ww the gallows on a new-made grave, and yet you tremble at a friend's touch. Take heart, child, and tell me what is your name, and where is your home?" 22. "Friend," replied the little boy, in a sweet, though faltering voice, "they call me Ilbrahim, and my home is here." 23. "Your home will scarce be comfortable, Ilbrahim, this cold autumn night, and I fear you are ill-provided with food. I am hastening to a warm supper and bed, and if you will go with me, you shall share them!" 24. "I thank thee, friend, but though I be hungry and shivering with cold, thou wilt not give me food nor lodging," replied the boy, in the quiet tone which despair had taught him, even so young. "My father was of the people whom all men hate. They have laid him under this heap of earth, and here is my home.” 25. The Puritan, who had laid hold of little Ilbrahim's hand, relinquished it as if he were touching a loathsome reptile. But he possessed a compassionate heart, which not even religious prejudice could harden into stone. 26. "God forbid that I should leave this child to perish, though he comes of the accursed sect," said he to himself. "Do we not all spring from an evil root? Are we not all in darkness till the light doth shine upon us? He shall not perish, neither in body, nor, if prayer and instruction may avail for him, in soul." 27. He then spoke aloud and kindly to Ilbrahim, who had again hid his face in the cold earth of the grave. "Was every door in the land shut against you, my child, that you have wandered to this unhallowed spot?" 28. "They drove me forth from the prison when they took my father thence," said the boy, "and I stood afar off, watching the crowd of people; and when they were gone I came hither, and found only this grave. I knew that my father was sleeping here, and I said, this shall be my home." 29. "No, child, no; not while I have a roof over my head, or a morsel to share with you!" exclaimed the Puritan, whose sympathies were now fully excited. "Rise up and come with me, and fear not any harm." 30. The boy wept afresh, and clung to the heap of earth, as if the cold heart beneath it were warmer to him than any in a living breast. 31. The traveler, however, continued to entreat him tenderly, and, seeming to acquire some degree of confidence, the boy at length arose. But his slender limbs tottered with weakness, his little head grew dizzy, and he leaned against the tree of death for support. 32. "My poor boy, are you so feeble?" said the Puritan. "When did you taste food last?" 33. "I ate of bread and water with my father in the prison," replied Ilbrahim; "but they brought him none either yesterday or to-day, saying that he had eaten enough to bear him to his journey's end. Trouble not thyself for my hunger, kind friend, for I have lacked food many times ere now." 34. The traveler took the child in his arms, wrapped his cloak about him, and resumed the homeward path from which the wailing of the boy had called him. 35. "Look up, child," said the Puritan, as he soon beheld the fire-rays from the windows of his cottage, "look up, child, there is our home." 36. A few moments brought them to the door, at which they were greeted by the wife of the owner. 37. "Dorothy," observed he, "here is a little outcast, whom Providence has put into our hands. Be kind to him, even as if he were of those dear ones who have departed from us." 38. Then he told her how he had found the child beneath the gallows, where Christian men had cast him out to die. 39. 66 Have you a mother, dear child?" she inquired. The tears burst forth from his full heart, as he attempted to reply. 40. "Fear not, little boy, you shall have a mother and a kind one. Dry your tears, Ilbrahim, and be my child, as I will be your mother." HAWTHORNE. LESSON CLXVII. FERN, plants loving moist places. TOIL, used here to mean men of toil, working-men. PRONUNCIATION.-Strewed (strude), danʼgle 24, squirʼrel 4b. LITTLE AT FIRST, BUT MIGHTY AT LAST. 1. A TRAVELER on a dusty road strewed acorns on the lea, And one took root, and sprouted up, and grew into a tree. 2. Love sought its shade at evening time to breathe its early vows, And age was pleased in heats of noon to rest beneath its boughs. 3. The squirrel loved its dangling twigs, and singing birds it bore;— It stood a glory in its place, a blessing evermore. 4. A little spring had lost its way among the grass and fern; A passing stranger scooped a well where weary men might turn. 5. He walled it in, and hung with care a ladle at the brink. He thought not of the deed he did, but judged that toil might drink. 6. He passed again, and lo! the well-by summers never dried— Had cooled ten thousand parching tongues, and saved a life beside. LESSON CLXVIII. AS-SAIL', to fall upon, to assault, to attack. CAN NI-BAL, a man that eats human flesh. In this lesson the name is given to fish that eat human flesh. IN'CI DENT, (Latin incido, to fall upon,) something that falls out or happens, event, occurrence. SHOAL, & crowd, a great number together. PRONUNCIATION.-Tyr'an-ny 27a, as-sist'ance la, shriek 23, in-vit'ing 3c, re-sist' 1, ac tu-al·ly 3a, creat'ures 17 and 18, as-sailed' lf. THE CANNIBAL-FISH. 1. On the head waters of the great river of South America, the Amazon, a party of exiles had built a temporary habitation. 2. While they were here one of the party, a little boy about thirteen years of age, went into the water, and began splashing about, quite delighted. He then ventured to swim short distances, each time going farther out before returning to the bank. 3. In one of these excursions, when farthest from shore, he felt a sharp pain as if from a bite, and then another and another, upon different parts of the body, as if several sets of teeth were attacking him at once. 4. The boy screamed. In a few seconds his screams brought the whole household to the edge of the water. All believed that he either was drowning or was pursued by a crocodile. 5. On arriving at the bank, however, they saw him still above the water, and swimming for the shore-no sign of a crocodile within sight. 6. "What was the matter?" Of course that question was asked him by all in a breath. His reply was that "he could not tell— something was biting him all over!" 7. The quick eye of the mother now caught sight of blood around the swimmer-the water was tinged with it. Her piercing shriek rent the air: "My child! my child! Save him! save him!" 8. The father and a faithful servant plunged forward to meet him. In the next moment he was raised in their arms; but the blood streamed down his body and limbs, apparently from a dozen wounds. 9. As they lifted him out of the water they saw what had caused these wounds. A shoal of small fish, with ashy-green backs and bright orange bellies and fins, was visible below. 10. With large open mouths they had followed their victim to the very surface; and now, when he was lifted out of their reach, they shot forward and attacked the legs of the rescuers, causing them to dance in the water and make all haste for the bank. 11. As soon as they had reached the shore they turned round and looked into the water. These blood-thirsty pursuers had followed them up to the very bank, and now swam about, darting from point to point, and ready for a fresh assault on any one that might enter the water. "They are the cannibal-fish!" said the servant, as he turned to attend to the boy. 12. The boy was now carried up to the house. He had received nearly a dozen wounds. Some of them were on the calves of his legs, where the fish had actually taken out pieces of flesh. 13. Had he been farther out in the river when first attacked, he might never have reached the shore alive, as the fierce creatures were gathering in greater numbers, and would undoubtedly have torn him to pieces, and eaten him up. 14. Such has been the fate of many persons who have fallen among the cannibal-fish in the midst of wide rivers where they had no means of escape. 15. These ferocious little fish lie at the bottom of the river, and` are not easily seen; but the moment an attack is made by one of them, and a drop of blood stains the water, the whole shoal rises to the surface. Woe then to the creature that is assailed by their sharp triangular teeth! MAYNE REID. LESSON CLXIX. PRONUNCIATION.-New 16, earth 9, world 9, whis'per 32c, harvest 16, sound 29, sil'ver-y 3b. SONG FOR ALL SEASONS. 1. SPRING is abroad on the new-born earth, 2. And summer comes, with her crown of grace, 4. And winter comes in his robes of white, "God's world, how fair!" LESSON CLXX. A'QUE-OUS, (Latin aqua, water,) con- AP-PRE CIATE, (Latin pretium, price,) FAN-TAS'TIC, imaginary, unreal. JUNK, a Chinese ship. PRO-FU'SION, (Latin profusio, from pro dance. TIEN-MEN', a province of China. PRONUNCIATION. - Par-tic'u-lar 2e, pro-fu'sion 16, pro-duce' 3d, en-tire'ly 36, de-sire' 1, su-pe'ri-or 16 and 19, gen'er-al-ly 3b, un-u ́su-al 3e, ar-ti-fi'cial 9. THE FONDNESS OF THE CHINESE FOR MELONSEEDS. 1. HEARING that we had more than once shown a liking for aqueous fruits, the authorities of Tien-men had the kindness to put an abundant supply of them at our disposal. Water-melons, in particular, were lavished upon us with an astonishing liberality. The soldiers, the servants, the palanquin bearers, all had as much as they could desire. 2. It was the hight of the season for this fruit, which is produced at Tien-men of unusual size and superior flavor. Though it was very early when we entered the town, we had remarked in all the streets long stalls covered with a profusion of magnificent slices of water-melons; some were scarlet, some white, and some yellow, the latter being generally the most delicate. 3. The water-melon is very important in China on account of its seeds, for which the Chinese have a perfect passion. In some places, when the harvest is abundant, the fruit is valueless, and preserved only for the sake of the seed. 4. Sometimes the fruit is carried in quantities to a frequented highway, and given away to travelers, on condition that they shall put aside the seed for the proprietor. By this interested generosity, he has the glory of refreshing the weary in the hot season, and he also relieves himself of the trouble of extracting the precious deposit within. 5. These water-melon seeds are indeed a treasure of cheap amuse. ment for the three hundred millions of inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. They are an object of daily consumption throughout the eighteen provinces; and it is amusing to see these extraordinary |