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GOING TO BED EARLY.

GOING TO BED EARLY.

3d.

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Because day light is better for

Peter. Come, George, I am for go- our eyes, as well as cheaper, than caning to bed. dle or lamp light. What does it signito sit up an hour longer and burn the lamp, and then lie in bed till the sun is an hour high?

George. O, no; don't go yet. P. But why not? it's ten o'clock. G. Why, mother lets us sit up here in the study as long as we please, you know.

P. You mean she does not forbid it. But you know if father was at home, he would not allow it. And mother is not pleased with it.

G. But why should we go to bed? There is time enough to sleep if we sit up an hour longer. It will be only eleven.

P. If you lie as late in the morning

G. Well, but what's the use of getting up in the cold, early in the morning? No; I am for setting up another hour. We can be still, and disturb nobody.

P. Come, come, George; I'll tell you how this matter is. We ought to go to bed early, by ten o'clock at least, for the following reasons.

1st. If we are up after mother is gone to bed, although she may not complain, we give her trouble. Do you think she can sleep? How does she know but, by neglecting to take care of the lamp or the stove, we may set the house on fire and burn her and the rest in it ?

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4th. But another reason still for going to bed early is that father always advises and sometimes commands it— and both he and mother wish it. This alone is reason enough, and I am determined to gratify them. If you will sit up, you may sit up alone.

ANECDOTE OF THE PELICAN. MONSIEUR Adanson, a Frenchman, who resided five years in Africa for the purpose of making observations in natural history, tells a curious story about the pelicans which he saw on the river Niger. He says, "They moved with great state like swans upon the water, and are the largest bird next to the ostrich. The bill of one which I killed was more than a foot and a half long, and the bag fastened underneath it, held twenty-two pints of water. They swim in flocks, and form a large circle, which they contract afterwards, driving the fish before them with their legs. When they see the fish in sufficient number in this confined space, they plunge their bill wide open into the water, and shut it again with great quickness. In this way they get fish into their throat-bags, and then go on shore and eat them at their leisure."

THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

HERE is a boat load of New Zealanders; and both
the savages and the boat present a most singular ap-
pearance. The boat itself with its rude figures and
ornaments is of their own construction; and so are
the oars, and the instruments of war which they
carry in their hands.
See what a singular dress!
The one who sits near the stern of the boat appears
from his dress to be a chief. A part of them are al-
most naked,

New Zealand, as some of you probably know,
consists of two large islands in the South Pacific
Ocean, nearly six thousand miles westward of Chili,
in South America, and a thousand eastward of New
Holland. These two islands are separated by a
strait called Cook's Strait, because discovered by
Capt. Cook, the celebrated navigator. Both of them
contain much more land than the whole of New
England; but it is not very thickly inhabited, and

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THE MONKEY AND CROWS.

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135

the soil not much cultivated. The ures will remain. It is done by the Dutch named both these islands New painful process of pricking the skin and Zealand; but the natives call the inserting the ink so deep that it colors northern one Eaheinomauwe; and the the very texture of the skin itself. southern one Tavai-Poenamoo. They are truly barbarous names; and I have mentioned them chiefly to let you know how barbarous they are.

The food of these savages consists chiefly of potatoes and fern roots. The fern roots grow here in great abundance and of very large size. Some of the chiefs possess herds of swine, but they seldom or never eat their flesh, if they can get any thing else. They usually sell their pork to the Dutch who, as it is well known, are very fond of it. They also sometimes eat human flesh; but it is when hard pressed by hunger, or when they have slain their enemies in battle. From this circumstance they are commonly called cannibals. They are generally tall, strong, active and well shaped; their hair straight and their complexion brown.

The male and female New Zealanders dress just alike. They wear an under coat or tunic, fastened by a girdle round the waist, and an upper cloak over it. Both of these garments are made of a kind of flax which grows among them. Some of their slaves (for it seems that they enslave each other) go almost naked. The strange custom of tattooing prevails among these savages. Tattooing, as perhaps you know, consists in painting the face in various ways, and in such a manner that the fig

These people know how to use firearms, and to fish for whales in canoes of their own manufacturing. They also know a little about agriculture, and they can weave; and some of them have musical wind instruments. Taken altogether, they are a very singular nation.

THE MONKEY AND CROWS.

IN the jungles in the neighborhood of Tillichery, in the East Indies, so says the Oriental Annual, there is a large species of monkey, frequently tamed by the natives, and at a village, a short distance from this celebrated sea-port, we had an evidence of the remarkable sagacity of this animal. A few yards from the house of the person to whom it belonged, was a thick pole, at least thirty feet high, round which was an iron ring, and to this was attached a strong chain of considerable length fastened to the collar round the monkey's neck. The chain being loose, it easily slipped up the pole when he ascended. He was in the habit of taking his station on the top of the bamboo, where he seemed perched as if to enjoy the prospect around him; this was really striking. The crows, which in India are very abundant and singularly audacious, taking advantage of his elevated posi tion, had been in the daily habit of robbing him of his food, which was placed

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THE MONKEY AND CROWS.

every morning and evening at the foot of the pole. To this he had vainly attempted to express his dislike by chattering, and other indications of his displeasure equally ineffectual; nothing that he could do was of any avail to scare away these unwelcome intruders upon his repast.

Finding that he was perfectly unheeded, he adopted a plan of retribution as effectual as it was ingenious. One morning, when his tormentors had been particularly troublesome, he appeared as if seriously indisposed; he closed his eyes, drooped his head, and exhibited various other symptoms of severe suffering. No sooner were his ordinary rations put at the foot of the bamboo, than the crows, watching their opportunity, descended, in great numbers, and according to their usual practice, began to demolish his provisions. The monkey began to slide down the pole by slow degrees, as if the effort was painful to him, and as if so overcome by indisposition, that his remaining strength was scarcely able to such exertion. When he reached the ground, he rolled about some time, seeming in great agony, until he found himself close to the vessel employed to contain his food, which the crows had by this time well nigh devoured.

There was, however, some remaining, which a solitary bird, emboldened by the apparent indisposition of the monkey, advanced to seize. The wily creature was at this time lying in a state of ap

parent insensibility at the foot of the pole, and close by the pan. The moment the crow stretched out its head, and ere it could secure a mouthful of the interdicted food, the watchful avenger seized the depredator by the neck with the rapidity of thought, and secured it from doing further mischief. He now began to chatter and grin with every expression of gratified triumph, while the crows flew around, cawing in boisterous chime, as if deprecating the chastisement about to be inflicted upon their captive companion. The monkey continued for a while to chatter and grin in triumphant mockery of their distress; he then deliberately placed the crow between his knees, and began to pluck it with humourous gravity. When he had completely stripped it, except the large feathers in the pinions and tail, he flung it into the air as high as his strength would permit, and, after flapping his wings for a few seconds, it fell to the ground with a stunning shock.

The other crows, which had been fortunate enough to escape a similar castigation, now surrounded it and pecked it to death. The expression of joy on the animal's countenance was altogether indescribable; and he had no sooner seen this ample retribution dealt to the purloiner of his repast, than he ascended the bamboo to enjoy a quiet repose. The next time his food was brought, not a single crow approached it, and I dare say that thenceforth he was never again molested by the voracious intruders.

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Hark! hark! I hear a fearful sound,

That bids my bosom thrill; Though loud the night wind whistles round, That shriek is louder still.

It was on a dark, rainy night, about the middle of March, that I returned, after a long ramble, to Fawley Court, one of the most hospitable mansions in Herefordshire.

Weary and wet to the skin, I took up a bed-candlestick to retire to my chamber and change my clothes. I crossed the great hall, paved with broad flat stones and hung with pictures, and ascended the oak staircase, while the wind howled around the mansion, and the rain beat against the projecting windows.

Scarcely had I taken off my coat, untied my cravat, and pulled off the boot from my left leg, when a violent scream, as from a person in great distress, reach

ed me. I listened a moment, the scream was repeated, and, fully persuaded, in my mind, that the life of some one was in danger, I snatched up my chamber candlestick, and without waiting to put on my coat and cravat, rushed down the oaken staircase to the door leading to the garden. Hastily withdrawing the great iron bolt, I pulled open the door, and was in an instant in the garden.

The rain pattered on my head, and a blast of wind blew out my candle. It was in vain to go forward, for the screaming then appeared to proceed from the opposite end of the house, I therefore retraced my steps, making the best of my way to my chamber. To pull on my boot, to put on my coat, and to descend the staircase, was the work of a few moments; but during that time I heard the shrill screams of a female, as

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