"He is then an elder brother?" "No, massa, he is not my brother." "Then he is an uncle, or some other relation." "No, massa, he is not of my kindred at all, not even my friend." "Then," asked the master, "on what account does he excite your interest?" "He is my enemy, massa,' replied the slave; "he sold me to the slave-dealer; and my Bible tells me: 'when my enemy hungers, feed him, and when he thirsts, give him drink, for in17 so doing I shal heap coals of fire1s upon his head.""

78.

The Bishop and his Birds.

A worthy bishop, who died lately in a town on the continent, had for [his] arms two fieldfares with the motto: "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?" This strange coat of arms had often excited attention, and many persons had wished to know its origin, as it was generally reported that the bishop had chosen it for himself, and that it bore1 reference to some event in his early life. One day an intimate friend asked him its meaning, and the bishop related the following story: Fifty or sixty years ago, a littl boy resided at3 a small village on the banks of the Danub His parents were very poor, and as soon as the boy wa three or four years old, he was sent into the woods to pick up sticks for fuel. When he grew older, his father taught him to pick the juniper berries, and carry them to a neigh boring distiller, who wanted them for making hollands.

Day by day the poor boy went to his task, and on his way he passed by the open windows of the village school, where he saw the school-master teaching a number of boys of about the same age as himself. He looked at these boys with feelings almost of envy, so earnestly did he long to be among them. He was quite aware it was in vain to ask his father to send him to school, for his parents had no money to pay the school-master; and he often passed the

whole day thinking, while he was gathering his juniper berries, what he could possibly do to please the school master in the hope of getting some lessons.

One day, when he was walking sadly along, he saw two of the boys belonging to the school, trying to set1o a birdtrap, and he asked one of them what it was for. The boy told him that the school-master was very fond of fieldfares, and that they were setting the trap to catch some. This delighted the poor boy, for he recollected that he had often seen a great number of these birds in the juniper wood, where they came to eat the berries; and he had no doubt but he could catch some.

9.

The Same Subject Continued.

The (am) next day the little boy borrowed an old basket of his mother, went to the wood, and had the great delight to catch two fieldfares. He put them in the basket, and tying an old handkerchief over it, he took them to (in) the school-master's house. Just as he arrived at the door, he saw the two little boys, who had been setting the trap, and with some alarm he asked them if they had caught any birds. They answered in the negative', and the boy, his heart beating with joy, was admitted into the schoolmaster's presence. In a few words he told how he had seen the boys setting the trap, and how he had caught the birds, to bring them as a present to the master.

"A present, my good boy!" cried the school-master, "you do not look as if you could [afford to] make presents. Tell me your price, and I will pay it to you, and thank you besides."

"I would rather3 give them to you, sir," said the boy. The school-master looked at the boy as he stood before him, with bare head and feet, and with ragged trousers that reached only half-way down his naked legs. "You

are a very singular boy!" said he; "but if you will take no money, you must tell me what I can do for you, as I cannot accept your present without doing something for it in return. Can I do anything for you?"

"Oh, yes!" said the boy, trembling with delight; "you can do for me what I should like better than anything else." 8

"What is that?" asked the school-master, smiling.

"Teach me to read," cried the boy, falling on his knees; "oh, dear, kind sir, teach me to read."

The school-master complied. The boy came to him at all his leisure hours, and learned so rapidly that the schoolmaster recommended him to a nobleman who resided in the neighborhood. This gentleman, who was as noble in mind as in his birth, patronized the poor boy, and sent him to school. The boy profited by this opportunity, and when he rose, as1o he soon did,1o to wealth and honors, he adopted two fieldfares as his arms.

10

"What do you mean?" cried the bishop's friend.

"I mean," returned the bishop, with a smile, "that the poor boy was myself."

80.

A Mystery Cleared Up.

A few years ago some persons were traveling in a stagecoach towards London, and at the approach' of night they began to express their fears of being attacked by highwaymen. One gentleman said he had ten guineas about him and did not know where to hide them for safety. A lady who sat next to him in the coach advised him to conceal them in his boots, which he immediately did. Soon after a highwayman came up3 and demanded their purses: the lady told him that she had no money, but that if he would search that gentleman's boots, ne would find ten guineas.

The astonished traveler was obliged to submit, and lost his money; but as soon as the robber was gone, he loaded the lady with abuse, declaring she was a confederate of the thief. She acknowledged that appearances were against her, but added that if the travelers would all do her the honor to dine with her on the following day, she would explain, to their satisfaction, her conduct, which appeared so mysterious.

They consented, and after partaking of a magnificent dinner, the lady conducted them to the drawing-room, where, showing a pocket-book, she said: "Here is an apology for my conduct of last night; it contains bank-notes for several hundred pounds." Then addressing herself to the gentleman, "Sir," said she, "if I had not directed the highwayman's attention to your ten guineas, I should have lost my bank-notes. I therefore beg that, to make you amends for your loss and vexation, you will accept one of a hundred pounds. No excuses, sir, for I consider myself fortunate in saving1o the others at that price." The trav elers were highly pleased with the lady's generosity, and complimented her on11 her presence of mind.

81.

Dionysius the Tyrant.

Dionysius, the tyrant of Sicily, showed how far he was. from being happy even whilst he was abounding in3 riches, and all the pleasures which riches can procure. Damocles, one of his flatterers, was complimenting him upon his power, his treasures, and the magnificence of hig royal state, and affirmed that no1 monarch ever1 was greater or happier than he. "Have you a mind,5 Damocles," says the king, "to taste this happiness, and know by experience what my enjoyments are, of which you have so high an idea?"

Damocles gladly accepted the offer; upon which the

king ordered that a royal banquet should be prepared, and a gilded couch placed for him, covered with rich embroidery, and side-boards loaded with gold and silver plate of immense value. Pages of extraordinary beauty were or dered to wait11 on him at table, and to obey his commands with the greatest readiness, and the most profound submission. Neither ointments, chaplets of flowers, nor rich perfumes were wanting.12 The table was loaded with the most exquisite delicacies of every kind.

Damocles fancied13 himself13 amongst the gods. In the midst of all this happiness, he sees, let down1 from the roof over his head, a glittering sword hung15 by a single. hair. The sight of destruction thus threatening him soon put a stop to his joy and reveling. The pomp of his attendants, and the glitter of the carved plate gave him no longer any pleasure. He dreads to stretch forth his hand to the table. He throws off the chaplet of roses. He hastens to remove18 from his dangerous situation, and at last begs the king to restore him to his former humble condition, having no desire to enjoy any longer such a dreadful kind of happiness.

82.

Napoleon and the British Sailor.

Whilst the French troops were encamped at Boulogne, public attention was much excited by the daring attemptat escape made1 by an English sailor. This person having escaped from the depot and gained the borders of the sea, the woods near2 which served him for concealment, constructed with no other instrument than a knife, a boat, entirely of the bark-of-trees.

2

When the weather was fair, he mounted a tree and looked out for the English flag; and having at last observed a British cruiser, he ran to the shore with his boat on his back, and was about to trust himself in his frail