pure love, and had said nothing at all about her portion. So, when the marriage ceremony was over, Captain Hull whispered a word to two of his men servants, who immediately went out, and soon returned, lugging in a large pair of scales. They were such a pair as wholesale" merchants use for weighing bulky commodities; and quite a bulky commodity was now to be weighed in 'them. 13. "Daughter Betsey," said the mint-master, "get into one side of these scales." Miss Betsey or Mrs. Sewell, as we must now call her -did as she was bid, like a dutiful child, without any question of the why and wherefore. But what her father could mean, unless to make her husband pay for her by the pound (in which case she would have been a dear bargain), she had not the least idea. 14. "And now," said honest. John Hull to the servants, "bring that box hither." The box to which the mintmaster pointed was a huge, square, iron-bound, oaken chest; it was big enough, my children, for all four of you to play at hide-and-seek in. The servants tugged with might and main, but could not lift this enormous receptacle", and were finally obliged to drag it across the floor. 15. Captain Hull then took a key from his girdle, unlocked the chest, and lifted its ponderous lid. Behold, it was full to the brim of bright pine tree shillings, fresh from the mint; and Samuel Sewell began to think that his father-in-law had got possession of all the money in the Massachusetts treasury. But it was only the mintmaster's honest share of the coinage. 16. Then the servants, at Captain Hull's command, heaped double handfuls of shillings into one side of the scales, while Betsey remained in the other. Jingle, jingle, went the shillings, as handful after handful was thrown in, till, plump and ponderous as she was, they fairly weighed the young lady from the floor. 17. "There, son Sewell!" cried the honest mint-master, resuming his seat in grandfather's chair, "take these shillings for my daughter's portion. Use her kindly, and thank Heaven for her. It is not every wife that's worth her weight in silver!" 1 FÄR THING. An English coin, four of which make a penny, equal in value to about half a cent. 2 QUIN'TAL. A gross weight of a hundred pounds. S TANK'ARD. A drinking vessel with a lid or cover. 4 BULLION. Gold or silver in mass, uncoined. 6 STRONG'-BŎX. A box or safe for 7 SMALL CLOTHES. Breeches. 9 PËR'SON-A-BLE. Good looking; at- 10 WHOLE'SALE. Pertaining to or dealing in goods in large quantities. 5 BUC/CA-NEER. A naval adventurer; 11 RE-CEP'TA-CLE. A vessel or place generally, a pirate. for containing something. 1. A RAILROAD train was rushing along at almost lightning speed. A curve was just ahead, beyond which was a station at which the cars usually passed each other. The conductor was late, so late that the period during which the down train was to wait had nearly elapsed; but he hoped yet to pass the curve safely. Suddenly a locomotive dashed into sight right ahead. In an instant there was a collision. A shriek, a shock, and fifty souls were in eternity; and all because an engineer had been behind time. 2 2. A great battle was going on. Column' after column had been precipitated for eight mortal hours on the enemy posted along the ridge of a hill. The summer sun was sinking to the west; reënforcements for the obstinate defenders were already in sight; it was necessary to carry the position with one final charge, or every thing would be lost. 3. A powerful corps had been summoned from across the country, and if it came up in season all would yet be well. The great conqueror, confident in its arrival, formed his reserve' into an attacking column, and ordered them to charge the enemy. The whole world knows the result. Grouchy* failed to appear; the imperial guard was beaten back; Waterloo was lost. Napoleon died a prisoner at St. Helena because one of his marshals was behind time. 5 4. A leading firm in commercial circles had long struggled against bankruptcy. As it had enormous assets in California, it expected remittances by a certain day, and if the sums promised arrived, its credit, its honor, and its future prosperity would be preserved. But week after week elapsed without bringing the gold. At last came the fatal day on which the firm had bills maturing to enormous amounts. The steamer was telegraphed at daybreak; but it was found, on inquiry, that she brought n funds, and the house failed. The next arrival brought nearly half a million to the insolvents, but it was too late; they were ruined because their agent, in remitting, had been behind time. He 5. A condemned man was led out for execution. had taken human life, but under circumstances of the greatest provocation, and public sympathy was active in his behalf. Thousands had signed petitions for a reprieve", a favorable answer had been expected the night before, and though it had not come, even the sheriff felt confident that it would yet arrive in season. Thus the morning passed without the appearance of the messenger. The last moment was up. The prisoner took his place on the drop, the cap was drawn over his eyes, the bolt was drawn, * Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France, was defeated by the Allies under the Duke of Wellington, at Waterloo, June 18, 1815. Marshal Grouchy (pronounced Grô-she') was expected to aid the emperor with a body of troops, but failed to appear. and a lifeless body swung revolving in the wind. Just at that moment a horseman came into sight, galloping down hill, his steed covered with foam. He carried a packet in his right hand, which he waved rapidly to the crowd. He was the express rider with the reprieve. But he had come too late. A comparatively innocent man had died an ignominious death, because a watch had been five minutes too slow, making its bearer arrive behind time. 6. It is continually so in life. The best laid plans, the most important affairs, the fortunes of individuals, the weal of nations, honor, happiness, life itself, are daily sacrificed because somebody is "behind time." There are men who always fail in whatever they undertake, simply because they are "behind time." There are others who put off reformation year by year, till death seizes them, and they perish unrepentant, because forever "behind time." Five minutes in a crisis is worth years. It is but a little period, yet it has often saved a fortune or redeemed a people. If there is one virtue that should be cultivated more than another by him who would succeed in life, it is punctuality; if there is one error that should be avoided it is being behind time. 1 CŎL'UMN. A body of troops in deep | 4 ÄS'SETS. Property or effects. files, with narrow front. 2 RE-EN-FORCE'MENTS. Supplies of additional troops. RE-SERVE'. A select body of troops 6 kept in the rear of an army in action, to give support when re- 7 quired. 5 MA-TUR'ING. Ripening; coming to RE-PRIĒVE'. A suspension of a sen- XLVIII.-- EVIL INFLUENCE OF SCEPTICISM. CAMPBELL. 1. O, LIVES there, Heaven! beneath thy dread expanse, 2. There live, alas! of heaven-directed mien, 3. Are these the pompous tidings ye proclaim, 5 |