Sire faraili!
RED RIDING-HOOD.
BY LUCY LARCOM,
Well, little Red Riding-Hood,
Pleasant it was to play
In the green fields and the shady wood
Through a golden summer day.
Wrong, was it, plucking the flowers,
Watching the redbreast’s flight,
All heedless of hurrying hours
And grandmamma’s dolelul plight?
Poor little Red Riding-Hood I
Wolves, and not babies, think ;
Sturdier feet than yours have stood
CareleßS on ruin’s brink.
Bads over the door-sill twined
Laugh in the breezeless blue;
And wise fear ruffles not the mind
Of a girl-bud young as you.
Hear little Red Riding-Hood,
Sorry enough you are 1
Grandmamma ? 0, she is kind and good ;
And you didn’t stray so far.
Nevertheless, nevertheless;
In this tangled world of ours,
Tue end of wandering none can guess,
And a wolf may lurk among flowers.
Our Young Folks.
JULIAN NEED’S PUNISHMENT.
A TRUE STORY, BY EMER BIRDSEY.
The September day was mild and beauti
ful. The sun came up clear in the blue
heavens, and the few remaining birds of
summer were striving to make up, in loud
notes, what they lacked in numerous ones.
The little village of Kent, oh the Cuya
hoga river, in Ohio,, boasted of several
school-houses—most of them, too, near the
bank of the river. The fact- caused the
teachers of the schools a wonderful deal of
trouble, for it was almost impossible to keep
the scholars, especially the boys, away from
the water. Many of them were, as yet,
too young to swim, and there was fear that
some day there might be one of them
drowned ; for just as sure as they saw the
water, their pants almost involuntarily
slipped above their knees, and before the
boy himself was quite aware of it, he was
wading around in the clear, cool water —so
clear that he could distinctly see his toes on
the gravelly bottom, even •if he was over
his knees in water.
One of these buildings was familiarly
known as the “ Red School-house.” It occu
pied one of the pleasantest points on the
river bank—a hill that sloped gently down
to the water's edge, dotted with a few large
elms, under-which the scholars would sit at
noon and eat. their dinners ; then, whin
through, the boys would set down their
baskets, and lying down flat, would take a
“ rolling race”—that is, all would commence
to roll down hill, and see which would reach
the sands first. Their laughter, mingled
with the shouts of the girls, who admiring
ly cheered them on, would echo from the
larther bank, where there was a heavy
growth of willows that hung gracefully
over the water that flowed deep and dark,
Und where all the fishes gathered to hide
when they heard the approach of an enemy.
The teacher at the Red School-house was
more watchful of her pupils than those of
any of the other schools. She was so fear
ful that some harm would happen while
they were out of her sight near the water,
that she took her dinner with the rest, and
sat and watched 1 all the noon, to see that
none went in who were unable to swim. It
was true that the parents of the boys often
duly cautioned them, but they seemed to
forgot all about' this when out of their
sight.
One day, at noon, as the teacher touched
the little bell to call their attention a mo
ment before the dismissal of the school, she
said,
“ Now, children, I cannot very well go
with you this noon, when you start from
the school-house,, but I forbid you going
down the bank to the water. It will not be
much of a hardship to. stay away just this
once. Take your balls and go over the
other side of the hill this time, there’s my
good boys-"
So she let them out, and saw them going
over the hill with a shout. Then she picked
up her satchel, and started to go ' and pass
the noon with a friend, as she had promised.
After the teacher had been out of sight
about twenty minutes, two boys slowly
walked around the base of the hill, in the
direction of the riyer.
“ That water Ipoks mighty cool and nice,
to-day,” said George Higgins to his com
panion, Julian Reed, as he threw up a mar
ble and caught it in his hand.
“ Yes,” answered Julian, with a whistle,
looking cautiously around to see if anyone
had heard or was near them.
No one answered the signal or appeared
in sight. r , : t ;
“ I guess we’re . big enough to go in the
water without getting drowned,” he con
tinued; “nobody’ll sCe us—let’s go down
on the sand, any way ; there’s no sense in
the teacher being so ’fraid to trust us out
of sight.”
So they ran along where the li’ tle waves
came up playfully and ran over their bare
feet. It was delightful to feel their soft
caresses.
“Letns go in just up to our knees,”
said S-eorge. And in a moment they had
waded knee deep, and were splashing the
water all ever themselves. Once in a while
they would stop and look towards the top
of the hill where the school-house stood, to
ascertain if they were likely to be discover
ed, then they would hold their breaths and
listen
“I tell you,” said George; “ you tvade in
up to your neck, and I’ll give you the best
china ileteaxAl®. fellow, you
know, an,d getl.ipg him for almost
nothing.”'
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1869.
Ho held up the marble temptingly be
tween his thumb and finger, with a chal
lenging smile on his face, and Julian ex
claimed,
“ I’ll do it —so here he goes 1”
He didn’t stop to take off any of his
clothes but plunged ahead, while George
stood up to his knees in water watching
him.
Deeper and deeper the water was getting,
as Julian waded on, and at last, when it
reached his chin, George shouted,
“ That’ll do —come back now I”
But Julian couldn’t come back—he had
got into the current, it had taken him off
his feet, and was bearing him away.
“ Come back, why-don’t you?” again
shouted George; but the only response was
a frantic uplifting of Julian's arms. He theta
began to be alarmed. He looked towards
the school-house, but no one was in sight,
though he could hear a faint murmur of
voices beyond. ‘Right around hint there
was almost a death-like stillness, and Ju
lian’s head was almost out of sight as he
floated down the' stream, and at intervals
gave a wild struggle to regain his feet, but
in vain.
George couldn’t think of leaving his
friend, to go in sear,ch of help, for before he
could get back Julian might go entirely out
of sight, and no one know where to look
for him. He commenced shouting with all
his might; and the energy of despair seized
him as, looking again to where he had seen
the brown head floating just on the sur
face, it was gone out of sight.
Louder and wilder he hallooed, and at
last the head of a man appeared over the
top of the hill. George swung his hat, and
kept shouting, as the man hurried down
and was soon able to understand what was
the trouble. He threw off his coat and
boots and pitched into the water, swimming
down with all his might, till he descried a
dark object, which was* Julian, coming to
the surface for the third and last time: He
grasped him, and keeping his head out of
the water, brought him out and laid him oh
the green grass.
George ha’d all this time stood motion
less in the river, unconscious ©f, where he
was, or. what he was doing, with his mouth
open, and, as they say, “ his heart in his
mouth.”
By this time a good many people had
gathered on the bank. Julian lay motion
less, as if entirely dead; but after a long
time, during which they kept rolling him'
from Bide to, side, to force the water from
his stomach, he began to groan piteously,
and eject the “ nasty water,” as in his suf
fering he called it,, from his mouth. After
a while they gave him some wine; „and as
the anxious teacher bent over him, with
tears in her eyes, he looked up in her face
and said,
“ I was most gone, Miss Bifdsey,-.and I
guess ’.twas because I went downtherC after
you told us not to. Bat I’ll never, never
go again without you go with us. 0 the
dreadful water—it hurts me soand be
put his hand to his stomach and opened his
mouth, as if he could not get rid of the
sickening sensation. ,:
He kept his word with his teacher until
he learned to swim, and then he was a sort
of protector over the others.—Little Cor
poral. ' ‘ '
HOW A COMPASS AND A FIREFLY SAVED
A PRISONER.
In Mr.- Parton’s very in teresting account of
The Invention of the Compass, in Our Young
Folks for February, is the following curious
story told him by a Lake Champlain boat
man ;
“He said that he had been a.prisoner for
eleven months in Andersonville during the
late war, and when he heard that General
Sherman was -at Atlanta, about two hun
dred atod forty miles distant, he and his
comrade determined to try to. escape, and
make their way thither. One of them had
an old-fashioned watch with a compass in
the Back of it; and' by this they expected
to direct their course, which was nearly
northwest. But, as they, expected to travel
only by night, they resolved 5 hiot no- start
until they could got a box of matches, so
as to be ableto strike a light now and then,
to look at their compass. They delayed
their departure, for six jweekSj trying tp yet
a box of matches, for the purchase oT which
they gave one of their negro friends,their
last five dollar bill. He could not buy a box
of matches for five dollars, nor'forany other
number of dollars, and so at last they made
up their minds to start without them.
“ Assisted by their black friend, they got
away one afternoon, and lay hidden until
late in the evening, when they started at a
great pace through. the woods,, and came
about midnight to a road which seemed to
go, as nearly as they cpuld guess, exactly
northwest. Seemed, I say; but it might
not, and, if it did ’not, it would lead them
to capture and death. The night was not
very dark, but the stars were hidden by
clouds ; else the friendly North Star would
have guided them upon their way. Anxious
as they were to get on, they stood for
several minutes comparing recollections,
and debating the great question upon which
their lives depended. But, the morethey
talked it over,' the more uncertain they be
came • and now they bitterly regretted
their impatience in coming away without
matches.
“There were a great number of fireflies fly
ing about. A lucky thought occurred to
one of them, —the boatman who told us the
story. He caught a .firefly, and taking it
between his thumb and finger, held it over
his compass. Imagine their joy to find that
the insect gave them plenty of light for
their purpose; and imagine their still great
er joy to discover that Jhe rqad,led straight
to the Union army., v Eigfij; nights of travel
brought them safely to it." '
Admirable invention 1I often wonder
that a thing so valuable can he so small,
simple, and cheap. It is nothing bi t a
needle, a pivot, and a card, which you can
buy for half a dollar, and carry in your
pocket, or dangling at the end of a watch
chain. Yet, small and trifling as it is, a
ship’s company that should find themselves
in the middle of the ocean without a com
pass would consider it a great favor to be
allowed to buy one for many thousand dol
lars.
AH OLD AND TRUE PRIEND.
A gentleman played off a rich joke on his
better half the other day. Being somewhat
of an epicure, he took it into his head that
morning that he would like to have a first
rate dinner. So he addressed his wife a
note politely informing her that a gentle
man of'her acquaintance—an old and true
friend—would dine with her that day. As
soon as she received it, all hands went to
work to get everything in order. Precisely
at twelve o’clock she was prepared to re
ceive her guest. The house was as clean as
a new pin, a sumptuous dinner was on the
table, and she was arrayed in her best at
tire. A gentle knock was heard, and she
started with a palpitating heart to the door.
She thought it must be an old friend, per
haps a brother, from the place whence they
once moved. On opening the door, she saw
her husband, with a smiling countenance.
“Why, my dear,” said she, in an anxious
tone, “where is the gentleman of whom
you spoke in your note ?”
“Why,” replied the husband, compla
cently, “ hero he is.” f
“ lou said a gentleman of my acquaint
ance, an old and true friend, would dine
with us to-day.”
“ Well,” said he, good-humoredly, “ am I
not a gontlenaan of your acquaintance, an
old and true friend ?’’ -
“Oh !” she cried,distressingly, “is there
nobody but you ?”
“No.”
“ Well, I declare this is too had,” said his
wife,,in an. angry tone.
The husband laughed immoderately, but
finally they sat down cosily together, and
for once he had a good dinner without hav
ing company.
SUNSHINE AND RAIN*
"Oh, if the sun would always shine!”
said the children often one dark stormy
day, as the sky seemed covered with lead
and the rain fell in torrents. Their wish
seemed soon to be fulfilled, for in several
months scarcely a cloud was to be seen in
the sky. The long drought, however, caused
great damage to the fields and meadows.
The flowers and vegetables wilted in the
garden, and the flax, which the girls looked
forward to with so much pleasure, grew
hardly a finger’s length.
“See now,” said the mother, reminding
them of their wish, “ is not the rain just as
necessary as the sunshine ? Learn, how
ever, from this wise ordering of God, the
wholesome’ truth‘that also for us it would
not be good to have always bright happy
days. Bather must sad and gloomy days,
trouble and sorrow come upon you from
time to time, in order that you may grow
up to be gotad men and women, Storm and
rain and suffering are no less blessings of
God to man than joy and sunshine.”
ENCOURAGE THE YOUNG.
I ,lf a young man deserves praise,.lbe surd to
give it to him, else you not only run a chance
of driving him from the. right road by want
of encouragement, but deprive yourself of the
happiest privilege yon will ever have of
rewarding his labor. Por it is only the
young who can receive much reward from
men’s praise; the old, when they are great,
get too far beyond and above what you may
think ol them. You may Urge them with
sympathy and surround them with accla
mation, but they will doubt your pleasure
and despise your praise.- You might have
cheered them in their race through the as
phodel meadows of their youth ; you might
have brought the proud, bright scarlet to
their faces, if you had cried but once, “Well
donel” as they dashed up the first goal of
their early ambition. But now their plea
sure is in memory, and their ambition in
heaven. They can be kind to you, you can
never more be kind to them.
LETTEE TBOM WOBMSi
“No one goes to Worms,” said some one
to me in Heidelberg, and I was considered
almost as obstinate and foolish as a much
more illustrious; person age vvas once when
he set his faco steadfastly toward this then
■important city. No, no one goes to Worms
now, yet but few, if .any, towns are so rich
in history and in song. It was here that
the scenes of the “ Niebelungenlied,” the
Iliad of Germany, were chiefly laid. Once
Worms contained sixty thousand inhabi
tants, now. it has but twelve thousand, one
half Protestants, one thousand Jews, and
the remainder Catholics. The old moat
still exists in the form of a beautiful ravine
thickly set with various kinds of trees, and
traversed by winding walks., About half
of the - old Trail is still standing, and is from
twenty to thirty feet in height. Worms
has nine churches; five Catholic, three evan-,
gelical and one Jewish—the latter, is said to
be older than the ■Christian era. 'The Jews
also have a cemetery here, the earth of
which, “they say," was brought from Jeru
salem. Three of the Catholic churches date
back to the eleventh' century. But the
« Domkirche” is the chief object of interest
to the lovers of the old. It was commenced
in A. D. 996, and completed 1016, and yet
the old historians say “ the walls rose as if
by magic.’’: It is one of the best existing
specimens of the old Byzantine style of
architecture, and is 470 feet in length, 110
in breadth, and each of ifa four towers about
three hundred feet in height. Of course it
is occupied by the Catholics, yet it: was
there that I first heard my ideal of congre*
gational singing. Nearly a thousand voices
followed the lead of the organ, and formed
a phase of worship seldom witnessed in our
own churches, but I am told that through
out Germany the singing is congregational,
and very good.
One Sabbath I attended Trinity church—
Lutheran. The entire ceiling and panels in
front of the two galleries, which extend
around three sides of the house, were cov
ered with paintings in fresco, representing
Bible scenes. Opposite the chancel there is
a large picture of Luther before the Diet of
Worms. I was pleased with the reverential
demeanor of the worshippers as they en
tered the church, and throughout the ser
vice, but was pained when I saw that only
about one-tenth of the congregation re
mained to partake of the commnnion. There
were only twelve males, and the females
were mostly old women in white caps. The
scene was very impressive, as with uncover
ed heads, slow step and solemn demeanor
they approached the chancel, two by two,
and received the Bacred emblems.
Of course every new comer must see the
Lutheran monument, which, after all, is not
so much a monument to Luther as to the
Deformation. He is surrounded by more
than life-sized figures of his associates and
predecessors, though, of course, he towers
high above them as their chief. The artist
has done his work so well that the inscription
below, “ Here I stand. I cannot do other
wise. God help me. Amen,” is almost su
perfluous.
A fe,w weeks since there was held here the
usnal semi-annual fair—nominally it com--
menced on Monday, but all the customary
side shows were under full headway on
Sabbath evening, including a travelling
menagerie with “ wax figures.” On the
outside of the tents were the usual pic
tures of the animals, and beside these were
two largo, coarse paintings representing the
“Last Supper” and “ The Agony in the
Garden.” What their object could be I can
not imagine. If it was to make is a sacred
show their efforts were not much more fu
tile than those made by respectable
people sometimes. But the. German idea of
'the Sabbath is entirely different from ours;
they regard it as a day of rest, but seem to
think that one can get more in lively enjoy
ment and recreation than in repose, and
they live in accordance with their profes
sions, which is something that cannot be
said of all of those who take a different
view. They also seem to have very agreea
ble conceptions concerning the.final rest, if
the appearance of the cemetery is a true
exponent. It seems as if it were decked
for a May-day festival. The graves are
planted with flowers, and the tablets, and
crosses, and monuments are nearly all
wreathed with garlands of natural and arti
ficial flowers; 1 White predominates, though
there are many wreaths of red and white
roses twined with ivy. Those who cannot
afford these content themselves with paper
ones tastefully arranged and tied with long
white ribbons. And those who have lain in
their graves for half a century seem to be
as fondly remembered as those who have
only lately gono to their reßt. There are
no grim death’s heads, but in their place
are the earlier and more beautiful concep
tions, Bleep and’his twin brother death with
an inverted torch. —Watchman and Reflector.
Worms, Dec. 7, 1868.
PREACHING AND PRAYER.
An American pastor’ saw his preaching
extraordinarily blessed. For twelve years
he had a revival in his church every year.
He was himself surprised at such success,
until one evening in a prayer-meeting, one
of the brethren stated that for some years
he had been in the habit of praying every
Saturday until midnight that on the mor
row the preaching of his pastor might find
its way to the people’s hearts. We should,
without doubt, see more fruits of the nu
merous sermons which are preached every
Sunday, if every'minister had one friend
who took really to the heart his pastoral
work, and presented it without ceasing at
the throne of grace.
A sermon of a Scotch preacher, John
Livingston, was the means of the conversion
of five hundred persons in one day. But it
should be said that a large number of Chris
tians had devoted all the preceding night to
prayer for this object. Let us not forget
that the Holy Spirit alone can make preach
ing efficacious, and that He is sent in an
swer to the prayer of faith.
HAPPY EEJOINDEB.
At Oxford, some twenty years ago, a
tutor of one of the colleges limped in his
walk. Stopping one day last summer at a
railway station, he was accosted by a well
known politician, who recognized him, and
asked him if he was not the chaplain of the
college at such a time, naming the year.
The doctor replied that he was. “ I was
there,” said the interrogator, “ and knew
you by your limp.” “Well,” said the doc
tor, “it stems niy limping made a deeper
impression than my preaching,” “Ah,
doctor," was the reply, with ready wit,
“it is the highest compliment;we can pay
a minister, to say that he is known by his
walk rather than by his, conversation.”
CLEAVING TO OHBIST.
I have seen a heavy piece of iron hanging
on another—not welded, not linked, not glued
to the spot, and yet it cleaved with such te
nacity as to bear not only its own weight,
but mine too, if I chose to seize it and han&
upon it. A wire charged with an electric
current is in contact with its mass, and hence
its adhesion. Out that wire through, or re
move it by a hair's breadth, and the piece of
iron dropß dead to the ground, like any other
unsupported weight.
A stream of life lrom the Lord, brought
into contaet with.a,human spirit, keepsfbe
spirit cleaving to the Lord so firmly that no
power on earth or hell can wrench the two
asunder. From Christ the mysterious life-
Btream flows, through the being of a disci
ple it spreads, and to the Lord it returns
again. In that circle the feeblest Christian
is held safely, but if the circle be broken
the dependent spirit instantly drops off.—
Arnot.
RAILROADS AND THE SABBATH.
We give an extract from Dr. Robert Patter
son’s able and fervid argument on the Sabbath,
before the Illinois State Christian Convention,
as reported in the Christian at Work for Janu
ary.
“ One of the best paying roads in America,
after three years discussion in the Board of Di
rectors, has last year yielded to the pressure of
the Christian stockholders, who declared their
purpose to withdraw their capital unless Sabbath
breaking ceased ; and an order has been issued
stopping all Sabbath labor on that road, save in
case of emergency, and then only upon orders
telegraphed directly from the Central office; and
the stoppage of all Sabbath trains, save the mail
trains ordered by the United States Post-office.
Every other railroad in the Union could well
follow this noble example of the New Jersey
Central —the very artery of railroad travel. Let
Christian stockholders then arouse themselves,
and purge their souls from complicity in other
men’s sins. Either make your roacb_csase Sab
bath-breaking, or leave it. Come out: of Baby
lon, and deliver every man his soul, lest God’s
wrath come upon you, and find you partakers of
her sins and plagues; The day will come when
the red hot dollars of your Sunday earned divi
dends will be hard to handle. Give every cent
of it to the poor, if so be the Lord will accept
the .offering. Would you leave such accursed
gains for your children’s inheritance ?
“ The Church must take iip this matter with all
the solemnity of Christ’s government. The
General Assembly of the O. S. Presbyterian
Church declared stockholders in Sabath-breaking
stage companies subject to Church discipline.
By all rules of justice the Church must deal
equally with the Sabbath drudge and with the
man who hires and compels his Sabbath-break
ing. It is an inconsistency which neither God
nor man can tolerate to deprive the railroad en
gineer and the conductor of the Sabbath train,
of communion for Sabbath-breaking, and invite
the railroad directors whose cars they run, and
who pocket the profits of their Sabbath labor, to
sit down at the Communion table. God is no
respecter of persons; and the Church must show
that He regards not the proud nor the wealthy
as privileged to transgress God’s law with impu
nity."
Statistics of lowa.—lowa has an area of
55,045 square miles—nearly twice as much
as all Scotland. Ninety per cent, of this
area is prairie land. There are many large
streams, including the lowa, Cedar, and the
Des Moines rivers. Valuable coal mines
exist in various parts of the State; 92,320
tons were mined in 1866 against 66,664 in
1864. This year the State has yielded 25,-
000,000 bushels of wheat, and' 90,000,000
bushels of corn. There are 12 railroads,
with more than 1,400 miles in operation.
The State has been settled mainly from
Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania,"with a
large mixture from the New England States.
Her population is now estimated at 1,100,-
000.
A Battle Ground. —The battle ground
of Spottsylvania, Va., is now overgrown
with rough under-brush and scrub-pine,
which is fast covering the marks of war.
The long succession of earthworks, from
which Grant’s army forced Gen. Lee, hard
ly 390 feet apart, are nearly obliterated.-
Alaska. —According to the official report
of Gen. Halleck, commanding the military
division of the Pacific, the area of Alaska is
estimated at, 578,000 square miles, with a
population of 2,000 whites and 60,000 half
breeds and Indians. The force of United
States soldiers in charge of the Department
consists of , six companies, five of artillery
and one. of infantry. The military posts
? re . Slx in. number. Tho hativepopulation
is divided into four nations—the Koloschians
or Stikeensj the Henaians; the Aleutians*
and the, Esquimaux. The nations are sub
divided into tribes and families, named prin
cipally from their places of residence. The
natives are generally well disposed to the
whites, and peaceable, except the Eolosckian
nation, who plunder the cargoes of wrecked
vessels and sometimes murder their crews.
The Income of Queen Victoriais fixed
by law at $1,925,000 per annum 5 , but' this
amount is not under her personal control
The sum mentioned is divided into six items’
the first of which,.s3oo,ooo, is the money
paid to the Queen in monthly instalments.
Item second is $656, 300, for the payment of
- S -*? 6 household. Item third,
$862,500, is for the expenses, of the household.
Ibe remaining items, amounting to $lO6 200
are for the payment of civil pensions,' and
are under the control of the premier.
p^j^ R °tP SING an.— Tho Christian Visitor,
f - N . ew ® run Awick, has a letter from Kich
mond, Virginia, which says: “There is a
young man at the Colored Theological In
stitute, eighteen years old, who, three years
ago, was picking up old rags and broken
bottles m Augusta, Ga. He did not then
Know, his letters, and is now studying Latin
and Greek.” 6
_TVhiskt, it is asserted, is manufactured in
Hew York city according to the following
recipe: Common whisky 40. gallons, water
40 gallons, tincture of Guinea pepper, 3 gal
lons, tincture of pellitory on© ' quart, acetic
ether 2 ounces, and strong tea If gallons.
The, alcohol m this mixture is so reduced ia
strength that the drugs must be. added, to
restore the_taste, which burns; the palate
like fire. Tho dealer thus makes evghty
five gallons of imitation .whisky out of forty
gallons of common stuff.! This, recipe
should warp all persons against the use of
jsuch poisonous beverages.