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mentlwas again in his jaws, and again,
mangled and bleeding from a dozen
wounds, I was dragged down to the
earth. But the little dog for the third
time seized the alligator’s head, com
pelling him as before to let go his hold
upon me. 1 exerted to the utmost all
the strength 1 had left, to make a last
effort lor my life, and succeeded in get
ting so far ahead of the monster that
when he rushed upon me again I had
had time to cock both barrels of my
gun, (which I had clung to as my only
hope,) and turn its muzzle towards him,
and as he rushed open-mouthed upon
me as usual, I fired the contents of both
barrels down his throat, killing him in
stantly.
u ‘I have but a very indistinct recol
lection of what happened after this. I
managed to get to shore somehow, where
I suppose I fainted from loss of blood.
When I regained my consciousness, I
found myself lying on my bed here,
with the doctor dressing the numerous
wounds I had received.
“ ‘My son told me subse
quently that several hours after
I had left home, Yelper came
back, bloody and cvounded in
many places, and, by his bark
king and restless movements,
evidently anxious to let them
know that some accident had
befallen me.
“ ‘My son hurriedly collect
ed two or three of our nearest
neighbors to assist him in the
search, and they sallied out to
gether, and following the lead
of Yelper, they w r ere guided by
him directly to the spot where
I was lying bleeding and insen
sible upon the ground. So you
see I was indebted to him a se
cond time for saving my life,
for if my wounds had remained
unbound a little longer, I would
undoubtedly have died from
loss of blood.
“ ‘At first my son and those w'ho
came with him thought I was dead, but
discovering some signs of life, they has
tily constructed a rude litter of boughs,
placed me upon it, (still unconscious,)
and in that way brought me back home.
My wounds are healing up rapidly now,
but I am afraid I shall be a cripple for
life.
“ ‘That,’ continued the man, ‘is a
true account of my escape from the jaws
of the alligator, and I hope you may
never be so unfortunate as to encounter
one of the monsters under similar cir
cumstances ; or, if you should be, that
you may have as true a friend to help
you out, as I had in my little dog, Yel
per, there.’
“And did you eat your supper and
get back safely home the next day,'
asked Jimmy Dunn, winking at the rest
of us.
Tommy disdained to give any reply to
this invidious question, but pouring out
BURKE’S WEEKLY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.
another cup of coffee, he commenced
another vigorous attack upon the rem
nants of our supper.
Eating a Sunbeam,
A little fellow was eating some bread
and milk, when he turned round to
his mother and said, “ Oh, mother, I’m
full of glory ! There was a sunbeam on
my spoon, and I swallowed it.’’
School is Out!
tEALS of merry laughter, ringing
through the air,
Eager little footsteps, echoing every
w. where 1
How I love to watch them, busy at
their play,—
George and Frank and Willie, laugh
ing on their way.
Now two lads are “ wrestling”—how the oth
ers shriek —
See the rosy color flushing brow and cheek !
Now a sound of sorrow—surely not a cry.
Now another joy-note: soon the tears are
dry.
Blessings on the children! blessings |from
above!
Guide and guard and shield them, Father,
with Thy love!
Make them meek and gentle, make them
kind and true,
Like the Holy Jesus in all they say and do.’ ?
H. B.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
LITTLE THINGS.
(a tilings the
1 1 American people are
' IT ' probably more prone
ffl than all others to look
lupon with supercilious
> ifislrtil* \ eye. Born and rear
* mmm \ ed up° n a conti
nent, where great and
overwhelming works
of Omnipotence are
seen all around them
—rivers the largest and cataracts the
most sublime —with mountains and val
leys that equal, if not surpass, in mag
nificence those of the old world, —asso-
ciated with greatness from infancy, they
overlook the little things of life, and let
their minds run out from the endearing
associations of home, and the refining
influences of literature, to the affairs of
Government and the wars of the world.
Little things are the atoms that go to
make up great things. Great things are
the compound or growth of little things.
The giants of the forests that shade the
weary herds, wreathe the mountain’s
brow with vernal hues and defy the
strong tempest, were the tender plants
of a past century. The v.ide river that
takes within its embrace the streams
lrom a thousand hills, at its source is
but a tiny rivulet, stealing its way un
seen amidst the nodding flow r ers that
lave their roots in its cooling waters.
It takes myriads of drops to compose
the ocean that, lashed by the storm
king, rises in such majesty, tossing the
mightiest ships upon its bosom. The
high mountains that lift their heads
among the clouds, charming us with
their bold, projecting rocks and beauti
ful scenery, are made up of small grains
of sand. Many of the most wonderful
inventions and discoveries were the re
sult of little trains of thought set in mo
tion by some little tiling. The telescope
had its origin in children’s play. Ihe
vibration of a lamp caused Galileo to
conceive of the pendulum for the meas
urement of time. Sir Isaac Newton
found the key that unlocked the myste
rious laws of worlds, in a falling apple.
Mental greatness begins when the
mind begins to study little things and
treasure little attainments. The flaming
comet of learning that flashes like sud
den day in the annals of fame, and
seems the work of magic, the creation
of a moment, or a fresh flood of inspi
ration, has rolled up a steep orbit of in
creasing twilight unobserved. The sum
mit of knowledge or fame is gained by
little advances: step by step the stu
dent toils upward ; but, oh ! how grand
the view when once the summit is
reached!
Each gift from Heaven
Hath claimed its price in combat, for without
Battle unto death is naught obtained.”
Ye youths of the land, seize with a
firm grasp the items of knowledge, the
little things of life ; bring and cement
them together, stone by stone, until a
Chinese wall of learning shall encircle
thee around. Tis learning which links
mind with mind, and binds the human
race in a social compact to war against
vice, and to implant a love for purity,
goodness, virtue, and a reverence for
God, and love for all things beautiful
in His universe.
Mrs. S. E. Peck.
Dr. Franklin’s Toast.
Loxg after the victories of Washing
ton over the French and English had
made his name familiar to all Europe,
Dr. Franklin chanced to dine with the
English and French Ambassa
dors, when as nearly as the
precise words can be recollect
ed, the following toasts were
drank :
“ England—The Sun, whose
bright beams enlighten and
fructify the remotest corners of
the earth.”
The French Ambassador, fill
ed with national pride, and be
ing too polite to dispute the
previous toast, drank the fol
lowing :
“ France —The Moon whose
mild, steady and cheering rays
are the delight of all nations,
consoling them in darkness and
making the earth beautiful.”
Dr. Franklin then rose, and
with his usual dignified simpli
city, said :
“ George Washington—The
Joshua who commanded the Sun and
Moon to stand still, and they obeyed
him.”
Leisure Hours.
It was a beautiful observation of the
late William Hazlitt, that “there is room
enough in human life to crowd almost
every art and science in it. If we pass
no day without a line—visit no place
without the company of books —we
may with ease fill libraries or empty
them of their contents. The more we
do, the more we can do ; the more bnsy
we are the more leisure wo have.”
Will you recollect this?
►<«'»
Youthful Piety.
Zixzixdorf, when a boy, used to
write little notes to the Saviour, and
throw them out of the window, hoping
in his sweet, child-like simplicity, that
the clear Lord Jesus would find them ;
such were his early thoughts of Jesus
and his love of him.
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