shields, whips, and walking-sticks. The teeth yield a beautiful white ivory, which is much valued on account of its never losing colour.

EDITOR.

Enormous, unusually great; e.g., the elephant is an enormous

animal.

Harpoon, a kind of spear, with a rope attached to it.

Despatch, to kill an animal previously wounded.

Delicacy, a dainty article of food; e. g., he was fond of delicacies.

A RUSSIAN nobleman was travelling in the early part of the winter over a bleak plain. His carriage rolled up to an inn, and he demanded a relay of horses to go on. The innkeeper entreated him not to proceed, for there was danger abroad: the wolves were out.

He thought the object of the man was to keep him as a guest for the night; and saying it was too early in the season for wolves, ordered the horses to be put to. In spite of the continued warnings of the landlord, the carriage drove away with the nobleman, his wife, and their only daughter.

On the box of the carriage was a serf, who had been born on the nobleman's estate, and who loved

his master as he loved his life. They rolled on over the hardened snow, and there seemed no signs of danger. The moon began to shed her light, so that the road appeared like polished silver.

66

At length the little girl said to her father, "What is that strange dull sound that I just heard?" Her father replied, Nothing but the wind sighing through the trees of the forest we have just passed." The child shut her eyes, and was quieted for the time; but in a few minutes, with a face pale with affright, she turned to her father, and said, "Surely that was not the wind. I heard it again; did you not hear it too? Listen!" The nobleman listened; and far, far away in the distance behind him, but distinct enough in the clear, frosty air, he heard a sound of which he knew the meaning, though they did not.

He put down the glass, and, speaking to the serf, said, "I think they are after us; we must make haste; tell the post-boy to drive faster, and get your musket and pistols ready; I will do the same; we may yet escape."

"

The man drove faster; but the mournful howling which the child had first heard began to come nearer and nearer; and it was perfectly clear to the nobleman that a pack of wolves had got scent and were in pursuit of them.

Meanwhile he tried to calm the anxious fears of his wife and child.

At last the baying of the pack was distinctly heard, and he said to his servant, "When they come up with us, single you out the leader and fire; I

will single out the next; and as soon as one falls, the rest will stop to devour him: that will be some delay at least."

By this time they could see the pack fast approaching with their long measured tread, a large dog-wolf leading. They singled out two, and these fell. The pack immediately turned on their fallen comrades, and soon tore them to pieces. The taste of blood only made the others advance with more fury, and they were again soon baying at the carriage.

Again the nobleman and his servant fired, and two more fell, which were instantly devoured as before; but the next post-house was still far distant.

The nobleman then cried to the post-boy, "You must let one of the horses loose from the carriage, in order that, when the wolves come up to him, their destruction of the horse may gain us a little time."

This was done, and the horse was left on the road. In a few minutes they heard the loud agonizing shriek of the poor animal as the wolves tore him down. They urged on the remaining horses, but again their enemies were in full pursuit. A second horse was sent adrift, and shared the same fate as his fellow.

At length the servant said to his master, "I have served you since I was a child, and I love you as I love my own life; it is perfectly clear to me that we cannot all reach the post-house alive; I am quite prepared, and I ask you to let me die for you."

"No," said the master, "we will live together or die together; it must not be so."

But the entreaties of the man at length prevailed. "I shall leave my wife and children to you; you will be a father to them; you have been a father to me. When the wolves next reach us, I will jump down and do my best to arrest their progress."

The carriage rolls on as fast as the two remaining horses can drag it; the wolves are close on their track, and almost dash against the doors of the carriage. Presently is heard the discharge of the servant's pistols as he leaps from the seat. Soon the door of the post-house is reached, and the family is safe.

They went to the spot, the following morning, where the wolves had pulled the devoted servant to pieces. There now stands a large wooden cross, erected by the nobleman, with this text upon it: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

CHAMPNEYS.

Post-house, a house where travellers obtain horses.

Relay, a change; e. g., we shall require several relays of horses. Musket, a kind of gun.

Adrift, loose; e. g., the ship was sent adrift.

Serf, a slave, who might be sold with the estate on which he

lived.

Devoted, strongly attached; e. g., the child was devoted to her mother.

Entreaties," prayers, requests; e. g., her entreaties had no weight with him.

NAY, only look what I have found!
A sparrow's nest upon the ground;
A sparrow's nest, as you may see,
Blown out of yonder old elm-tree.
And what a medley thing it is!
I never saw a nest like this;
Not neatly wove, with decent care,
Of silvery moss and shining hair;
But put together, oads and ends,
Picked up from enemies and friends:
See, bits of thread, and bits of rag,
Just like a little rubbish bag.

There is a scrap of red and brown,
Like the old washerwoman's gown:
And here is muslin, pink and green,
And bits of calico between.

Oh, never thinks the lady fair,
As she goes by with mincing air,

How the pert sparrow overhead

Has robbed her gown to make his bed.

See hair of dog, and fur of cat,

And ravellings of a worsted mat,

And shreds of silk and many a feather,

Compacted cunningly together.

Well, here has hoarding been, and hiding,
And not a little good contriving,

Before a home of peace and ease

Was fashioned out of things like these.