sum, and Ellen sadly acknowledged that, from former experience, she was convinced it was useless to expect any further concession from old Maurice.

of love and hope, that Garret started from his chair, and bending over her, inquired in hurried tones, "What then!-dearest Mary, what then!"

She threw back her head merrily as she looked up into his face; and though she tried to compose her features, a thousand smiles and dimples contradicted the demure accent with which she continued, " And then you may come with us when we take it home." Both Ellen and Garret laughed at this anti-climax ; Ellen especially, well knowing what was in the glad girl's heart, and amused, besides, at Garret's somewhat puzzled countenance. But that soon brightened again under the happy influence; and, without seeking the reason why, he found himself chattering away with a lighter heart than he had felt for months.

In this desponding mood she was found, as we have related, by Mrs. Villars, who listened to her artless narrative with deep and unaffected sympathy. When all was told, she spoke a few words of comfort and encouragement, expressive of the great use of trial to fortify and exalt the mind; and dwelt upon those lovely traits in Mary's character, which had been just described, and which might have withered away under too bright a sun. Then opening the little parcel she still held, she unfolded a large square of lace, and laying a pattern before Ellen, said, "Do you think, Ellen, you both could work this into a veil, and The moon arose; but as that fair light has busihave it ready by this day month? It is for a ness of its own, our workwomen reserved it for a young friend to wear at her wedding, and you future hour, and sent Garret for the more terrestial shall have five guineas if you do it well." Ellen's assistance of a pair of candles, to put the few heart gave one wild throb; for a moment she concluding stitches to their work. At length betried in vain to speak; then finding utterance, hold it finished! Ellen resigned the last two or poured forth her thanks and hopes with a rapidity three stitches to her sister, that by her hands it almost unintelligible. "Five guineas!—oh, dear- should be completed; and, holding it up with an est lady, what would we not attempt for that! exclamation of triumph, poor Mary gazed joyfully Five guineas!—why, it has taken nearly a long at it for an instant, then flinging her arms round year to put so much more together, and now it Ellen's neck, burst into tears. Garret looked on will seem but a day to earn the rest; and then wonderingly, and made some efforts at consolation you will at last be happy, my own Mary-happier so wide of the mark, that Mary's weeping was at and better for all your trouble. Oh, ma'am, fear once changed into laughter, until her bright eyes not but we will accomplish it; and night and day we will work, until it is done." And night and day they worked, Mary at the plainer part, Ellen at the delicate stitches; while with admiration and renewed hope they contemplated each morning the progress they had made. At first Ellen thought to have given Mary the pleasure of a surprise, .and, until it was done, to keep the amount of their reward a secret; but they had been too long accustomed to sharing every thought, to practise any concealment now; and one day remarking an unusually rapid progress, the whole truth burst in gladness from her lips.

overflowed again. Ellen at last, remembering that the best of men may sometimes grow impatient, and unwilling to try Garret too far, laid her hand on his arm, and said, "This is a bridal veil, Garret, and Mary and I have worked hard day and night to have it ready; it is to be worn by a fair and happy bride, while we

Garret required no further explanation of Mary's tears and excitement; and shaking off Ellen's hand with an upbraiding glance, as if he thought her for once in her life unfeeling, he answered warmly," And if she is ever so fair and happy, she cannot be fairer than my own sweet Mary, or more deserving of the happiest lot." Then, before she had time to answer, he seized the veil, and playfully throwing it over Mary's glossy hair, he added, "Now tell me, Ellen, will there ever be a fairer bride than that?"

To describe Mary's delight and astonishment is impossible. More busily she could not work, and for a while her trembling fingers refused to work at all; but day after day the sweet hope strengthened, and at last the appointed morning came, and found their task all but completed. It was, how- But he was answered by a loud cry from Ellen. ever, a day of unusual interruptions; and Ellen In passing, the veil had touched the flame of the had each hour fresh cause to admire the improve- candle, and in an instant the delicate covering was ment in Mary's temper, as, without an impatient in a blaze. Quick as thought, she tore it from word, she would lay aside her work and attend to that beloved head; the next moment it lay in every demand. But evening still found them at scorched and worthless fragments on the floor. their unfinished task, and Mrs. Villars required it To describe their consternation, their revulsion of that night at the very latest. Just as they were feeling, is impossible. The present calamity was busily employed, in came Garret with his usual so overpowering, that for the minute it swallowed request for an evening walk, and, half-affronted when refused, he said reproachfully, "I believe there is some charm in that cobweb, for you never will put it by. Here I have tried in vain to get you out for an entire month. I will begin to think at last, Mary, that you take no pleasure in my company."

Mary's quick feelings rose at this undeserved reproach, and, with somewhat of her old spirit, she was about to retort; but remembering all their past sorrow, all her present hope, she paused and answered gently, "To prove the contrary, Garret, I condemn you never to leave me till this cobweb, as you call it, is fairly spun; and then-" She stopped short with a gasp, at having so nearly betrayed her secret; but her look was so eloquent

At

up all thought of remoter consequences, and-
pale, speechless, and aghast-they gazed in si-
lence first at one another, then at the fragile object
on which their hopes had so lately rested.
last Mary, pale as death, and almost as calm, laid
her arm on her sister's neck, and in a low sad
tone murmured, "You see, Ellen, 't is not to be!"
Those words, uttered so despondingly, and Ellen's
piteous tears, revealed to Garret somewhat of the
truth; and though he could not guess the full ex-
tent of the misfortune, still he became at once
aware that, in a moment's heedlessness, he had
destroyed some plan essential to the happiness of
all, and his self-accusation almost amounted to
despair.

THE WORK-GIRL.

It was morning once more; the sun shone out | Mary, I had to blame myself. It was shown me as brightly as if it had only to awaken light and then that I had been too positive and unbending; happy hearts, and the sisters had arisen betimes, and Ellen's words, and all her loving arguments, I was not so hardened as you and again were busy with their daily work. With came back fresher to my mind than the day I the poor, there can be no useless indulgence of heard them. regret, and the labor of one hour often conquers thought me that day, Ellen," added he, turning to the sorrow of the preceding: but we cannot won-her; " but I thought a little trial would do the der at the languor that now hung over Mary's young people no harm; for I knew their hearts usually active movements, or blame the large tear were in the right place, only they wanted ballast. that would escape from her long, dark eye-lashes, But it is not good for short-sighted mortals to take as a gentle sigh from Ellen now and then caught the province of the Most High. When He afflicts, her ear. Otherwise, they were quite silent; they He sees and knows all things. We may often do had exhausted the language of sorrow; and it mischief, though intending good, when inflicting was not at once the foundations of hope could be needless trial on the hearts that love us; and so laid again. Still, they both were occupied with Mary, achree, even before Garret came in, I had their different employments when a footstep ap- resolved on my future course, and was waiting to proached, and looking round, Mary saw old Mau- tell him so before I slept that night; but when he rice Mahony standing in the door-way. Starting did come, and all was told-all the mischief he at sight of such an unusual visitor, her first had done, and the sweet, patient way you bore it thought was of Garret-that some harm had be--I thought the night too long till I could come "And now Ellen," continued he, "how far fallen him, and trembling violently, she found her- and relieve my own heart and yours. self unable to ask; but Ellen, with more selfI have often noticed possession, wished him good morning and as he were you able to fulfil your promise? for that you answered, "Good-morrow," kindly," Always both did your best, I have no more doubt than that busy, I see," the tones of his voice at once reäs-the sun is shining on us now. passing, let alone the good report from every one And there was a promise sured poor Mary, and awakened, she scarely you hard at work when you little thought I was knew why, some indefinite feeling of hope. He had not addressed her, but he now held out that ever names you. his hand, and drew her to a chair, beside which he too, Ellen, that you made for another," added the seated himself. Ellen laid by her work, and there old man with a smile; "and Mary, asthore, you was a momentary pause of stillness and expecta- kept it well, as I saw by Garret last night; and Is this tion. Maurice was a remarkable looking man. though he'll hardly thank me for teaching you to His hair, almost snow-white, combed back into keep a secret from him, he 'll feel it makes you smooth, old-fashioned curls, and his clothes, cut ac- the worthier of his trust in time to come. cording to the fashion of a former generation, would the money?" asked he, as he took the little box conhave given him the appearance of great age, had it taining their united earnings from Ellen's hand, not been contradicted by his fresh complexion and and poured out the precious hoard upon the table still elastic step. His tall figure, scarcely stooped-half-crowns, shillings, sixpences, even halfuntil his recent illness, and his firm, well-shaped pence-all as they had been received and deposited mouth, and sagacious eyes and forehead, betokened there, and a tear glistened in the old man's eyes as an intellect still retaining all the vigor of its prime. he reckoned over those tokens of affection and perHe sat, as we have said, for a moment in silence, severing industry. The sum amounted in all to looking at the two anxious girls. At last he spoke; little more than seven pounds; and when the total and, still retaining Mary's hand, related how Gar- was announced, Ellen shook her head as she reret had returned home last night in a state little marked, "It would have been too little after all." short of distraction; his heart so entirely full of" It is enough," answered Maurice quietly; and one subject, that though it had never been renewed selecting from amongst the coins a crooked sixbetween them since the first painful day-under pence, which, pierced with a little hole, had once the influence of strong excitement, the interval probably been a true-love token, he added, "I seemed as nothing-the long smothered feeling shall keep this for a luck-penny while I live; after burst forth, and he told him all that had occurred. that, Mary, it shall be yours in memory of this "It was very late," continued the old man, day. That is our share. The rest, dear Ellen"but I could not go to rest till he came in, for I had felt all the evening more lonely than usual. The fire burnt low as I sat before it in thought; and fancy brought back again her I had laid long years ago in her narrow grave, and the children that had followed her; and I could see them all again smiling and chattering round the hearth, as they With what different feelings did the little group used to in those old hours. At last, from being very sorrowful these memories grew pleasant, and a dawning of the future seemed to gain upon the again pursue their way to the residence of Mrs. shadows of the past. I began to think; for the Villars. Forgetful of her own disappointment, she heart," added the old man solemnly, "is often had listened with kind and womanly sympathy to prepared within itself for the way it ought to act; their sorrowful communication the night before, I began to ask myself why there were not smiling and now they hastened to tell her of their joy, and faces and sweet young voices round my hearth to ask her whether the time could possibly allow But Mrs. again, and why my best and only one was at that them to repair the accident by working another. moment under the roof of a stranger-his thoughts" All for love, dear lady, this time; you must not full of bitterness against the old father that loved think of offering us any money now!" him all the time better than the veins of his heart Villars had already taken measures to supply the

for your sake only I wish it had been more-but, such as it is, keep it till you meet with some old man as unreasonable as myself." Ellen remonstrated; but in vain. Old Maurice made it a condition; and as Mary took his side, two to one carried the day; then, in compassion to Garret's impatience, he left them, as he said, to have his place better filled.

"Oh no, no," interrupted Mary softly. loss, and, as her best apology for the delay, had Old Maurice sighed as he continued-"If it was so, transmitted to her young friend the burnt fragments

し

of the veil as an evidence of the beauty of the work, tobacco monopoly to enable the monopolist to acand of the accident which destroyed it. In relat-quire a monopoly over sugar or tea; the profits of ing the circumstances, she added the hope that, these united, to establish a monopoly of corn; and as in Ireland a conflagration was considered an then we should have Mr. D'Israeli's ideas of "the auspicious omen to a bride, good fortune might at- Coming Man" realized with a vengeance—the alitead those relics in a tenfold proportion to the sor- ment of the human race depending on the will and row they had caused; and the young English girl, pleasure of an individual, and he a member of the as she smiled at the augury, sent a thought across house of Israel! Such may not practically result, the waters from her own happy home, and deter-but it is theoretically possible; and, on a simply mined not to enjoy the prosperous influence alone. philosophical consideration, nothing could be more She laid the open parcel on the table, and told its curious. The profligate monopolies granted to story in a way that went home to the hearts of her courtiers, in the seventeenth century, for base and auditors. Had she been covetous, she might have selfish reasons, here recur under totally different made Mary Roche the richest of her name; but, circumstances. Here reäppears a power of units guided by judgment as well as feeling, she con- over multitudes, such as existed in similar force tented herself with accepting a trifling gift from only in the earliest state of society.-Chambers. each, and so realized a sum which, though moderate in her eyes, far more than compensated for the labor they had lost. It was forwarded to Mrs. Villars, who divided it equally between the surprised and grateful girls; and it would have been more than human nature, had they not felt some little pleasure in the consciousness that Mary was not a portionless bride after all.

She and Garret never forgot their separate lessons of perseverance and patience acquired in that year of probation. They had truly learned them by heart, and such experience is seldom obliterated; and Ellen, happiest in the happiness of others -the dearest object of her heart attained-still felt that she had a sacred duty to perform. She devoted herself more entirely to her father, and, in studying his wishes, endeavored gradually to improve them; and she was rewarded. Drawn to each other by the absence of their mutual compan ion, he seemed each day more conscious of her excellence. Stimulated by the example of her cheerfulness and industry, he began to feel ashamed of his own listless indolence; and by degrees shaking off the influence of habit, he became an altered man. The "Work-girl's" cup of joy was full.

A TOBACCO SPECULATOR.-A French newspaper makes the following statement: "We learn that M. de Rothschild has arranged an affair which will insure him the monopoly of tobacco not only in France, but throughout the continent of Europe. He has for some time had agents in America to buy, by anticipation, the growth of all the plantations for a great many years to come. Thirty millions of francs have been appropriated to this vast speculation. The news has spread alarm among the capitalists who have entered into contracts with the royal tobacco manufactory, as it will soon be impossible for them to supply their tobacco at the stipulated prices." What an unheard-of proceeding! One man, by wealth, to acquire a power of money-squeezing or taxing over every one of his fellow-creatures who is addicted to a by no means rare habit! The Dutchman and German, who live in an atmosphere of tobacco smoke; the Parisian gentleman, who could not want his cigar; the operative, to whom the short pipe is equally indispensable; the old woman, who would perish without her tabatière; all to become liable to a suffering in purse for the benefit of M. de Rothschild, because M. de Rothschild happens already to possess overgrown wealth. Is there not something alarming in this announcement, as if we were now to find the results of industry converted into the most serious of tyrannies? Why, at this rate, it would only require the profits of the

From Lamartine's "Harmonies Poètiques."

A HYMN.

THERE is an unknown language spoken
By the loud winds that sweep the sky;
By the dark storm-clouds, thunder-broken,
And waves on rocks that dash and die;
By the lone star, whose beams wax pale,
The moonlight sleeping on the vale,

The mariner's sweet distant hymn,
The horizon that before us flies,
The crystal firmament that lies

In the smooth sea reflected dim.

"T is breathed by the cool streams at morning,
The sunset on the mountain's shades,
The snow that daybreak is adorning,

And eve that on the turret fades;
The city's sounds that rise and sink,
The fair swan on the river's brink,

The quivering cypress' murmured sighs,
The ancient temple on the hill,
The solemn silence, deep and still,
Within the forest's mysteries.

Of Thee, oh God! this voice is telling,
Thou who art truth, life, hope, and love;
On whom night calls from her dark dwelling,
To whom bright morning looks above;
Of Thee-proclaimed by every sound,
Whom nature's all-mysterious round

Declares, yet not defines Thy light;
Of Thee-the abyss and source, whence all
Our souls proceed, in which they fall,

Who hast but one name-INFINITE.
All men on earth may hear and treasure
This voice, resounding from all time;
Each one, according to his measure,

Interpreting its scenes sublime.
But ah the more our spirits weak
Within its holy depths would seek,

The more this vain world's pleasures cloy;
A weight too great for earthly mind,
O'erwhelms its powers, until we find
In solitude our only joy.

So when the feeble eye-ball fixes

Its sight upon the glorious sun,
Whose gold-emblazoned chariot mixes

With rosy clouds that towards it run;
The dazzled gaze all powerless sinks,
Blind with the radiance which it drinks,

And sees but gloomy specks float by;
And darkness indistinct o'ershade
Wood, meadow, hill, and pleasant glade,
And the clear bosom of the sky.

D. M. M.

From Chambers' Journal.

ANIMAL LANGUAGE.

friend awoke him from his reverie, and pricking up his ears, gambolled significantly around him. Next he scampered onwards for a dozen of yards or so, looked anxiously back, again scampered forward, looked back, whined, and returned. Then he set out, scenting the ground as if he had made some important discovery, stopped suddenly, made a short detour, tracking some imaginary scent as eagerly as if a treasure of venison lay beneath his nose. This at length rouses his friend of Skye, and away they trot as slyly to the hill as any couple of poachers. Now our pepper-andmustard hero is beating the whin-bushes, while his comrade stands outside the cover, ready to pounce upon the first rabbit that makes its appearance. Not a whine, not a yelp is heard-the whole is conducted by signs as significant and as well understood as the most ingenious system of marine signalizing.

LANGUAGE-as far as the communication of ideas by certain modes of contact, by gesture, or by sounds, can be called by that name-seems to be possessed in common by all living creatures. The first or simplest form in which this faculty is manifested among animals, is that of contact-a species of intercommunication beautifully illustrated by the habits of such insects as the ant. "If you scatter," say the authors of the Introduction to Entomology, "the ruins of an ant's nest in your apartment, you will be furnished with a proof of their language. The ants will take a thousand different paths, each going by itself, to increase the chance of discovery; they will meet and cross each other in all directions, and perhaps will wander long before they can find a spot convenient for their reunion. No sooner does any one discover a little chink in the Independent of the humble kind of expression floor, through which it can pass below, than it re- which gesticulation implies, many of the higher turns to its companions, and, by means of certain animals are possessed of vocal language, by which motions of its antennæ, makes some of them com- they can give the most intelligible utterance to prehend what route they are to pursue to find it, their feelings of delight, pain, fear, alarm, recogsometimes even accompanying them to the spot;nition, affection, and the like. Nor does this lanthese, in their turn, become the guides of others, guage differ in aught but degree from that which till all know which way to direct their steps." we ourselves enjoy. Our organs may be capable The mode of communication employed by bees, of a greater variety of tones and modulations; and beetles, and other insects, is much of the same na- yet in some cases this is more than questionable : ture, being almost entirely confined to contact, and all that can be said is, that the human organization rarely or ever partaking of gesticulation, which is capable of more perfect articulation, and this may be considered as the next form of language in articulation is a thing of art, imitation, and experithe ascending scale. ence, depending upon the higher degree of intelliIn expressing their wants, feelings, and passions, gence with which the Creator has endowed us. almost all the higher animals make use of gesticu- The brute creation express their feelings and paslation. The dog speaks with his eye and ear as sions by certain sounds, which are intelligible not significantly as he does by his voice; the wagging only to those of their own species, but in a great deof his tail is quite as expressive as the shake of agree to all other animals. Man, in his natural state, human hand; and no pantomime could better illus-does little or nothing more. It is civilization-the trate conscious error, shame, or disgrace, than his memory of many experiences, aided by his higher hanging ears, downcast look, and tail depressed, mental qualities-which gives him his spoken lanas he slinks away under rebuke. The dog, indeed, guage; each new object receiving a name founded is an admirable physiognomist, whether actively on association with previously-known objects, and or passively considered. If you can read craving, each conception receiving expression by association fear, or anger in his countenance, so he will kind- with ideas formerly entertained. Nothing of this ness or surliness in yours, just as readily as he can kind takes place among animals; their limited eninterpret the physiognomy of one of his own spe-dowments do not permit of it, as the range of their cies. Observe that huge mastiff gnawing a bone on the other side of the street, and see how the Newfoundland that is coming up on this side deports himself. First, he stands stock-still; not a muscle of his frame is moved; the mastiff takes no notice of him. Next, he advances a few steps, looks intently, wags his tail once or twice; still not a glance from the mastiff, which is evidently striving not to observe him. On the Newfoundland goes, with an indifferent amble, keeping as closely to this side as he can, and thinks no more of the mastiff. Had the latter, however, lifted his head from the bone, Irad he exchanged one glance of recognition, had he brushed his tail even once along the pavement, the Newfoundland would have gone gambolling up to him, even though the two might have had a tussle about the bone in the long-run. Here, then, is an example of strict physiognomy or pantomime, quite as well understood between animals as the most ardently-expressed sounds. Again, mark that couple of terriers, bound on a secret rabbiting excursion to yonder hill-side. Two minutes ago, that shaggy native of Skye was dozing on his haunches, as little dreaming of a rabbit-hunt as of a journey to the antipodes. But his little pepper-and-mustard

existence does not require it. Their language may be considered as stationary in a natural state, though capable of some curious modifications under human training, or even under certain peculiar changes of natural condition. It is to this range of animal expression that we would now direct attention.

Take that barn-yard cock, for example, which five minutes ago was crowing defiance from the top of the paling to his rival over the way, and hear him now crowing a very different note of de light and affection to his assembled dames. In a few minutes you may hear his peculiar "cluck cluck," over some tid-bit he has discovered, and to which he wishes to direct their attention; his long-suppressed guttural cry of alarm, if the mastiff happens to be prowling in the neighborhood; or his soft blurr of courtship, when wooing the af-fections of some particular female. All of these notes, even to the minutest modulation, are known to the tenants of the barn-yard, which invariably interpret them in the sense they were intended. Or take the barn-yard hen, and observe the language by which she communicates with her young. By one note she collects and entices them under her wings, by another calls them to partake of some insect or grain she has discovered, by a third warns.

them of danger, should any bird of prey be sailing | reer of song, it is impossible to stand by uninterabove, by a fourth calls them away to another place, ested. He whistles for the dog-Cæsar starts up, or leads them home, should they have strayed to a wags his tail, and runs to meet his master; he distance. Nor are these various calls known in- squeaks out like a hurt chicken-and the hen hurstinctively, as is generally believed, by the young|ries about with hanging wings and bristling feathbrood. We have watched the habits of the barn-ers, clucking to protect her injured brood. The fowl with the closest scrutiny, and are convinced barking of the dog, the mewing of the cat, the that a knowledge of the mother's notes is, to the creaking of a passing wheelbarrow, follow with young, a process of acquirement; in the same great truth and rapidity. He repeats the tune manner as a human child quickly, but nevertheless taught him by his master, though of considerable by degrees, learns to comprehend tones of affec- length, fully and faithfully. He runs over the tion, doting, chiding, and the like. The knowl- quiverings of the canary, and the clear whistlings edge of the lower animals is in almost every in- of the Virginian nightingale or redbird, with such stance acquired; a process necessarily more rapid superior execution and effect, that the mortified in them than in man, as they much sooner reach songsters feel their own inferiority, and becomie the limit of their growth and perfection. Animal altogether silent, while he seems to triumph in language is most perfect and varied among such their defeat by redoubling his exertions." animals as are gregarious in their habits. Let the most ignorant of natural history attend for a few days to the habits of a flock of birds, herd of oxen, horses, deer, elephants, or the like, and he will find that they make use of a variety of sounds often to-opment of the vocal powers. A young canary tally different from each other. Friendly recognition, hatred, fear, mirth, satisfaction, the discovery of food, hunger, and so on, are expressed each by a peculiar note, which is distinctly and instantly comprehended by the whole flock. And as among men, when simple sounds are insufficient, so among animals gesticulation is made use of to assist the comprehension and deepen the impression.

As there is thus an evident capability of modification, so there must, to a certain degree, be improvement or deterioration, as surrounding circumstances are favorable or unfavorable to the develbrought up in the same room with a goldfinch and linnet, if he does not slavishly adopt the notes of either, will often be found to add them to his own natural music. The natural voice of the dog, so far as that can be ascertained from wild species of the family, is more a yelp and snarl than a bark; and yet what is more full and sonorous than the voice of the Newfoundland or mastiff? The wild If, then, animals are really in possession of a horse-depending so much as it does upon the sovocal language, it may be asked, is that language ciety of its kind-acquires the nicest modulations capable of any modification, improvement, or dete- of neighing, so as to express pleasure, fear, recogrioration; and have we any evidence to that effect nition, the discovery of pasture, and so forth; That animal language admits of extensive modifi- while the labored hack has scarcely, if at all, the -cation, we have ample proof in the history of cage command of its vocal organs. The voice of aniand singing-birds. The natural note of the canary mals is just as evidently strengthened and inis clear, loud, and rather harsh; by careful train- creased in variety of tone by practice, as is that ing, and breeding from approved specimens, that of the human singer or orator, and thus becomes note can be rendered clear, full, and mellow as capable of expressing a wider range of ideas. Inthat of the finest instrument. We have farther deed, it is certain that, if animals are placed in sitproof of such modification, in the fact of a young uations where the use of their language is not recanary being made to imitate the notes of the lin- quired, they will in a short time lose the faculty net or goldfinch, just as either of these may be of speech altogether. Thus, on the coral island taught the song of the canary. The starling and of Juan de Nova, where dogs have been left from 'blackbird may be trained to forsake their wood-time to time, and where, finding abundance of notes wild, and to imitate the human whistle to food, they have multiplied prodigiously, it is asperfection in many of our national melodies. Nay, serted that the breed have entirely lost the faculty the parrot, starling, raven, and even the canary, of barking. We knew an instance of a young camay be taught to articulate certain words and nary, just bursting into song, which was rendered phrases with more precision and emphasis than permanently dumb by being shut up in a darkened the tyros of the elocutionist. Nor is artificial chamber, and by occasionally having a cloth training always necessary to accomplish such thrown over its cage, that its notes might not dis'modification; for we have the gay and lively turb an invalid. This treatment was continued mocking-bird of America producing, of his own for several months and so effectually did it de'free-will, almost every modulation, from the clear stroy the clear, brilliant notes of the youngster, mellow tones of the wood-thrush, to the savage that he was never afterwards known to utter a scream of the bald eagle. "While thus exerting note beyond a simple "tweet, tweet" of alarm. himself," says Wilson, 66 a person destitute of sight As the human speech is affected by disease and would suppose that the whole feathered tribes had old age, so likewise is that of the lower animals. assembled together on a trial of skill, each striving The husky, paralytic voice of the old shepherdto produce his utmost effect, so perfect are his im- dog, is a very different thing from the full-toned itations. He many times deceives the sportsman, bark of his athletic years; formerly, its modulaand sends him in search of birds that perhaps are tions could give expression to joy, fear, anger, renot within miles of him, but whose notes he ex-proach, and the like; now, its monotony is destiactly imitates even birds themselves are frequent-tute of all meaning. We were once in possession ly imposed on by this admirable mimic, and are of a starling, which we had taught to utter a numdecoyed by the fancied call of their mates, or dive ber of phrases, and to whistle in perfection a couple with precipitation into the depth of thickets at the of Scottish melodies. After a severe moulting scream of what they suppose to be the sparrow-attack, not only was his power of voice destroyed, hawk. The mocking-bird loses little of the pow- but his memory apparently so much affected, that er and energy of his song by confinement. In his phrases and melodies were ever after jumbled indomesticated state, when he commences his ca- coherently together; much like the chattering of