vant. Sometimes he lay in forests, with one or two companions of his distress, continually pursued by the troops.

3. The government offered thirty thousand pounds for his body, either dead or alive, yet none of the Highlanders, though very poor, would for all the money offered betray their beloved but unfortunate prince.

4. A company of a hundred soldiers had come upon his track, and in a cave among the hills discovered some signs of his having been there but very shortly before. The captain of the troop, a rough soldier, thought the rich reward was already within his grasp. Looking round for information, he saw a boy about twelve years of age, ragged and barefooted, and as wild as a young colt. Having learned that the boy's name was Sandy Macpherson, he said to him, “Sandy, did you see Prince Charles Edward hereabout to-day?" The youth at once replied, "Yes, I did.”

5. Which way did he go? Tell me or thou shalt die," said the captain, with a savage look, and laying his hand on his sword.

6. "I know which way he went," said the lad fearlessly, "but I will not tell you."

7. "Vile wretch!" said the captain, "then I will beat you till you tell." With that he struck him several blows with the flat of his sword, which caused the lad to scream with pain. Tell me, or I will cut the flesh from your bones," roared the captain.

8. "Though you should cut my head from my

shoulders, yet I will not tell. I will never betray my prince. Every Macpherson is the prince's friend, and were I only his dog I would not betray him."

9. "So," said the captain, putting up his sword, surprised at the boy's unwavering faithfulness, "that is enough. Soldiers, forward; let us do our

best; and as for you, noble youth, take this, and when I am far away think of me."

10. The gift thus given in proof of the rough soldier's admiration of the boy's boldness, was a small silver cross; and this cross was, and is still, carefully preserved among the Macphersons as a token of their love of truth.

SUMMARY.-Prince Charles Edward was forced, after the battle of Culloden, to hide himself in the Highlands. A large reward was offered by the government for his body, but none of the Highlanders would betray him. A rough captain tried to get information from a ragged and barefooted boy. The lad was unwavering in his faithfulness, and would not betray the prince. Neither threats nor blows would move him, and the captain was at last so surprised at the boy's boldness that he gave him a small silver cross as a keepsake. It is still preserved among the Macphersons as a token of their love of truth.

1. Philip.—Why, uncle, what are you going to do with that crooked stick? You cannot make a handle for the hoe out of that? It is not worth a straw.

2. Uncle.-Perhaps not; but is a straw of no value? How do you think the grain could grow without the straw to keep it up?

3. Philip.-O, I know it is useful for that; but after the grain is cut down and thrashed out, I should like to know what the straw is worth. Not much, I am sure.

4. Uncle.-It may not be very costly, because there is so much of it; but it is valuable for all that. Do we not use it to make mattresses, and beds for the horses and cattle?

5. Philip.-O yes, I did not think of that! And now I remember seeing, last summer, some cottages thatched with straw; and last autumn I saw the gardener covering up some of the plants with straw to guard them from the cold.

6. Uncle. Then you see that straw is not a worthless thing.

7. Philip.-Yes, uncle; but of what good is a single straw? You know, I said not worth a straw. 8. Uncle. Are not bundles of straw made of single straws? Even a single straw may be worth much, for it may teach you some useful lessons.

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9. Philip.-What! a straw teach us anything! I have looked at hundreds, and I am sure I never learned anything from them.

10. Uncle. That may be; because you did not watch them carefully. Straws, you know, are the stems, or stalks, on which wheat, rye, barley, and oats grow.

11. Philip.-O yes; I know that!

12. Uncle.-Here is a wheat straw. Let us look at it carefully. You see it is hollow; but not through its whole length. It is closed up at each of those little knobs or joints.

13. Philip. If that is so, how is it that I can suck water through a straw, as I have often done?

14. Uncle.-You must have used only a piece of straw of the length of one joint to another; and the knobs must have been cut off.

15. Philip. O yes! I remember, my sister cut them off with her shears, before I used them. Can we learn anything more from the straw?

16. Uncle.-Yes; you see that the surface is very hard and smooth, as if it had been varnished. The use of this is to make the stem strong, as well as to cover it from the weather and from insects.

17. Philip. Is it not strange that the stems of some plants should have this hard surface, while others are without it?

18. Uncle.—Yes; it is truly wonderful that God should have given to the plant the power to draw up by its roots this smooth, glassy substance out of the ground. It is so hard that the straw will sometimes cut your hand like a knife.

19. Philip.-But why is the stem hollow? Would it not be stronger if it were solid?

20. Uncle. It is hollow for the same reason that our bones and the quills of birds are hollow. If the straw were solid, it would be much heavier than it is, and would be more easily bent or broken. The hollow stem thus combines strength and lightness.

21. Philip.-I know now why it is hollow; but I do not see the use of those knobs or joints.

22. Uncle. They are of great use; for while they do not add much to the weight of the straw, they serve to keep it in shape, and thus keep it from bending and breaking. In all these things do we not see the wonderful wisdom of the Creator? 23. Philip. And all this can be learned from a straw! However useless anything may be, I shall never say of it hereafter, It is not worth a straw."

SUMMARY.-A straw may not be very costly, but it is valuable for all that. We use it to make mattresses and beds for horses and cattle. Straws are the stems or stalks on which wheat, barley, rye, and oats are grown. They are hollow, and have knobs or joints. They are hollow for the same reason that our bones and the quills of birds are hollow. If the straw were solid it would be much heavier than it is, and would be easily bent or broken. The knobs are of great use in serving to keep the straw in shape, and thus prevent it from bending or breaking.

Ex-am-ine, to look at closely.
Mat-tress-es, beds stuffed with
hair, straw, etc.
Re-mem-ber, call to mind.
Thatched, covered with straw.

Val-u-a-ble, of great worth.
Var-nished, made smooth with
varnish.

Worth-less, of no value.
Com-bines', joins together.

QUESTIONS.

In what way is the straw useful to grain? Name things which are made of straw? What things have straws for their stems? Why is the sur

face of the straw very hard and smooth? Why is the stem of the straw hollow? What is the use of the knobs or joints in the straws?