[brow,

A holier and a wiser man I trust that he will be ;
And when I look into his eyes, and stroke his thoughtful
I dare not think what I should feel, were I to lose him now.

I have a son, a second son, a simple child of three;
I'll not declare how bright and fair his little features be.
A playfellow is he to all, and yet, with cheerful tone,
Will sing his little song of love, when left to sport alone.
His presence is like sunshine sent to gladden home and hearth,
To comfort us in all our griefs, and sweeten all our mirth.
Should he grow up to riper years, God grant his heart may
prove

As sweet a home for heavenly grace as now for earthly love;
And if, beside his grave, the tears our aching eyes must dim,
God comfort us for all the love which we shall lose in him.

I have a son, a third sweet son; his age I cannot tell, For they reckon not by years and months where he is gone to dwell.

Το

[given,

us, for fourteen anxious months, his infant smiles were And then he bade farewell to earth, and went to live in

heaven.

I cannot tell what form is his, what looks he weareth now,
Nor
guess how bright a glory crowns his shining seraph brow.
The thoughts that fill his sinless soul, the bliss which he doth

[reveal.

feel, Are numbered with the secret things which God will not When we think of what our darling is, and what we still

must be ;

[misery;

When we muse on that world's perfect bliss, and this world's When we groan beneath this load of sin, and feel this grief and pain,

Oh! we'd rather lose our other two, than have him here again. MOULTRIE.

THE GROTTO OF ANTIPAROS.

sub-ter-ra'-ne-ous

am-phi-the-a-tre

in-crust-a-tions

il-lu'-mi-na-ted

per-spec'-tive Le-van'-tine re-pressed'

An-ti-pa'-ros

an'-xious-ly

pet'-ri-fied

OF all the subterraneous caverns now known, the 2grotto of 3Antiparos is the most remarkable, as well for its extent as for the beauty of its 'sparry incrustations. This celebrated cavern was first "explored by one Magni, an Italian traveller, about a hundred years ago.

"Having been informed," says he, "by the natives of Paros, that in the little island of Antiparos, which lies about two miles from the former, a gigantic statue was to be seen at the mouth of a cavern, the French consul and I resolved to pay it a visit.

"After we had landed on the island, and walked about four miles through the midst of beautiful plains and sloping woodlands, we came to a little hill, on the side of which yawned a terrible-looking cavern, which by its gloom at first struck us with terror, and which almost 'repressed curiosity. Recovering from the first surprise, however, we entered boldly, and had not proceeded above twenty paces, when we saw the supposed statue of the giant.

"We quickly perceived that it was nothing more than a sparry concretion, formed by the water dropping from the roof of the cave, and by degrees hardening into a figure, which the fears of the natives had formed into a monster.

:

"As we proceeded, new wonders presented themselves the spars, taking the forms of trees and shrubs, appeared like 'petrified groves—some white, some green-and all receding in due 10perspective.

"A hole was pointed out to us which seemed to lead to a place totally dark, and which one of the natives assured us contained nothing more than a reservoir of water. In order, however, to be more certain, we sent in a 12 Levantine mariner, who, by the promise of a good reward, ventured, with 13 flambeau in his hand, into this narrow aperture.

"After continuing within it for about a quarter of an hour, he returned, bearing in his hand some beautiful pieces of white spar, which art could neither equal nor imitate. Upon being informed by him that the place was full of these beautiful incrustations, I ventured in about fifty paces, anxiously and cautiously descending, by a steep and dangerous way.

66

Finding, however, that we came to a precipice which led into a spacious amphitheatre (if I may so call it), still deeper than any other part, we returned, and being provided with a ladder, flambeau, and other things, descended again, accompanied by the rest of the party.

Arriving in the amphitheatre, we lighted our candles, and the whole place being thus illuminated, the cavern presented a most glittering and magnificent scene; the roof hung with "stalactites, transparent as glass, yet solid as marble.

"The eye could scarcely reach the lofty and noble ceiling; the sides were regularly formed with spars; and the whole presented the idea of a magnificent theatre, illuminated with a profusion of lights. The floor consisted of solid marble; and, in several places, magnificent columns, thrones, altars, and other objects, appeared, as if 16 Nature had designed to mock the curiosities of art.

"Our voices, upon speaking or singing, were redoubled, to an astonishing loudness; and upon the firing of a gun, the noise and reverberations were almost deafening.

"In the midst of this grand amphitheatre rose a concretion about fifteen feet high, that, in some measure, resembled an altar; noticing which, we caused 18mass to be celebrated. The beautiful columns that shot up around the altar appeared like candlesticks; and many other natural objects represented the customary ornaments of this 19rite.

"Below even this spacious grotto, there seemed another cavern; down which I ventured with my former mariner, descending by means of a rope. The bottom of this was different from that of the amphitheatre, being composed of soft clay.

"In this, however, as above, numbers of the most beautiful 20 crystals were formed; one of which resembled a table."

This account of so beautiful and striking a scene may serve to give us some idea of the subterraneous wonders of nature.

8

4

7

1 subterraneous, under ground; subterranean. 2 grotto, a cavern of an ornamental appearance. 3 Antiparos and Paros, two islands in the Archipelago, east of Turkey. sparry, resembling, or consisting of spar. A spar is any earthy mineral that breaks with regular surfaces, and has some degree of lustre. The grotto was remarkable in being incrusted or covered with spars. 5 explored, searched; looked into all parts; examined thoroughly. gigantic, like a giant; huge; of enormous size. repressed, overpowered; subdued; checked; restrained. concretion, a mass of matter which has become solid by freezing or the binding together of its parts. petrified, changed or converted into a stony substance. 10 perspective, is the art of representing on a plain surface, such as paper, objects as they appear to our eyes. Here it means that the groves appeared to get smaller and smaller, until in the distance they disappeared from view. " reservoir, a place where water is collected, and kept for use when wanted here means a pond. 12 Levantine, one coming from the Levant, or that part of the Mediterranean which washes the shores of Syria. 13 13 flambeau, a flaming torch. amphitheatre, an oval or circular edifice, having rows of seats one above the other round an open space, called the arena, formerly used for combats of gladiators and wild beasts, and other sports. Here means simply a spacious cavern, resembling in its general structure an amphitheatre, a building like a modern circus. 15 stalactites, pendent (hanging) cones of carbonate of lime, resembling icicles in form. 16 Nature had designed, etc.: the structure of the columns, thrones, etc., was so magnificent and wonderful, as to throw quite into the shade all the curiosities or wonderful productions of our sculptors. verberations, echoes. 18 mass, a religious service of the Church of 20 rite, a religious ceremony; an ordinance. crystals, substances hard as stone and clear as glass.

Rome.

19

14

17

re

As Cousin Tim sauntered into his uncle's yard

one afternoon, he found Rufus and Ella ready to

question him about what he had seen.