After he had sat nearly an hour upon the rock, Edmund heard a loud rustling in the bushes. He was startled at the sound, but his fears were quieted, when he heard the well-known bark of Ponto. The next moment, the faithful creature was at his feet. There was then a sound of voices, and Edmund heard his name shouted by some one at a distance. Ponto again left him, but soon returned. Two men rushed through the bushes. One of them was Edmund's father, and the other, John, the servant-man. Edmund returned in safety to his home. His mother had suffered the greatest anxiety on his account; and the family had been long in search of him. He learned a useful lesson from his adventure. From that moment, he overcame his idle and dilatory habits. My young readers! begin early to shun delay, for it is dangerous. Go straight forward in every thing that you undertake, and never "linger by the road." Our young correspondents, we fear, have become impatient at our long silence towards them. They have sent us letters (post paid) from all parts of the Union, but, until now, we have been unable to notice their communications. One writes us, expressing his interest in the welfare of our publication, and uttering praises, which we are too modest to repeat Another, who dates from a distant city, informs us," that many an humble fireside, from the Penobscot to the Mississippi, is cheered by the arrival of our little Magazine." He also suggests, that the "people of the United States be divided into two classes, namely: those who subscribe, and those who do not subscribe to the work." The latter class, he asserts, would constitute the minority. Many inquiries have been made of us, respecting the health of old Mr. Parley. We are happy to present the following letter written by him in reply to the note of a little girl, who lives in North Carolina. My dear little friend, Boston, May 21st, 1833. The letter you wrote to me on the 8th of May, has just come into my hands. Though I have never seen you, and probably never shall see you, it gave me great pleasure, for it assures me that even so far off as North Carolina, I have young friends who have read ny little books, and who are willing to take good counsel from the lips of a poor old man. Believe me, my little girl, when I tell you, that nothing gives my heart more joy, than to find myself capable of making children listen to my stories. I was once young like you, and then I had pleasure in the sports of childhood. I loved the spring for its flowers, the summer for its birds and sweet breezes, the autumn for its fruits, and the winter for its hardy amusements. But youth has passed away, and after a long and toilsome life, I find myself an old manworn out, decrepit and useless, but for one thing. I have seen much and suffered much; yet I have learned this, and this I may tell; that life is like a voyage; if you go one way, you will meet with storms, and final shipwreck; if you go another, you will sail on a smooth sea, and at last arrive safely at a harbor of happiness and peace. This I have learned, and this, though I am old and gray and lame, I may repeat, to those who will hear. People who are grown up, are too wise or too busy to stop and listen to Peter Parley's tales. But the young, the happy and the innocent, like you, may stop a moment in the giddy chase of pleasure, and learn something from the humble experience of one like me I will consider you then one of my listeners, and hereafter, when I tell a story, I will rememDer, that far away, many hundred miles, I have a little friend, who hears what I say and is willing to take counsel of me. I will remember that she wishes to know her duty, and that when she knows it, she will perform it. I will remember, that she is fond of knowledge, and wishes to be told of the many wonderful things that exist in various parts of the world. I will remember that she knows that happiness is the lot of the good, and sorrow the doom of the perverse. All these things I will remember-and with such a listener before my imagination, I hope I may be often able to furnish something to make my little readers more happy and more wise. I could write you a long letter, and tell you about Boston, but many of the people of North Carolina have been here, and some of your friends will no doubt tell you about it. I was never in North Carolina, and I am too lame to accept of your invitation to pay you a visit. I should be but too happy to go to the Southern States, for I know that the people there are most kind and generous to strangers. I know that many of them live happily, and that there are many wise and many excellent people there; and I should rejoice to witness with my own eyes, the proofs of what I have so often heard, of the pleasant way in which parents and children, brothers and sisters, live together among you. But as I said before, I cannot go; my destiny is to remain here, like an old tree, till the wind of heaven shall blow it down, and it ceases to exist among living things. To SARAH ANN M**** NORTHAMPTON Co. N. CAROLINA. In winter, the swallows migrate to tropical climates; and they can fly so rapidly, that a few days is sufficient for them to pass from the arcIn the spring they re tic to the torrid zone. turn; and each one generally comes back to his former haunt. Anacreon, an old Grecian poet, says of the swallow: "Gentle bird! we find thee here: When Nature wears her summer vest, Thou com'st to weave thy simple nest; And when the chilling winter lowers, Again thou seek'st the genial bowers Of Memphis, or the shores of Nile, Where sunny hours of verdure smile." Our limits remind us that we must defer noticing, at present, the remaining letters, which fill our drawer. We thank our friends for their kind wishes, which we hope always to merit. From the numerous notices of our work, which the newspapers, throughout the Union, have contained, we select a few, which may give an idea of the favor, with which our undertaking has been viewed. From the N. Y. American. Peter Parley's tales and travels have amused many a way, to attract the attention of those who do not like youth. This Magazine is intended in the same familiar to read as a task, and to induce them to read for pleasure. This number before us, which is a specimen number, affords great promise of usefulness and sound instruction, by the dissemination in plain language and in short narratives, of things meet to be known. We are PETER PARLEY. much pleased ourselves with this little Magazine, and hope it may succeed. From the Clarksburg (Va.) Enquirer. PARLEY'S MAGAZINE, the prospectus of which win be found in another column, is the prettiest and most useful of publications for children. Peter Parley is well known as one of the most agreeable and instructive friends of youth. The specimen number of his Magazine is filled with simple and substantial food for the of the benevolent Peter to the gratitude both of parents and children. The following letter bears the post-mark of juvenile mind, and adds another to the many claims a village in Albany Co. N. Y. In your next magazine, please tell us of the migration of birds, particularly the summer born Swallow-I have asked all our folks, and the schoolmaster, and they can't any of them tell me where the swallows go in the winter. Your compliance with this request will please a Little Reader. From the People's Press, Wilmington, N. C. We rejoice to see the increase of popular works for children, and we have great confidence in recommending the present little Magazine to the patronage of work for a child, and the impatience which he will parents. The trifling sum of a dollar will procure the manifest for the arrival of the mail by which he is to receive a number, will be an earnest of his becoming thoroughly acquainted with its contents. From the New Orleans Advertiser. We have received a first or specimen number of a beautiful little publication, designed for the amusement and instruction of youth, entitled "Parley's Magazine." It is, what it professes to be, an entertaining work, well calculated to delight youthful readers, a work that will "become with them a favorite," that "they will regard not as a thing which they must read as a task, but which they will love to consult as a companion and friend "a work indeed, "the reading of which may be permitted to good children as a reward, but the denial of which may be felt as a punishment by those who are bad." From the Nashville (Tenn.) Banner. We have already stated the nature and design of this little publication, and we cheerfully contribute our aid to extend its circulation and increase its usefulness. It is published once in two weeks at the low price of one dollar a year, payable in advance. It is really a beautiful thing for children, embellished with numerous spirited and handsome engravings, and abounding in articles both instructive and interesting. This second number fully equals the promise of the first, and as the patronage of the first is already sufficiently extensive to warrant continued exertions, we have no doubt it will improve, rather than decline as it proceeds, and become a valuable auxiliary to parents and teachers, in stimulating and gratifying the curiosity of the young and ardent. We commend it to the patronage of all who have the guardianship and instruction of children. From the Troy (N. Y.) Press. The execution of the work, as respects typography and arrangement, is admirable and attractive. The wood-cuts are of uncommon excellence, and are twentytwo in number, and the pages are sixteen-at the low price of $100 per annum. Here is that specific kind of literature for youth, combining information with amusement, which is adapted to counteract the taste for silly tales, awaken a laudable curiosity, and gratify an intelligent youth in a manner and to an extent which mere fiction never can.-There is not an article in the present number which any unsophisticated mind would not read with eager avidity and certain advantage. From the Washington (Pa.) Examiner. TO LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS. the blessing of good schools, have heard of Peter Parley Most of our little boys and girls who are enjoying and his Geography; and we know some of them who have wished to see him, that they might learn what kind of a man he was. ley would be very glad to see you, if he was able.Well now, we think Mr. ParBut, as he knows that cannot be, the old gentleman has and an excellent one it is too, as besides that advantage, hit upon a plan to make himself better known to you, it has another far better, which is, to fill your minds with useful information, such as will prepare you to become good members of society and good and intelligent citizens. We have inserted this paragraph to draw your attention to a proposal in another column of this week's Examiner, for publishing "Parley's Magazine for Children and Youth." We wish you all to read that Proposal; and hope that many of you near every Post Office in Washington county, may get your parents to subscribe for that paper for your use. The Post-masters would, no doubt, be pleased to act as agents, and send the names and subscription money to the publishers. From the Boston Evening Gazette. This is one of the prettiest affairs that this age of improved typography has produced. The cuts in it are very spirited, and executed with a beauty and finish that one could hardly have expected wood-cutting to reach in the present state of the art in our country The matter is very excellently adapted to the capacity and the wants of children. The style is throughout neat, simple, and perspicuous; the subjects are well selected and happily treated. We like the Magazine much better for being free from baby-talk, at the same time that it is perfectly intelligible to children. A specimen number has been issued, and we understand that it is received with a degree of favor and patronage that has never been extended to any similar work in this country. The subscription price is only one dollar per annum.-Every father of a family should procure it. |