no heavier bodies and wings as long. Ah! well, old Dame Nature knows all about it; but she don't tell every one, only her favorites, the naturalists, who are always teasing her. There are rattlesnakes about this ledge," said Will. The professor laughed. "I think you must be mistaken, Will," said he. "The rattlesnake is very rare in Maine; and only found in the extreme southwestern portion, at least so says the books." "Can't help it," said Will. "Old Mr. Oliver is my authority; pretty good authority, too, I think. He said he was riding along here once, and a snake, of a yellowish brown color and quite thick for its length, was lying in the road,-sunning. His horse stopped, snorted, and would n't go forward. So the old man got down from his wagon to drive the snake away. But while he was looking around for a stick, the snake crawled off among the rocks, making a noise just like peas in a tin box." "Some sort of a rattlesnake, certainly," said Bert. "But, dear me, I hope they will not come in our path!" "Oh! the rattlesnake, though a venomous biter, is not so dangerous a reptile as many think," said the professor. "I used frequently to see them when I was traveling in the West. They are very sluggish, and not at all bad-tempered, unless persistently harassed. When disturbed, they rattle to warn off intruders; and unless attackeu will | move off themselves, rattling as they go, -a warning that they are not to be followed. Any child can kill them with a switch in the daytime. The principal danger comes from stepping upon them in the night, when they are lying asleep in the grass.' Passing the cliff we came presently to a house, rather a desolate-looking affair. But as this was the right spot to ascend the mountain we stopped, and tying "Roger" | under a tree near the road, slung our "fixin's-baskets, waterproofs, and so forth for a start. Crossing a narrow field of clover, dark, Fenian green (a color rather out of fashion just now), with here and there a red head, we came to the real climbing part, a steep ascent through a pasture, where some sheep were feeding, lambs bleating, and a tiny bell tinkling. A surly old ram squared off and stamped his foot at us. I thought he was going to illustrate a battering ram; but he took a second thought and concluded to be pacific, as persons generally do who stop to think twice. The house now seemed almost at our feet, a lonely little hut, surrounded by dark woods. "It must belong to a squatter," said the professor. "What's a squatter?" asked Will. "A squatter is a person who settles on public land without leave," was the reply. Higher up we had to cross a “thorny fell" (Emma called it) of raspberry and blackberry bushes; they were both in blossom, promising a big attraction to the little brown, barefoot boys and girls a few weeks hence. Smooth, damp ledges succeeded, thinly covered with soil and overrun with fragrant pennyroyal. "I smell catnip,” said Bert. "And I smell peppermint," said Emma. "I should like some. Where is it?" "Follow your nose!" laughed Will, who was sometimes sharp at the expense of politeness. We sat down amid the odors of the mint family. Presently the professor, who had been climbing a little behind us, came up, bringing a handful of skullcaps. Four members of the labiate plants were thus found within a few rods of each other. "Good place to be taken sick in," said Will, eating peppermint leaves, and sniffing at the pennyroyal. "This is some like those lofty mountains in the tropics, upon the sides of which travelers find the plants of all latitudes as they ascend or descend," remarked Emma. "Where by going up or down a few hundred feet, one can change from the climate of Maine to that of Mexico." I "Yes, Emma," replied the professor; “and cannot but believe that those wonderful mountain sides will some day be prized and owned as residences by the rich, who will thus be able to cultivate, on a grander scale than they now do in hot-houses, the plants of all countries, and pass quickly and easily from the regions of perpetual snow to the lowest latitudes, - from the pole to the equator." "Guess some of these round here might be bought cheap for ready money," said Will. "No doubt," said the professor, laughing. "But I mean those in the tropics only." The shoal soil at the summit was carpeted with broad, flat plants of the mullein, whitish and woolly; and studded with the dry stalks of last year's growth. "Nothing good or worth having is ever gained without labor, they say," remarked Bert, as we at last stood panting at the top of the highest ledge. "We've had a pretty toilsome climb, but this view repays us." 'T was one of those dark-green days in early summer, with great boulder-like clouds rolling about the sky. The air was clear, and distant objects were remarkably distinct. Our eyes turned instinctively toward the lofty White Mountains. With our pocket-glass we could examine them more closely; and even thought we could discern the "Tip top House" upon the blue-white peak of Mt. Washington. And we saw, in fancy, the gay throng of city visitors already beginning to wend its way along its usual summer path. But we liked them best without the glass, standing blue and distant, girt with dark forests, the home of the Manitou. To the southward a broad sheet of water was glistening in the sunlight. "Sebago Lake, I think," said the professor. And far in the southeast, the city of Portland was seen perched on its high promontory, a dim medley of insect-buildings relieved against the white mist-cloud which veiled the shining Atlantic. To the northward solitary white drifts were still to be seen among the bleak ridges, where they often remain till July. The cold wind rushing down from this its wintry lair soon compelled us to seek a lower and more exposed nook. The coats and cloaks which had seemed such a burden while we were climbing up were accept able enough now. "Rub your fingers on it." "It blacks my fingers," said Will. "Looks just like pencil-marks." "Ah, you've guessed it!" said the professor. "It is black lead. Plumbago. There 's lots of it up under the crag! Why, the man who owns this ledge might get rich if he would work it!" "Don't suppose he knows plumbago from plum-pudding," said Will. "Very likely. Guess we will tell him. It is no more than fair that he should know the truth; though I somewhat doubt its proving a great blessing to him. If he is of the prevailing Yankee disposition, he won't sleep any for a week after hearing of it." Emma and Bert now came up; and we proceeded to the carriage, bearing the precious specimen. A harsh-visaged man, in his shirt-sleeves, was sitting in the doorway of the old house, smoking a short pipe; and as we gathered about the wagon, he sat regarding us distrustfully. "He probably pretends to own the crag," said Will. 66 Hope he does n't think we are trespassing," said Emma. Making our way down to the edge of the precipice, we gazed over the brink. 'T was a dizzy view! The old pine, which we had looked up at in the morning, was now below us, its top some fifty feet downward. The little, wild-looking pond was far below; and the road seemed a mere thread of a path. "I've otfen dreamed of falling over just" such places, after a too hearty supper," said Will. "It's an awful sensation; and once I hit on the rocks and flew all to pieces, my head rolling over and over down a hill. But like the poor decapitated French criminal at Paris, I knew what was going on all the time." "I never knew that eating too much supper was a capital offence before," said Bert. "Try it and see," said Will. "Did it ever have the effect of deterring you from repeating the offence?" asked the professor. "Not in the least,” replied Will. “That 's what first opened my eyes to the useless ness of capital punishment. I saw then that it could n't prevent crime." "He looks sour as malt,” said Bert. "Never mind, we 'll sweeten him up a little with the plumbago," said the professor. He will look differently when he gets the black-lead fever." Then taking the specimen and approaching the man, “Sir,” said he, "are you the owner of that ledge?" 'Well," growled the man, "it's my farm 66 here." Why, who wants to buy? 'Well, sir, a great many might want to buy. Would you take ten thousand dollars and call it a trade?" "Why? What do you mean?" exclaimed the man, pulling out his pipe and beginning to look alive. 66 You did n't know, then, that there was a rich plumbago deposit in your ledge?" continued the professor. Why, bless you, man, just look at this piece here in my hand. There 's enough in that to make half a doz. en lead pencils. You 're a lucky fellow!" "Well, it's the first time, then," grumbled the man. "Where'bouts in the ledge is it?" "Come out here and I will show you." And the two moved off. After lunch we slowly made our way down through a thick young growth to the road, at a point where the crag first bursts into view from it. Here the party separated, the girls to walk along the shore, the professor to examine the ledges, and Will and I to peer among the chaos of rocks, to stir up, if possible, a verification of the rattlesnake story. There were plenty of stinging net-pared to start. Just then a bright-eyed, ragtles, but not a rattle. Indian tobacco was ged little fellow ran out to us, and edged growing among the stones: I sha'n't forget timidly up. the time I tried chewing it in a hurry. Presently the professor came to us, with a fragment of stone in his hand. "Do you know what that is?" he asked, handing it to us. We did not. Will and I harnessed in Roger, and pre "Did you say there was a pot o' gold under the ledge?" stuttered he. "Cause ma'am wants to know." Will told him there was a "pot" of black lead, which was as good. In he scampered. But in a few seconds he returned, and, again edging up, said timidly, "I'll show you where there's a loon's nest, if you won't tell." Thanking the little fellow, who, in his gratitude, had offered to disclose what was doubtless his heart's dearest secret, we drove along; and at the ledge took in the professor. He had pointed out "the vein " to the man; and we heard him saying to him as we came up, — "See that your title 's good. And I would n't say much about it at first to your neighbors." I really think that the good professor took a sort of mischievous pleasure in developing this man's Yankee weakness, or rather greed, for sudden wealth. He looked back and laughed as he got in, and we heard the old chap pounding the stones together as we drove away-home. ΤΗ A REMARKABLE DREAM. : HE following appeared in Blackwood's Magazine in 1826: Being in company the other day, when the conversation turned upon dreams, I related one, which, as it happened to my own father, I can answer for the perfect truth of. About the year 1731, my father, Mr. D————, of K———, in the county of Cumberland, came to Edinburgh to attend the classes, having the advantage of an uncle in the regiment, then in castle, and remaining under the protection of his uncle and aunt, Major and Mrs. Griffiths, during the winter. When the spring arrived, Mr. D― and three or four gentlemen from England (his intimates) made parties to visit all the neighboring places about Edinburgh. Roslin, Arthur's Seat, Craig Miller, and so forth. Coming home one evening from some of those places, Mr. D― said, "We have made a party to go a-fishing to Ihch-Keith tomorrow, if the morning is fine, and have bespoke our boat; we shall be off at six." No objection being made, they separated for the night. Mrs. Griffiths had not been long asleep when she screamed out in the most violent and agitated manner, "The boat is sinking! save, oh, save them!" "Now, I cannot rest; Mr. D― must not go, for I feel, should he go, I should be miserable till his return; the thoughts of it would almost kill me.” She instantly arose, threw on her gown, went to his bedside, for his room was next their own, and with great difficulty she got his promise to remain at home. "But what am I to say to my young friends whom I was to meet at Leith at six o'clock?" "With great truth you may say your aunt is ill; for I am so at present. Consider, you are an only son, under our protection, and should anything happen to you, it would be my death." Mr. Dimmediately wrote a note to his friends, saying he was prevented joining them, and sent his servant with it to Leath. The weather came in most beautifully, and continued so until three o'clock, when a violent storm arose, and in an instant the boat and all that were in it went to the bottom, and were never more heard of, nor was any part of it ever seen. I often heard the story from my father, who always added, — "It has not made me superstitious, but with awful gratitude I can never forget that my life, by Providence, was saved by a dream." W Z I LO [Send all communications for this Department to 7. Same cats ran. EDWIN R. BRIGGS, West Bethel, Oxford Coun- 8.- Icy toes. ty, Maine.] 13.- Charade. MUFTI. To move nimbly is the first, I ween; The whole is the name of a bird. Squares. NED HAZEL. 14. A wavy member in a building; a plant; a man's name; the exterior covering of a seed. 15. A constellation; in Celtic, the mouth of a river; a cover; a fillet under the ovolo of a capital. TOPSY. For the best list of answers to this month's puzzles, received before Jan. 10, we will send a book; and, for the largest and best batch of original puzzles, a novelette. Solvers. Answers to the September puzzles were received from Phil A. Delphy and Buckeye, Philadelphia, Pa.; Katie Smith, Boston, Mass.; Cora A. L., Salem, Mass.; Iris, Pecatonica, Ill.; and English Boy, West Bethel, Me. Prize-Winners. Katie Smith, for the unly complete list of an, swers; Cora A. L., for the best batch of puzzles. Iris has our thanks for contributions. RUTHVEN, EDITORIAL NOTES. NEW PUBLICATIONS. HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.-There is no other magazine in this or any other country that can compare with Harper's Magazine for interest and enterprise. A volume of this publication is a library in itself, an encyclopædia of knowledge to which the scholar and student can refer at all times, and be sure of obtaining information reliable and pleasing. Before the reader is spread a panorama of the world, all illustrated and embellished in the highest style of art. Harper's will always be popular, and succeed, while imitators will fail. There is no other periodical in the country we value so much, with the single exception of our own BALLOU'S MONTHLY, which is in a different line. Harper's is only $4 a year. HARPER'S WEEKLY.-This publication is known all over the country as an illustrated weekly. It stands high in the order of merit, a truthful exponent of facts, and a sincere advocate for reform. The engravings are of a wonderful merit, and the stories the most refined that are printed in any weekly sheet in the country. It is $4 a year, or ten cents a single copy. HARPER'S BAZAR.- This is a weekly that just suits the fair sex, as it always contains illustrated fashion-plates, and treats of household matters and a thousand little things which young married women like to know. It contains a large amount of reading matter, and engravings of general interest to the reader. It is $4 a year; or all three publications are clubbed for $10. HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE is a new publication, intended for children, and seems to have found favor in the sight of those for whom it is intended. It is only four cents a copy. REV. MR. DASHWELL, THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, BY E. P. B.-This is a small volume, which our readers may find entertaining, as there is quite an interesting discussion on pages 123 and 124 respecting the differences between homoeopathists and allopathists. The book is published by the American News Company, of New York, for the author. THE HOUR WILL COME, a tale of an Alpine cloister, by Wilhelmine von Hiilern, is a novel from the German, and a very readable one. Price 40 cents. BALLOU'S MAGAZINE is one of the best publications in the country. It is cheap, but wonderfully good.- Boston Sunday Herald. We take much pleasure in recommending BALLOU'S MAGAZINE to the public, for it is just what the public want. Cheap, but awfully good. — Boston Sunday Times. We wonder how so good a magazine can be got up for so low a price. Every article in BALLou's is readable. -Boston Evening Traveller. We read every page in BALLOU'S MAGAZINE, and good reading it is too. — Peabody Press. CHATS WITH CORRESPONDENTS. LULU. You are a nice little girl, and we are willing to print your poetry, but do not ask us to use your drawings. W. N. C.- No doubt your sketches of French life would be very interesting, but we have no room for them just at present. L. M. W.-Your poetry is not so good as your prose. Stick to the latter until you can write more carefully, and then you will do better. SUBSCRIBER. Robert Burns wrote "The rank is but the guinea stamp, and not Sir Walter Scott. J. A. P.- All of your manuscript reached us safely, and you will hear from us in due time. So much manuscript is sent to us that we have to read night and day to keep up. E. I. W.- If you wanted your manuscript returned, you should have sent a stamp. It is rather too much of a good thing to ask us to pay postage on what we do not want. H. W. V. Thanks for your compliments. Your "Going to the Fair" is not bad, but it is not quite finished enough for our pages. You will do better in time if you persevere. E. E. R. Your poem arrived after our January forms were all made up and had gone to press. Even if such had not been the case, the poem contained too many words for our pages. MISS I. We can purchase such a diamond as you want for two hundred dollars. It is a nice single stone, and worth the money. We do not think that you could do better if you should search the city in all of its parts. MISS C.-Your letter was not what we expected of you. Business is business. Your story |