the trough, over which the flat boards pass; at the end of the uppermost axle cross-bars are attached, serving as a wheel; to these again handles are fixed, which the man works, using each hand alternately. The labor is light, and the quantity of water raised considerable. The view from the top of the mountain repaid the labor of ascent. The scene was in the true mountain style, rock above rock in endless and sublime variety. This wildness was beautifully contrasted by the cultivation of the valleys, speckled with white cottages and farm-houses. We had been observed from the low grounds by the peasants, and on our descent were received by a crowd, who followed us with shouts, that might, had it not been for their subsequent civility in offering us tea, have been mistaken for insolence; as it was, they certainly were merely the rude expressions of astonishment." In Japan, where tea is also a beverage common to most classes of persons, they reduce it to a fine powder, which they place before the company, in a box forming part of the tea-equipage. The cups being filled with warm water, the powdered tea is taken from the box, on the point of a knife, and thrown into the cups, which are then handed to the company. The Dutch are said to have brought tea to Europe early in the seventeeth century, but there is no trace of its being known in England until after 1650. The tea trade of England did not make much progress during the early part of the eighteenth century, for the importation between the years 1700 and 1710, amounted to less than 800,000 pounds. It was still a scarce luxury, confined to the wealthy: it was made in small pots of the most costly china, holding not more than half a pint, and drunk out of cups whose capacity scarcely exceeded that of a large tablespoon. It is probably to this period, or somewhat later, that we may refer the anecdote, if true, of the country lady, who receiving as a present, a small quantity of tea, in total ignorance of its real use, looked upon it as some outlandish vegetable, boiled it until she thought it was tender, and then, throwing away the water, endeavored to eat the leaves. We have only room to add, that, in the century between 1710 and 1810, the teas imported into England, amounted to upwards of 750 millions of pounds, of which more than 630 millions were sold for home consumption; between 1810 and 1828, the total importation exceeded 427 millions of pounds, being on an average between twenty-three and twenty-four millions a year; and in 1831, the quantity imported, was 26,043,223 pounds. CURIOSITY. Geo. How shall we employ our time till the candles are brought? I wonder whether papa will tell us a tale? Mr. H. Well, I have thought of one that perhaps may improve a certain young person, if he will attend to it—but I mention no names. Geo. Do you mean me, papa? Mr. H. I did not say so. at her uncle's. This young lady had aequired a very troublesome habit of asking questions, and of prying into things that did not at all concern her; in short, she was what is generally called very curious; though I do not think she was well aware of it herself. One evening her aunt left the room, and was absent for some time on domestic affairs. Her uncle sat reading the paper. When he had finished it, he laid it upon the table, and pushed up his spectacles to his forehead, which was a certain sign that he was going to say something very grave. Chas. That is just as you do, papa. Mr. H. Is it? well-I believe it is, said Mr. H. smiling. He then called his niece to him and said, my dear, I am going from home early to-morrow morning. I have something I should wish to leave in your eare; may I depend upon you? Certainly, sir, you may replied his niece, but what is it? That, said Mr. Broadhurst, I wish to remain unknown. Well, said his neice, that is very odd: how can you commit any thing to my care without my knowing what? It is, replied her uncle, inclosed in a small paper box. 1 have so much dependence upon you, that 1 dare intrust you with the box unfastened; but with the knowledge of what it contains, I may not. Here is the key of my desk, open it, and you will find the box wrapped in a brown paper. When she had found it, she Geo. No, papa, but though you did not carried it to her uncle. Now, my dear, say so, perhaps you did mean me. Mr. H. In a certain town, there lived a gentleman of the name of Broadhurst. Mr. Broadhurst was a married man, but as he had no family of his own, he used to invite a niece to live with him occasionally, and she frequently spent many weeks together said he, as he unfolded the paper with care, this small box I give into your hands. You must neither tell Mrs. Broadhurst, nor any one else, what has passed between us this evening, and you will lock the box up in your trunk: it is of importance to yourself to remain ignorant of its contents. Good night, love. It may probably be three was written in large characters-"Peep says weeks before I return. Curiosity." Poor Mary burst into tears! Geo. I wonder what was in it: do you The box dropped from her hand upon the know, papa? Mr. H. You cannot wonder more than Mary did. She carried the box up stairs into her room: she examined the outside over, and over again, it was a small box made of purple paper; and after poring over it for a full half hour, she was just as wise as at first. It had no smell. It felt extremely light, and sounded hollow, for thus far did Mary's curiosity lead her. At length, she placed it in her trunk, and locked it up, as she had promised to do. She could scarcely sleep for thinking of it. What could it be, that was of importance to her not to know, and yet that her uncle had put into her hands? What could it be, that he would not even trust her aunt with? for it was the first time she had ever known her uncle conceal any thing from her. When she at length fell asleep, the box-the box still troubled her; she dreamt about it, waking or sleeping, the box still run in her head. Day after day passed; the desire to know what was in this box grew stronger. A thousand times did she wish that her uncle had never placed it in her care. It was daily examined, and many a time was her kand on the point of raising the lid. She had tried, and found that it was really not secured in any way. The evening at length came preceding the day on which her uncle was expected to return. To-morrow, she thought, would put it out of her power to ascertain the contents for ever. She tried the lid-it dropped into her hand. There was a paper in the box. Well, said she, I will not read this paper, I will only just look at it. She raised it; the paper was blank, but beneath on the bottom of the box, floor. To deny that she had opened the box, she could not: a lie was what Mary never told. It was now apparent what her uncle meant when he said, that it was of importance to herself that she did not open it. She had forfeited his good opinion, and in all probability, a reward; though, to give Mary due credit, her mind was so completely occupied by the thought of having lost her uncle's esteem, that the latter idea never entered her mind. To increase her perplexity, at this instant there was a knock at the hall door. It was her uncle's well-known rap. When he was informed of the truth by Mary's frank confession of the whole, he told her, that he intended no punishment; that he meant to give her a lesson which he trusted she would never forget. "That I shall not indeed," replied the sobbing girl, and I am happy to say; that before long, she recovered the good opinion of her uncle. The two following pieces are from a collection of Original Hymns for Sabbath Schools, recently published in Boston. PRAYER. Glad hearts to thee we bring, Thou who in heaven art, Our master knew; Giver of all our powers, As on the cloudless day, Now in life's morning hours, May they be thine; Pure, and from error free, An offering worthy Thee, Parent divine. Unite our souls in love, Smile on us from above, 'Till life be o'er; Then gather us to Thee, In thine own fold to be, For ever more. FAITH. There is a flower, a holy one, And rears unharmed its humble form, When others fade away. That plant is Faith; its holy leaves Reviving odors shed Upon the lowly place of grief, Plant of my soul, be fading things But through life's weary wanderings, Prov. xxxi 22. Luke xvi. 19. These were often died purple, or crimson, or scarlet. Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors, because he loved him more than his brethren, and it excited their envy, Gen. xxxvii. 3, 4. The daughters of kings wore vests or garments richly embroidered with needlework, see Psa. xlv. 13, 14. Judg. v. 30. also other texts. Such needle work still forms a principal part of the employment of females in the eastern nations. Dr. Shaw has given a very particular account of the eastern dress, which, with what other travellers relate, explains many passages of Scripture. He says, the usual size of the hyke, (the upper garment commonly worn,) is six yards long, and five or six feet wide. It serves for dress by day, and to sleep in at night, as the Israelites did, Deut. xxiv. 13. A covering was necessary in those countries, as, although the heat by day is very great, the nights generally are cold. Such a garment was loose and troublesome to the wearer; he was obliged to tuck it up, and fold it round him. This made a girdle necessary whenever they were actively employed, and it explains the Scripture expression, "having our loins girded," when called upon to be active in performing any duty. Ruth's veil, which held six measures of barley, Ruth iii. 15. was, most likely, a garment of this sort. The kneading troughs of the Israelites were bound up in their hykes, Exod. xii. 34. The plaid worn by the highlanders is much the same sort of garment; the principal article of dress worn in Java and other parts of the east, is similar; it is of many colors, like the Scottish plaid, and reminds us of Joseph's coat. A wooden or metal pin was used to fasten the folds of this garment together at the shoulder. The outer fold served for an apron to carry any thing in, as the lap full of wild gourds, 2 Kings iv. 39. See also Ruth iii. 15. Prov. xvi. 33. and other texts. The burnoose is a sort of cloak worn over the hyke. It has a cape or hood to cover the head, as a shelter from rain. Under the hyke is worn a close-bodied freck, or tunic. The coat of our Saviour, "woven without seam," was probably of this sort. When persons thus clad are engaged in any employment, they usually throw off their burnooses and hykes, and remain in their tunics, which is what is meant by laying aside their garments. Thus, our Saviour laid aside his garment when he washed the disciples' feet; and when Saul, and David, and others, are spoken of as naked, it means that they had put off their upper garments, and had upon them only their tunics. This also explains Mark xiv. 51. Garments like these would fit a number of persons, Gen. xxvii. 15. 1 Sam. xviii. 4. Luke xv. 22. they would not need altering, like our clothes, before they could be worn by others. These hykes, or upper garments were spread in the way when our Saviour entered Jerusalem in triumph. My young readers may recollect Dr. Franklin's story of the whistle; but lest some of you are too often forgetful of its moral, I will venture to repeat it in this place: THE WHISTLE. When I was a child about seven years of age, my friends, on a holyday, filled my pockets with half pence. I went directly towards a shop where toys were sold for children; and being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I met by the way, |