be preserved. But week after week elapsed without bringing the gold. At last came the fatal day on which the firm had bills 18maturing to enormous amounts. The steamer was telegraphed at daybreak; but it was found on inquiry that she brought no funds; and the house failed. The next arrival brought nearly half a million to the 1oinsolvents, but it was too late; they were ruined, because their agent, in remitting, had been behind time. A man was led out for execution. He had taken human life, but under circumstances of great 20provocation, and public sympathy was active in his behalf. Thousands had signed petitions for a "reprieve, a favourable answer had been expected the night before, and, though it had not come, even the 22sheriff felt confident that it would yet arrive in season. The morning passed without the appearance of the messenger. The last moment was up. The prisoner took his place on the drop, the cap was drawn over his eyes, the bolt was drawn, and a lifeless body hung suspended in the air. Just at that moment a horseman came into sight, galloping down the hill, his steed covered with foam. He carried a packet in his right hand, which he waved to the crowd. He was the express rider with the reprieve. But he had come too late. A comparatively innocent man had died an 23ignominious death, because a watch had been five minutes too slow, making its bearer arrive behind time. It is continually so in life. The best laid plans, the most important affairs, the fortunes of individuals, the 24weal of nations, honour, happiness, life itself, are daily sacrificed because somebody is "behind time." There are men who always fail in whatever they undertake, simply because they are "behind time." Five minutes in a crisis are worth years. It is but a little period, yet it has often saved a fortune, or redeemed a people. If there is one virtue that should be cultivated more than another by him who would succeed in life, it is punctuality; if there is one error that should be avoided, it is being behind time. Give instances of evils arising from being behind time. Why should punctuality be cultivated? 1 7 6 4 8 elapsed, passed. locomotive, a steam-engine which can move about. 3 collision, a striking together. re-inforcements, additional troops or ships sent to strengthen an army or navy. 5 obstinate, unyielding; resolute; very firm. corps, (pronounced kore,) a body of troops. reserve, a body of troops kept back to be used in a case of emergency or pressing necessity. imperial, belonging to an empire or to an emperor. 9 Waterloo, the most memorable battle of modern times; fought on the 18th of June, 1815, between the French under Napoleon Bonaparte and the English under the Duke of Wellington. It resulted in the utter ruin of Napoleon. 10 Napoleon Bonaparte, first Emperor of the French. (see app.) 11 commercial, relating to commerce or trade. 12 bankruptcy, failure in trade; a state of being unable to pay debts. 13 assets property and money. 14 California, a country in the west of North America. 15 remittances, sums of money sent from a distance. 16 credit, character for being trustworthy. 17 honour, character for integrity or upright dealing. 18 maturing, becoming due. 20 19 insolvent, one who is unable to pay his debts. provocation, that which causes anger. 21 reprieve, respite; to delay the execution of the sentence of death. 22 sheriff, the chief officer of a shire or county. 23 ignominious, shameful; dishonourable. 24 weal, prosperity; happiness. THE SOLDIER'S DREAM. OUR bugles sang 'truce, for the night cloud had lowered, When reposing that night on my pallet of straw, To the home of my fathers, that welcomed me back. I flew to the pleasant fields traversed so oft In 'life's morning march, when my bosom was young: I heard my own mountain-goats bleating aloft, And knew the sweet strain that the corn-reapers sung. 10Then pledged we the wine-cup, and fondly I swore From my own and my weeping friends never to part ; My little ones kissed me a thousand times o'er, And my wife sobbed aloud in her fulness of heart. But sorrow returned with the dawning of morn, 1 Our bugles sang truce, the signal to cease fighting for a time was sounded on the bugle. A bugle is a musical instrument. 2 lowered, appeared stormy, gloomy, or threatening. 3 sentinel, one who keeps guard. wolf-scaring faggot, fires lighted to frighten away the wolves. 5 vision, a dream. array, order for battle; preparation for fighting. 'desolate track, dreary, lonely, uninhabited way. traversed, wandered over. 9 life's morning march, the days of childhood. 10 pledged we the wine-cup, drank to each other's health. "fain, glad; willing. IN March, 1770, the Endeavour, commanded by 1Captain Cook, while on a voyage of discovery, visited the islands now known as New Zealand. They had been discovered by Tasman in 1642, but very little was known about them. Captain Cook found that the islands, though mountainous in some places, were well wooded, and had rivulets in every valley. The sea round the coast abounded in delicate and wholesome fish. Whenever the vessel came to anchor, enough were caught with hook and line only, to supply the ship's company; and when they fished with nets, every man in the ship salted sufficient to last him several weeks. They found about four hundred species of plants all unknown in England, except garden nightshade, sow-thistle, two or three kinds of ferns, and one or two sorts of grass. The natives cultivated large plantations of "yams, and sweet potatoes. One plant greatly interested the explorers. It answered all the uses of hemp and flax. Of this the natives made lines and cordage much stronger than anything of the kind in Europe. They likewise split the leaves into breadths, and by tying strips together formed their fishing-nets. They also made their common apparel of the leaves, and their finer clothes from the fibres. The explorers describe the natives as being tall and well-shaped; of a light-brown complexion; black hair; and white, even teeth. We also learn from their accounts that the natives anointed their hair with oil melted from the fat of fish or birds, and ornamented it with combs made of bone or wood. The men tied their hair in a bunch on the crown of the head, and adorned it with the feathers of birds. Both sexes, but more especially the men, marked their bodies with black stains, and painted themselves with 'red ochre. The natives possessed many fine "canoes, some of them made entirely of the trunk of one tree, hollowed out by fire; the war canoes were ornamented with open work and covered with fringes of black feathers. Their tools consisted of the adze, axe, and, chisel; the axe and adze were made of a hard black stone, and the chisel of 'jasper, or of the bone of a man's arm. Their weapons were spears, darts, and battle-axes; and whether they fought in boats or on shore, the battle was always hand to hand. The New Zealanders seemed to live under perpetual apprehension of being destroyed by each other. There were clear evidences that they feasted on the flesh of their enemies; in most of the caves were found human flesh and bones. Specimens of the tools used by the New Zealanders, of their ornaments, war weapons, and clothing, are |