One Thousand Men Drowned.—It is reported from China that the whole of the new embankment of the Yellow River, which was commenced last autumn at the spot where the old embankment gave way, has been completely swept away by the summer floods. It is said to have cost about £2,000,000 sterling (9,000,000 taels). As the floods rose, it was seen that the strain was becoming dangerous, and Li Hang-tsao, the high official in charge of the work, was sent for in hot haste, but before he could arrive the whole bank went down before the flood, and of the eight thousand feet of river wall lately completed, not an inch remains, and the waters are pouring unchecked through the immense gap into the Honan province. From eight hundred to one thousand labourers, who were on the bank, were also swept away and drowned. It is reported from Peking that all the officials concerned are being severely punished.
A Shark Story.—Sir,—The following story may be of some interest to many readers of your valuable paper. The sailing-ship Grassendale (registered 1,800 tons, and classed A1 at Lloyds'), with a crew of about thirty-five hands, on its voyage from Sydney to San Francisco, met with great numbers of sharks, about twenty of which the crew killed. One shark, in particular, had a quantity of young ones with her. By some means the little ones were frightened, and swam into its mouth. Naturally the crew were curious, and tried to hook it, which they eventually did. When they cut it open on deck, imagine their surprise to find no less than forty-two little sharks, measuring from twelve to fifteen inches in length, all alive, and capable of swimming as well as ever—a most remarkable incident, not heard of before, even in America, being, to all appearances, a shark's wonderful way to shelter their young. This information the writer has received this week direct from his brother, who is chief officer of the said ship, and he can, therefore, vouch for its truth.—Yours truly, H. H. White. Rye, October 10th, 1888.—South Eastern Advertiser.
"IT WAS AGREED THAT SOME ONE SHOULD READ THE BIBLE TO HER." (See page 266.)
THE BLIND WIDOW.
"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days."—Ecclesiastes xi. 1.
Recollecting the feelings of discouragement and sadness which often oppressed my mind during the first months of our employment as district visitors and Sunday School teachers in a retired village, and the many instances affording cause for joy and thankfulness which occurred during the latter years of our residence there, I am led to record one of them, with the hope of encouraging my fellow-labourers in this interesting occupation.
One of the first cases which came under my own observation was that of a blind, aged widow, who lived a few steps from the church. Her husband, who had been dead at this time about seven years, had led an ungodly life, and had fallen a victim to the habit of intemperance. She was left with one son, who was a lad at the time of his father's death, and was soon after bound as a parish apprentice to a good neighbour, a blacksmith, with whom he afterwards lived as servant. I think he was a good boy. He had remembered and taken pleasure in what he had learned at the Sunday and National School. He was constant in his attendance at public worship, and showed much dutiful affection and attention to his widowed mother. In his spare hours he took care of her little garden, drew water, and tended the nursery of beautiful geraniums which adorned her windows; and when he could, he would come and read aloud to her on Sundays out of the Bible or some good book. All the poor widow's happiness centred in Henry. It was her delight to do all she could for him; and many a time have I seen her, blind as she was, bestowing her cheerful labour in making his shirts as white as snow. She had one other son, older than Henry, who had accompanied an uncle to the West Indies, and as she had never heard of them since, she thought they had very likely both of them died in that climate, so unhealthy to English constitutions.