What Tom said seemed so reasonable that Harry gave up his wild idea of running the rapid, and agreed to wait until daylight. It was already nearly one o'clock, and at that time of year the day began to dawn by half past three. There was no opportunity for the boys to sleep, but they occasionally nodded as they sat in their canoes. About two o'clock Harry poked Tom with his paddle, and in a low voice called his attention to the crackling of the twigs in the woods a short distance from the bank. Something was evidently making its way through the forest, and coming nearer every minute to the canoes. The boys grasped their pistols, and anxiously waited. They remembered that there were bears in the woods, and they fully believed that one was on its way down to the water. "Don't fire," whispered Harry, "till I give the word;" but while he was speaking a dark form parted the underbrush on the bank above them, and came out into full view.
[to be continued.]
[LILY AND VIOLET.]
BY E. M. TRAQUAIR.
The lily blooms in gay parterre, the violet in the shade;
But each is sweet and most complete, where'er its lot is laid.
And what is true of plant and flower holds good of lord and churl.
The lady in her palace halls, or lowly village girl.
Within her lofty castle home grew up fair Lily Vane,
As pure and stately as the flower from which she took her name.
Yet gentle was the maid and good, like gold without alloy;
With every circling year that passed, her parents' pride and joy.
And modest Violet's mother kept the lodge beside their gate;
She learned betimes to knit and sew, content in humble state.
No gold or gems to deck her hair, no silken robe had she;
A loving heart and true was all the dower of Violet Lee.
These maiden-flowers grew, and waxed more sweet from day to day;
Each in her place the lesson learned, to love, to work, and pray.
They learned to smile at others' joy, to weep with others' woe,
To cheer the heart, and raise the head with sorrow drooping low.
Fair Lily in her lordly halls became a baron's bride;
Sweet Violet humbly labored by her peasant-husband's side.
Pure Lily's sway was felt among the great ones of the earth;
Sweet Violet cheered with heart and hand her lowly cottage hearth.
Their lots were far apart in life, the goal for each the same:
A faithful heart serves God and man in lady as in dame.
So, like the flowers whose name they bore, when past life's summer day,
A fragrance from their lives they left that ne'er shall pass away.
[CORALS.]
BY SARAH COOPER.
Most boys and girls like corals. They are so common and easily obtained that I hope each of you will lay aside your reading just here, and hunt up a piece, no matter how small, that we may examine it carefully, and see what we can find out about it. You must find, however, a piece of the natural coral, just as it was brought up out of the sea, and not an elegant and polished piece such as is made into ear-rings and brooches and long strings of beads to adorn the necks of ladies and little folk.