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Truth Triumphant.

TRUTH TRIUMPHANT.

IN a far-off country, there was once a jeweller who left home with some valuable diamonds, for the purpose of selling them in a city at some distance from his own residence. He took with him his son and a slave. This slave he had purchased when quite a small boy, and had brought him up more like an adopted child than a servant.

The merchant at length reached the city whither he was going, and disposed of his diamonds with great advantage. While preparing to return home he was seized with a sudden illness, which in a few hours terminated his life. The merchant was quite a stranger in the city. This his servant knew, and be lieving himself quite safe, he declared himself to be the son of the deceased jeweller, and entitled to take charge of his property.

The real son was filled with great grief, but what could he do? He had no means of establishing his right to the property, for he had no means of proving himself to be the son of the deceased. The servant was loud in his pretensions, and one circumstance served to favor his claims. He was a young man, quite comely in his person, and polished in his manners; whereas the jeweller's son was mean in his appearance, and had been seriously injured in his education by the indulgence of his parents. It was, therefore, quite natural that strangers should take part with the servant against the son. At length, in order to end the dispute, the latter referred the matter to a court of law. There, however, from a total want of proof, nothing could be decided. Each party was equally positive, but neither could do more than to assert his claim. At length the judge declared his utter inability to determine which was the rightful heir to the property.

The novelty of the case, and the great

amount of property in question, excited the interest and curiosity of a large part of the city. Divers opinions prevailed, and the subject became a fruitful theme of conversation and dispute. It was thought to be a case of so much importance as to merit the attention of the prince of the country.

The case was accordingly stated to him; but in like manner he also was confounded, and at a loss how to decide the question. At length a happy thought occurred to the chief judge of the prince, by which to ascertain the real heir. The two claimants were summoned before him. He ordered them to stand behind a curtain prepared for the occasion. Through this curtain two openings were made. They were directed to project their heads through these holes, and then each one might tell his story. When the judge had heard them he was to decide the case, and cut off the head of the one whom he should judge to be the slave.

Both agreed to the plan; the son relying upon the honesty and the justice of his cause; the servant, through his confidence in the impossibility of detection.

The judge took his seat, and the parties took their stations. An officer with a drawn sword stood in front ready to strike off the head of the one whom the judge should decide to be the impostor.

They now told their stories. Just as the last one had finished, the judge cried out in a stern voice to the officer, "Enough! Enough! strike off the villain's head!" The officer sprung towards the young men with an uplifted sword. The impostor, conscious of his guilt, started back behind the curtain; the son, conscious of the justice of his cause, stood unmoved!

The judge immediately decided for the latter, ordered the property to be given to him, and the slave to be punished for his wicked and ungrateful attempt at deception.

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How beautiful is Spring! See this little girl-she has gone forth into the fields alone, and she has gathered a handful of blossoms-dandelions, buttercups, and pansies.

Why should the little girl gather flowers? Because they are beautiful, you will tell me. And who told you they were beautiful? You cannot tell me that, perhaps; then I will tell you.

It is God, who made us, that has told us flowers are beautiful. He made us with eyes to see, and hearts to feel their beauty. He made these things, and He formed us so that we might love them, and take pleasure in them. How good and kind is it of our Heavenly Father, o spread pleasant things around us, and give us faculties to enjoy them!

Surely, when we see so many lovely blossoms, and so many pleasant things, scattered around us, we should think with gratitude of Him who has arranged all these things; and our hearts being filled with love to Him, we should all try to please Him, by doing as He wishes us to do.

God has done other kind things for us-He has not only made flowers, but He has made truth, charity, kindness, goodness, and other things, which are called virtues. God looks on these things, as we do upon flowers, as very lovely things; and what he wishes of us, is, that our hearts shall be full of these virtues. He likes to look on a virtuous mind, as we do on a flowery garden.

Now, my little reader, you can love

160

DASH WON'T LEARN HIS LESSON.-TO CORRESPONDENTS.

will

these virtues, if you please, and you can read? Shame! Shame on you! Why, adorn yourself with them. When you father says you are six years old, and have learned to love them, it will give you don't know your letters! Naughty you great pleasure to think of them, and Dash!" if they dwell in your own heart, you be happy indeed. If you love truth, if you love charity and kindness, if you are fond of everything that is good and amiable, then God will love you, and you will be cheerful and happy.

Dash won't learn his Lesson!

HERE is Dash in his kennel, and Alice

by his side. Alice has got a book, and she tries to get Dash to read. Let us listen, and hear what Alice says.

"Oh Dash, you are a naughty dog! Why don't you say a, b, c? Look on the book! Mind! If you don't mind, I'll whip you!

"A'nt you ashamed, Dash, not to learn your letters? What! be a blockhead all your days, and not learn to

To Correspondents.

ters we get from our friends in all quarWE are gratified to find from the letters, that the "Little Leaves" are acceptable to our subscribers. We are particularly glad to find that our larger readers do not object that so many pages should be devoted to the amusement of "Little Readers."

To J. L. S., who inquires if the story of Limping Tom is true, we have to reply that if it is not, it sounds very like the truth.

As to R-, who discovers that in our April number we have got in a cut which was inserted last year, we beg to observe, that we had noticed this ourselves, but were afraid to speak about it, lest it should be only an April fool trick of the printer's boys, and we should get the laugh upon us, thereby.

We say to L, who wishes to hear something more about Bill Keeler, that we have inserted an anecdote of him in this number. We are glad to find that the story of Inquisitive Jack is approved of. We shall make Jack out a very clever fellow, before we have done with him.

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LOUISA VINNING THE HOP FLY.

England. Her father, John Vinning, is a musician of talent: as violinist and composer, he has acquired celebrity. His two brothers are also musicians, having been induced, by an irresistible inclination for music, to abandon the professions to which they had been bred. When the little warbler who is now the subject of notice, had reached the age of nine months, it was observed that she derived intense delight from music; and if she was ever fretful, the sound of her father's violin immediately soothed her; at the same time her whole frame would move in unison with the measure, and her face beam with ecstasy. Her father indulged the child in occasionally playing to her, but the excitement was so intense that he became apprehensive it might injure her. He accordingly took the advice of several medical men, who recommended a moderate indulgence only of the child's passion.

Before Louisa could speak words, she began to sing tunes with accuracy and effect; and often while asleep, she would warble forth some soft and sweet melody, -an air she had heard, or the impromptu suggestion of a dream. On one occasion the father was called by the mother, whom he found in tears by the bed-side of the sleeping child, who was singing a beautiful air, in a soft and mellow voice. The father remained at the place, and the little warbler repeated it several times. He immediately took a pen and wrote it down. This song was sold to Mr. Burkley, of London, who wrote some lines to it, and it was published under the title of the "Infant's Dream." This composition has been much admired. In the morning after the child had sung this song in her sleep, she said to her mother, "Oh, I have seen such beautiful angels in my sleep-all gold-beautiful gold!"

When this interesting prodigy was two years old, she was announced to

sing in public in London. Her performances were such as to excite the utmost wonder, even of musicians of the highest standing. The celebrated Thalberg, then in London, Sir G. Smart, and the Misses Moschelles, stated that her singing was astonishingly correct, her voice pleasing and of great compass, her ear correct, and her feeling quick and deep. Such was her fame, at this age, that the queen sent for her to come to Buckingham palace. On hearing the child sing, her majesty was so touched, that she clasped her warmly to her breast, and afterwards placed a large diamond pin in her bosom, as an expression of her delight.

From this time, this little singer continued to attract public attention, and promises, when she arrives at maturity, fully to realize the hopes her early displays and genius have inspired.

Importance of a Fly.

THE following facts may give our readers some idea of the vast importance to the British treasury of a little insect, called the hop fly, or Aphis Humelia.

In the year 1822, on the 14th of May, the hop duty, on a fair estimate, according to the prospect of the crop, was laid at £100,000; the fly, however, appearing pretty plentifully towards the end of the month, it was estimated as likely to produce only £80,000. The fly increased, and by the end of June the duty had gone down to £60,000; by the end of July, to £30,000; by the end of August, to £22,000, and by the end of December to £14,000. The duty actually paid this year was £15,463 10s. 6d.

In 1825, the duty commenced at an estimate of £130,000; but, owing to the excessive increase of the fly, it had in July fallen to £16,000; at the beginning of September it rose to £29,000, but

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