When Edward Saunders had listened to this very interesting and simple explanation of his uncle's apprentice, and had passed his eye over all the fine books in his little library, he arose suddenly at the very last words of Francis, and opening his little chamber-window, took out of his hat the half-dozen cigars which were to constitute his week's stock of comfort, and, without saying a word, tossed them into the garden. A new fire of animation lit up his eye as he darted out of the room, turning only at the door to say, "I'll try it, Frank!" Edward Saunders, Esq., and the Hon. Francis Wilson, never forgot, in their intimate intercourse in after life, their mutual computation of the cost of nuts and cigars, in the garret of the latter.-Burritt's "Sparks from the Anvil." ORIGIN OF "THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT." VERY few are at all aware of the original form of its composition, or the particular subject it was designed to illustrate. Fewer still would suspect that it is only an accommodated and altered translation of an ancient parabolical hymn, sung by the Jews at the Feast of the Passover, and commemorative of events in the history of that people. Yet such is actually the fact. The original is in the Chaldee language. The interpretation is given by P. N. Leberecht, Leipsic, 1731. The hymn itself is found in "Sepher Haggadah," fol. 23. 1 A Kid, a Kid, my father bought 2 Then came the Cat, and ate the Kid That my father bought For two pieces of money: A Kid, a Kid. A Kid, a Kid. A Kid, a Kid. 4 Then came the Staff and beat the Dog, That bit the Cat, That ate the Kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money: 5 Then came the Fire and burned the Staff, That beat the Dog, That bit the Cat, That ate the Kid, A Kid, a Kid. That my father bought For two pieces of money : A Kid, a Kid. 6 Then came the Water and quenched the Fire, That burned the Staff, That beat the Dog, That bit the Cat, A Kid, a Kid. That ate the Kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money : 7 Then came the Ox and drank the Water, That quenched the Fire, That burned the Staff, That beat the Dog, That bit the Cat, That ate the Kid, That my father bought. For two pieces of money: A Kid, a Kid. 8 Then came the Butcher and slew the Ox, That drank the Water, That quenched the Fire, That burned the Staff, That beat the Dog, That bit the Cat, That ate the Kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money: A Kid, a Kid. 9 Then came the Angel of Death and killed the Butcher, That slew the Ox, That drank the Water, That bit the Cat, That ate the Kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money: A Kid, a Kid. 10 Then came the Holy One, blessed be He! And killed the Angel of Death, That killed the Butcher. That slew the Ox, That drank the Water, That quenched the Fire, That bit the Cat, That ate the Kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money: A Kid, a Kid. THE FOLLOWING IS THE INTERPRETATION.-1. The Kid, which was one of the pure animals, denotes the Hebrews. The Father, by whom it was purchased, is Jehovah, who represents himself as sustaining this relation to the Hebrew nation. The two pieces of money signify Moses and Aaron; through whose mediation the Hebrews were brought out of Egypt. 2. The Cat denotes the Assyrians, by whom the ten tribes were carried into captivity. 3. The Dog is symbolical of the Babylonians. 4. The Staff signifies the Persians. 5. The Fire indicates the Grecian Empire under Alexander the Great. 6. The Water betokens the Roman, or the fourth of the great monarchies to whose dominion the Jews were subjected. 7. The Ox is a symbol of the Saracens, who subdued Palestine, and brought it under the caliphate. 8. The Butcher that killed the Ox denotes the Crusaders, by whom the Holy Land was wrested out of the hands of the Saracens. 9. The Angel of Death, signifies the Turkish power, by which the land of Palestine was taken from the Franks, and to which it is still subject. 10. The commencement of the tenth stanza is designed to show that God will take signal vengeance on the Turks, immediately after whose overthrow the Jews expect to be restored to their own land, and live under the government of their long-expected Messiah. St. Helen's, Auckland. J. S. ENCOUNTERS WITH LIONS. THE following account was given by a gentleman who some years since travelled in South Africa. "The day was exceedingly pleasant, and not a cloud was to be seen. For a mile or two, we travelled along the banks of a river, which in this part abounded in tall mat-rushes. The dogs seemed very much to enjoy prowling about, and examining every bushy place, and at last met with some object among the rushes which caused them to set up a most vehement and determined barking. We explored the spot with caution, as we expected, from the peculiar tone of their bark, that it was, what it proved to be, lions. Having encouraged the dogs to drive them out-a task which they performed with great willingness-we had a full view of an enormous black-maned lion and lioness. The latter was seen only for a minute, as she made her escape up the river, under cover of the rushes; but the lion came steadily forward, and stood still to look at us. At this moment, we felt our situation not free from danger, as the animal seemed to be preparing to spring upon us, and we were standing upon the bank at the distance of only a few yards from him, most of us being on foot, and unarmed, without any visible possibility of escaping. I had given up my horse to the hunters, and was on foot myself; but there was no time to fear, as it was useless to attempt avoiding him. I, however, stood well upon my guard, holding my pistols in my hands ready for fire, and they who had muskets kept themselves prepared in the same manner. But at this instant the dogs boldly flew in between us and the lion, and, surrounding him, kept him at bay by their violent and resolute barking. The courage of these faithful animals was most admirable; they advanced up to the side of the huge beast, and stood making the greatest clamour in his face, without the least appearance of fear. The lion, conscious of his strength, remained unmoved at their noisy attempts, and kept his head turned towards us. At one moment, the dogs, perceiving his eye thus engaged, had advanced close to his feet, and seemed as if they would actually take hold of him; but they paid dearly for their imprudence, for, without discomposing the majestic and steady attitude in which he stood fixed, he merely moved his paw, and, at the next instant, I saw two lying dead. In doing this, he made so little exertion, that it was scarcely perceptible by what means they had been killed. Of the time which we gained by the interference of the dogs, not a moment was lost; we fired upon him; one of the balls passed through his side, just between the short ribs, and the blood began to flow, but the animal still remained standing in the same position. We had now no doubt that he would spring upon us; every gun was instantly reloaded; but happily we were mistaken, and were not sorry to see him move quietly away, though I had hoped in a few minutes to have been able to take hold of his paw without danger." Another traveller relates an adventure in the same district of country, which proved to be much more serious. This gentleman was travelling in a large company, and they had stopped for the night. The story is told thus: "The waggons and cattle had been put up for the night, when, about midnight, they got into complete confusion. About thirty paces from the tent stood a lion, who, on seeing us, walked very deliberately about thirty paces farther behind a thorn bush, carrying something with him which I took to be a young ox. We commenced firing into the bush; the south wind blew strong, the sky was clear, and the moon shone very bright, so that we could perceive anything at a short distance. After the cattle had been quieted again, and I looked over every thing, I missed the sentry from before the tent. We called as loudly as possible, but in vain; nobody answered, from which I concluded he was carried off. Three or four men then advanced very cautiously to the |