waited again, and, this time, longer than before. Finally, however, my amateur struck up again, though at first very faintly, with two or three chirps, and, after intermitting them for a moment, he began again.

12. But presently his fear fled, and his music was as loud and cheery as ever. Lest I should disturb him too much, and defeat my object, I now carefully placed myself upon my hands and knees, and crept along with the stealthiness of a cat.

13. But with all my care, Master Cricket seemed to be aware of my approach, and occasioned me no little delay. It was the work of half an hour or more, to reach his princely hall- the old stump before named. By this time I was lying flat upon the ground, peering about under this root and that, musician.

to see my

14. He was still; but I felt that I should know him, if my eye could but rest upon him. At last, I spied him. He was sitting under a broad root, where neither wind nor rain was likely to annoy him, and seemed to be the very impersonation of good livers. He was fat as an alderman.

15. His coat was black and sleek, and he wore an air of content and self-satisfaction. O, he was a beauty of a cricket-a real gentleman in his way. Whether he felt any interest in me or not, I am unable to say.

1. I was but a poor boy, in a tow shirt and trousers, with a sunburnt face, and nothing that deserved attention about me, but a pair of rather large and good-natured gray eyes, which, at that moment, were particularly engaged in examining his honor, my amateur cricket.

2. Suddenly he turned partly round, as if half satisfied with me, and gave two or three rapid chirps; but instead of gratifying, they tended only to increase my curiosity. He did not open his mouth like other singers; and although he made some fluttering, I could perceive no instrument of music in his possession.

3. I resolved, therefore, to lie still, and wait further opportunities. Nor did I have to wait long. Having now become a little familiar with me, and his first flush of bashfulness having passed over, he began, in perfect self-composure, one of the most astonishing performances I ever saw. Jubal and

all his sons were nothing to this one cricket!

4. I saw, in a minute, that all that had ever been şaid of crickets' singing, was the result of mere ignorance. Such persons had never seen a cricket making music. It was no vocal performance, but purely instrumental.

5. Those who have examined crickets, are aware that they have two sets of wings. The outer ones are black and thick, covering the whole back, while the inner ones resemble a fine and delicately-formed gauze. They are very slender in appearance, but their texture is exceedingly strong.

6. They serve as a kind of violin, on which Master Cricket plays. Nor is his bow less ingenious than his fiddle. You have, undoubtedly, observed the two long, sharply-angled hind legs, so useful to our amateur musician for hopping.

7. A single spring upon them will send him heels over head, three or four feet; that is, if he be not too fat. Well, the lower part of these, I mean below the gambrel or knee, is very curiously made. It is what is called serrated behind; that is, it is filled with a kind of teeth, like a saw.

8. You may see them with the naked eye, and they are very perceptible to the finger. This is

Master Cricket's fiddlestick. Thus you perceive he is doubly armed-two wings and two legs, or, speaking professionally, two fiddles and two fiddle

bows.

9. And now for the music. First, he raises and partly spreads his dark, outer wings, so as to admit the extension of the inner ones. These are then spread laterally and backwards, when, with the velocity of lightning, our amateur draws his hind legs, or his fiddle bows, across these wings, touching their surface with the little saw teeth before named. And thus he makes his music!

10. To me, boy as I was, it was a great wonder. Ole Bull could not have pleased me half so well. I lay there and watched him a long while, and was more and more pleased with the performance.

11. At last, when my curiosity was gratified, and I had grown tired of lying on the ground, I picked up my old cap, and thanking Master Cricket for the entertainment he had afforded me, bade him "good day," and returned to tell my mother and all my playmates that crickets do not sing, and to describe their method of making music.

We

12. This is an instance a trifling one it may seem to some of the fruits of observation. are surrounded in the world by objects, animate and inanimate, which are very worthy of our attention and study.

13. If children will learn to observe, they will never be at a loss for pleasant and profitable employment. Every day will add something to their stock of knowledge. Another remark: What we see and examine ourselves, is generally much better understood, than it can be from any mere description.

14. The child who is anxious to see every thing himself, and who will submit to some little inconveniences, in order to gratify a laudable curiosity,

will know more, and know it better, than the best scholar who relies for every thing on books.

WHITTLING-A YANKEE PORTRAIT.

1. THE Yankee boy, before he's sent to school,
Well knows the mysteries of that magic tool,
The pocket knife. To that his wistful eye
Turns, while he hears his mother's lullaby;
His hoarded cents he gladly gives to get it,
Then leaves no stone unturned till he can whet it;
And in the education of the lad,

No little part that implement hath had.

His pocket knife, to the young whittler, brings
A growing knowledge of material things.

2. Projectiles, music, and the sculptor's art,
His chestnut whistle and his shingle dart,
His elder popgun with its hickory rod,
Its sharp explosion and rebounding wad,
His corn-stalk fiddle, and the deeper tone
That murmurs from his pumpkin-stalk trombone,
Conspire to teach the boy. To these succeed
His bow, his arrow of a feathered reed,
His windmill, raised the passing breeze to win,
His water wheel, that turns upon a pin;
Or, if his father lives upon the shore,

You'll see his ship, "beam ends upon the floor," Full rigged, with raking masts, and timbers stanch,

And waiting, near the wash tub, for a launch.

3. Thus, by his genius and his jack knife driven, Ere long he'll solve you any problem given;

a

Master Cricket's fid is doubly armed speaking profession: bows.

9. And now for 1 partly spreads his d the extension of tl spread laterally an velocity of lightnin legs, or his fiddle bo their surface with th And thus he makes

10. To me, boy a Ole Bull could not I lay there and wate more and more plea: 11. At last, when I had grown tired of up my old cap, and 1 entertainment he ha day,” and returned playmates that crick their method of maki

12. This is an ins seem to some — of t are surrounded in the inanimate, which are and study.

13. If children wi never be at a loss for ployment. Every day stock of knowledge. see and examine ourse understood, than it ca tion.

14. The child who himself, and who will veniences, in order to