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observer at any point will see eight
flashes of light during one revolution,
which are followed by as many inter
vals of darkness, called eclipses. By
suitably regulating the number of revo
lutions in any given time, different light
houses may be distinguished from each
other.
“The distance at which these lights
may be seen depends upon the quality
of the illuminating apparatus, and upon
their altitude above the sea. They are
usually built upon bluffs, or else the
tower is sufficiently elevated to place
the lantern from 350 to 200 feet above
the level of the sea.”
THE STORY OF A GEOGRAPHY STUDENT.
? thirty ago, said
Judge P., I stepped into a
book-store in Cincinnati, in
search of some books that I wanted.
While there, a little ragged boy, not
over twelve years of age, came in and
inquired for a geography.
“Plenty of them,” said the sales
man.
“ How much do they cost?”
“ One dollar, my lad.”
The little fellow drew back in dis
may, and taking his little hand out of
his pocket, he commenced to count
some pennies and little silver pieces
that he bad held until they were all
damp with sweat. Several times he
counted them, then looking up, said.
“ I didn't know they were so much;”
he turned to go out, and even opened
the door, but closed it again, and came
back.
“I have got only sixty-one cents,”
said he ; “ you could not let me have a
geography, and wait a little while for
the rest of the money ? ”
How eagerly his bright eyes looked
up for the answer ; and how be seemed
to shrink within his ragged clothes
when the man, not very kindly, told
him that he could not!
The disappointed little fellow looked
up to me with a very poor attempt at a
smile, and left the store. I followed
and overtook him.
“And what now?” I asked, kindly.
“ Try another place, sir.”
“Shall I go, too, and see how you
succeed?” I asked.
“Oh, yes, if you like,” said he, in
surprise.
Four different stores I entered with
him, and each time he was refused.
“ Will you try again? ” I asked him.
“ Yes, sir, I shall try them all, or
I shouldn’t know whether I could get
one.”
We entered the fifth store, and the
little fellow walked up manfully, and
told the gentleman just what he wanted,
and how much money he had.
“You want the book very much?”
asked the proprietor.
“Yes, sir ; very much.”
BURKE’S WEEKLY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.
“Why do you want it so very
much? ”
“To study, sir. I can’t go to school,
but I study when I can at home. All
the boys have got one, and they will
get ahead of me. Besides, my father
was a sailor, and 1 want to learn the
places where he used to go.”
“ Does he go to those places now ? ”
“ He is dead ! ” said the £oy, softly.
Then he added, after a while, “ I am
going to be a sailor, too.”
“Are you, though?” asked the gen
tleman, raising his eyebrows, curiously.
“ Yes, sir ; if I live.”
“ Well, my lad, I will tell you what I
will do; I will let you have anew geo
graphy, and you may pay the remainder
of the money when you can ; or I will
let you have one that is not new for
fifty cents.”
“Are the leaves all in it, and just
like the other, only not new ? ’ ’
“ Yes ; just like the new ones.”
“It will do just as well then; and
I’ll have eleven cents left toward buy
ing some other book. Pm glad they
didn’t let me have one at the other
places.”
The bookseller looked up inquiringly,
and I told him what I had seen of the
little fellow. He was much pleased ;
and when he brought the book along, I
saw a nice new pencil, and some clean
white paper in it.
“A present, my lad, for your perse
verance. Always have courage like
that, and you will make your mark.”
“Thank you, sir; you are very
good.”
“ What is your name ? ”
“ William Ilaverly, sir.”
“ Do you want any more books?” I
now asked him.
“ More than I can ever get,” he re
plied, glancing at the books which filled
the shelves.
“ I gave him a bank note. “It will
buy some for you,” said I.
Tears of joy came into his eyes.
“ Can I buy what I want with it ? ”
“Yes, my lad, anything.”
“Then I’ll buy one book for mo
ther,” said he. “ I thank you very
much ; and some day I hope I can pay
you back.”
He wanted my name, and I gave it
to him. Then I left him standing by
the counter, so happy that I almost
envied him ; and many years passed
before I saw him again.
Last year I went to Europe, on one
of the finest steamers that ever plough
ed the Atlantic. We had beautiful
weather until very near the end of our
voyage; then came a most terrific
storm that would have sunk all on
board, had it not been for the captain.
Every spar was laid low, the rudder
was almost useless, and a great leak
had shown itself, threatening to fill the
ship. The crew were all strong, will
ing men, and the mates were practical
seamen of the first class, but after
pumping for one whole night, and stil^
the water gaining on them, they give up
in despair and prepared to take to the
boats,though they might have known that
no small boat could ride in such a sea.
The captain, who had been below with
the charts, now came up ; he sa,w how
matters stood, and, with a voice that I
heard -distinctly above the roar of the
tempest, he ordered every man back to
his post.
It was surprising to see all those men
bow befoi-e the strong will of their cap
tain, and hurry back to the pumps.
The captain then started below to
examine the leaks. As he passed me,
I asked him if there was any hope.
He looked at me, then at the other
passengers, who had crowded up to
hear the reply, and said, rebnkingly :
“Yes, sir; there is hope as long as
one inch of deck remains above water.
When I see none of it, then I shall
abandon the vessel, and not before;
nor one of my crew, sir. Everything
shall be done to save it, and if we
fail it will not be from inaction. Bear
a hand, every one of you, at the
pumps.”
Thrice during the day did we des
pair; but the captain’s dauntless cour
age, perseverance and powerful will
mastered every mind on board, and we
went to work again.
“I will land you safely at the dock
in Liverpool,” said he, “ if you will be
men.”
And he did land us safely ; but the
vessel sunk moored to the dock. The
captain stood on the deck of his sink
ing ship, receiving the thanks and
blessings of the passengers as they
passed down the gang-plank. I was
the last to leave. As I passsed, he
grasped my hand, and said :
“Judge P., do you recognize me ? ”
I told him I was not aware that I
had ever seen him until I stepped
aboard his ship.
“ Do you remember the boy in search
of a geography, years ago, in Cincin
nati ? ”
“Very well, sir; William Haverly.”
“I am he,” said he. “God bless
you ! ’ ’
“And God bless noble Captain Hav
erly ! ”
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
An Acrostic.
f valued friend, I wave to thee
Right hearty greetings now ;
I So long I’ve listened wonderingly
Silent so long art thou —
Are busy thoughts and busy hands
Linking life’s web together,
tNp’ Like golden threads that come
* and go,
In sunshine and in cloudy wea
ther ?
Each pleasant fancy of the heart,
Each precious thought that puts on life,
Peers out from golden sunlit skies,
Ever dispelling gloom and strife;
Content, sing on of home and heaven,
Kind mother and blest wife !
Mrs. Alary Wart.
Columbiana, Ala.
The Orphan Duck.
! .YY’ DUCK’S egg unfortunately
got into a nest of hen’s eggs.
r The hen kept them all warm
under her motherly feathers, when in
due time the chickens were hatched.
Two or three days after, the duckling
broke its egg, and waddled out. The
chickens soon perceived he was none of
them, and what did they and
the poor little orphan, give it a warm
side of the nest, and a hearty embrace
under their mother’s wing? I am sorry
to say those thoughtless chickens did
not treat the little motherless stranger
so. On the contrary, they flew at him,
cruelly drove him from the nest, and
almost pecked him to death. In vain
he tried to come back to his adopted
home, and the old hen, I dare say,
would have been willing to have him ;
but what could she do, since her ten
foolish chickens were against it!
Well, what became of poor duckling?
A cat saw this ill usage, and she, being
a feeling cat, with much knowledge,
quite likely, of the distresses with which
this world abounds, befriended the lit
tle duck. She took it by the neck—not
to wring its neck, ah, no!—but she
took it with the same motherly care
with which she takes her own little
ones, carried it to her nursery, laid it
down beside the kittens, and there took
as much care of it as a cat could. As
for the kittens, they behaved in the
sweetest manner ; and it was a curious
sight to see them all curled up together
fast asleep, duck and all, as happy as
could be.
■
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
11 You is got Two Eyes I ”
\ NE of my neighbors has two
4 girl 3 —Kate, a quiet, wo-
manly little thing of four, and
Minnie, a tricksy sprite of two. Their
house fronts on an open common, which
is the playground of all the boys in the
village, and the children cannot go on
the gallery without overhearing a great
deal that is objectionable. Minnie, es
pecially, being “void of discretion,”
picks up many a word decidedly unlady
like, but which we can’t help laughing
at, she brings them out so aptly.
Kate is a great singer. One day, re
clining in her little chair, she was gently
rocking to and fro, with her eyes shut,
and singing “ The Blind Boy.” Min
nie, playing on the floor near by, heard
the words, “I’m blind, oh! I’m blind,”
and looked at Kate for a few moments
with much concern depicted on her
countenance, then dropping her doll,
she rushed at Kate, and pried her eyes
open with her thumbs, and shouted tri
umphantly, “ Katy ! you lies! You is
got two eyes ! ”