sugar. The molasses is frequently separated from the sugar by machinery." A few days later the children witnessed the greatest carnival in the country, which is usually known by the name of Mardi Gras. The grand procession takes place on Shrove Tuesday, when hundreds of people, dressed to look like animals, goblins, and all kinds of strange creatures, march through the streets with music and torches. They set off fireworks as they go along. There was a masquerade ball in the evening, which the older folks attended. The Cartmells remained in New Orleans several weeks. They found the climate moist and genial. The temperature never fell below the freezing point during their visit, and many times the sun was very warm in the middle of the day. Twice there were terrible thunder-showers, which washed the streets and made them clean and sweet for a while. They learned that snow was a great rarity. They met and became acquainted with a number of families in the city, and found them very polite and hospitable, highly cultured, and good talkers. The people of New Orleans take great pride in the city and State, in its schools and public institutions. NEGRO SONGS. THE BOATMAN'S SONG. WE pray de Lord; he gib us signs De norf-wind tell it to de pines, We tink it when de church-bell ring, De rice-bird mean it when he sing, De yarn will grow, de cotton blow, O nebber you fear, if nebber you hear THE COTTON-PICKING SONG. OH, de cotton fields am white, and de pickers is but few, If your fingers is n't nimble, sure you nebber will git troo, If your bags is very light, den de overseer's lash, Save me, Lord, from sinkin' down ; If you're laffin' in de mornin', den at night your teef will gnash, Save me, Lord, from sinkin' down. LESSON III. UP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. As Mrs. Cartmell and Miss Gray were anxious to see something of river life and travel, Mr. Cartmell engaged passage for them and the girls on one of the steamers, belonging to the Anchor Line, called the "Natchez." The boys and their father preferred the land route. The steamer "Natchez" proved to be a fine boat. The table was well supplied with a good variety of food, well cooked and well served. The large staterooms on deck were very convenient for families, and afforded excellent chances for observation. The "grand saloon" was the pride of the boat. It boasted of a bright colored carpet, a number of large easy-chairs, and a piano which badly. needed tuning. The staterooms leading from the saloon were occupied by business men and those who cared little for the scenery. The steamer left New Orleans, Saturday, at five o'clock in the afternoon. For the first few miles above New Orleans the great river was not difficult to navigate, as its course is tolerably straight. Miss Gray entertained the children by reading portions of "Evangeline," especially the part referring to this section of the country. "In the morning," said Miss Gray, "we shall pass that part of the river, a few miles below Baton Rouge, where the poet says Evangeline and her guide were going, in the lines I have just read: "They were approaching the region where reigns perpetual summer, Where through the Golden Coast, and groves of orange and citron, Sweeps with majestic curve the river away to the eastward."" As they approached Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, they began to realize that the deviating character of the river had not been exaggerated. The levees, or banks of earth, were here about eight feet high. Behind them, as the water was high in the river, they could see extensive sugar plantations and splendid villas. Baton Rouge, they noticed, stood on the first bluff of any importance, about forty feet above the river. Con |