3. One minute and a half, out of ten, allowing sixteen hours to a snuff-taking day, amounts to two hours and twenty-four minutes out of every natural day, or one day out of every ten. One day out of every ten amounts to thirty-six days and a half in a year. Hence, if we suppose the practice to be persisted in forty years, two entire years of the snuff-taker's life will be dedicated to tickling his nose, and two more to blowing it. Taken medicinally, or as a simple sternutatory, it may be excused; but the moment your snuff is not to be sneezed at, you are the slave of a habit which literally makes you grovel in the dust.

THE RICH MERCHANT.-MRS. JANE WEAVER.

1. It was late at night, and the streets were nearly deserted, the more especially as it was snowing fast. A single traveler, however, might have been seen, wrapped in a thick overcoat, urging his way against the tempest, by the light of some dim lamps. Suddenly, as he passed a ruinous tenement, the figure of a girl started up before him.

2. 'Please, sir,' said she, 'if it's only a penny-mother is sick, and we have eaten nothing to-day.

The first impulse of the moment was to go on: his second to stop. He looked at the girl. Her face was thin and pale, and her garments scanty. He was a man of impulses, so he put his hand towards his pocket, intending to give her a shilling. She saw the act, and her lustreless eye brightened. But the traveler had forgot, that his overcoat was buttoned over his pocket.

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3. It is too much trouble,' he said to himself, and this wind is very cutting. Besides, these beggars are usually cheatsI'll warrant this girl wants the money to spend in a gin-shop.' And speaking aloud, he said somewhat harshly: 'I have nothing for you; if you are really destitute, the guardians of the poor will take care of you.'

The girl shrank back without a word, and drew her tattered garments around her shivering form. But a tear glittered on her cheek in the light of the dim lamp.

4. The man passed, and turning the next corner, soon knocked at the door of a splendid mansion, through whose richly curtained windows a rosy light streamed out across the storm. A servant obsequiously gave him entrance. At the sound of his footstep the parlor door was hastily opened, and a beautiful girl, apparently about seventeen, sprang into his arms, and kissed him on each cheek, and then began to assist him in removing his overcoat.

5. What kept you so long, dear papa ?' she said. 'If I had known where you were, I would have sent the carriage. You never stay so late at the office.'

'No, my love, I was at my lawyer's-busy, very busy, and all for you,' and he kindly patted her cheek. 'But, now, Margy, can't you give me some supper?'

The daughter rang the bell, and ordered the supper to be served. It was such a one as an epicure might delight in, just the supper for a traveler on a night like that.

6. Pa,' said the daughter, when it was just finished, 'I hope you are in a good humor, for I have a favor to ask of you,' and she threw her arms around his neck and looked up into his face with that winning smile and those beautiful dark eyes of hers. I wish to give a ball on my birthday-my eighteenth birthday. It will cost, oh! a sight of money; but you are a kind, good papa, and I know you have been successful, or you would not have been at your lawyer's

"Yes, my darling,' he said, fondly kissing her, 'the cotton speculation has turned out well. I sold all I had of the article this afternoon, received the money, and took it to my lawyer's telling him to invest it in real estate. I think I shall soon give up business.'

7. 'Oh! do, do, papa. But you will give me this Ballwon't you?'

"You little teaze!' said the father, but he spoke smilingly;

and putting his hand in his pocket-book, he took out a note and placed it in his child's hand. 'Take this-if it is not enough you must have another, I suppose. But don't trouble me about it any more.'

8. The next morning broke clear, but the snow was a foot deep on the level, and here and there lay in huge drifts, blocking up the doorways. At ten o'clock the rich merchant was on his way to the counting-room. He turned down the same street, up which he had come the preceeding evening. A crowd had gathered around the open cellar-door of a ruined tenement. The merchant paused to inquire what was the

matter.

'A woman, sir, has been found dead below there,' said one of the spectators. 'She starved to death, it is said, and they have sent for a coroner. Her daughter has just come back, after being out all night. I believe she was begging. That's her moaning.'

9. Ah!' said the merchant; and a pang went through his heart like an ice-bolt, for he remembered denying a petitioner the night before. He pushed through the crowd and ascended the cellar-steps. A girl cowered over an emaciated corpse that lay on a heap of straw, in one corner of the damp apartment. It was the same girl he had feared it would prove. The merchant was horror struck.

'My poor child!' he said, laying his hand on her shoulder, 'you must be cared for-God forgive me for denying you last night!' and he put a bill into her hand.

The girl looked up and gazed vacantly at him. Then she put back the proffered money.

10. It will do no good now,' she said; 'mother is dead, and she burst into hysteric tears; and the merchant, at that moment would have given half his fortune to have recalled her to life.

The lesson thus learned he never forgot. The merchant personally saw that a decent burial was provided for the mother, and afterwards took the daughter into his house,

educated her for a respectable station in life, and, on her marriage, presented her with a proper dowry. He lived to hear her children lisp their gratitude.

SATAN OUTWITTED.-SOMERVILLE.

1. A VICAR lived on this side Trent,
Religious, learn'd, benevolent;

Pure was his life, in deed, word, thought,
A comment on the truths he taught;
His parish large, his income small,
Yet seldom wanted wherewithal;
For against every merry tide
Madam would carefully provide.
A painful pastor; but his sheep,
Alas! within no bounds would keep;
A scabby flock, that every day
Ran riot, and would go astray.

2. He thump'd his cushion, fretted, vexed,
Thumb'd o'er again each useful text;
Rebuk'd, exhorted, all in vain,

His parish was the more profane;
The scrubs would have their wicked will,
And cunning Satan triumph'd still.
At last, when each expedient fail'd,
And serious measures nought avail'd,
It came into his head, to try
The force of wit and raillery.

3. The good man was by nature gay,
Could gibe and joke, as well as pray;

Not like some hide-bound folk, who chase
Each merry smile from their dull face,
And think pride, zeal, ill-nature, grace.
At christenings and each jovial feast,
He singled out the sinful beast;
Let all his pointed arrows fly,
Told this and that, look'd very shy,
And left my masters to apply.

4. His tales were humorous, often true,
And now and then set off to view
With lucky fictions and sheer wit,
That pierc'd, where truth could never hit.
The laugh was always on his side,
While passive fools by turns deride;
And, giggling thus at one another,
Each jeering lout reform'd his brother
Till the whole parish was with ease
Sham'd into virtue by degrees.

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FAMILIARITY BREEDS INDIFFERENCE.-LOND. QUAR. REV.

1. THERE lived in the west of England a few years since an enthusiastic geologist,-a Doctor of Divinity and Chairman of the Quarter Sessions. A farmer, who had seen him presiding on the bench, overtook him shortly afterwards, while seated by the road side on a heap of stones, which he was busily breaking in search of fossils. The farmer reined up his horse, gazed at him for a minute, shook his head in commiseration of the mutability of human things, and then ex claimed in mingled tones of pity and surprise: "What, Doctor! be you come to this a'ready?"

2. That there could be philosophy in stones had never crossed the mind of the farmer in his most contemplative mood. They