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76 BURKE’S WEEKLY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. MACON, Ga., SEPT. 7, ISG7. Contents of No. 10. George’s Aquarium, illustrated page 73 Akin, by Bayard Taylor, (poetry.) 74 Marooner’s Island, Chapter VII., by Rev. F. R. Goulding—original 74 Editorial — Reading for Boys and Girls ; The Safest Place during a Thunder-Storm; Exchanges; Our Premiums; Wonderful Lakes; Vale of Roses : Corrections 76 —77 Anecdotes 77 The Little Girl and the Bird, (poetry,) by Mrs. E. P. M., with an illustration, —original, 77 Lost and Found 77 The Little Doves, (poetry,) 78 Jack Dobell; or, A Boy’s Adventures in Texas, Chapter IV, —original, 78 How the Cricket brought Good Fortune 79 Time to go to Bed, ; 79 Our Chimney Corner, with two illustrations 80 Reading for Boys and Girls. editor of th q American Agriculturist, Jl'lyy one of our best exchanges, was recently asked by a father for some advice as to f suitable reading for boys and girls, from the age of twelve to seventeen. In re ply he gives what he terms u a few old fashioned ideas” on the subject, which are so much according to our own way of thinking that we have concluded to condense them for the ben efit of our little readers. The books to which he had access, at from twelve to fourteen years of age, were Plutarch’s Lives, Hume’s History of England, Rollin’s Ancient History, and works of that character. He thinks that it was the best thing that could have happened for him that he saw but little of fiction until his maturer years, and expresses the opinion that too many of our Sunday-School books, and works written express ly for the young, are of this character. There is no occasion to resort to novels for interesting reading matter. Historical writers have as much grace of style as the masters of fiction. Any boy or girl of average intelligence would be charmed with Macaulay’s History of England, Bancroft’s History of the United States, Prescott’s and Mot ley’s historical works, Irving’s Life of Washing ton, his Columbus, or his “ Life and Letters,” Spark’s American Biography, and the travels of Stephens or Bayard Taylor. These alone would make a respectable library, and would be as much as any child ought to read, between the ages of twelve and seventeen years, in addition to the drill of the school room and the reading of the papers. One of the pleasantest winters we re member was that during which Irving’s Life of Washington was read aloud in the family for three evenings in the week, the children taking turns at reading. All of Irving’s most genial works may be read with profit at a later age, and we may add, that every boy and girl at the South ought to read the Southern revolutionary stories of our great writer, W. Gilmore Simms, whose books are a perfect mine of historical wealth. The editor of the Agriculturalist thinks that there is much less use for private libraries now than there was thirty years ago, for public libra ries are greatly multiplied in cities and villages, and the best thoughts of the country are given to the world through our periodical literature. This BURKE’S WEEKLY. may be true as regards public libraries at the North, but it does not apply with us at the South, where public libraries, except in the larger cities, are not accessible. But newspapers and maga zines are virtually circulating libraries, and a se lection of the best of them ought to be found on the centre table of every intelligent family. —• — ♦♦♦ The Safest Place During a Thunder Storm. tROM statistics kept in France, it appears that ten thousand people have been Stricken by lightning in that country du fring the last thirty years, and that, of this number, two thousand two hundred and thirty-two were killed at once. Du ring the last ten years eight hundred and eighty were killed, of whom two hundred and forty-three were women. This is a startling statement, and will surprise many who have never imagined that the number of deaths from' lightning was so great. It is well enough that our little readers should understand something about lightning, and how to avoid dan gerous places during the prevalence of a thunder storm. The electric fluid, commonly called lightning, inclines mostly to metallic bodies, especially those that are highly polished. The next best conduc tors are living bodies—of men and other animals. Among the next best are living trees, full of sap. Now, when the electric fluid leaves the clouds to go to the earth, it is attracted to those objects which are nearest to the clouds, consequently tall objects, such as church steeples, trees, or very tall houses, are most likely to receive the discharge. It is dangerous, therefore, to stand under a tree during a thunder storm, because the tree, besides being taller than the surrounding objects, is one of the best conductor’s of electricity. If a light ning rod were attached to the tree, the lightning would *eave the tree and run down the metallic rod ; or if a living creature is standing under the tree, the fluid will leave the tree, because the liv ing body is a better conductor and attracts it. It is safer, therefore, to remain in the open air than to go under a green tree during a thunder storm. T ou will ask if it is safer, then, to remain in the open air than to go into a house. Decidedly not, especially if the house is furnished with a light ning rod, as every house should be; and even if it has no lightning rod, wooden, brick or stone houses are not as good conductors of electricity as the green trees which surround them, and are not as often struck by lightning. But houses do not always escape, and it is well to know what parts of a house are safest. It is best to avoid the sides of the house, open win dows and fire places, for these are most likely to attract the lightning in case the house is struck. It is safest to sit as near as possible to the centre of the room, and to keep out of a draught. Es pecially avoid the fire place, if there is a fireburn- the heated air and soot are excellent con ductors of electricity. It is dangerous to be in the midst of a large crowd during a thunder storm, because the con ducting power is increased in proportion to the number of persons in the crowd, and the vapor .which arises from them. For the same reason, a crowded building is more dangerous than an emp ty one, or one with but few persons in it. If you are travelling in a carriage or buggy du ring a thunder storm, it is better to sit erect, because the sides of the carriage may attract the lightning, and it is safer not to lean against them. Railroads and telegraph wires are protectors of those portions of the country in which they are located, because they attract and convey consid erable quantities of the electric fluid. It is said to be dangerous to walk on a railroad track du ring a thunder storm. If so, it is because the rails attract the lightning, and the living body, be ing taller and a good conductor, attracts the current from its course. We have known of an instance somewhat similar, where a wagoner, driving through a pond of water during the prevalence of a thunder storm, was struck by lightning. In this case, the electric fluid was attracted by the water, but the wagoner and his horses, being nearest to it, received the current before it reached the water. At another time we may have something more to say about lightning, and the means to be re sorted to to restore persons who have been in jured by it. Exchanges. ®rrE have received, in exchange, Our 1 Schoolday Visitor , a handsome month _ ly.> at $1 50 a year, published in Phila delphia, and edited by the Rev. Alex cander Clark, A. M. The Nursery, an excellent magazine for very little children, edited by Mrs. Fanny P. Severns. Published at Boston by John L. Shorey. Merry's Museum and Parley's Magazine , pub lished monthly at New York, by J. N. Stearns, at $1 50 per anuum. Ye can recommend all of the above as free from politics. We have also received the Southern Boys and Girls Monthly, edited and published at Rich mond, Virginia, by the Messrs. Baird, at $1 50 per annum ; and Kind Words, a beautifully print ed and illustrated Baptist Sunday-School paper, published monthly at Greenville, S. C., at the re markably low price of $1 for ten copies. The Little Gleaner. —The first number of this ** Monthly Journal for Southern Boys and Girls” comes to us from Fredericksburg, Va., and pre sents a very attractive appearance. It is edited by Olive O. Lee, and the terms are $1 a year. \\ e most heartily wish it a full measure of success. Our Premiums. QaOAhR little friends throughout the country / are taking advantage of our offers of pre miums, and are supplying themselves 7many beautiful and desirable books. Our offer of Photograph Albums is par- T ticularly attractive. Last week a little girl in Millodgeville sent us five subscribers and $lO, and received a beautiful Photogragh Album, free of postage, which would have cost her $4 at our counter. We have a large number of these handsome albums, and many beautiful books suited for presents, which we are anxious to send out to our little friends as premiums for new sub scribers. Catalogues will be sent, free of cost, to those who write for them. Go on and raise your clubs, and send on the names, with the money, as fast as you get them. When you have forward ed all you can obtain, select a premium, and let us know what it is, and we will send it to you, by mail or express, free of cost. Let us know that you are working for a prize, and we will keep an account of the number of names sent. See list of premiums on last page.