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Galitzin, having changed his religion, was punished by being made a court page and buffoon. His wife being dead, the empress required him to marry again, agreeing to defray the expense of the wedding herself. The prince, true to his new character, selected a girl of low birth. This was in the winter of 1739-40, which was one of extraordinary severity. By her Majesty's command a house was built entirely of ice. It consisted of two rooms, and all the furniture, even to the bedstead, was made of the same material. Four small cannons and two mortars, also of ice, were placed in front of the house, and were fired several times without bursting, small wooden grenades being thrown from the mortars. On the wedding-day a procession was formed, composed of more than three hundred persons of both sexes, whom the empress - desirous of seeing how many different kinds of inhabitants there were in her vast dominions - had caused the governors of the various provinces to send to St. Petersburg. The bride and bridegroom were conspicuously placed in a great iron cage on the back of an elephant. Of the guests, all of whom were dressed in the costume of their respective countries, -some were mounted on camels; others were in sledges man and a woman in each-drawn by beasts of all descriptions, as reindeer, oxen, goats, dogs, hogs, and the like. After passing before the imperial palace, and marching through the principal streets of the city, the motley cavalcade proceeded to the Duke of Courland's riding-house, where dinner was served to each after the manner of

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cookery in his own country. The feast over, there was a ball, those from each nation having their own music and their own style of dancing. When the ball was ended the newly married pair were conducted to their palace of ice, and guards were stationed at the door to prevent their going out until morning. The building is said to have lasted uninjured, in that cold climate, for several months.

George Affleck.-"Will the editors of 'Our Young Folks' be so kind as to tell me the name of the best History of the United States for a boy of ten years who is very fond of reading histories?"

We should say Lossing's "Primary History of the United States," published by Sheldon & Co., N. Y. (price $1.00); or, if you are a rather sturdy reader for your years, Lossing's "Pictorial History."

Robert. Confucius was a Chinese philosopher, born B. C. 551; he became a public teacher of morals at the age of thirty, and attracted many admirers and disciples. He was also at one time prime minister of his native country, the little kingdom of Lu. He died B. C. 479, — a few years before the great Greek moralist, Socrates, was

born. His memory is revered by the Chinese, and his writings are the Bible of that nation. His code of morals was of a very high order for the age and country in which he lived. One of his sayings was, "Do not unto others what you would not have them do to you," which bears such a striking resemblance to our own Golden Rule.

Ossian is a hero of Scottish tradition, said to have been both a warrior and a bard, and like Homer to have died old and blind. He is supposed to have lived about two or three hundred years after Christ. The "Poems of Ossian," which Macpherson published as translations from the Gaelic, about a hundred years ago, are thought by many scholars to have been composed by Macpherson himself, while others believe that they were genuine. They were probably founded on fragments existing in the Gaelic, but enlarged and remodelled by the professed “translator."

How many of our young friends in the country think it a fine thing to come and live in the city! Let them read what one of our Young Contributors writes, in a poem which she sends us, and which we shall entitle

THE COUNTRY GIRL IN TOWN.
So tired, so tired! And must I still go on
In the old weary way?

Must the clouds never lift to show the sun
And cheer the long, sad day?
so tired, so tired! O, I so long to rest

Under the grand old trees;

To lay me down on Mother Earth's green breast, And feel the cool, soft breeze!

So tired, so tired! Nothing but brick and stone, And stifling dust and heat;

No pleasant walks when the day's work is done,
Only the noisy street.

So tired, so tired! And far away the streams
Are plashing o'er their stones;
And trees, which I may only see in dreams,
Murmur their low, soft tones.

So tired, so tired! I hate this weary life
That drags on day by day.

I hate the noisy city's roar and strife,
And long to be away.

So tired, so tired! O home so far away
Among your cool, green hills,

I see in dreams the mowers in the hay,
I hear your babbling rills.

But O, to wake! to hear the city's roar,
To feel the old, sharp pain!

I would I were a country-girl once more,
At home, dear home again.

GENEVIEVE H. COWLES.

512

WE make the following extracts from a letter | night, he will not begin to creep out until the which came to us with "My Friend Hattie," nineteenth. which will be found among this month's "Young Contributors " :

ELLICOTT'S MILLS, MD., Nov. 29, 1871. DEAR "YOUNG FOLKS," I send you a short sketch of the death of one of your old admirers. We have often read "Our Young Folks" with our arms twined around each other's waists. I am sure she would not object to my sending you the enclosed. I hope you will think it worthy a place in the department of "Young Contributors."

Dear "Young Folks," I want to be something in this world of grand possibilities, but I fear I do not always obey that noble sentiment of Kingsley's,

"Do noble things, not dream them all day long, And so make life, death, and that vast forever One grand, sweet song."

I am acquainted with a young lady who is considered very good, and I believe her to be strictly conscientious; but she strips her life bare of all blossoms, and I do not think that either necessary or right. Because a man has to scale a high hill, there is no reason why he should not stop to admire the beauty around him, and stoop to pluck the flowers that are exhaling their odors at his feet. Our Heavenly Father has placed so many pleasures in the world, and why should they not be enjoyed? Is puny man to rise up and say that he is wiser than his Creator? Don't you think, dear "Young Folks," that such persons go to the other extreme from those who wickedly give themselves up to the enjoyment of this life, regardless of eternity?..

I suppose I ought not to tire you further, but my little brother just said something so very funny that I will jot it down.

He came running in crying, a few moments ago, saying a dog had bitten his hand. After I had put a plaster on the little wound and kissed away the tears, he said, very gravely, "Sis Olie, I am glad that dog had n't the lockjaw, for he might have given me the hydrogenphobus."

Perhaps "Sammy" can answer a question for me. Is there not a legend relating to the bloodstone, and if so, what is it?

Please let me take this opportunity to tell you how much I regret the discontinuance of the "Mutual Improvement Corner." I have received so much both of pleasure and profit from it, that I shall be heartily glad to see it again. Yours truly,

MARY R. ATLEE.

Our Young Contributors. We are now using up so rapidly the articles which have been allowed to accumulate, that we shall soon be able to accept more of our young friends' favors than we think it advisable to do at present. This month, however, we can add only one piece-"Summer Twilight," by Minnie R. Willard- to our accepted list; while the following are reserved for honorable mention:

"The Shadowy People who live in the Glass," a fanciful sketch, with a moral, by Estelle; a brief accouut of the city of "Tunis" (Africa), by Em"Colored ma A. Heap; a description of some Schools" in the South, by Florence Kelley; "Somebody's Rosebud," by Marion Starr, — pretty little poem, though on a somewhat hackneyed subject; "The Flowers' Convention," by Lucy Bittenger; “The Brook," by Charlotte Lay Dewey ; and "Our Ray," by Eliza Darling.

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"Writing for Our Young Contributors” gives a very pretty picture of

"Three forms in the growing twilight,
Three heads bent silent and low,
Three pens that over the paper
Rapidly scratching go,"

but it seems incomplete, and lacking in point.

"Show-Day in a Country Town," has many natural touches, and is quite well written, but it is altogether too long for our use.

The authors of "Jack in the Pulpit" and "Dandelions" neglected to comply with our rule, which requires that articles designed for "Our Young Contributors'" department should, in He meant to say "if the dog had been mad, it every instance, be accompanied by a statement would have given him the hydrophobia."

Will any one tell me where Rose Terry lives?
I am your true friend,

IOLA MONTGOMERY,
Rose Terry lives in Collinsville, Conn.

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of the writer's age.

ANSWERS to our last month's puzzles were received from Allie B. Withington, Nellie, Lucy Lee Batchelder, T. L. R. R., T. G. S. W., Mary Dimond, "Bessie and Mary," "Sam Weller," Frank L Mellen, Eunice M. Beebe, Carrie Johnson, "Dai Syelliott," Ida A. Wendell, Nellie Beach, Charlie D. Smith, Jessie, and others.

Florence Bucklin (age 11) and Cora Belle E. (12) send versions of the picture story, "Fred's Fireworks."

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THE SEARCH, AND HOW IT ENDED.

ONSTABLE SELLICK was not a man devoid of feeling, for all his merry disposition. He stood gazing anxiously at the water, shading his eyes from the sun reflected in it; then, as Jack did not come up a second time, the worthy man was filled with consternation.

"Who are the good swimmers here?" he cried. "Go in after him, some one! You can dive, Len Edwards!"

"But I can't dive like Jack Hazard," answered Len. "I've seen him in the water with the Chatford boys. There's nothing he can't do in the water."

"His breath was most likely beat out of his body, striking the surface," observed Mr. Byron Dinks. "A man may strike the water in such a way, it will be like falling flat on a rock." And Byron picked his teeth with a stem of dry grass from the bank.

"I'll go in if Harry Pray will," said Len.

"Well! I'll go if you will," replied Harry. And in the midst of the general excitement and confusion,

these two enterprising young men began to undress.

Before either was prepared for a plunge, however, a third young man, who had just arrived on the spot and learned that a boy was drowned,

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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by JAMES R. OSGOOD & Co., in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

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