the hand, congratulated him on the glorious triumph that his genius had given to the arms of England.

8

V.-Moffatt's Ex. Reader.

5

He said that fourteen or fifteen of the enemy's ships had surrendered. "That's well," murmured Nelson; "but I bargained for twenty." And then he said, in a stronger voice, "Anchor, Hardy, anchor!" Hardy hinted that Admiral Collingwood would now take upon himself the direction of the fleet. "Not while I live, I hope," said Nelson, endeavouring to raise himself; "no, do you anchor." "Shall we make the signal, sir?" "Yes," answered Nelson ; "for if I live I'll anchor," meaning if he lived until the battle was finally over. 9 His 9 sagacity foresaw that it was the surest way of saving the ships and prizes in the case of a gale arising; and the events of the succeeding night, through Collingwood's 10 not anchoring, fully confirmed the wisdom of the great admiral's precaution.

As the captain was leaving him, with manly tears in his eyes, Nelson called him back, and in a faint voice said, "Kiss me, Hardy!" The captain knelt and kissed his cheek; and Nelson said, "Now I am satisfied. Thank God! I have done my duty!" Hardy stood over him in silence, then knelt again, and kissed his forehead. The darkness of death was now rapidly gathering over the hero's eyes. He prayed with the "chaplain in a low and distinct voice, and several times repeated, "Thank God! I have done my duty!" These were his last words, and at about half-past four he expired without a groan, leaving an immortal name and deathless. memory to the love and gratitude of the country he had served so well.

7

2struck,

1 poignant (pronunced poin'-ant), acutely painful. lowered the flag as a sign of surrendering. van, the front line or foremost division of a fleet or army. tacked, changed the course of a ship by shifting the position of the sails and rudder. 5 transitory, passing; speedily vanishing or ceasing to be. concussion, agitation or shaking caused by the firing. apostrophising, addressing his ship as though it were a living thing. 8 genius, power of mind or intellect; superior and uncommon vigour of mind. 9 sagacity, shrewdness; the power of the mind which enables it to enter into the depths of a difficult subject and to turn everything to the best possible advantage. 10 not anchoring: ten of the captured ships were wrecked in the gale which followed. "chaplain, clergyman attached to the army, navy, to some public institution, or to a family.

THE CHILD AND THE STARS.

"THEY tell me, dear father, each gem in the sky
That sparkles at night is a star;

But why do they dwell in those regions so high,
And shed their cold lustre so far?

I know that the sun makes the blossoms to spring,
That it gives to the flow'rets their birth,

But what are the stars? do they nothing but fling
Their cold rays of light upon earth?"

"My child, it is said that yon stars in the sky
Are worlds that are fashion'd like this,

Where the souls of the good and the gentle, who die,
Assemble together in bliss;

And the rays that they shed o'er the earth is the light
Of His glory whose throne is above,

That tell us, who dwell in these regions of night,

How great is His goodness and love."

Then, father, why still press your hand to your brow,
Why still are your cheeks pale with care?

If all that was gentle be dwelling there now,
Dear mother, I know, must be there."

"Thou chidest me well," said the father, with pain,

66

'Thy wisdom is greater by far,

We may mourn for the lost, but we should not complain, While we gaze on each beautiful star.”

J. E. CARPENTER.

ex-tra-or-di-na-ry do-mes-ti-ca'-tion de-vas-ta'-tion

SQUIRRELS.

in-quis'-i-tive Ro-den'-ti-a a-gil'-i-ty

cu-ri-os'-i-ty ac-tiv'-i-ty spe'-cies
dif'-fi-cult-y u'-su-al-ly a-droit'

SQUIRRELS belong to the Rodentia, or gnawing class of animals. They have long bushy tails, which most of the species commonly carry curved over the body. Squirrels are numerous, being found in nearly every part of the world except Australia.

They are very active and lively creatures, at once shy and pert, very 1adroit in hiding themselves on the appearance of danger, but resembling monkeys in their inquisitive curiosity. They inhabit woods, and mostly spend their lives in trees, which they climb with wonderful agility, running along the branches and leaping from tree to tree.

Squirrels feed on fruits and seeds, the young shoots of trees, and other such vegetable substances. In eating, they often sit erect and hold the food in their fore-paws. The hardest nut presents no difficulty to their sharp strong teeth.

Squirrels make beautiful nests of moss, twigs, and dry leaves curiously interwoven, most frequently in

the fork of a tree at a considerable height from the ground. Here the young are produced, three, four, or five at a birth, in the middle of summer. They