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The Grasshopper.

song of gladness from out the verdant grass, where he has so snugly ensconced himself?

'Melodious insect! Child of earth!

In wisdom mirthful, wise in mirth.'

All the more distinctly is he heard for raising his voice when other choristers are mute, when even the hum of the insect world is hushed beneath the heat of the July noonday sun, and the stillness of the summer's day is unbroken, save by the whispering of the gentle air among the leaves, or the sighing of the long grass, as it bends before the soft wind:

'Poetry of earth is never dead.'

'When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run

From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead;
That is the grasshopper's. He takes the lead
In summer luxury; he has never done

With his delights; for when tired out with fun,
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.'

Such is the pretty description of this dainty insect given by the poet Keats, who doubtless loved him, as we do ourselves; yet truth compels us to acknowledge that the notes of his song are ofttimes loud and shrill, ringing sharply on the ear. Cowper speaks of

'Sound inharmonious in itself, and harsh,

Yet heard in scenes where peace for ever reigns,
And only there please highly for their sake.'

And this is truly applicable to the grasshopper's chirp, for there is a homely rural sound about it, full of contentment and happiness, that at once wins our attention and regard, making us naturally more desirous of viewing the tiny chorister, the better to become acquainted with his general appearance, and manner of conducting himself. Now, though our little friend is often heard, we shall find he is not so readily seen, and more difficult still to capture; for scarcely have we discovered the

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spot where he reposes, than with one sudden spring

this

'Green little vaulter in the sunny grass'

has vanished beyond our reach, and we must patiently wait to trace his retreat until his chirping is renewed. Wonderfully agile are the movements of the grasshopper, and great its leaping powers, as is evidenced by the strength and thickness of the thigh of its long hind-leg. It also makes free use of its strongly-veined wings, which fold up fan-like, and rest straight down each side of the back. In colour it is usually of a pretty delicate green, but often varies to a soft brownish-grey. Its body is long and narrow, the queer-looking head large and perpendicular, said to resemble that of a horse.

It possesses four wings, and six legs, the two hindmost seeming disproportionably longer than the others, enabling it to leap as I have already described. If captured, it will resist with all its puny strength, and bite rather sharply. The song which consists of a short chirp, regularly interrupted-is caused by the hind shank being drawn to the thigh, and rubbed with a brisk movement against the wing-case, the raised veins of which, being thus brought into contact with the ridges on the inner surface of the thigh, produce by their friction the vibration heard. It further possesses, in its internal arrangement, two small drums, which greatly contribute to increase and augment the sound. It is to the males alone this power of song is given; and we are told that love is the theme with which they woo the silent lady of their choice to their sides. It has been facetiously supposed by a poet that such insects must pass

'Happy lives,

Since they all have voiceless wives.'

Country people welcome the chirp of the grasshopper, which is oftenest heard in the hot months of summer, when the haymakers are merry in the fields.

'Thee, country hinds with gladness hear,

Prophet of the ripened year.'

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The Grasshopper.

They are herbivorous, feeding entirely on grass, or any fresh vegetable matter.

'Whatever decks the verdant field,
Whate'er the circling seasons yield,
Whatever buds, whatever blows,
For thee it buds, for thee it grows.'

Many a poet has sung in praise of the grasshopper; but likewise many a fable is told, warning us against the life of improvidence and indolence he leads. I will just give you one of Æsop's, from which we may learn the profitable lesson, never to waste our youth, or present opportunities of providing for future requirements.

One day in the winter season, some ants were busily engaged in the preservation of their stores, when a grasshopper, who had chanced to outlive the summer, begged with great humility to have his necessities relieved. The ants inquired how he had passed his time in summer, that he was thus unprovided when winter came. "Alas!" said the grasshopper, "the time passed so merrily and pleasantly away, drinking, singing, and dancing through all those sunny summer days, that I never once thought of winter." Then," replied the ants, laughing, “you will now find out, that they who squander the summer of their lives in idle prodigality, must starve when they reach the winter of old age.'

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Now there is no doubt a good deal of sound moral truth in this fable, as far as the grasshopper is concerned, which we would all do well to apply to ourselves; but Æsop bestows on the ant unmerited praise, besides giving an erroneous statement regarding its forethought in laying up a winter store. In another chapter, however, I hope to explain this, when I shall endeavour to give some account of these interesting little insects, from whom many a lesson may be learned of industry, foresight, and ingenuity. I have heard of a grasshopper being taken prisoner, and confined in a little paper cage, where he was supplied regularly with fresh grass and leaves, well sprinkled with water-for without moisture

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135

he would else have speedily died.
There the poor
captive remained in silent imprisonment for some days,
and then, as though to relieve the solitude and mono-
tonous desolation of his dungeon life, his little cheery
chirp was once more raised in gladness-a beautiful
example of gentle submission and happy resignation to
his fate. So uncomplaining sounded the notes of his
repeated song, that the heart of his captor was speedily
softened, the door of his paper prison opened, and the
minstrel restored to liberty, amidst the moistened blades
of the fresh green fields.

"There chirp thy song with such a glee,
That happiest kings may envy thee.'

LEIGH PAGE.

'WAKE UP, SOLOMON!'

AKE up, Solomon! It's time to get up,' shouted young Harry to his sluggish brother one fine July morning, as he jumped gaily out of bed, and began dressing himself.

'What time is it?' yawned Solomon. 'Nearly six,' replied his brother; and mind, Sol, we start at seven.'

"It's too early to get up yet,' said Solomon. 'I'll snooze till a quarter to seven.' So the lazy fellow turned round, and was soon fast asleep again.

When

he awoke his room looked very full of sunshine. The house was very quiet, too, and rubbing his eyes, he muttered

'I wonder if it is seven o'clock yet?'

Crawling out of bed, he dressed himself and went down stairs. There was nobody in the parlour, nobody in the sitting-room, nobody in the dining-room.

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Wake up, Solomon!

'What can be the matter?' thought Solomon, as he rang the bell for the maid to bring him his breakfast. Where are they all?' he asked, as soon as she appeared.

'Gone to the city,' replied the maiden. 'They started two hours ago.'

'Why, what time is it?'

'Nine o'clock.'

'Nine o'clock ! But why didn't they call me?'

'You were called at six o'clock, and wouldn't get up. Your father wouldn't have you called again. He said he would teach you a lesson.'

It's too bad!' cried Solomon, dropping his head upon the table and bursting into tears.

It was too bad that the lazy boy did not learn the lesson of that morning, so as to turn over a new leaf in the book of life. I am sorry to say he did not. He loved sleep. He hated work. He was the slave of lazy habits, and is so to this day.

'What sort of a man will Solomon Slowcoach be?' Well, if he don't die of idleness before he becomes a man, he will be a shiftless, good-for-nothing fellow. He won't have any knowledge, because he is too lazy to study; nor any money, because he is too lazy to work; nor any good character, because he is too lazy to conquer himself.

Wake up, Solomon ! Wake up, my dear boy! Shake off the chains that are upon you! Be manly, be wideawake, be something! If you don't wake up, you will soon be a lost boy. Wake up, Solomon! wake up! If you don't, you will make shipwreck of your life.