to be tied to a stake and shot to death with arrows.STRUTT'S SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

ANECDOTE OF A CROSSING SWEEPER.

In the first quarter of this century there lived in London an old man who used to sweep a crossing, of whom a very singular story is told. This old crossing-sweeper, whatever was the amount of the alms bestowed upon him, always used only to retain a halfpenny and return the rest to the donor. This very strange custom having become known procured him many halfpennies. It happened one day that a gentleman who was in the habit of going frequently to London on business, was surprised by a heavy shower while in the streets. He took refuge under an archway, and had stood there for some time waiting for the storm to clear away, when the door of a handsome house opposite was opened, and a servant with an umbrella in his hand, crossed the street, and presenting his master's compliments, requested the gentleman to take shelter in the house. He gladly accepted the invitation, and following the man, was ushered into a handsomely furnished room, where he was received by the master of the house.

The gentleman was struck at once with a vague recollection of having seen the same person before, but where, or under what circumstances, he was unable to recall to mind. His inquiring glances during their conversation did not escape his host. "You seem, sir," said he at last, "to look at me as if you had seen me before." He replied that he thought such was the case, but that he could not recall the occasion. "You are right, sir," replied the host, "and if you will pledge your word of honour to keep my secret until you have seen the notice of my death in the

papers,

I have no objection to remind you where and when you have seen me."

He then said that he was the crossing-sweeper who never accepted more than one halfpenny. "Many years ago,” he added, “I first hit upon this expedient for the relief of my then pressing necessities. I was at that time destitute, but finding the scheme to answer beyond my expectations, I was led to carry it on, until I had at last realised a handsome fortune, enabling me to live in the comfort in which you find me to-day. And now, sir, such is the force of habit, that though I am no longer under any necessity for continuing this plan, I find myself quite unable to give it up. Accordingly, every morning I leave home, apparently for business purposes, go to a room where I put on my beggar's clothes, and continue sweeping my crossing till a certain hour in the afternoon, when I go back to my room, resume my usual dress, and return home in time for dinner, as you see me this day."-STory of the LONDON PARKS.

THE NOBLEMAN AND THE SERPENT.

One day a certain nobleman, having gone to hunt in a forest, was surprised to see a black serpent come right up to him, and thus address him :—“ O' nobleman! for God's sake give me some place where I may hide myself, and I will bless you for it!" The Amir asked, "why are you so alarmed? is there anything wrong?" The snake replied, “My enemy is coming along, club in hand, to kill me, Do conceal me somehow!" On hearing this, the Amir took compassion on the animal, and concealed it in his wide sleeve. After a while, the person referred to up, armed with a thick bamboo pole,

by the snake, came

and said, "A black serpent, fleeing before me, has just

* Nobleman, or chief.

come in this direction. Tell me, if you have seen it. I will smash its head with this bamboo, and then make my way home." Upon this, the Amír said, "I have been standing here, friend, for a long while, but have seen nothing of the kind. God only knows where it has gone." Then the man made much search for the animal all round about, but not finding it, set out for home.

About an hour after, the Amir said to the snake, "Your enemy has gone, so now you go too!" The serpent laughed, and replied, "My good sir, I will not leave now without stinging you! Do you think I am going to listen to you, and move off without anyone being killed? Are you so ignorant about me as not to know that I am your natural enemy? When I have killed you, then I will go, but not before. You are evidently an egregious fool, to have taken compassion on me, and, believing what I told you, given me a place in your sleeve!" Then the Amír said, "Serpent, I have done a kindness to you, and you intend to requite it with evil! This is very improper !" "I have heard from wise men," rejoined the snake, “that to do good to the bad is just like doing harm to the good." On hearing this, the man was greatly afraid, and said to himself, "How shall I get him out of my sleeve, and preserve my life?" After reflection, he determined on an expedient, and said to the animal, "Black snake, there is another serpent coming; you get out of my sleeve, and then you and 1 will both go and ask its opinion. If it approves of your design, then do with me as you like." Finally, the snake agreed to his proposal, and, coming out of his sleeve, went towards the other snake. Whereupon the Amir seizing the opportunity, struck it such a blow on the head with a stone, as to kill it. And thus he succeeded in getting safe home-TALES of a Parrot.

THE TWO-SHEPHERDS.

When the plains of India were burnt up by a long continuance of drought, Hamet and Raschid, two neighbouring shepherds, faint with thirst, stood at the common boundary of their grounds, with their flocks and herds. panting round them, and in extremity of distress prayed for water. On a sudden the air was becalmed, the birds ceased to sing, and the flocks to bleat. They turned their eyes every way, and saw a being of mighty stature advancing through the valley, whom they knew to be the Genius of Distribution. In one hand he held the sheaves of plenty, and in the other the sabre of destruction. The shepherds stood trembling, and would have retired before him; but he called to them with a voice gentle as the evening breeze. Fly not from your benefactor, children of the dust! I am come to offer you gifts, which only your own folly can make vain-you here pray for water, and water I will bestow let me know with how much you will be satisfied speak not rashly; consider that of whatever can be enjoyed by the body, excess is no less dangerous than scarcity. When you remember the pain of thirst, do not forget the pain of suffocation. Now Hamet tell me your request."

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O being, kind and beneficent," says Hamet, "let thine eye pardon my confusion. I entreat a little brook, which in summer shall never be dry, and in winter never overflow." "It is granted," replies the genius; and immediately he opened the ground with his sabre, and a fountain bubbling up under their feet, scattered its rills over the meadows the flowers renewed their fragrance, the trees spread a green foliage, and the flocks and herds quenched their thirst.

Then, turning to Raschid, the Genius invited him likewise to offer his petition. "I request," says Raschid, "that thou wilt turn the Ganges through my grounds, with all his waters, and all their inhabitants. Hamet was struck with the greatness of his neighbour's sentiments, and secretly repined in his heart that he had not made the same petition before him, when the genius spoke, "Rash man, be not so insatiate; remember! to thee that is nothing which thou can'st not use and how are thy wants greater than the wants of Hamet?" Raschid repeated his desire, and pleased himself with the mean appearance that Hamet would make in the presence of the proprietor of the Ganges. The genius then retired towards the river, and the two shepherds stood waiting the event. As Raschid was looking with contempt upon his neighbour, on a sudden was heard the roar of torrents, and they found by the mighty stream that the mounds of the Ganges were broken. The flood rolled forward into the lands of Raschid, his plantations were torn up, his flocks overwhelmed, he was swept away before it, and a crocodile devoured him.-JOHNSON.

ROBINSON CRUSOE.

And now resolving to see the circumference of my little kingdom, I victualled my ship for the voyage, putting in two dozen of my barley-bread loaves, an earthen pot full of parched rice, a little bottle of rum, half a goat, powder and shot, and two coats. It was the 6th of November, in the 6th year of my captivity, that I set out on this voyage, and which was much longer than I expected, being obliged to put farther out, on account of the rocks. And indeed, so much did these rocks surprise me, that I was for putting back, fearing that if I ventured farther it would be out of