THE MAGISTRATE'S MODE OF DETECTING A THIEF.

A certain person lost a purse of money in a house, and informed the magistrate thereof. The latter summoned all the inmates of the place, and taking several pieces of wood, all of an equal length, gave one to each of them, and said, The piece of wood in the hands of the thief will prove to be an inch longer than that of the others." After they had all been dismissed, the individual who had stolen the money became alarmed, and cut off an inch from his stick. Next day when the judge summoned all of them, and examined the pieces of wood, he at once discovered who was the thief, and punished him accordingly.-PERSIAN TALES.

ANECDOTE OF KING HENRY IV AND HIS SON.

The last years of the life of Henry IV. of England were much enfeebled by ill health: he became childishly anxious about his crown, placing it always on his pillow, lest it should be seized before he was dead. One day, the prince being in his father's chamber, and not perceiving him to breathe, believed him dead, and removed the crown from the pillow, for which the king on awakening, severely reproved him, at the same time reminding him that neither he nor his father had any good right to it.

66

My Lord," replied Henry, "it is my intention to hold and defend it by my sword as you have done."

STORIES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY (HALL.)

FABLE-THE BALD KNIGHT.

A certain knight growing old, his hair fell off, and he became bald to hide which imperfection, he wore a wig. But as he was riding out with some others hunting, a

sudden gust of wind blew off the wig, and exposed his bald pate. The company could not forbear laughing at the accident, and he himself laughed as loud as anybody, saying, "How was it to be expected that I should keep strange hair upon my head, when my own would not stay there?"-ESOP'S FABLES.

ANECDOTE OF SAVAGE.

During a considerable part of the time in which Savage was employed upon his tragedy of "Sir Thomas Overbury," he was without lodging, and often without meat; nor had he any other conveniences for study allowed him than the fields or the streets; there he used to walk and form his speeches, and afterwards step into a shop, beg the use of the pen and ink for a few moments, and write down what he had composed upon paper which he had picked up by accident.-ANON.

KNOWLEDGE.

A philosopher was advising his sons, and saying, "My dear boys! acquire knowledge; for no reliance should be placed on the possessions and wealth of the world, since silver and gold on a journey (like life's) are an abiding source of affliction; for a thief may carry off all at a swoop, or the owner by degrees spend all; but knowledge is a never-failing fount, and an everlasting treasure. If a man possessed of knowledge fall from riches (into poverty), it is of no consequence, for knowledge is wealth in itself; wherever he goes he meets with esteem, and sits in the seat of honour; whereas the man without knowledge picks up scraps of food, and experiences hardship."-GULISTAN.

FABLE-THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.

A crow, ready to die with thirst, flew with joy to a pitcher, which he beheld at some distance. When he came, he found water in it indeed, but so near the bottom, that with all his stooping and straining he was not able to reach it. Then he endeavoured to overturn the pitcher, that so at least he might be able to get a little of it. But his strength was not sufficient for this. At last, seeing some pebbles lie near the place, he cast them one by one into the pitcher, and thus, by degrees, raised the water up to the very brim, and satisfied his thirst.-ESOP'S FABLES.

ANECDOTE OF WALTER SCOTT AND THE BOY WITH A BUTTON.

There was a boy in my class, who always stood at the top, and with all my efforts I could not get above him. Days passed, but still he kept his place, do what I would; but at last I noticed that whenever a question was asked him he fumbled with his fingers at a particular button on his waistcoat. In an evil moment I removed it with a knife. When the boy was again questioned, his fingers sought the button in vain; in his distress he looked down for it, but it was not to be seen, and as he stood confounded I took his place, nor did he ever guess who was the author of his wrong. Often in after-life has the sight of him smote me as I passed by him, and I resolved to make him some reparation, but it always ended in good resolutions. -WALTER SCOTT.

FABLE-THE LION AND THE BULLS.

Four bulls, which had entered into a very strict friendship, kept always near one another, and fed together. The lion often saw them, and as often had a mind to make

one of them his prey; but though he could easily have subdued any of them singly, yet he was afraid to attack the whole alliance, as knowing they would have been too hard for him, and therefore contented himself for the present with keeping at a distance. At last, perceiving no attempt was to be made upon them as long as this combination held, he took occasion, by whispers and hints, to This ferment jealousies and raise divisions among them. stratagem succeeded so well, that the bulls grew cold and reserved towards one another, which soon after ripened into a downright hatred and aversion, and, at last, ended in a total separation. The lion had now obtained his ends; and, impossible as it was for him to hurt them while they were united, he found no difficulty, now they were parted, to seize and devour every bull of them, one after another. -ESOP'S FABLES.

ANECDOTE-THE MONKEYS AND THEIR DEAD COMRADE.

On a shooting expedition one of the party killed a female monkey under a banian tree, and carried it to his tent, which was soon surrounded by forty or fifty of the tribe, who made a great noise, and seemed disposed to attack the aggressor. They retreated when he presented his gun, the dreadful effect of which they had witnessed, and appeared perfectly to understand. The head of the troop, however, stood his ground, chattering furiously. The sportsman, who perhaps felt some little degree of compunction at having killed one of the family, did not like to fire at the creature, and nothing short of firing at him would suffice to drive him off. At length the ape came to the door of the tent, and finding threats of no avail began a lamentable moaning, and by the most expressive gestures seemed to beg for the dead body. It was given him; he took it sorrowfully in

his arms, and bore it away to his expecting companions.— CASSELL'S NATURAL HISTORY.

FABLE-THE HARE AND THE BRAMBLE.

A hare, closely pursued, thought it prudent and meet,
To a bramble for refuge awhile to retreat;

He enter'd the covert, but, entering, found

That briers and thorns did on all sides abound;

And that, though he was safe, yet he never could stir, But his sides they would wound, or would tear off his fur;

He shrugg'd up his shoulders, but would not complain;

66

To repine at small evils," quoth Puss, "is in vain ;

That no bliss can be perfect I very well know;

But from the same source good and evil both flow:
And full sorely my skin though these briers may rend,
Yet they keep off the dogs, and my life will defend:
For the sake of the good, then, let evil be borne ;
For each sweet has its bitter, each bramble its thorn."-
NORTHCOTE'S FABLES.

ANECDOTE OF HATIM TAI

They said to Hatim Tā,ī, "Hast thou seen a person in the world more magnanimous than thyself?" He replied, Yes, one day I had sacrificed forty camels, and invited some Arabian chieftains; all of a sudden I went through necessity to a retired part of the desert, and saw a woodman with a bundle of sticks gathered together; I said, "Why dost thou not go to Hatim's entertainment? for a vast concourse of people have assembled at his board." He replied,

"Whoso eateth the bread of his own labour

"Will be under no obligation to Hātim of Tāyī.”