for making boats, pipes, tanks, and pails for water; cuirasses firm enough to resist musket-balls, wheels for railway carriages, and even bells and cannon have been made of it.

Notes and Questions. — The word paper is derived from the word pa pý'rus.

The a ga've or American al'õe is a plant requiring from ten to seventy years to reach maturity. It then produces a gigantic flower-stem forty feet in height, and perishes.

The es pär' to is a kind of rush grown in Spain, and used in the making of ropes, baskets, shoes, etc.

Hemp is the fibrous covering of a plant, and is used in making cloth and cordage.

Linen is thread or cloth made from flax or hemp.

What is the location of the following countries-Egypt, China, Japan, Algeria?

Language.—A rět'i eûle is a small bag to be carried in the

hand.

Give two words ending in cule and show the force of the suffix; also, two words ending in cle and show the force of the suffix.

"I thought, Mr. Allen, when I gave my Bennie to his country, that not a father in all this broad land made so precious a gift,-no, not one. The dear boy only slept a minute-just one little minute-at his post: I know that was all, for Bennie never dozed over a duty. How prompt and trustworthy he was!

"I know he fell asleep only one little second;he was so young, and not strong, that boy of mine! Why, he was as tall as I, and only eighteen! and now they shoot him because he was found asleep when doing sentinel duty! Twenty-four hours, the telegram said,-only twenty-four hours. Where is Bennie now?"

"We will hope with his Heavenly Father," said Mr. Allen, soothingly.

"Yes, yes, let us hope; God is very merciful.

"I should be ashamed, father,' Bennie said, 'when I was a man, to think I never used this great right arm,'-and he held it out so proudly before me,-'for my country, when it needed it. Palsy it rather than keep it at the plow.'

"Go, then, my boy!' I said, 'and God keep you!' God has kept him, I think, Mr. Allen;" and the farmer repeated those last words slowly, as if, in spite of his reason, his heart doubted them.

"Like the apple of his eye, Mr. Owen, doubt it

not!"

Blossom sat near them, listening with blanched cheeks. She had not shed a tear. Her anxiety had been so concealed that no one had noticed it. She had occupied herself mechanically in the household cares. Now she answered a gentle tap at the kitchen door, opening it to receive from a neighbor's hand a letter. "It is from him," was all she said.

It was like a message from the dead! Mr. Owen took the letter, but could not break the envelope on account of his trembling fingers, and held it toward Mr. Allen, with the helplessness of a child. The minister opened it and read as follows

66

"Dear Father:-When this reaches you, I shall be in eternity. At first, it seemed awful to me; but I have thought about it so much now that it has no terror. They say that they will not bind me, nor blind me; but that I may meet my death like a man. I thought, father, that it might have been on the battle-field, for my country, and that, when I fell, it would be fighting gloriously; but to be shot down like a dog for nearly betraying it, to die for neglect of duty! O father, I wonder the very thought does not kill me! But I shall not disgrace you. I am going to write you all about it; and when I am gone, you may tell my comrades; I can not now.

"You know I promised Jemmie Carr's mother I would look after her boy; and, when he fell sick, I did all I could for him. He was not strong when he was ordered back into the ranks, and the day before that night, I carried all his baggage, besides my own, on our march. Toward night we went in on double-quick, and the baggage began to feel very heavy. Every body was tired; and as for Jemmie, if I had not lent him an arm now and then, he would have dropped by the way.

"I was all tired out when we came into camp; and then it was Jemmie's turn to be sentry, and I would take his place; but I was too tired, father. I could not have kept awake if a gun had been pointed at my head; but I did not know it untilwell, until it was too late.”

"God be thanked!" interrupted Mr. Owen, reverently. "I knew Bennie was not the boy to sleep carelessly."

"They tell me to-day that I have a short re