A THE QUEER FRIENDS. AN OLD GERMAN FABLE. RAVEN was sitting high up in a tree, when there came along a birdcatcher, who cunningly spread his net upon the ground, strewed a little corn in and around it, and then went away. The raven silently watched the man's operations, and remained on her lofty perch to see what would happen. Soon a flock of wild pigeons approached and settled down. They perceived the corn and commenced to eat it greedily; but all at once several of them found themselves caught in the net, and they fluttered about, seeking vainly to free themselves. A good thought occurred to one of them, and she expressed it in this way: "It does not help us at all to flutter around so; now let us all try to fly up at the same time. Perhaps we can then carry the net with us." Her fellow-captives all assented to this, and at a signal they spread their wings and rose from the ground, carrying the net with them. this way the pigeons flew some distance, and settled down in an orchard, but still in the meshes of the net. In All this time the raven had kept a close eye upon the pigeons, and now commending them for their wisdom in acting so much in harmony, he flew also to the orchard and perched himself in a tree, whence he could mark the further conduct of the imprisoned birds. He heard them consulting how they should get out of the snare, and one of them offered to call a mouse, an old friend of hers, who lived in one of the trees near by, and ask her if she could not help them. As nothing better was proposed the mouse was called. She happened, luckily, to be at home, and ran to the pigeons, and at a glance understood their situation. Going at once to work on the net with her sharp teeth, she speedily gnawed it in several places, so that the pigeons could get out. "Well," thought the raven, "a friend is certainly a great help in time of need, and I must find one. Perhaps the mouse will be such to me." Full of this idea he flew down and called the mouse; but when she had come out of her hole and perceived the large black bird, she was much frightened, and ran back. The raven entreated her to listen to him and be his friend. "Why can we not be friends," he said, "just as much as the pigeons and you are friends?" "It is impossible," answered the mouse, “because in a little while your natural appetite for my flesh would make you forget all about friendship, and you'd eat me like any other mouse." The raven earnestly promised that he would not do anything of the kind, if he had to starve, and at length overcame the fears of the mouse so that she ventured to come near him, and agreed to be his friend. As time went on the raven and mouse grew quite fond of each other, and the raven made a home for himself in a tree of the orchard. But the bird found the place too much exposed for his safety, because there were huntsmen passing by frequently. So he asked the mouse one evening if she had any objections to leaving that place. He knew of one more retired in the woods, near a pond, where he had an acquaintance, a turtle, who was a good fellow. The mouse said she was very willing to leave the orchard because a cat had lately visited it, and had watched her when she was out looking for her dinner. The raven then gripped the mouse by the tail and flew with her through the air and into the wood, where he soon reached the pond, and set down the mouse by a tree. A turtle crawled out of the water, and appeared greatly pleased to see the raven, and welcomed the mouse to her new home. In a few moments the nimble little animal had found a good spot for her house, and her teeth and claws soon made a snug and safe retreat for herself. 1881.] THE QUEER FRIENDS. These three strange associates had lived a while together in intimate companionship, when one day they were disturbed by a singular occurrence. They were sitting side by side chatting on the | ways of the world, when suddenly a deer came running by, and stopped at the pond to drink. Then the turtle jumped into the water, the mouse crept into her hole, and the raven soared up into a tall tree. Peering around in all directions he could not see any cause for fear, so he flew down and said to the deer, "Don't be afraid. There's no danger. I have never known a hunter to come into this part of the forest, and if you like, you may stay here. Fine grass grows around the pond, and the water is fresh, and I have some friends here who I'm sure will not refuse to give you a welcome." The deer was grateful for the raven's kindness, and though he thought the mouse and turtle were strange associates for him, made up his mind to stay there, and so he did, and in a short time became warmly attached to them. One evening the deer did not come home at the usual hour, and his three friends felt anxious about his safety. The raven flew away to find out what the matter was, and in a little while discovered the deer lying in a snare. He at once returned to the pond and told the mouse and turtle how the deer was caught, and consulted with them as to what should be done. The mouse spoke up and said: "My friend with the strong wings, carry me quickly to him and I will gnaw the net into shreds." The raven then picked her up and flew swiftly to the deer, and as soon as she was set down the sharp little teeth went to work on the cords which bound the deer. While the mouse was thus occupied, who should come up but the turtle. "What are you doing here?" asked the raven, scolding him for his want of wisdom. "Where will you go if the hunter should come? I fly away: the deer runs off swiftly, and the mouse conceals herself; but what can you do? Your pace is so slow that you can 143 not save yourself, and I am not strong enough to carry you." Even while the raven spoke the hunter came to see if there were anything in his snare, and when he saw the horns of the deer he was much pleased, thinking he had secured a fine prize. But before he could come up the mouse had bitten through the cords and the deer sprang away into the brush, the raven mounted up in the air, and the little mouse crept to a place of safety, while the poor turtle stood trembling in every limb. Greatly vexed that his expected prize had given him the slip, and being made very angry by the broken state of his net, he picked up the turtle, wrapped the remnant of the net around him, slung him over his shoulder, and started off. The mouse had seen this and called the raven and deer quickly to her, and held a council on what should be done for their unfortunate comrade. The raven advised that the deer should run in advance of the hunter and lie on the ground as if he were dead or badly hurt. "Good," said the deer and mouse, and off jumped the deer to act upon the advice. The hunter on his homeward way sees the deer stretched out on the ground, and throwing down net and turtle, hastens to secure the game; but ere he is upon it the animal springs up and runs slowly and laboriously a short distance and stops as if wounded and exhausted. The hunter follows, and is close to the deer again, when it starts to its feet and shuffles away again. This is repeated several times, until the hunter has been led a long distance into the darkening forest. Meanwhile, raven and mouse have been busy over the turtle, and ere long the work of releasing him from the net is done, and the raven's hoarse cry signals to the deer that all is well. Then the deer disappears in a twinkling from the eyes of the astonished and tired hunter, and rejoins his three friends. All now return to their quarters by the pond, and joyfully congratulate one another for the friendship which has proved so helpful in time of danger. H. S. D. IT T is a common subject of marvel that | hausted the irritability of the mind, and criminals in presence of immediate there is, as it were, a pause, an interval execution are usually self-possessed, and of passive endurance between the end of often exhibit singular composure. The the struggle for life and the bitterness of doomed creature sleeps through the remorse and agony of disappointment night before his violent death, and rises which may begin at death. In this incomposed to pass through the ordeal. terval the mind is released from the tenThe exceptions to this rule are few, and sion of its effort for self-preservation, there is no reason to suppose that the and almost rebounds with the sense of individuals who display greater emotion, relief that comes with certainty, even or who are prostrated by the agonizing though the assurance be that of impendprospect of death, feel their position ing death. In the pause there is time more acutely than those who preserve and opportunity for the recognition of control of their demeanor. It is a prev- surrounding circumstances which have alent but groundless error to suppose been, as it were, overlooked in the yearnthat the state of the mind in which most ing for life. capital offenders meet their doom is one of scare or paralyzing amazement. They retain every faculty, taste, consideration, and even fancy. They frequently give tokens of especial thoughtfulness, and are punctilious in the observance of rules and the adoption of measures to minimize their own pain, and the trouble and sympathetic suffering of those by whom they are surrounded, or who will be left burdened with their memories. Mentally and physically the criminal, during the last few hours of his life, in the immediate presence of a cruel death, is self-possessed and tranquil. His pulse is even less disturbed than those of the officials who are compelled to take part in his execution. Why is this? The answer will be obvious on reflection. The mind has reached what may be designated a "dead point" in its tension. The excitement is over, the agony of anticipation, the trembling doubt between hope and fear of escape has ex The clearness of mental vision, the cognizance of detail displayed at such a moment, are remarkable, not only on account of the strange circumstances under which they occur, but in degree. Men and women who have for some time previously exhibited no trace of delicacy or refinement exhibit characteristic traits of thoughtfulness. They are, so to say, lifted out of themselves and placed in new conditions calculated to awaken feelings of courtesy, which seldom fail to respond. The mental state of a criminal during the hours preceding execution presents features of intense interest to the psychologist, and, rightly comprehended, it is to be feared they would throw new light on the supposed preparation these unfortunate persons evince for a fate which, being inevitable, they at the final moment are able to meet with a composure in which hypocrisy or self-deception finds the amplest scope.-London Lancet. WE HOW CHILD-HABITS ARE FORMED. worthy. God pity him and his parents and the community and all other contributing influences! But this seldom occurs in early childhood. A child's sunshine and shadow are the praise and blame it finds from day to day. And what a sunny beginning he has! How he is praised and exalted on every hand for simply being what he could not help are thinking just now of the bad | seek blame and to forbid praise by the habits which distinguish some careful avoidance of everything praisechildren from others, and which, to a greater or less degree, mar the characters of all our little friends. Unquestionably the law of heredity has as much influence in this as in other directions; and when this influence is unfavorable, and is not supplemented by the most careful, painstaking, and incessant teaching on the part of parents, relatives, and visitors, it is not strange that the victim wins the appellation of l'enfant terrible. We wish here to emphasize the fact-and weighing carefully our words, we declare it to be a fact-that, in a very great degree, the naughtiness of the terrible child is the product of the most deliberate and painstaking instruction on the part of its parents and guardians. It goes without saying among horsebreeders, that a colt at any given age is precisely what its birth and training have made it. Can any one give a rational explanation why this is less true of the little human colt? The child's nature is a matter of inheritance, of its surroundings, and, throughout its career all the way along, of what it sees, hears, and finds to imitate. At every stage in life we are 'sensitive to praise or blame; and, according to age and various circumstances, we are all more or less governed by these motives. We sometimes see an individual who seems to be an exception to this well-known rule-who appears even to a baby! Ere long he begins, at first in a blind sort of way, to learn the meaning of this adoration; and the time comes when-looked at admiringly with praisebeaming eyes, and hearing the endearingly silly expressions- he laughs and crows outright, and soon comes to look forward to these exhibitions. As he grows stronger and finds that he can use his hands and feet, he strikes and kicks helter-skelter; and if papa's or mamma's nose happens within range and receives a good blow, the baby is cheered with a will. By-and-by he has become somewhat definite in his aim, and, after numberless experiences in having noses tucked into his paw to clutch and pull, and finding that it elicits praise, that it is "cunning" and evidently makes his friends happy, he begins to aim for noses, whiskers, ears, ear-rings, hair, and often inflicts severe pain. Even then he finds that he has done something nice, and that everybody laughs; and so, step by step, he is encouraged to perform acts which a few months hence will produce a shocking change and excite anger and exhibitions of anger on the part of his parents, and perhaps bring him a sharp box on the ears. Now he is frightened, grieved, mad and retaliates precisely upon the same principles adopted by his elders, who have not learned to "turn the other cheek." Long before he has come to this first bitter experience resulting from his aptness in learning what has been so carefully taught him, he has witnessed exhibitions of temper between father and mother, or between them and the servants, or elder brothers and sisters-and none of these lessons are lost on him. ted, or in the thousand similar ways-for the pernicious method exists in endless variety, made the little creature what she is, they cap the whole by advertising her guiltless sins. "I don't know what I shall do with Alice," said a young mother to her guests, while the little creature looked and listened; "she doesn't mind me at all, and she tells wrong stories, and I have to hide everything away from her securely, or she will hunt until she finds it. Why, she will hold an apple behind her, and look me right in the eye, and declare stoutly that she hasn't anything in her hand!" (An application of the lesson referred to above). This habit of talking about children's peculiarities (especially when these are undesirable) in their presence, is exceedingly unwholesome, and is the surest way to fasten the habit for life. Take the matter of likes and dislikes for certain articles of food, for example. A child from being overfed (and what child is not?) has, at some time when its stomach was over-full, or its appetite was gone from previous excesses, refused to drink its milk, and this may have occurred a number of times. In his pres By less excusable methods he is now taught to lie. Not by his parents? Yes, by his parents-and Christian parents at that; and I am speaking of the rule, not the exception. A child has already eaten too much candy, for example. Mamma had first given him a generous supply, and when that disappeared, had several times produced more, in response to eager coaxing, after she had told him he could not have any more. He is thus taught by his mother that her word is unreliable. Think of what is compre-ence friends are told that "we can't get hended in this terrible lesson! He can not trust his mother's word, and he has an example to follow. But he has obtained possession of some more candy, and his father wishes to put it away. Is it taken as if he had a right to do it, and in the right way-in such a way that the child will begin to understand that this big fellow has, somehow, a right to direct his movements? Ah, no! he is now to have from his father a lesson in cheating, stealing, and lying. The candy is snatched up, with an attempt to be How common such remarks as the folquicker than the little one's eyes, is car-lowing, and in the child's presence: "If ried behind the back, and when the lit- there is any dish of which he is particutle precious thing looks wonderingly in larly fond, he will make his whole meal the direction in which the hand has dis- on it. Sometimes he won't eat anything appeared, his mother or father, as the but cake." Again, and in the presence case may be, says, "Gone, goney, gone." of visitors: He won't touch his pudMany parents treat their babies as a lit-ding unless it is drowned in butter. He tle girl does her doll--as a plaything; eats more butter than any other two at and, after having in the manner indica- the table "; or, "His milk has to be made him to touch a drop of milk lately; he does not like it, and will not take it. We have tried and tried, but it is no use." And thus, by the most effectual means, one of the most wholesome articles is banished from his diet. Had no apparent notice been taken in the first instance, and had his diet been judiciously regulated-less frequent feeding, or possibly the skipping of a single meal-he never would have known that he did not like milk. |