, you would know that all visitors to this houso come in a carriage."--Au revoir.

S. A.

LEAVES FOR THE LITTLE ONES.

THE MOON CHILD.

Once upon a time there lived a woman who had no children. One day she was sitting at the window when the moon looked in a friendly manner, down upon her, and its beams played on the floor at her feet. And the woman looked up and said: "O, Lady Moon, Lady Moon, grant me a little daughter!"

And the moon said: "I will send you a little daughter on one condition: which is, that when she is twelve years of age, you will give her back to me again."

She had soon afterwards a little girl, of whom she was very fond; and well she might be, for she was a beautiful child, and her lovely blue eyes and golden hair were the admiration of all the neighbours, while her gentle, winning ways won her the love of all around her. She was named Helen. One day, when she was about twelve years of age, her mother sent her into the fields to gather herbs, and suddenly a tall lady, like a large white lily, stood before her and said: "Dear Helen, when you go home tell mother that I do not forget the promise that she made me, and shall soon send for you."

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Helen went back and told her mother, who, when she heard it, was very much frightened; so at night she was very careful to fasten up all the windows and doors of the house. She closed up every chink and hole by which a moonbeam could enter, and thought she had Helen quite safe; but she forgot to stop up the keyhole, and through this in the night the moon sent a beam into the house, which seized upon the maiden and took her away.

When her mother found her gone in the morning, she wept and searched everywhere; but all in vain, the Lady Moon took Helen for a servant to wait on her.

One day she sent her to the straw-house, to fetch some straw; but the maiden, instead of going back, sat down upon a heap of straw, and moaned and said: "As the straw crackles and sighs under my feet, so my heart sighs after my dearest mother."

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She quite forgot, and remained so long away that when she went back the moon asked her: Helen, why have you been so long away?" And she said: "My shoes are so large that I cannot walk in them."

Then the Moon made her shoes shorter for her. The next day she said: "Helen, go and fetch some water."

And when she came to the stream she sat down and moaned; "As this water flows on, so my heart flows longingly after my dearest mother."

Again she stayed so long that the Moon asked her why she had not come back before,

She answered: "My cloak was too long and threw me down."

Then the Moon cut her little cloak shorter. Then she sent her again the next day to fetch a pair of sandals, and when Helen had them in her hand she began to mourn: "As this leather creaks, so my little heart cries after my dearest mother."

When she came back and the Moon asked her why she had been so long, she said: My red cap was so large that it fell over my eyes, so that I could not see the way."

Then the Moon made her cap narrower, but she suspected that Helen was sorrowful, so she sent her again for some straw and went after to see what she would do; and when she heard her mourn for her mother she felt compassion for the little maiden; so she went home and called two foxes, and said to them: "Will you take little Helen home to her mother?" and they promised they would.

"But what," said the Moon, "will you eat on the way?"

"We will eat her flesh and drink her blood," said the foxes.

"Then," said the Moon, "I will not trust her with you."

So she hunted them away and called two hares, and said: "Will you take Helen home to her mother?" and they promised that they would.

"What will you eat and drink on the way?" said the Moon.

"We will eat grass and drink water from the brook," they answered.

"Then," said the Moon, "dear children, I will trust you with Helen; you shall take her home to her mother," so the hares set out with Helen.

It was a long way to her home and the hares grew very hungry and thirsty, so they said to the maiden: "Dear Helen, climb up that tree, so that you may be safe."

She climbed up into a tree while the hares went away to feed, but the Moon repented that she had sent her away, so she called the Moonbeam who had brought Helen to her, and having changed her to an old woman, she sent her to bring the child back.

She came to the foot of the tree, and when she saw that Helen was beyond her reach, she looked up and said: "Come down and see the beautiful shoes that I have for you."

But Helen said, "My shoes are more beautiful than yours."

"Come down," said the old woman, 66 "my house is not swept and I am in a hurry back." "Go then and sweep it," said Helen, "and come back again."

Then the old woman said: "Helen, Helen,

come down and see what a beautiful apron I have for you."

"My apron is more beautiful than yours," said Helen."

Then the old woman said: "I will shake the tree and bring you down;" and she shook the tree but could not bring Helen down; and then she said: "Helen, come down, for I am in a hurry to go and wash my children.' "Go," said Helen, "wash your children and then come back again."

But directly the old woman had gone Helen cried, "Hares, Hares, are you ready?"

Then one hare said to another: "Do you hear Helen call?" and they ran to her as quickly as they could and set out again; but the old woman ran after them, and she could not overtake them, but when she came to a field upon which some men were working, she stopped and asked them: "Have you seen anyone go by ?"

But the men said: "We are planting beans." This made the old woman very angry, and she said: "I asked you if you had seen anyone go by."

But the men said in a still louder voice: "I tell you we are planting beans. Are you deaf?" so the old woman passed on.

Now when Helen came near home the dog heard her and said: "Ham! Ham! Helen is coming, be quick."

"You troublesome beast," said her mother, "will you break my heart for sorrow?" Then the cat, who was upon the roof, saw her come and cried: Miau, Miau, there is Helen coming."

"Be quiet, cat," said her mother; "do you mean to break my heart?"

Then the hen heard her and cried: "Kakaiku, Kakaiku, there comes little Helen." And the mother cried: "Be quiet, you mischievous beast, do you mean to break my heart?" But when she ran to the door-for she was putting bread into the oven-she saw the two hares and little Helen coming as fast as they could, and followed by the angry old woman, who seized the tails of the poor hares as they crossed the threshold and tore them off.

When they came in, her mother said: "Welcome, dear hares, for bringing home my Helen; I will give you silver tails instead of those which you have lost;" so she gave them silver tails, and they lived with her and little Helen happily and contentedly ever after.

[This is a Grecian legend which I have translated literally from the German. It is one of a series which have never been translated; the name of the little girl is Letiko, but I changed it into Helen, as being more familiar; also the old woman in the original is a Lamia.]

OUR LIBRARY TABLE.

THE FERN GARDEN. By Shirley Hibberd. (London: Groombridge & Sons, Paternoster Row)-A want of space last month prevented our noticing this interesting and valuable treatise on ferns, their culture and treatment-a work that should be in the hands of the lovers, as

well as growers, of this beautiful class of plants, and would very shortly convert the former into the latter, so very easy is it, under the author's directions, to cultivate a fern-garden-or, at all events, a Wardian-case filled with them in one's sitting-room. Mr. Hibberd, as a practical man, speaks with authority; and his instructions and descriptions are so clear and simple that the only hard thing in the management of ferns is their names-a part of his subject which he treats so pleasantly that we find an equal pleasure in repeating it. Having described the difference between ferns and flowering plants, in their construction and mode of growth, and the technical names of the different portions of the former, he observes:

From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step. I have just made that step by walking through the fernhouse to obtain the needful inspiration to write this little book. There I saw my plumy emerald-green pets, glistening with health and beadings of warm dew, and I thought it might help me if I read their names. Here are a few of them: Acrostichum Requienianum, Alsophila Junghuhniana.

We will spare our readers the remainder.

You must endure this sort of thing if you purpose giving the slightest amount of attention to ferns; for only a few out of thousands have English names-and to translate the botanical names would be very imprudent, not to say sometimes impossible. But I assure you the names do not spoil the plants; they only compel fern-books to be ugly and forbidding. Carolina Wilhelmina Amelia Skeggs was an unamiable person, but my Mohria thurifraga var Achilhæfol is as sweet a bit of vegetable jewellery as you likely to meet with in a day's march; and I am you will admire, when you find it, Didymoglossum Trichomanes radicans.

We

"Experienced collectors of ferns," Mr. Hibberd | contemporary may have caused some uneasiness tells us, "will find it to their advantage to seek them in winter time, in districts where they are known to abound; as the evergreen kinds, such as hartstongue and common polypody, may be better lifted in winter than at any other season." But, as a rule, fernhunting is a recreation for summer. Any fern, we are told, may be then taken up, and kept with the utmost certainty for cultivation. The worst that can happen to it is the loss of the fronds-as fern-leaves are called. The implements of the fern-hunter are few and simple-a large basket, or a pair of moderate size, that can be carried in one hand, with closely-fitting lids; "because if ferns are taken up on a hot day, and exposed for hours to the atmosphere, the crowns and roots will be so much exhausted that some may die, and all will be injured." They should be close packed, if possible, in a little moist moss, or grass where this is not to be had; and besides the basket the collector will require a clasp-knife, a three-pronged fork, and a trowel. Sometimes, to obtain the roots of Royal Osmund, and other large-rooted kinds, our author tells us, it will be needful to borrow a spade. Here is a hint worth remembering: "It is best to cut away all, or nearly all, their fronds at once, and use those fronds as packing material." Mr. Hibberd recommends planting them separately" in the smallest pots their roots can be got into, with cocoa-nut fibre alone, or the fibre of good peat, or leaf-mould." They are then to be shut up in a frame, and kept moderately moist until they start into growth. Or they may be dealt with in a simpler manner, and not potted at all:

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After this our author enters on their culture on a larger scale, in the rockery and the fern-house. Every chapter is replete with information, and we feel sure that the publication of the volume will save the lives of numbers of these elegant and interesting plants, and help to a knowledge of their habits and the proper mode of caring for them. Nothing is more melancholy than to see once lovely specimens dwindling away under glass without the power to help themselves-not from intentional neglect, but for want of knowledge of the proper way to cultivate them. In all such cases this little manual will be found of the greatest service. The very handsome way in which it is got up renders it as pretty as it is an acceptable gift-book.

THE ANIMAL WORLD. (London: 105, Jermyn-street, St. James's; Partridge & Co., Paternoster Row.)-We are sorry that, owing to a fire at the printing-office, the delay in the issue of the fourth number of our interesting

The

to subscribers. Notwithstanding very material
damage and loss, nothing visibly detrimental
has occurred to the number before us.
rejoice to report the progress of this animated
attempt on the part of the "Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals," promising
as it does to be so much more effective than the
formal reports through which contributors, and
the press, have hitherto been informed of the
Society's proceedings. As a serial publication,
well printed, handsomely illustrated, and with
many writers of talent and recognized humanity
engaged in working out its objects, we know
that it will find its way to thousands of homes,
and keep alive, or waken in the hearts of children
as well as parents an interest in and love of
the so-called dumb creatures around them. The
sufferings imposed on animals are so multitu-
dinous and varied, that it is only by a wide-
spread scheme of co-operation on the part of
the humane, and the inculcating and encourag-
ing of compassion for them in the hearts of
the young, that any progress in the improvement
of their condition can be hoped for.
agonies inflicted on various creatures intended
for human food (under the idea of improving
it by means that must go far towards its de-
terioration) before death puts a period to their
sufferings, demand immediate interference on
the part of the Society; and it is to be hoped
that the public generally will recoil from the re-
volting practices of fishmongers, poulterers, and
purveyors of fresh turtle, &c., which are in daily
use amongst us. It is true a London magistrate
lately decided in the case of a starling that had
been trained into sitting on the arm of its in-
human owner, by the mild process of breaking
its wing, that it was not an animal, and there-
fore not protected by the law. Till birds do
conie under the cognizance of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the carrying
and hanging up of live fowls by their legs,
plucking them while alive, and other barbarous
usages, must go unpunished; but at least, let us
hope, not unnoticed or uncondemned. While
writing these lines, I am disturbed by the
sounds of a dreadful Calabrian bagpipe, and
under the window appears the burly figure of
one of those real or pretended denizens of the
hills, in slouched conical hat and caped great-
coat tucked up above his nether limbs, which he
moves in clumsy cadence to the dismal droning
of his barbarous instrument. And I perceive
he has a partner-a poor little white dog, with
a cocked hat on his head, and a coat of many
colours on his body. This poor animal stands,
walks, and jumps about upon his hind legs for
many minutes at a time, with quite as much
grace and far more agility than his fellow-brute,
whose threatening actions when all of a sudden
dog-nature predominated, and the presence of
an astonished Pomeranian, induced him to go
off, like Dr. Johnson with Beauclerk, for a
frisk, soon brought him back to recollection
and his hind-legs. Foreign animal-acrobats, if
I may so call them, seen to be on the increase

Old Cox, not

amongst us. For some weeks past a man and but his life-belt saved him, it being broken, however, woman have been going about the suburbs with by the collision. In vain did the life-boat crew apa couple of French poodles, who move to mea- peal to the remainder of the men on board the barque sure at the sound of a drum and tambourine, to come to the boat; they would not stir; so the lifeand perform various other tricks, for the support boat, seriously damaged, and with the loss of her rudof the strollers to whom they belong. As for der, was obliged to return to the shore, where she monkey-actors, we find them not only in the landed nine of the "Pace's" men. streets but on the legitimate boards of London withstanding the severe nip he had received, and the theatres; but at whatever amount of physical volunteers, and once more manned the damaged state of the boat, called for another crew of suffering they have been tortured into playing and his son, and one other of the old crew going in Hope," he their various parts, at least they are well fed and her; and, to prove the readiness of the brave voluncared for in the interest of their owners; and we teers of North Devon, the boat was launched, with imagine there are many more pressing claims on one man too many on board. On this second trip the interference of the Society on the part of young Cox steered with an oar in place of the rudder, animals intended for food, or that are used as the stern of the boat having been damaged. In this beasts of burden. We observe that Mrs. S. C. state they had nearly again reached the ship, when a Hall, Frances Cobbe, Mr. and Mrs. Howitt, wave broke over the bow, swept over the crew, and and our old friend "Silverpen," are among the carried young Cox (who was standing up steering with contributors to "The Animal World," which we the oar) right over the stern. The loss of the steershall have pleasure in drawing our readers' attention to from mouth to mouth. C. A. W.

THE

LIFE-BOAT: a Journal of the National Life-boat Institution. Vol. VII., No. 75.-(Clowes, Charing Cross, London).The last number of this sadly interesting journal is before us, with (at this period of the year) its lengthened list of "services;" the least of which has in it the material for an epic. Since October last the boats of the institution have been the means of saving the crews of 37 sinking, stranded, or wrecked vessels; and the circumstances under which these rescues have been effected, in the face of strong winds, raging surf, and heavy seas-these are the ordeals by which the humanity and courage of the life-boat's men are tried-rendered these services heroic. We will transcribe one of the thirty-seven:

Appledore, Devon: about 1 P.M. on the 28th December. Joseph Cox, the coxswain of the “ 'Hope" lifeboat, staticned at Appledore, was informed by the coastguard that two vessels were embayed, and would probably go on shore. He instantly assembled his crew, obtained horses, and dragged out the life-boat to her carriage, ready for action. The vessel most in danger was the Austrian barque "Pace," and as she tried to work into the bay the life-boat and her crew kept along the shore, directly under her lee, moving along with her. At length she grounded. The lifeboat was launched without delay over the Pebble Ridge, and dashed into a terrific surf. The crew behaved most nobly: the boat at times was as upright as a ladder against a wall, and seas swept through her from stme to stern: but they stuck to it, reached the barque, and managed to make fast to her. The crew were all assembled under shelter of the cuddy, and not one would give a stern-rope to the boat, or move from his position, excepting one boy, who ran to the side and dropped into the boat all safe. More than five minutes elapsed without a soul stirring on board; at length eight of them made a rush together for the life-boat, jumped helter-skelter over the side, missed the boat, and fell into the water, but were all picked up but one. A tremendous sea now struck the boat and drove her under the counter, when the rudder was carried away, and old Cox much bruised, as he was jammed up against the counters;

ing oar made the boat broach to, and the next wave found her broadside on, and rolled her over, throwing all the crew into the surf. As she righted the younger Cox managed to get into her again, and one by one He had drifted some distance, and they had only three the brave fellows all got on board excepting old Cox. oars left; with these, however, they managed to turn the boat's-end round, and at last the brave old coxswain was enabled to clutch the blade of an oar when all but done for, and was got into the boat. The lifeboat again reached the shore, and was dragged up on the Pebble Ridge. For the third time volunteers came forward to man the life-boat: but a difficulty now arose. Besides the rudderless state of the " Hope" unfitting her for service, the oars (save three) were lost. Instantly a lot of horsemen galloped off, with Mr. Yeo at their head, for spare oars, and in due time And now each horseman returned bearing an oar. preparations were made to launch again the disabled and had already dropped two feet. The danger was boat; but it was discovered that the tide had turned, rapidly passing away; the remainder of the crew had climbed up to the mizen-top, and, moreover, the third

crew was not composed entirely of sailors. Those on the boat to be launched again, although there were four the spot most wisely interfered, and would not allow distinct crews of volunteers, two of which went off, and the third and fourth were forcibly, and wisely, stopped. Eventually three men, one of whom was the captain, were brought ashore by men who waded out to the barque as the tide fell. Three others peinto the life-boat. Thirteen in all were saved. All rished, in addition to one man who was lost in getting might have got into the boat and been saved when she first went alongside, and all in the rigging might have been saved, had the men lashed themselves there. It appears that the Austrian captain would not allow his crew to go into the life-boat when she got alongside, nor suffer them to throw a rope to her. If the bold and self-devoted conduct of the North Devon Volunteers failed to achieve complete success in dealing with this wreck, it is a satisfaction to know that they did what they could, and did it nobly. Ordinary lifeboat service is one of no light peril: service in a partially-disabled boat is necessarily still more hazardous.

This is but one instance out of thirty-seven, where, if the peril to the life-boat crews has not been precisely of the same character, it has been equally patent. They have had to contend with the very dangers from which, at the hazard of

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