he placed among the coals, letting the end of the neck project into water. After a little while he noticed bubbles of gas coming out of the retort, passing through the water, and then taking fire in the air. Brandt got excited. If he had not made gold out of silver, he had made charcoal out of a stick without burning it, and had caused fire to come from water.

Brandt punched the fire. As he did so he noticed that a liquid substance came out of the neck of the retort, and dropped into the water. As it did so it cooled and assumed the size and form of shot. The drops had a yellow look, and it might be that they were gold, though not fine gold. He fished one of them out with a spoon, and laid it on the table. Both color and weight were rather light for gold.

He thought he would try his knife on it. He did so, and it burst into flame, filling the room with a white smoke. The long and short of the whole matter was-old Brandt had discovered phosphorus.

Brandt didn't know any more than a child what to do with this discovery. After some time, he sold the secret to a man named Kraft, of Dresden. Neither Brandt nor Kraft ever knew to what wonderful purposes the substance would be put.

They never dreamed that it would be converted into an acid to be used in raising bread, or that tons of it would be manufactured every year for the purpose of making matches, though only one pound is required to tip half a million of these useful articles.

RODNEY WELCH.

Notes. Cashmere shawls are made from the hair of the Cashmere goat. This hair is straight, and about eighteen inches long. Shawls of the finest quality are sold at from $500 to $2,000 each. A pocket-piece is a coin, usually of a foreign country, carried in memory of the giver.

Merchant prince is a name applied to merchants who have acquired great fortunes by trade. It means that their immense wealth gives them both the luxuries and the power belonging to princes.

Quartered, as used in the second paragraph, means occupying

a room or rooms.

Elocution. - Make a list of the emphatic words in the last paragraph, and in every case give a reason for the emphasis.

Language.—Overstocked is made up of what two words? it a compound or a complex word?

Is

Remark.-If a word is used as a prefix or suffix in connection with a large number of words, it is customary to call such a word a prefix or suffix, and not part of a compound word. "Neverthe-less" is a compound, made up of three separate simple words. "Fearless" is a complex word, the suffix less meaning without.

55.-THE DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR.

brim, upper edge; rim; margin. jěst, fun.

quips, smart, sarcastic turns.

hêir (âr), one who receives the property after the death of the

owner.

Full knee-deep lies the winter snow,

And the winter winds are wearily sighing:
Toll ye the church bell sad and slow,

And tread softly and speak low,

For the old year lies a-dying.

Old year, you must not die;

You came to us so readily,
You lived with us so steadily,

Old year, you shall not die.

He lieth still: he doth not move:

He will not see the dawn of day,

He hath no other life above.

He gave me a friend, and a true true-love, And the New Year will take 'em away.

Old year, you must not go;

So long as you have been with us,
Such joy as you have seen with us,
Old year, you shall not go.

He froth'd his bumpers to the brim; A jollier year we shall not see.

But tho' his eyes are waxing dim, And tho' his foes speak ill of him, He was a friend to me.

Old year, you shall not die;

We did so laugh and cry with you,
I've half a mind to die with you,
Old year, if you must die.

He was so full of joke and jest,
But all his merry quips are o'er.

To see him die, across the waste
His son and heir doth ride post-haste,N
But he'll be dead before.

Every one for his own:

The night is starry and cold, my friend,

And the New Year blithe and bold, my friend,
Comes up to take his own.

How hard he breathes! Over the snow

I heard just now the crowing cock.

The shadows flicker to and fro !

The cricket chirps! the light burns low! "Tis nearly twelve o'clock.

Shake hands, before you die;

Old year, we'll dearly rue for you:
What is it we can do for you?

Speak out before you die.

His face is growing sharp and thin;
Alack! our friend is gone!

Close up his eyes: tie up his chin :
Step from the corpse, and let him in
That standeth there alone,

And waiteth at the door.

There's a new foot on the floor, my friend,
And a new face at the door, my friend,

A new face at the door.

ALFRED TENNYSON.

Biography.-Alfred Tennyson, the poet laureate of England, was born at Somersby, in Lincolnshire, in 1810.

Tennyson gave signs at an early age of his poetic genius, and in 1827, along with his brother Charles, issued a small volume, entitled "Poems by Two Brothers." At Trinity College, Cambridge, he gained, in 1829, the Chancellor's Medal for a poem entitled "Timbuctoo." From this time, his merit was acknowledged. In 1850, on the death of Wordsworth, he became poet laureate-that is, an officer of the royal household, who annually composes a poem for the sovereign's birthday.

His verse, in its musical flow and its felicity of expression, surpasses that of any other English poet. There are also a depth of feeling and a purity of thought throughout every thing which he has written that call forth enthusiasm from all mankind.

Tennyson's most popular works are "The Princess," "In Memoriam," "Maud and other Poems," "Idyls of the King,” and "Enoch Arden."

Note.- Post-haste means with great speed. In old times, it was customary to change coach-horses every few miles so that letters could be carried as quickly as possible.

Elocution. -In what manner should the poem be read?

N

mär'shal, the highest military

officer in France.

ĕd'i fiç eş, fine houses.

gōal, end.

in çès' sant, continual.

se rēne, clear and calm.

N

At length Moscow, with its domes, towers, and palaces, appeared in sight; and Napoleon, who had joined the advance guard, gazed long and thoughtfully at that goal of his wishes. Murat N went forward, and entered the gates with his splendid cavalry; but as he passed through the streets he was struck by the solitude that surrounded him. Nothing was heard but the heavy tramp of his squadrons as he passed along; for a deserted and abandoned city was the meager prize for which such unparalleled efforts had been made.

N

As night drew its curtain over the splendid capital, Napoleon entered the gates, and immediately appointed Mortier governor. In his directions he commanded him to abstain from all pillage. "For this," said he, "you shall be answerable with your life. Defend Moscow against all, whether friend or foe." The bright moon rose over the mighty city, tipping with silver the domes of more than two hundred churches, and pouring a flood of light over a thousand palaces and the dwellings of three hundred thousand inhabitants. The weary soldiers sunk to rest, but there was no sleep for Mortier's eyes.