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chopped wood, was set fire to with
extreme rapidity, and burnt with such
violence that it had to be dipped in wa
ter befoie it could be put out. In this
experiment 148 glasses were used, at a
distance of 150 feet.
44 ith ’lth of April, the burning
point was : jd at 20 feet distant from
the mirror, and combustible substances
were easily burnt with only 12 glasses.
With 21 glasses a half-burnt elm plank
was set fire to, and with 45 a piece of
tin weighing six pounds was almost im
mediately melted. Silver sheet was
fused, and an iron plate was made red
hot with 117 glasses. In giving an ac
count of these interesting experiments,
BufFon expresses his conviction that at
50 feet it would have been easy to have
melted metals if all the glasses of the
mirrors had been used. When used
at that distance, the burning spot was
six to seven inches in diameter. He
also noticed that when metals were
melted, part of them were dissipated in
brilliant vapour, which was so thick as
to cast a shadow on the ground, although
it seemed to be as bright as the sun
itself. When the sun was at its full
strength, and all the glasses were
brought into requisition, wood was set
on lire at a distance of over 200 feet
and metals and minerals were fused at
40 and 50 feet. Hence the possibility
of making and using these mirrors as
Archimedes was said to have done,
wasjn’oved practically by the great na-
“ But we have 'consumed our usual
time, and must stop for this evening.”
•*©*••
Over and Over Again.
Pu ()Y VER and over again,
I No matter which way I turn,
I always find in the Book of Life
fSome lesson I have to learn.
I must take my turn at the mill,
I must grind out the golden grain,
I must work at my task with a reso
lute will,
Over and over again,
Wo cannot measure the seed
Os even the tiniest flower,
Nor check the flow of the golden sand
That runs through a single hour.
But the morning dew must fall,
And the sun and the summer rain
Must do their part, and perform it all
Over and over again.
Over and over again,
The brook through the meadow flows,
And over and over again
The ponderous mill-wheel goes.
Once doing will not suffice,
Though doing be not in vain ;
And a blessing failing us once or twice,
May come if we try again.
The pa,th that has once been trod
Is never so rough to the feet;
The lesson we once have learned
Is never so hard to repeat.
Though sorrowful tears may fall.
And the heart to its depth be riven
With storm and tempest, we need them all,
To render us meet for heaven.
•<©,«
It is much better to heal than to
wound a heart.
BURKE’S WEEKLY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
THE LIFE OF A ROBIN REDBREAST,
As Told by Himself.
BY PAUL H. HAYNE.
CHAPTER X.
HORRIBLE NEWS.
Uplka SHORT time after our remo-
val from Mrs. Harrington’s
r house, my master learned
that that bad woman had become more
reckless and dissipated than ever. With
the money (as I heard him telling an
intimate friend) which had been ex
torted as the price of Miss Lou’s free
dom, she gave the grandest entertain
ments, balls, dinner parties, suppers—
at which a set of high-born gamesters
assembled to fleece her and each other.
Among them still madly in love
with her, always by her side, always
draining his own purse to gratify her
slightest whim, continually beseeching
her to be his wife—was that young man
with the burning black eyes, and the
glossy black beard, whom I saw first
from my perch in the old elm tree.
His name, as I now knew, was Gren
ville Fulke.
Many months went by—a year —two
years. Twice during that time I had
overheard Miss Lou questioning my
so false a mother.
On the first occasion he merely shook
his head gloomily.
On the last he said, * 4 Never mention
that woman’s name again, Lou; try
not even to think of her.”
But she, and others too, were forced
to think of her ’ere long.
We had been settled for weeks in this
pretty villa, when, on a September af
ternoon, while my master was busy at
his easel, and my mistress was sewing,
there came a loud but uncertain knock
at the door.
Miss Lou opened it. To our sur
prise, there stood Boggs, Mrs. Harring
ton’s butler —his immense shirt collar
limp and wet with perspiration, and his
face the color of green cheese.
He seemed hardly able to support
himself.
“Boggs!” exclaimed my master,
“ what’s the matter?”
“Oh! Mr. Horace,” answered the
agitated Boggs, dropping feebly into
the nearest chair, “ excuse me, but my
legs arn’t steady just now. Sicli liorful
news as I’ve run to tell you! a matter
of four mile, and no stoppages. The
Lord have mercy on us all! ”
“Can’t you speak man?” rejoined
my master ; 44 what news ? ”
“One moment, sir, please, to ketch
my breath! I’m fairly done up, no
mistake. Mr. Horace, excuse me agen
—but if—if you have a drop o’ some
thin’—l don’t much care what—per’aps
it might bring me round a bit! I’m
nigh dumbfoundered with ’orror.”
It was easy to see that Mr. Boggs
spoke the. truth for once ; so my mas
ter tossed him the key of his sideboard
impatiently, and told him to help him
self to anything he wanted; 44 Only,”
he added, “be quick, Boggs, be quick ;
I hate suspense and mystery.”
Shivering all over, the butler wrig
gled rather than walked to the side
board, unlocked it, and showed his
notion of “a drop o’ somethin',” by
filling a tumbler with cherry-brandy,
and draining it in a trice.
44 So, so,” he muttered, after a brief
hesitation; “I can tell you, now, Mr.
Horace. Miss Louisa, your mother is
—dead!”
44 Dead ! ” they cried together.
44 Aye, aye ! and uich a death ! Hea
ven spare me from seein’ the like
agen! ’ ’
Here Mr. Boggs, warned by an ab
rupt gesture of my master's, began his
story with a perceptible effort.
Verdict of a Jury of Boys.
Dr. Nathaniel Prentice
W taught a public school in Rox
• V bury, he was very much of a
favorite, but his patience at times would
get nearly exhausted by the infraction
of school rules by the scholars. On
in a ra ; L '~ W -‘A pvv^he.
six blows <
a heavy ferule, the first boy detected in
whispering, and appointed some as de
tectors. Shortly after, one of these de
tectors shouted,
44 Master, John Zeigler is whisper
ing.”
John was called up and asked if it
was a fact (John, by the way, was a fa
vorite, both of the teacher and his school
mates.)
44 Yes,” answered John, 44 1 was not
aware what I was about. I was intent
on working out a sum, and requested
the one who sat next to reach me the
arithmetic that contained the rule which
I wished to see.”
The doctor regretted his hasty threat,
but told John he could not suffer him
to whisper and escape the punishment,
and continued :
44 1 wish I could avoid it, but I cannot
without a forfeiture of my word, and a
consequent loss of my authority. I
will leave it,” continued he, 44 to any
three scholars you may choose to say
whether or not I remit the punish
ment.”
John said he would agree to that, and
immediately called out G. S., T. D.,
D. P. D. The doctor told them to re
turn a verdict; this they soon did, after
consultation, as follows :
44 The master’s word must be kept in
violate —John must receive the threaten
ed punishment of six blows of the fe
rule; but it must be inflicted on volunteer
proxies, and we, the arbitrators, will
share the punishment by receiving, each
of us, two of the blows.”
John, who had listened to the verdict,
steps up to the doctor, and with out
stretched hands exclaims :
44 Master, here is my hand; thqy
shan’t be struck a blow ; I will receive
the punishment.”
The doctor, under pretence of wiping
his face, shielded his eyes, and telling
the boys to go to their seats, said he
would think of it. I believe he did
think of it to his dying day, but the
punishment was never inflicted.
Jumping over the Sunbeams.
OME fat cattle were being driv
en from the mountains, where
they had been raised, down to a
large city where they were to be
used as food for the people. On
the way they came to a bridge over a
river. The bridge had a roof and was
boarded up at the sides. The bright sun
was shining through the cracks and
knot-holes, and the cattle could see the
sunbeams shining on the dust inside the
bridge, just as you have often seen them
inside a room when the sun shines in and
the dust has been stirred. The steers
were frightened. They could not go to
either side, for a fence prevented. The
drivers cracked their great whips, and
shouted at tW~ in' ■
hnt mo- i, ix -- , I I |
hindmost ones, and made /hem crow f
those in front up to the very opening of
the bridge. Finding they could not
turn back or turn aside, those in front
started with a snort and a run, tremb
ling all over from fright, and whenever
they came to the sunbeams, gave a leap
and jumped right over them. So the
whole herd ran through, and did not
get over the scare for a long time.
What silly cattle! were they not?
W ell, stop ! do we never get frightened
and try to jump over sunbeams? That
lesson you pouted over, and got worried
about, and did not study—why you spent
more time in worry than would have
been sufficient to get it well. You were
ill-tempered, and absent-minded, and
half-hearted, when it was only a sun
beam. It would do you good if you
went straight through it all your life.
That duty at home, which your mother
asked of you. You know how you fret
ted about it and said, 44 1 can’t” or, “I
don’t want to,” or perhaps worse. If
you had done it at once, gone right
through it, how good you would feel,
and glad you obeyed ! How your friends
and parents would love you, and how
happy you would be!
My dear child, you jumped over sun
beams. Watch out for them. Never
be afraid of them. Go right on through
them. They are pretty, cheering sun
beams. Do not jump over them.
Confession of faults makes half amends.