who had learned in the academy had ridden full tilt into stacks of chairs and had brought them down, to the consternation of the onlookers, and been extricated by dint of great effort, or had so shaped their course as to overthrow at least two or three of their fellow-students and then gayly ambled into a knot of spectators. I had no such tales to relate, not a single contusion upon my person. Very properly I was suffered to flock by myself while the heroes of the hour spoke feelingly of thirty, fifty, ay! even eighty black and blue spots. I didn't believe them--then.

Then I hired a wheel and a boy to put me back when I fell off, but on no account was he to do more. The boy and wheel met me in a retired spot. He was a boy of good muscular development and he held the machine firmly when I climbed into the saddle.

"Wouldn't like me to steady it a bit?" he asked kindly.

"Thanks, no," I returned, and with one revolution of the pedals I was off.

That expression may be interpreted as the reader chooses. The boy, however, was equal to the situation, and did not feel hurt by my refusal. In fact, I think I was more hurt than he at the way things turned out. Any way, in a few minutes I said to him: "You may hold the wheel steadily until I get started, please."

He did his part beautifully, and I felt the bliss of flying for a moment or two, then a tree at quite a distance started to meet me half way. It met me. I abandoned all connection with the bicycle to embrace the opportunity. I didn't miss it, but met it full in the face-in my face. I answered the boy feebly that it didnt hurt so much now, and he said cheerily that the wheel was all right. When I opened my eyes the tree seemed quite a distance off. It was an elm. I never liked elms, any way; they are so regular in formation-but that was an irregular proceeding. The boy seemed inclined to manage affairs after this and suggested that he would ride the wheel a

little bit and see if it worked right. I had hardly assented to this when he went like a streak fairly out of sight. That roused me. What did he mean by acting like that? I wanted to ride, I'd have him know. Before I had really worked myself into a rage he came back, riding easily, with his hands in his pockets. It struck me as an insolent attitude, but the boy was good nature itself.

Let me show you a few points," he said. But my pride was roused, and I refused.

I mounted again, and by good luck went wavering along to a turn in the road. I heard a clattering grocery wagon behind me at this point, and, without premeditation, sat down in the road to wait for it, holding the wheel down to prevent it from getting away. The grocery boy didn't understand my intentions, and called:

"Hi, there! get a move on you."

"I have as much on me as I can bear now," I muttered, and sullenly awaited my boy's appearance.

He, meanwhile, rebuked the grocer's lad in well-chosen terms, while he lifted up the wheel. He called it a daisy when he brought it, saying "she only weighs twenty-two pounds," but in my inmost heart I believe it to be a sixty-pounder. When I had once more resumed the perpendicular, I said with a well-feigned air of careless ease:

"I think that will do for to-day. You can bring the wheel to-morrow at the same time."

The boy asked me if I would ride home. I scanned his freckled and ingenuous countenance to see if any malice lurked in the question before I replied that I preferred to walk.

"Then I'll ride," he answered, and turning again to look at me he said with frank kindness:

"I'd use brown paper and vinegar on my forehead if I was you; that bump'll look awful to-morrow."

There were twenty-nine bruises on my body that ight, by actual count.

THE VALUE OF EDUCATION.

Long on Golconda's shore a diamond lay,
Neglected, rough, concealed in common clay;
By every passer-by despised and scorned,
The latent jewel thus in secret mourned:

46

Why am I thus to sordid earth confined?
Why scorned and trod upon by every kind?
Were these bright qualities, this glittering hue
And dazzling lustre, never meant for view?
Wrapped in eternal shade if I remain,
These shining virtues were bestowed in vain."
As thus the long-neglected gem displayed
Its worth and wrong, a skillful artist strayed
By chance that way, and saw, with curious eye,
Though much obscured, the unvalued treasure lie.
He ground with care, he polished it with art
And called forth all its rays from every part;
And now young beauty's neck ordained to grace,
It adds new charms to beauty's fairest face.

The mind of man, neglected and untaught,
Is this rough diamond in the mine unwrought;
Till Education lends her art, unknown
The brightest talents lie, a common stone;
By her fair hand when fashioned, the new mind

Rises with lustre, polished and refined.

-Boston Transcript

THE BACHELOR'S DREAM.-THOMAS HOOD.

My pipe is lit, my grog is mixed,

My curtains drawn, and all is snug;
Old puss is in her elbow-chair,
And Tray is sitting on the rug.
Last night I had a curious dream:
Miss Susan Bates was Mistress Mogg→
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

She looked so fair, she sang so well,
I could but woo and she was won;
Myself in blue, the bride in white,
The ring was placed, the deed was done!

$

Away we went in chaise-and-four,
As fast as grinning boys could flog→→
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?
What loving tete-a-tetes to come!
But tete-a-tetes must still defer!
When Susan came to live with me,
Her mother came to live with her!
With sister Belle she couldn't part,
But all my ties had leave to jog-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?
The mother brought a pretty Poll,
A monkey too-what work he made!
The sister introduced a beau;

My Susan brought a favorite maid.
She had a tabby of her own,

A snappish mongrel, christened Gog-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

The monkey bit, the parrot screamed,
All day the sister strummed and sung;
The petted maid was such a scold!
My Susan learn'd to use her tongue.
Her mother had such wretched health,
She sat and croaked like any frog-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

No longer deary, duck, and love,
I soon came down to simple "M!"
The very servants crossed my wish,
My Susan let me down to them.
The poker hardly seemed my own,
I might as well have been a log-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

My clothes they were the queerest shape,
Such coats and hats she never met!
My ways they were the oddest ways!

My friends were such a vulgar set!

Poor Tompkinson was snubbed and huffed➡
She could not bear that Mister Blogg—

What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?
At times we had a spar, and then
Mamma must mingle in the song,
The sister took a sister's part,

66

The maid declared her master wrong.
The parrot learned to call me Fool!
My life was like a London fog-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?
My Susan's taste was superfine,
As proved by bills that had no end-
I never had a decent coat,

I never had a coin to spend !
She forced me to resign my club,

Lay down my pipe, retrench my grog➡
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?
Each Sunday night we gave a rout
To fops and flirts, a pretty list;
And when I tried to steal away
I found my study full of whist!
Then first to come and last to go,
There always was a Captain Hogg→
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?
Now was not that an awful dream
For one who single is and snug,
With pussy in the elbow-chair
And Tray reposing on the rug?
If I must totter down the hill,
"Tis safest done without a clog-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

THE WANDERING JEW.

From the German.

When our Saviour, bending beneath the weight of his cross, sought to obtain a few moments of repose on the door-steps of Salathiel, the Jew, that barbarous man, with insulting language, drove him away, who, struggling