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ren,’ " says be. So when Abner got there, nobody was in the house but some boys about his ageâ€"for the bodies had been car- ried into a neighbor’s ; the savages had made such work there, it wasn’t fit to have a fun- eral in. ' “ Well, the boys ransacked the house from gmet to cellar, and then, thgy thought they would, go and - ‘ and get ‘a night at the bodies. They had. 1 mi out but Abner. “ ‘And the baby 2 ' asked Abner’s mother. “‘ They must have carried that ofi‘ with ’em for there wasn’t a sign of it anywhere. Just as soon news can get together force enough, we’re going in search of it, and we mean to punish them for that and all their other gins, the sewage miscreants! “ Abner was for rushing up to the Quimby house the first thing, but his father Wouldn’t let him till the bodies had been taken care of. ‘ ‘ T’aigt a. sight for women and child- n ‘Then one of oni- Eéighbors' is killed.’ says she turning very pale. “ ‘ \Vorse yet,’ says he. ‘ The first thing they did was to attack Isaac Quimby’e house, and as there was nobody but; Isaac and his wife in it. except the baby, of; course they had everything their own way.‘ “7,, The alarm was given about three o’clock in the morning, but Abner was very willing to lend his rifle to his big brother, who had broken the look of his, and stay at home with the women folks. Shooting Indians didn’t look to heroic near to as it did a good ways off. It was just as the sun was rising that Abner's father came bC me, bringing the news that two of the Indians had been killed, and the rest driven away ; but not till they had wounded three white men. ‘And that isn’t the worst of it,’ said be, looking at Abner’a mother as if he kind 0’ hatgd to tell her the rest.” "18am; waso fofigdvditieugly'the door all hacked to pieoen, his gun beside him. and she WI}! on the floor not far off, both stone dead.’ “ He lived in a. house a good deal like this house, and he was something such a locking boyas Tobias, there,” continued grandfather, “needing the interruption. “ But instead of gonng to school and hunting rabbits and ‘lo on. as Tobias does, he had to pick up his learning as best he could; and though he learned to shoot as soon as he was big enough to lift a rifle, it was. so he might be ready to fight the bears and wolves and In‘ diam that filled the woods.” “ Did he ever kill any 2 ” asked Tobias. “Yes ; he shot a bear before he was eleven years old." “0h, wasn’t that brave!” exclaimed Tobias. been in their places; how he would have kifled his captors and brought home their seal 8. He wished they’d come again and he’ have one shot yt them, he knew. Well, bygnd-hy they didAoome. “ Well, not so very, seeing that the hear was in a. trap. It was about this time that the Indians came to Squantum and carried of Kerr and Morgan ; it made a great excite- ment, but just as the men were forming a company to go in search of them, they both came back, having contrived to escape while the savages were asleep. Abner was always pasting whet lge would have done if he’d “ I believe there’s one story 1 11¢“er told.’ 1192.“.1‘3ng‘h'. . ,. _ 'flxe ' childrgn'65;§';:l: gllâ€" gigs-{wing little Huldah, who still sat perched on his knee ; but this he did not seem to mind, for Hul- da'l'luwaslg priyflequ éhaygqter, . Y .“ Once there was a boy namedâ€"we“, for want of a better name, we’ll any AanT‘.” " My, that’Is yogr name, guinqu “n n u awry. The eduud of thiefamiliar name was a. sig- nal for the children to swarm around .him and clamor around for some war stories, for they knew that grandfather had served in the Continental‘Army, and indeed believed that he was the greatest man in it, or next tothe yreatest. "If it hadn’t been for grand- pa 'and Washington, We should have a. king now,” said his eldest grandson, Tobias; and all the yourger ones accepted the statement as a part of their creed. “War stories?” said grandfather, "Let me see;” and he put on his thinking-cap and looked silently into the fire for a. few minutes. ' » L “L995 hes; itrl let’s hear it!” cried a chorus of voices. ~ " Well, get down off my legs and back, hag-9. dngq of yqu! aqd I'll tell it.” As Grandfather Tufts sat smoking his pipe, he and his song fell to talking politics. just as men do now-a-days when they get together of an evening, and this naturally led back to the time when grandfather was young, and he cast his first vote for Gen. Wghington. In order to turn its face to the south, the house had to turn its back to the street, to- ward which the sinkspout sent its meander- ing stream to the delectetion of panel's-by. But enough of this. Were I to tell you of all the nooks and crannies of that ancient dwelling, of its barns and out-houses, the smithy, with its heavenward-aoarin g sparks; of all, in short, that made the place what it was, I should never get to the end of my Not that it was a very fine homerâ€"many of them lived in far finer ones,â€"~but then it; was gramdpa’s house, and there was an end of it. Of course, it fronted the south, for if our ancestors had not discovered the virtues of blue qlass, they knew all about the virtues of sunlight, and were not a. bit afraid to let: it in their windows. His wife was in the opposite corner card- ing wool. Around them were gathered more children and grand children than anybody but the census man or a. professor of mathem- atics Would undertake to count. For 3.1- though the sons and daughters of the house had many of them married and left the pat- ernal roof. they had all settled in the neigh- borhood, ‘and were very much in the habit of running in of an evening to see how the “ old folks.” were getting along. As to their numerous progeny, there was no lace like grandpa?! house to them, every chxld who is so fortunate as to have a grandfather must know that. ’ ' B! RUTH CHESTERFIELD. ’ Grindfathext-I‘ufte satin the chimney-cor- ner smoking his pipe. This was in the times when people laud chimney-corners; when theyfonght for "their altars and their fires. ” and not for "a hole in the floor." Then Grindpa. ocleaéréa Evixfisfiiixroat and be- YOUNG FOLKS. Abnel’s Baby. No one pe‘rfeiit’l‘y'lbvés dad wfilirdoéh perfectly lovemamo’ of Riva preazuajen. ,_ Lady Sarah Cadogan, daughter of William, first Earl Cadogan, was married at the age of 13 to Charles, second Duke of Richmond. aged 18. It is said that this marriage was a bargain to cancel a gambling debt be- tween their parents, Lady Sarah being a. co-heiress. The young Lord March Was brought from college and the little lady from her nursery for the ceremony, which took place at The Hague. The bride was amazed and silent, but the husband ex. claimed: “ Surely you are not; going to marry me to that dowdy I" Married, how- ever, he was. and his tutor then took him off to the Continent, and the bride went back to her mother. Thre years after Lord March returned from his travels, but, hav- ing such a disagreeable recollection of his Wife, was in no hurry to join her, and went. the first evening to the theatre. There he sawalady so beautiful that he asked who she was. “ The reigning toast. Lady March,” was the answer he got. He has- tened to claim her, and their life-long af- fection for each other is much commented upon by contemporaneous writersâ€"indeed, it was said that the Duchess, who only sui- vived him a year. died of grief. The Irish people and their sympathizers have made a. gift of nearly $200,000 to Mr. Parnell, the now famous Irish Parliament- ary leader. The obieot is to enable him to devote himself to the service of his country unembarrassed by business cares. Mr. Per- nell is very cordially disliked by the Eng- lish people, but he has been remarkably successful in forcing the British government to pay some heed to the condition of Ire- land. He has proved: himself 2. skillful leader. After the next general election, it is conceded, he will secure the control of a sufficient number of votes to hold the bath once of power ‘between the Tories and the Liberals. In other words, he can put the ministry of either party in Parliament out of power by defeating them in the House of Commons. The distressed conditiod of Ire- land, as well as of rural En land, is due more to economic than to po itical causes. Animal and vegetable food can be bought so cheaply in the United States, Russia, India, and other countries that the Irish agricul- tural laborer cannot compete with them in the grain and meet markets. There are no coal or iron mines in Ireland. and conse~ quently no manufactures. Hence the one pursuit of the people â€" agriculture â€"â€" not being rcmunemtive, keeps them in poverty, Home rule might be a. good 'thing for Ire- land, but diversified industries, if they were possible, would be better. 1 “Yes. I was Abner, and your grand- ‘ mother is the little baby .I found in'the oven. ”â€" Y outh’s Companion. â€"-â€"â€"â€"oo<~.v>» The Romance of a Bank Note. In the year 1740 one of the directors of the Bank of England, a. man of unimpeach- able honor, lest a bank note ior £30,000, under peculiar circumstances; It seems he had bought an estate for that money, and for convenience sake obtained a note for that amount. ~ As he was about to put it un- der lock and hey, after he reached home, he was called out of the room, whereupon, as he thought, he placed it upmf’the mantel- piece. Upon returning, a. few minutes later, the note had disappeared. It could not have been stolen, for no one had entered the room, whereupon he concluded thatit had been blown into the fire and had been con- sumed; He laid the armatter before the cflipe‘rs of the bank, and they reissued a note for the same amount, he giving bonds to reimburse the bank if the note should ever be presented for payment. Thirty years after, when he had long been dead and his estate distributed among his heirs, the sup- posed non-existent note turned up at the book counter for payment. As the bank could not atford to dishonor the obligation, the money was paid out, and the heirs of the dead. man were asked to make good the loss; this they refused to do, nor could the bank employ any legal machinery to force themto do so. ‘The person ,who profited by the matter was supposed to be a builder, em- ployed to. pull down the. dead man’s house and build another on its site. ‘He‘ found the missing £30,000 note in a crevice in the chimney, in which it omehow got lodged, after being laid on the mantelpiece. It must have been kept many years, and its presentation to the trombone so arranged that the builder becsme’f’a rich man by a sudden stroke of blind fortune. “ Oh I uEderstand,” criéxi Tobias ; “ you were A ner youxself. Why didn‘t I think of it before? " . “ The town offered to provide for it,- seelng that it hadn’t any relations that any- body knew of. But Abnér’s mothenaaid no, it had come to her in such a Way that she felt as though the Lord had sent; it to her, and could never give it up. But Abner alwave called it his baby, and promised to take care of it as’soon as he was old enough. “ And did he 7 ” asked Huldah. , “ Ask your grandmother,” said Grand- father Tufts, looking emilingly at the old dame car'ding wool in the opposite corner. “ The great question was, how came it in the oven? Some were disposed to think the savages hid it there ; but it was so carefully stowed away in the blankets, that all finally agreed that. its mother hid it there for safety; that the noise the savages made drowned its cries, and that afterward it got all tired out and fell asleep. Anyway. there it was, with- out a bruise or a cut on it. " A bright thought came "into his head: He‘ opened the ovenvdoor, and there, wrsfi- pe'd all' up i2} bed blankets, was Mrs. Qnimby‘s baby 1 He pulled it out arid ran home with it as fast as he could go, and soon the new: spread abroad, and everybody came flocking to see it. III all. UHF Uullp- ‘ . “ You may be sure he‘ searched with a good will then : up gauet‘, down cellar, ' in cupboards, in boxeq. As; last he even put his head up the chimney, and then the oryfwas‘ lqngier phanpver. And he was stopping t6 ahu he‘dqor, when he heard a. aonndfimt he . pght at first might be the out. He called .“Pussy, Pussy," because he‘h‘ated‘to leave eVen a out alone in such a. place. The cry, which was sort of smothered like, grew ~}ouder. And then he was certain titan} iiwasn’t a oaé at 3111 but a child. I _ ' Parnell and Ireland. Early Marriages. Un'dér the lav'vs of Providence, life is a probation; probationuis a,‘ succession of tgmptgtiofis; tymptatio‘ns are emergencies ; find for omergencie’: we need the prepara- tign mgythe safeguard of prayer.- ’ -â€"-â€"â€"â€"‘oo4->«â€"â€"â€"-â€"-â€" A Remedy, Perhaps. It is claimed that a new drug called pilo- carpin, an extract from a Brazilian plant called the jsborandi, is the long looked-for antidote to hydrophobia. A priest in Caen, France, was attacked by this dreadful dis- ease, when the attending physician admin- istered this drug by a subcutaneous injection in the forearm, twenty grains being used in six doses. This induced vomiting. and sub- se quently a profuse perspiration. The priest shortly after got entirely weli‘ The great poet Tennyson has decided to abandon the name which he has made fam- ous and to figure in futurehistory as Baron Tennyson-D'yncort, of Aldworth. His uc~ oeptance of this paltry distinction is .very unpopular in England, and is regarded with disfavor throughout the reading world. Tennyson will undoubtedly figure in the his’ tory of letters as the peer of any poet who has written in the English tongue save alone the one proaohsble Shakespeare, and it is regards as unworthy his great fame that he should value so antiquated a bauble as a coronet, and sink his personality in a fanci- ful and unknown title. The age is demo- cratic, and even in England it is now under- stood that titles add no distinction to an eminent man of letters. The distinguished novelist Dickens several times refused to be- come 3 lord, though it is said that Thack- eray, despite his ostentatioust expressed contempt for lordlings, died a disappointed man because a title had never been offered hamâ€"Demoreu’s Monthly. ” My dear friend; I am ignorant of your langliage'and can not express all my sensi- ments ; butit is enough to say that I have requested the Sultan, of Aussa. to adopt me as his son, and that new we will exchange blood, so that the blood of your people may be as dear to me ,as my Own, and mine as dear to you. I think you will under- stand me.” Another long prayer followed, after which the Sultan end I were conduct- ed under a. tree to which an ox was tied. The Sultan cut the ox’s throat, and with its b100d anointed my forehead and then his own; after which he’i'fiiade a. necklace and bracelets out of the skin-of the ex and placed them on my neck and arms, saving: 'Men, women I this white nian is our brotherl’ In the country of the Danekils a prophet carpe to our camp; :0 one? evening we made a large circle in the tent, and everyone, flat- tering the prophet, overwhelmed him with questicns. At last he began to chant re- plies, which were repeated in a. loud voice by all present, accompanied with gesticnla- tibns of the hands and feet. The prophet gradually became excited, till at last he howled and struggled like a. demoniac. When questioned about me he said that the king ot Sicos Would receive me Well; the superstitious Dsnakils ‘ were discontented with this laconic prophecy, and began to have suspicions of our expedition. Next day,‘ therefore, I invited the prophet to my 'tent, gave'him to eat and drink'in rofusion, and inade him a. quantity of smal presents. This so delighted himthnt at the evening meeting he praised me to the skies, prophe- vsying all sorts ot 00d. I was obliged to show myself to the anakils in a. semi-nude costume, for the report had spread that I wit‘a. brother, ’end’Laszsuch they received me in their tents.” The, following is Count Antonelli‘s description of his reception by the terrible Sultan of 'Aussa: “When I arrived at the Sultan’s residence I found myself in the midst of about two thousand "inflicts, who Were executing a_ diabolio fiance, uttering savage howls, and striking their weapons together. The Sultan was watching whether this spectacle would alarm me, but on seeing that I walked quietly on without taking any notice, he caused me to be ushered into hi presence. I found a tall man about 50 years of age, with a robust frame, and dark complexion, wearing a rather curly beard. His e es were stern and his expression self-satisfie â€"- that of a man who believes himself the greatest [and most powerful man on earth. He looked askance at me,'and pointed to a native, who he said was the chief of the men who could change themselves into hyenas. I- ”desired to see the transformation, but he informed me it could not he done at once, but that I should hear his voice, Then flié‘ man imitated the cry 'of the hyena. The Sultan, seeing that it made no impression on me, was very content, and gave me an old ugly harmonica, saying: IAmuse yourself with that, and drink some coffee; after: word we will see'.’ In fact, we soon signed a. solemn pact of friendshid, after which the Sultan sold, in a sentimental voice: ‘ Many people have told you, that 'I am an assassin, and many have spoken ill of you to me. Well, then, let us make a bargainâ€"I will never believe anything that is said against you, and you must neverhe’lie’ve anything bad of me.’ The Sultan’s daughters are beautiful black Venuses, and are clothed almost as light as that goddess. ..They are not allowed to marry except when the moon lies low ,on the horizon between two stars. This combination happens rerely, so one of the princesses grew impatient, rebelled, and took a husband to herself at a time when there was no moon between two stars. \Vhen the Sultan heard of the .impious not he ordered that his daughter should be driven out of the tribe and given, to certain merchants, who would take her to the devil’s house. But the priests interfered. and the young girl, instead of being exiled, was drowned in the lake at Alissa.” Interesting Incidents Belated by count Antonexnâ€"An “ Exchange of Blood.” , ,_At a lecture given in Rome by Count An- tonelli; the African traveller, there were ex- hibited six ms gnificent elephants’ tusks, one offlvhich was more than five feet lung. The count was accompanied-by tivo native Gel- las, youth of graceful form and gentle hear- ing. Among the incidents of his journey re- lated by Count Antonelli, the following Aeeremlony isint‘erestiug: 'An “ exchange of- bIOOd” in token offeterns'l friendship with 3‘ the Sultan of Rhaite. “ We met,’5« said the Count, “in 'a hut, w’here'a long'prayer was first recited, and afterward various speeches were made.- I expressed myself as follows ; .n.. - Tennyson a Lord. AFRICAN TRAVEL. It requires a certain amount of patience to achieve success in making ’vfeather flow- ers, while satisfactory resuls are sure to add a smiling beauty to the adorning of an artistically appointed household. Fashion- ables rusticatino; in the country can easily procure a bunch of white geese feathers and amuse themselves an hour or so by cutting out of these feathers leaves like the flowers that are to be copied. Make the bulbs of beeswax and rosin, mixed together in equal proportions ; to this stick the leaves. the stamens and centre parts of the wire and zephyr. In painting the leaves, a. nice del- icate touch should be had in order to give a natural effect. Get tube paintsâ€"~such as are used for oil paintings. After painting the leaves lay them aside to dry. Do not use them for ten or twelve hours at least. A tube each of chrome yellow, rose madder, clear white, and Prussian blue will be all the paints required to produce a. lovely bone quet. Mix the yellow and blue to obtain green for painting the‘leaves. With a little practice in mixing the paints they can be made as beautiful as wax. There are sever- al ways to use feather flowers beside clus- tering them. A wreath, a. cross. an anchor, and birds are otten made and laced in boxes with a rich velvet backgroun and fine glass in front, bordered with a framework of vel- vet, or wood exquisitely covered with water-colored pictures, m‘aking an elegant parlor ornament. wrll,’ replied the clerk‘, ‘ By the way.’ said the fellow, ‘if you will permit me," I will write a. note to Mr. Johnson.’ ‘Certainly,’ said the clerk, as he showed him a desk, and pointed out where he could get paper sud _envelo es. He set down, wrote a short _note, ded it and put it in an envelope, and directed it to me. Then he went back to the counter, and said to the clerk, ‘I think you had better put the three pairs of ear-rings in here, so that Mr. Johnson will be sure to bring the right ones.’ ‘Very well,’ said the clerk. who handed out three pairs of ear-rings. The fellow dropped them in the envelope before the clerk's eyes, and was apparently about to seal the envelope when he said suddenly, ‘Oh, I guess you may put in that other psir,’ pointing to a pair which the clerk had laid on the shelf behind him. The clerk turned and got the other pair and handed them to the fellow who dropped them apparently into the same envelope, sealed them up, handed them over, and said, ‘Let Mr. Johnson bring the four pairs to my office as soon as he comes buck,’ givmg the address of a. well-known firm in the vicinity. Then he left, and the clerk laid the envelope on the side until I return- ed. Of course we found but one pair of dia‘ mend ear-rings in the envelope, which was the last pair dropped in. The other three pairs were paste, about the same size. The fellow had taken two of my envelopes, and into one he had placed the three bogus pairs. When the clerk turned to get the fourth pair the fellow had put the genuine into his pocket and substituted the others. We never saw him afterwards, but heard that he had practised the same game in other placedâ€"London Paper. Speaking of the bonanza kings, a corres- pondent of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says: “Flood, Fair, and Mackay are brawny, full~blooded men, with good color. heighten- ed by good living and drinking. They dress carelessly and have all the Cdifornia char- acteristicsmfree and easy in address, hail fe'. lows well met with all their friends. Sharon, on the contrary, could sit for a picture of a good Connecticut deacon. He is thin, angular, under-sized, flat-chested, : with straight, lank hair, whitened by age. comb- ed down smooth over his small head ; a pal- lid face, almost destitute of expression, and a moustache that adds nothing to the coun- tenance. , When he looks at you, however, you notice a pair of eye as sharp as those of a weasel, and the quiet gestures show that the small body has a good deal of ner- vous energy. He always dresses in plain, black broadcloth, of ministerial out, and this, with his white necktie and silk hat, adds to his clerical appearance. He is one of the best poker players“ on the Pacific Coast.” " Of all the tricks. devices, subterfuges, sharp dodges, or deceptions ,I saw,” said a jeweller to a. reporter, “ was one by which a sharp fellow stole from me three pairs of diamond ear-rings. He evidently knew when I was not in the shop. He came in one day and said to one of my clerks, ' Is Mr, Johnson in ‘l’ ‘ No,’ was the reply. ‘ I am sorry for that,’ he said, ‘ I wish to buy a pair of diamond ear-rings for my wife.’ This was repeated on four or five successive days. The last time he said he would not wait to so me. but would look at some ear- rings. The clerk showed him an assortment, ‘ and he finally selected three pairs, valued at £100, and said : ‘ I guess I will let my wife select from these. She will be at my oflioe in an hour, and I want you to tell Mr. J ohnson‘ to bring thesesround himself, as he is’ sci .' - . fight 9*?! Shani Jeweller Robbed of Valuable Gems. Brigham Young is buried back of Zion House, on‘ the bluffs of Salt Lake City. His grave was dug in solid rook, at the bot- tom of which is laid a. stone six feet wide, ten feet long, and two feet thick. On each side of the coflin is a. stone two feet high, two feet thick, six feet long, and at each end a stone two feet thick. and on the top of the whole is a stone six feet wide and ten feet long. All these stones have holes drilled through them, with a heavy iron rod running through them cemented with hot lead. Then on top of all this is solid mason work. The oldest peer of Great Britain, the Earl of Buckingham, who recently attained his ninetieth year, is in priest’s orders. Be- sides him eight other peers are in»holy 'or- ders‘ namely, the Marquis of Doneqal (Dean of Raphoe), the Eula of De La. \Varr. Car- lisle and Stamford, Lord Plunket. (Bishop of Math). Lard Says and Sale, (Archdea- con of Hereford), Lord Soarsdale, and Lord Hawke. The Exit] of Mulgmve. heir apparent to the Marquisate 0t Normanby, is also a. clergyman. The Hon. GeorgeKBanorolt was suddenly taken ill while playing "on all fours " with his grandchildren last week, and was con- fined to his bei for several days. AN INGENIOUS THIEF. Feather Flowers. PERSONAL. o..q A singular coincidence has been discover. ed in connection with the marriage of the Hon. Mr. Lyon second son of’the Earl of SWErthmore. and Lady Anne Linsdey, which took place on November 22 r“la.st. On November 22, exactly five 11 ' .ed years ago, Sir James Lindsay, thenJhead of the house of Lindsay, slew the represen- tative of the house of Swarthmore in the course of a. scuffle between followers of the two families. The marriage five hundred years afterWards, of the houses which were then at deadly variance with each other is a. pleasant and significant commemoration ofa tragic event. ' It is an unhappy division that is made between faith and work. Though in my interest I may divide them, just as in the candle 1 know there is. both light and heat, yet put out the candle and they are both gone; one remains not without the other. So it is between faith and works. Those who have attained the farthest in» sight into nature have been in all ages the believers in God. Those who would (let anything take the place of Christianity must first abolish all sorrow from the earth. Humility ia‘, of all the graces, the chiefest when it does not know itself to be a grace at all. As Water runs down from the swelling hills. and flows toyether in the lowly vale, so grace flows not but into humble hearts. ' Science is but a mere heap of facts, not a golden chain of truth, if we refuse tolink it to the throne of God. Do all that you can to stand, and then fear lest you full, and by the grace of God youfixe safe; Prayer is not conquering God's reluc- tance, but taking hold of God’s willing- mess. What we need is to pray, not work up a. philosophy of prayer. None are ruined by the justice of God but. those who hate to be reformed by the grace of God. Heaven will be .the sweet surprise ofa. perfect explanation. Coins, engraved gems, inscribed statues, and, last of all, the Siloam inscription, found in 1880 at Jerusalem, on the wall of an old tunnel, have supplied new msfirgfiol for thehistory. From the oommodflher of man alphabets, the Phoenician. Eyde- scende the Greek and other European systems on the one side, including that which we use and have the greatest interest in; and on the other, the alphabets of Asia, from which have sprung those of the East, S grim, Arabic, and Hebrew. The soul is strong that trusts in God. Sorrow for sin is the golden key that opens the palace of eternity. - Tho Aryans are now thought to have been the first to bring the primitive alphabet to perfection, and each letter and each sound may be traced, by Taylor’s careful analysis, through all the changes that have marked the growth, progress, and. in some instances, the decay of different letters of various al- phabets. It is an interesting fact that the oldest known “'A B C" in existence is a. child’s alphabet, scratched on a little in): bottle of black were, found in one of the oldest Greek settlements in Italy, attributed to the 5th century )3. C. The earliest letters, and many later ones are known only by ineriptiona, and it is the rapid increase, by recent discoveries, of these precious fmgmentethet has inspired more diligent re- search and quickened the zeal of learned students in mastering the elements of know- ledge of their origin and history throu heat the world. As late as 1876 there were 0nd in Cyprus eome bronze plates inlcribed with. Phoenician tharacters, dating back to the tenth, even the eleventh century C. The most ancient of books, a papyrus found at Thebes, and now preserved in the French National Library, supplies the earli- est forms of the letters used in the Semitic alphabet. The Stone Tables of the Law could have been possible to the Jews only because of their possession of an alphabet. and thus the Bible and modern philologiesl science unite in ascribing a. common origin to the alphabet which is in daily use throughtout the world. The nineteenth century B. C. is held by Taylor to be the approximate date of the origin of alphabetic writing, and from that time it grew by slow degrees, while from Eéypt, the home of the Jews during their long captivity, the know- ledge of the alphabet was carried in all di- rections where alphabets are now found. How many of the millions that daily nee the alphabet ever stop to think of its ori- in and long history? In the true spirit 0 a student, Issac Taylor, a. welLknown English writer on philosophical and philological sub- jects. has recently written and published, in. London, two stout volumes under the tit ,r "The Alphabet, an Account of the Oli and development of letters,” It is only/by help of recent discoveries of early inscrip- tions and the propress in the art of reading lost languages and deciphering hitherto un- known symbols, that such a well posted history has become possible. By careful study of the learned essays and scientific in- vestigations of the latest philologists. Tay- lor has set forth in language of easy compre- hension the origin of the alphabet, showing that our own “ Roman " letters may he folâ€" lowed bsck to their very beginning. some twenty or more centuries ago, as he asSerts. We have no better letters, according to this account, then those of the Italian printers of the fifteenth century. These were im- itated from the beautiful manuscripts of the tenth and eleventh centuries, the lettering of these being derived from the Roman of the Augustsn age; The Roman letters, in turn, are traced to those employed at Rome in the third century B C., and these do not differ greatly from forms used in the earliest existing specimens of Latin writing, dating from the fifth century B. C. This primitive alphabet of Rome was derived from a local fo m of the Greek alphabet, in use about the sixth century B. C. and that was a variety of the earliest Greek alphabet be- longing to the eighth. or even the ninth cen- tury B. C. The Greeks got their letters from the thnicsns, andtheirs are clearly traceable in the most ancient known form of the Semitic. RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS. Histnry of the Alphabet. Io¢<-.>u1