THE SEA-ELEPHANT. THE SEA-ELEPHANT. At present, the true sea-elephant is found only in the Antarctic ocean; a monster not unfrequently thirty feet long, and measuring over sixteen feet in circumference! His powerful teeth are formidable enough in appearance, and above them he raises, when he is roused to anger, his inflated trunk, which ordinarily hangs loosely over his upper lip. His whole body is covered with stiff, shining hair, and underneath his fur coat he has a layer of fat at least a foot thick, which protects him effectually against the terrible cold of the polar regions. The two awkward feet, mere stumps, encased in fat-like coverings, are of little avail to the giant when he moves on firm land. After a few yards he begins to groan and to rest, while the whole huge body shakes as if it were one vast mass of jelly-like fat. Here he falls an easy victim to the sailors, who come in search of his ivory and his oil; they walk fearlessly through the thick crowds and knock them over by a single blow on the nose. The giant opens his enormous mouth and shows his formidable teeth, but as he cannot move he is virtually helpless. Very different, however, are his motions in his own element; as soon as he is under water he swims with amazing rapidity, turns and twists like an eel, and is thus enabled to catch not only swift fish and sepias, but even the web-footed penguins. He must find it difficult, at times, to provide his enormous body with sufficient food, for he swallows masses of tangled seetan, and large stones have been found in his stomach to the number of twelve. When he wishes to sleep he floats on the surface, and is rocked and cradled by the waves of the ocean. What has, in all probability, led to their being taken for human beings by credulous and superstitious mariners of early ages, is the beauty of their eye, and the deep feeling they manifest at critical times. They not only never attack men, but unlike the sympathetic seals, they also abandon their wounded companions, and purposely turn aside so as not to witness their sufferings and their agony. When they are mortally wounded they drag themselves painfully inland, and hide behind a large rock to die in peace unseen by others. If they are prevented from thus retiring they shed tears, as they also weep bitterly when they are illtreated by cruel sailors. POETRY. Poetry. THE LIGHT OF HOME. THE light of home, how bright it beams To love and rest and comfort call! When through the dark and stormy night Which through the forest gloom he spies! It is the light of home. He feels That loving hearts will greet him there, The light of home-how still and sweet When the rough toils of day are o'er! The blessings that its beams impart, Anecdotes and Selections. WASTED TIME. Few things in the lives of distinguished men are so impressive or so full of valuable suggestions, as their frequent lament over lost opportunities for mental and moral culture. In his autobiography, Sir Walter Scott says: If it should ever fall to the lot of youth to peruse these pages, let such a youth remember that it is the deepest regret that I recollect, in my manhood, the opportunities of learning which I neglected in my youth; that through every part of my literary career I have felt pinched and hampered by ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS my own ignorance; and that I would at this moment give half the reputation I have had the good fortune to acquire, if, by doing so, I could rest the remaining part upon a sound foundation of learning and science." Edmund Burke grew wise in this respect while it was not too late to retrieve the most of his errors and losses; for, before his youth was entirely passed, he wrote to a friend-" What would I not give to have my spirits a little more stirred! I am too giddy; this is the bane of my life; it hurries me from studies to trifles, and I am afraid it will hinder me from knowing anything thoroughly. I have a superficial knowledge of many things, but scarcely the bottom of any.' Washington Irving, when giving counsel to young friends, exclaimed in the bitterness of his heart-"How many an hour of hard study have I had to subject myself to, to atone, in a slight degree, for the hours which I suffered society to cheat me out of." "the And Josiah Quincy, in his diary, laments more than once his " neglect of that mental and moral cultivation" which he regards as noblest of human pursuits." On one occasion he says-"I resolve, therefore, in future, to be more circumspect-to hoard my moments with a more thrifty spirit-to listen less to the suggestions of indolence, and to quicken that spirit of intellectual improvement to which I devote my life." It will do no young man the least harm to ponder well the lessons of these eloquent confessions. THE HAPPY SURPRISE.-A lady, distinguished as a writer, states that when she was in her fourteenth year, the great duty of consecrating herself to her Redeemer was brought home to her heart and conscience; and the special obstacle in her way was fear of an elder brother, then spending at home his college vacation. He was a young man of brilliant promise, but with great powers of ridicule, and she shrank from his merciless wit. For days the conflict between the convictions of the Spirit and his displeasure filled her with agony. At last she yielded herself to Christ, and resolved to confess it to her brother, and implore him to make the same wise choice. With faltering tongue she introduced the subject, when, to her joy, he seized her hand, and with tearful eyes and tremulous voice, told her that he too had for some time been under religious impressions, and that the great obstacle that appeared before him was the fear that it would cut him from her love and sympathy. What a happy surprise was this to both of them. THE ROLL-CALL IN HEAVEN.-An incident is related by a chaplain who was in the army during the American war. The hospital tents had been filling up fast as the wounded men had been brought to the rear. Among the number was a young man mortally ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. wounded, and not able to speak. It was near midnight, and many a loved one at that moment lay sleeping on the battle-field-that sleep that knows no waking until Jesus shall call for them. The surgeons had been their rounds of duty, and for a moment all was quiet. Suddenly this young man, before speechless, calls, in a clear, distinct voice, "Here." The surgeon hastened to his side, and asked what he wished. 66 'Nothing," said he; "they are calling the roll in heaven, and I was answering to my name.' He turned his head and was gone-gone to join the great army, whose uniform is washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Reader, in the great roll-call of eternity, your name will be heard; can you answer, "Here?" Are you one of the soldiers of Christ, the great Captain of salvation? 66 RIGHT KIND OF PREACHING.-Dr. Gilly related the following anecdote, which was told by a well-known character, Thaddeus Conolly, who used to spend much of his time in wandering through Ireland, and instructing the lower classes in their native language. "I went," said he, one Sabbath into a church to which a new incumbent had been lately appointed. The congregation did not exceed half a dozen, but the preacher delivered himself with as much energy and affection as if he were addressing a crowded audience. After the service, I expressed to the clergyman my wonder that he should preach so fervently to such a small number of people. 'Were there but one,' said he, 'my anxiety for his improvement would make me equally energetic.' The following year Conolly went into the same church; the congregation was multiplied twenty-fold; the third year he found the church full ! THOMAS FULLER'S PRAYER.-Lord, before I commit a sin, it seems to me so shallow that I may wade through it dry-shod from any guiltiness; but when I have committed it, it often seems so deep that I cannot escape without drowning. Thus I am always in the extremities; either my sins are so small that they need not my repentance, or so great that they cannot obtain thy pardon. Lend me, O Lord, a reed out of thy sanctuary, truly to measure the dimensions of my offences. But O! as thou revealest to me more of my misery, reveal also more of thy mercy; lest if my wounds in my apprehension gape wider than thy tents, my soul run out at them. If my badness seem bigger than thy goodness, but one hair's breadth, but one moment, that is room and time enough for me to run to eternal despair. BUNYAN'S REPLY.-John Bunyan being once asked a question concerning heaven which he could not answer because the Bible had furnished no reply, very wisely advised the querist to follow Christ and live a holy life, that he might by and by go to heaven and see for himself. "Lord, are there few to be saved?" asked a curious questioner of Christ. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate," was the instant and pertinent reply. THE FIRESIDE. WHAT SHALL I DO NEXT.-Edward Eggleston, of Chicago, speaks about a lady teacher who came to him perplexed, asking his advice,— on what score, think you? "All my scholars," said she, "have been brought to Christ, and now what shall I do next?" Blessed perplexity! Happy teacher! That heart had tasted the sweetness of the reward even here, and you may be sure it never will be satisfied, but will ever be inquiring, What shall I do next? The Master has abundant use for such labourers in His vineyard. Oh that there were more of them! Why are there not more? THE POPE AND THE CHILD.-A good story comes from Rome. In preparation for the Ecumenical Council the Pope ordered from his architect certain embellishments, the plan of which was brought for his inspection by that gentleman's little boy. Charmed by the plan, the Pope opened a drawer full of gold, and said to the child, "Take a handful of coin as a reward for the beauty of your father's work." "Holy Father," replied the child, "take it out for me; your hand is bigger than mine." Pius IX. could not help smiling, and obeyed the child. A SCOTCH CLERGYMAN, named Hackstoun, one day said to Mr. Smibert, the minister of Cupar, who, like himself, was blessed with a foolish or rather wild youth for a son, "D'ye ken, sir, you and I are wiser than Solomon." "How can that be, Rathillet ?" inquired the startled clergyman. "Oh, ye see," said Hackstoun, "Solomon didna ken whether his son was to be a fool or a wise man; but baith you and I are quite sure that our sons are fools." THE CLERGYMAN'S REPLY.—A clergyman once travelling in a stage coach was asked by one of the passengers if he thought that the pious heathen would go to heaven. Sir," answered the clergyman, "I am not appointed judge of the world, and consequently cannot tell; but if you ever go to heaven, you shall either find them there, or a good reason why they are not." LOUIS FOURTEENTH AND MASSILLON.- -“When I go away after hearing some of the court preachers, I say, 'What a wonderful preacher he is! what splendid powers of eloquence he has ! what a great man he is!' But when I go away from hearing Father Massillon, I leave saying, 'What a poor, wretched sinner, I am! how wicked I am!'" The Fireside. TRIBUTE TO A WIFE. Dr. Bushnell dedicates his new book on Woman Suffrage to his wife. He does this in terms so handsome to one of the sex, whose claim to the ballot he denies, that we copy it entire : "For once I will dare to break open one of the customary seals of silence, by inscribing this little book to the woman I know best and |