description. These are ornamented with figures of castles, kings, trees, churches, milk-maids, and a countless variety of figures of snow-white confectionary, painted with brilliant colors. At evening the windows are brilliantly illuminated with rows of lamps and wax candles inside; while the outside is crowded with admiring spectators. Among these, are numbers of boys, who take great delight in pinning people together by their coattails, and nailing them to the window frames. Sometimes eight or ten persons find themselves united together in this way; and such is the dexterity of the trick, that a piece of the garment is always sacrificed in the struggle for free

dom.

Perhaps you have heard that old Peter Parley, when he was once in London, as he was gazing into a shopwindow, seeing the twelfth-night cakes, got his coat-tail pinned to the gown of a woman, which made no small degree of fun.

Within doors there is also a frolic going on at this time. A large cake is cut up among a party of young people, who draw for the slices, and are chosen king and queen of the evening. They then draw for characters, thus making a great deal of sport.

Puzzles.

My first and last are man's beginning;
My ninth, 'leventh, twelfth, a school-boy's task;
My fifth, tenth, sixth, a welcome winning,
If maids consent when lovers ask.
My second, third and fourth, to do,
Is but the lot of human creatures;
Seven, eight, nine, ten-if books are true-
Bore once a goddess' form and features;
My first half-save a single letter-
Denotes a jolly, one-legged fellow;
My other half-perchance the better-
Doth mean a thing with covers yellow.
Such is my riddle-can you guess it?
If so, pray write us, and confess it.
And if you think you'd like to try it,
Why, send a dollar-and you'll buy it.

b

THE following amusing anecdote is told of Buckhardt, a famous traveller in Africa ::

Buckhardt sailed from England early in 1809, and arrived at Malta in safety. Here he equipped himself in the style of an Oriental, assuming the character of an Indian Mahommedan merchant, and sailed for Acre, whence he hoped to be able to reach Tripoli, in Syria, or Latakia. After being twice duped by the captains of the little trading vessels with whom he engaged a passage, by their telling him, when he was fairly embarked, that they were not going to the place which they had represented, he reached the 3

VOL III.

coast of Syria, at Suedieh. Having bargained with the muleteers for the transport of himself and his baggage to Aleppo, he was beginning to load the mules, when he received a message from the aga, or Turkish governor of the place, requesting to see him. Our traveller found this dignitary smoking his pipe in a miserable room, and pulling off his slipper, he sat down before him. After having partaken of a cup of coffee, Buckhardt asked his highness what he wanted. The aga answered by making a sign with his thumb and fore-finger, like a person counting money; at the same time inquiring particularly what was

contained in the chest of which our traveller's baggage was composed. Buckhardt, who had among them several packets for the British consul at Aleppo, told him that he did not know, but that he thought there was a sort of Frank or European drink (beer) and some eatables, which he had brought from Malta for the consul. Not to be thus eluded, the aga sent one of his people to examine the contents. The messenger tasted the beer and found it abominably bitter, and as a sample of the eatables, he carried a potato, which he took out of one of the barrels, to his master. The aga tasted the raw potato, and, instantly spitting it out again, exclaimed loudly against the Franks' stomach, which could bear such food. After this sample he did not care to investigate farther, and exacting a fine of ten piastres he allowed Buckhardt to proceed.

Dr. Cotton and the Sheep.

THERE is an anecdote told of Mr. Cotton, the old minister of Boylston, which may perhaps amuse some of our young readers. This gentleman's house stood upon an eminence, with a garden sloping down in front, filled with fruittrees. At the foot of the garden was a fence, and, in a straight line with the fence, an old well-curb. Mr. Cotton kept a great number of sheep, as most of our farmers did in olden times; and one day these uneasy creatures took it into their heads to get a taste of their master's fruit. But the minister had another mind about the matter, and sallied out to give the marauders better instructions. The sheep were somewhat alarmed at being detected, and, according to their usual habit, all followed their leader to escape. The well-curb being the lowest part of the barrier

which presented itself to the retreating general, over he leaped, and down he went to the very bottom of the well; and after him came several of his followers, till the well was in danger of being choked up with the silly sheep. There was but one way for the good pastor to save his flock; and, like a gallant chieftain, over the curb he also leaped, and boldly faced the flying insurgents, who were rushing on to destruction. We need not add that the coupde-main was effectual, and that the remainder of the herd was in this manner preserved. As for the precipitated general and his comrades, they humbly lifted themselves upon their hind feet, and stretching their paws toward their master, bleated a faint petition for release. "Don't be in haste," quietly replied the good pastor; "wait patiently till I go to the house for a rope-then I will try to save you." He was as good as his word. Descending the well, he fastened the rope around their bodies, and drew them safely out; and I dare say the silly creatures did not soon forget the lesson they had learned at so fearful a risk.

The Robin.

He

A ROBIN came, in the severity of winter, to the window of an honest farmer, and appeared as though he wished to enter. Then the farmer opened the window and kindly took the confiding little animal into his dwelling. picked up the crumbs that fell from the table. The children loved and valued the bird. But when spring again appeared and the trees were covered with leaves, the farmer opened his window, and the little stranger flew into a neighboring grove, and built his nest and sang his cheerful song.

And behold, when winter returned, the robin came again to the dwelling of the farmer, and brought his mate with him. And the farmer, together with his children, rejoiced greatly, when they saw the two little animals, as they looked with their clear, small eyes, confidently round. And the children said, "The birds regard us as though they had something to say."

Then the father answered, "If they could speak they would say, Friendly confidence awakens confidence, and love produces reciprocal affection."

The Lion and the Ass.

35

lion, who wanted the assistance of his An ass was one day travelling with a bray in frightening the animals he was hunting. The ass felt very proud of his and did not like to speak to company, his old acquaintances.

As they were travelling along in this manner, the ass met an old friend, of his own race, who very civilly bade him a good morning. The ass started back with a stare, and said, "really, you are very impudent-I don't know you!"

Why not?" replied his friend: "because you are in company with a lion, are you any better than I am—anything more than an ass?"

Those narrow-minded people, who, in prosperity, forget the friends of their humbler days, are about as wise as the ass in the fable.

National Characteristics.

ENGLAND is said, by a French paper, to be a vast manufactory, a great laboratory, a universal country-house.

it.

I do?

ties ?

Echo. It is!

shop for apprentices.

field, fallow. InEgypt is a workAfrica is a fur

Echo. I love thee!

tell, to gluttony I bid farewell.

Echo. Farewell.

gar-refineries. South America is a store. North America is a till, full. Spain is a till, empty.