fresh punishment became a source of greater glory and triumph. They saw her surrounded by a halo of glory, a delicious odor issued from her wounds, and at times she was raised from the ground in an ecstasy of heavenly joy. The prefect, filled with rage and confusion, determined to have her devoured by the wild beasts of the amphitheatre, and before the populace of Rome. Next day, Martina was led into the arena. The white sand scarcely yields to her delicate tread. She steps over a pool of fresh blood-the life-stream of the last gladiator that had fallen. But there bounds a captive lion into the arena. He looks around in surprise. His eyes are darting fire with hunger and rage. Suddenly he sees a figure in his own domain-'tis Martina, kneeling and wrapt in prayer. He prepares for a desperate spring. A death-like stillness reigns around; every head is stretched forward, every eye fixed on the arena, and an involuntary shudder passes through every frame. But lo! what do the spectators see? The king of the forest crouching at the feet of the youthful maiden! Thus did God, in whom she placed her trust, defend her. Thus did His almighty power confound her enemies. Questions:-Use some other word instead of peerless. What did HOME, SWEET HOME. 'Midst pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Which, seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere. There's no place like home An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain : There's no place like home! Questions: What are palaces? Give the definition of the word roam. What is it makes home so pleasant? Write a composition on home. IN THE LABORATORY WITH AGASSIZ. IT is more than fifteen years ago that I entered the laboratory of Professor Agassiz and told him that I had enrolled my name in the Scientific School, as a student of natural history. He asked me a few questions about my object in coming and my autecedents generally. 66 "When do you wish to begin? This seemed to please him, and with an energetic very well" he reached from a shelf a huge jar of specimens in alcohol. "Take this fish," said he, "and look at it; by-andby I will ask you what you have seen." With that he left me, but in a moment he returned with explicit instructions as to the care of the object intrusted to me. "No man is fit to be a naturalist," said he, "who does not know how to take care of his specimens." I was to keep the fish before me in a tin tray, and occasionally moisten the surface with alcohol. In ten minutes I had seen all that could be seen in that fish. I then started in search of the Professor, who had, however, left the museum. I returned to my place and began to look again at my fish. Half an hour passed,—an hour,—another hour; the fish then began to look loathsome. I was in despair. It was now time for luncheon, and with feelings of great relief I replaced the fish carefully in the jar, and for an hour I was free. On my return I learned that the Professor had come back, but that he had left the museum and would not return for several hours. Slowly I drew forth that hideous fish, and with feelings of desperation again looked at it. I was not allowed to use a magnifying glass; the use of instruments of all kinds was forbidden. I began to count the scales in the different rows. Finally, a happy thought struck me. I concluded to draw the fish, and when I started I began to discover new features in the creature; just then the Professor came in. "That is right," said he, "a pencil is one of the best of eyes. I am glad to notice, too, that you keep your specimen wet, and your bottle corked." With these encouraging words, he added: "Well, what is it like." He listened attentively to my brief rehearsal of the structure of the parts whose names were still unknown to me. When I had finished he waited, as if expecting more, and then, with an air of disappointment, said: "You have not looked very carefully. Why,” he continued more earnestly, "you haven't even seen one of the most conspicuous features of the fish, which is as plainly before your eyes as the fish itself; look again; look again," and he left me to my misery. I was piqued; I was mortified. Still more of that wretched fish! But now I set myself to my task with a will, and discovered one new feature after another, until I saw how just the Professor's criticisms had been. The afternoon passed quickly, and when, toward its close, the professor inquired: "Do you see it yet?" 'No," I replied, "I am certain I do not, but I see now how little I saw before.' 66 That is the next best," said he, earnestly, "but I won't hear you now; put away your fish and go home; perhaps you will be ready with a better answer in the morning. I will examine you before you look at the fish." This was, indeed, discouraging. Not only must I think of my fish all night, but I must give an account of it the next day. The cordial greeting from the Professor the next morning was reassuring; here was a man who seemed. to be quite as anxious as I that I should see for myself what he saw. "Do you, perhaps, mean," I asked, "that the fish has symmetrical sides with paired organs?" His thoroughly pleased "of course, of course," was pleasant music to my ears. After he had discoursed most happily and enthusiastically as he always did-upon the importance of observation, I ventured to ask him what I should do next. "Oh! look at your fish!" he said, and left me again to my own devices. In a little more than an hour he returned and heard my new catalogue. "That is good, that is good!" he repeated; "but that is not all; go on; "and so for three days he placed that fish before my eyes, forbidding me to look at any thing else, or to use any artificial aid. "Look, look, look," was his repeated injunction. This was the best lesson I ever had-a lesson whose influence has extended to the details of every subsequent study; a legacy the Professor has left to me, as he has left it to many others, of such inestimable value that it is the basis of much of our success. Questions :- What is a laboratory? Mention some scientific school. What is a naturalist? Give the name of some celebrated museum. What are "encouraging words?" Give the name of some symmetrical object. How would you make a catalogue? What lesson did the Professor teach the students? antecedent encouraging enthusiastically details enrolled criticism energetic catalogue desperation laboratory observation injunction A THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE SHEPHERDS. MILE and a half, it may be two miles, southeast of Bethlehem, there is a plain separated from the town by an intervening swell of the mountain. Besides being well sheltered from the north wind, the vale was well covered with a growth of sycamore, dwarfoak, and pine trees, while in the glens and ravines adjoining there were thickets of olive and mulberry; all at this season of the year invaluable for the sup |