THE WILLAGE BLACKSMITH AND HIS DAUGHTER.

HE goes on Sunday to the Church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach;
He hears his daughter's voice
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.
It sounds to him like her mother's voice
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes!
LoNGFELLow.

A JOURNEY TO THE MOON. (Continued from p. 79.)

EMEMBERING the ques* tion they had meant to ask about the flowers, Nellyand Harryexchanged a look of dismay, whilst their father continued:— “As there are no clouds to shelter from the scorching rays (and for other reasons also), the sun looks like a huge ball of fire in a state of white-heat, * which, Idare say you know, * means much greater heat than being red-hot. During the long lunar days, equal to fourteen of ours, the ground probably becomes burning hot, and in the equally long nights, intensely cold. Instead of the lovely blue of our summerday, the sky overhead is pitchy black, (owing to the absence of an atmosphere like ours), and at noonday the stars shine out of this gloomy sky as if it were midnight.” “Oh," said #. “I saw that in the ictures you showed us, and thought the É. sky had been put in by mistake!” “Besides all this,” said Mr. Rossar, “there is no rain, nor wind—not even the slightest breeze, and not a sound can be heardinthethousands of miles across which we have imagined ourselves to travel.”

“If we were there to-night,” said Harry, “we should talk, and that would put an end to the silence that had always been there before. But I forgot: I suppose we could not really live there long enough to talk; we should die for want of air, should we not ?” “Yes,” answered his father;“and, for the same reason, if words could be uttered we should not hear them in this great voiceless wilderness, because it is only by means of the air that sound can reach our ears. In our journey we should find everything perfectly motionless, but if anything were to fall—if, for instance, a huge mountain were to topple over into the plain below—it would alight assilently as a feather or a thistle-down touches the surface of our earth.” “Well!” exclaimed Harry, “I never knew till now how many good things we owe to the air—clouds, blue sky, wind, sound ! I thought it was only useful for us to breathe." “Few people,” said Mr. Rossar, “think sufficiently about God's almighty wisdom and goodness, in most wondrously fitting the air to all our necessities. And now, having concluded our journey, let us suppose É. we return to our home on rays of moonlight as rapidly as we reached the moon by rays of earthlight.” There was no clapping of hands this time, for Harry and Nelly were disapp. to find how mistaken they had een in their ideas of the moon's appearance. Kate's very grave look caused her father to ask what she was thinking so seriously about. “I was wondering,” said she, “why God, who is so kind and good to us, has made the moon a dreary, silent world, without air, and clouds, and water. It is all so strangely different from our beautiful earth you know, father.” Mr. Rossar answered: “It is for the very reason, Kate, that He is so kind and loving to us, His people in this lower world, that God has created a world which, by being unfit for human habitation, ministers the more to our benefit, and comfort, and delight. You will all three understand

this if I read to you a passage from The Lunar World, telling you what I should like you to remember whenever you think of the desolate state of the moon :"Were the moon a polished mirror with a perfectly smooth surface, instead of being perforated and rugged with mountains as she is, and spread over with rough inequalities, the light she gives, instead of being extended over her surface, would be confined to one bright part, round which all the rest would be comparatively dark, as the reflection of a candle in a looking-glass; but now, in consequence of her inequalities, the entire surface is resplendent. Again, had she an atmosphere like our own, and obscured as frequently with clouds as ours, how often would she be invisible when our sky was clear! or rather, how seldom would she be visible at all - now hidden from mortal view, by our clouds, and pow by her own; but as it is arranged, her full face is unchangeable as it is lovely.'"

derstand that astronomers gazing through their very powerful telescopes see the moon as if she were brought close to them, her otherwise invisible objects being brought into view just as you saw the clock-face and the vane."

"If we could really have stood on the Lunar Apennines, could astronomers have seen us through their telescopes that night?" inquired Nelly.

~ The most powerful telescopes," answered her father, “would not at that distance show objects as small as ourselves ; but there is one, the largest yet made, through which can be seen objects in the moon no larger than an English railwaystation or a mill.”

Kate asked whether it is in England.

“No," said Mr. Rossar; "it belongs to Lord Rosse, under whose direction it was made ; and it stands in the midst of his beautiful park at Parsonstown, in Ireland. You thought your uncle's telescope heavy, Harry; what would you say to this tube, which weighs three tons ? It is so large that, as has been said by those who have seen it, a man may walk up the tube holding an umbrella over his head, and yet not touch the top !”

“Lord Rosse cannot hold it, father, surely ?” exclaimed Harry.

“And therefore he has it hung by chains between two immense walls, in such a manner as to be easily turned about by ropes and pulleys. Altogether this monster telescope cost 12,0001. and is one of the scientific wonders of the present day.”

“Ah,” said Harry,“but Lord Rosse cannot use it to see what is on the further side of the moon that is always turned from us. I do wish we knew whether it is different from our side."

(To be continued.)

On the next occasion when Mr. Rossar had an evening's leisure, in which to answer the remainder of the questions the children wished to ask about the moon, Harry began the conversation by asking:

“Who found out what you told us in our journey to the moon, father ?"

“Not one astronomer, Harry, but many, of various nations and at various times, since the invention of the telescope.” Then Mr. Rossar added : “Have you ever looked through a telescope, children ?”

As the girls had not, Harry was the more eager to tell about one through which he had looked whilst at his uncle's one holiday.

“It was so big, father,” said he, “that it made my arms ache to hold it. There was a church on a hill miles away, and when I looked at it through the telescope it seemed quite close to us, and so large too! And I found out that there was a clock, and on the top of the tower a weathercock, but when I took the telescope from my eyes I could not see either, because the tower itself looked only like a square patch.” *" Then,” said his father, “you can un

EARLY RISING.-Rise up early in the morning on the Sabbath day. Be careful to rise sooner on this day than on any other days ; try how much the service of God is to be preferred before all earthly business.

-ain

STILT-DANCING IN AFRICA.
THERE is a time for everything! “All work and no tiring as all work. But by wisely setting apart some
I play made Jack a dull boy:" Little folk should bear portion of the day to study and books, the play-hours
in mind that all play would be quite as unpleasant and become both more pleasant and more useful.

In all countries, both civilised and barbarous, there are certain games and sports practised to divert the mind after its labour; and by this wise arrangement both old and young can persevere in doing their work and gaining knowledge.

In describing the Ijebu country in Africa, and its people, the traveller tells us that the towns are generally built upon the tops of sloping ground embosomed in woods. Sometimes he finds himself in shady lanes, arched with the branches of lofty trees, the palms and cotton-trees, of giant size, standing boldly out. Then the path suddenly

seen the cultivations of the natives, con

sisting of corn-fields and patches ofiran,—

strikes out from the forest, and leads him

through an open country, over which are

a plant, the leaves of which they use for thatching their houses, and for other purposes. The houses in the Ijebu towns are neatly built, and a wall always surrounds the town, to secure and guard the people from the attacks of their enemies in slavetrading wars.

The people appear to be light-hearted, cheerful, and industrious; and are fond of meeting together in the moonlight, after their work is done and the heat of the day is over, to enjoy some village game. One of their chief amusements is to watch the children dancing on stilts, as seen in our picture.

BOUT a hundred years ago a noble fleet sailed out of the Tagus to protect the East Indian possessions of Portugal. In the neighbourhood of the Cape Werde Islands it was overtaken by a terrible hurricane, which scattered and

destroyed the ships. Hundreds of men were drowned. Only a few

strong swimmers, who had held on to the floating timbers of the shattered ships were cast upon the shore of the islands, where they met each other, forlorn and desolate. Fortunately, the sea threw up on the shore a few barrels of provisions, and also large and small pieces of the broken vessels. Among the saved men there were several ships' carpenters, and some axes were amongst the articles rescued from the wreck. At the council which was held on the shore, they determined to use every effort to build a vessel from the remains of the ships which had been cast up, so that they might get back, if not to Portugal, at least to the Azores, where they would find

their own countrymen, and with their assistance obtain ships for their return to Lisbon. With manly courage and untiring perseverance they overcame all difficulties, and at length built a little ship; but when it floated on the waters of a secure little bay, the heart of the captain, Don Mello, was filled with anxiety, for he saw that it was impossible to take on board all their company and biscuit and water enough for them, without sinking the small bark, and he dreaded that a mutiny, perhaps murder and massacre, would be the result. The hour of departure from the uninhabited island arrived. Captain Mello, to whom all had sworn obedience, conducted the embarkation of all with the greatest order; but the heaviness of the ship in the water showed that she could only keep afloat as long as the sea was calm. Even in a slight storm she must certainly sink. “When the time comes, help and counsel will come too,” sighed the heavy-heated Captain. “Perhaps the Lord will send a ship to meet us, and save us—to relieve us of all or a part of our people, who now so fearfully overload the boat." With a favourable breeze from the land, the little vessel sailed out of the sheltered bay, and the light rippling waves bore her towards the Azores; but though the Captain's eye swept the sea on all sides, not a sail could he discern; the ship, slightly built and badly put together,leaked so much, that the men worked the pumps day and night, but without being able to overcome the water, which gradually increased in the hold. For several days the weather continued favourable. Here and there they stopped the large leaks with articles of clothing; but no sail appeared on the horizon, the wished-for land was nowhere to be seen. Moreover, they came now to vast fields of sea-weed, and their sail was too feeble to drive their deeplysunk hull through the closely-tangled masses. All worked with desperate .# to free their craft from the seaweed, and at last they succeeded; but scarcely was this peril past, when another not less terrible arose—a violent wind began to blow dead against them. he waves rose higher; and all felt now that the overloading of the vessel threatened certain destruction. Then the Captain said, with the deepest emotion,-“Companions in misfortune! it is clear that we can never continue as we are now. Our bark must be lightened, or we shall all go to the bottom. Twelve men, chosen by lot, must be thrown overboard; and with them the proportion of water and biscuit-barrels oft. would have served for their sustenance.” All consented to this proposal, which they saw was inevitable; but the fear of death was stamped on all their features. The Captain himself made the lots according to the number of persons on board, and he threw them into his hat, saying that on twelve the word Death was plainly written. The hands which drew the lot trembled, so that they could scarcely hold the piece of paper, and the eyes looked as if they † burst out of their sockets. Among the soldiers in the ship were two brothers, named Perinos. One was eighteen, the other fifteen years of age. They were united to each other by the fondest brotherly love. They had entered the army to obtain the bounty-money for their aged parents, who were in deep

poverty; and the brothers had hoped to earn enough in India to keep their parents in comfort during their last days. The dread that one of them might draw the lot of Death filled both hearts with anguish. With looks full of love they gazed at each other, and the trembling lips of each breathed the prayer to Heaven for the other, “Lord, let not the lot fall to him 1" But the dreadful moment arrived. Don Mello held the hat to the eldest of the brothers. He drew out a lot, which he unfolded. It fell from the hand of the youth. He sank back against the gunwale of the boat, and groaned—“Death !” The younger brother sat motionless. He asked no questions. He saw in his brother's face the lot he had drawn. The hat came round to him. He plunged in his hand, and drew out a paper, which he handed to Don Mello, who unfolded it. “It is a blank,” said he but the head of the * youth sank deeper on his breast; his tears flowed more abundantly. The bark was a scene of grief and pain, which no pen can describe. No one rejoiced in his own escape from the lot of death, because of the terrible fate of his faithful companions. Suddenly the youth who, in spite of the blank lot he had drawn, was so overwhelmed with trouble and anguish, raised his head. A ray of joy was in his eyes. He went up to the deck where Don Mello stood. “Captain!” said the lad, calmly, but in a tone of the deepest sorrow, “my father and mother are poor; they cannot support themselves; and are, moreover, old. My good brother Pedro, who has drawn the lot of Death, has been, till now, their only stay. He has kept and supported them. If he dies, they must perish in misery. I entreat you, let me die in Pedro's stead! I am too weak to sustain my parents. I will willingly die, if he may be saved . " The Captain was open to noble impressions. Only stern duty had forced him to a resolution, against which his whole soul revolted with horror. Such brotherly love completely overcame him. | If he had dared to follow the feelings of his heart, he would have spared both brothers;