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r •' ;« 7 M ••fw 8 YOUTHS' DEPARTMENT* To the Children. —We are pleased to see that our little friends are taking a great deal of interest in this department, and we shall try and make it as interest ing to them as possible. We shall always be gratified to hear from them, so when they want to write to us they must not be afraid to do so ; and, if sometimes we do not publish what they send us, they must not be discouraged, but “try, try again.” GEOGRAPHICAL ENIGMA. ACROSTICAL. I am composed of 10 letters. My 1,7, 3, 10, 5, is the name of a river in France. My 2, 15, 13, 7,2, is a town in Tur key. My 3, 12, 5, 11, 4, is a large body of water. My 4,7, 16, 2,5, 14, is a city of Frauce. My 5,2, 4,7, is a mountain in Sicily. My 6,5, 14, 2, 15,4, is a town in Missouri. My 7,2, 8, 11, 16, 2,7, is a city in Georgia. My 8,7, 14, 1, 11, is a city in Thibet. My 9,5, 16, 11, is a river in Africa. My 10, 5, 14, 1, 15, is an island in the Pacific Ocean. My 11, 2,9, 7, 14, is a mountain of Africa. My 12, 7, 16, 2, 15, 4, is a city in China. My 13, 5,8, 7,2, is the capital of a division of Asia. My 14, 7, 11, 9,5, is a river in Prussia. My 15, 5,1, 5,8, is an island in the Baltic sea. My 16, 5,8, 1, 15, 4, is a river of British America. My whole is the name of a distinguished General lor whom the South will ever mourn. Answers to Last Week’s Enigmas No. B—“ For its People’s Hopes are Dead” —Paradise Lost—T ilsit—Fed—Rope— E. A. Poe—Raphael. No. 9—“ Cypress Crowned Poet of the South”— Hesperus— Hope—Cepheus— Thesue Wit—Ryot—Newton—Cod— Free. E. B. Minnies and L. C. R.’s answers to former enigmas were correct. For the Banner of the Sonth. THE HISTORY OF THE “COLORED EGGS.” I have heard a church legend, in con. nection with the wide spread practice of coloring eggs at Easter, which gave rise to the following little tale, which I trans cribe for the young : There was a Spanish noble who went away among the Crusaders, to fight for the Holy Land. When lie heard the call for soldiers, in so righteous a cause, he buckled on bis armor, called his retainers around him, and said to them, “We goto fin-lit for the tomb of our Lord; let that thought inspire you to faithfulness.” He left in his castle, near the banks of the Guadalquiver, his Countess and two love ly children, by name Teresa and Edmond. When the hour for departure came, they accompanied him as far as the chapel, where they all went in to attend Mass; which was then celebrated, as usual every morning, at a very early hour, be tween daylight and sunrise. To the noble, and his band of followers, how solemn it was to unite in such a ser vice on the eve of departure from all they loved on earth! How much more solemn it must nave been to the Countess and her children ; and with what earnestness their prayers must have ascended in their behalf, as they knelt around the altar and partook together of the symbols of the pas sion of our crucified Lord. When he left home, the Countess did not give herself up to useless rcpining> or spend her hours in vain regrets. She resigned him willingly, for the service that had called him from her side, hoping that they would conquer for God the con secrated spot which had been torn from the hands of His believers. Her soul was full of charity and good deeds, and her hands were full of gifts for the poor and the sick. Little children she loved, “be cause,” she said, “ these were to fill the house of the Lord, and they could never have its beauties, or learn to love its courts, unless they were trained by the hands of love.” So, that there were few feast days that she did not remember the chil dren. From far and near, sometimes, they would be collected there to partake of a simple feast upon the green lawn, and to dance, or to play, on the banks of the little stream that ran through the grounds. She had some attraction for every feast. When Easter approached, she colored the eggs, and marked on each one a simple motto, conveying to the re ceiver some cheering words, some hope ful thought, or expression of love. Indeed, she was a blessing to all the country round. At stated times she stood at the portal of her castle, and dispensed bread and comforts to all the poor that came. The famished turned from her door full; and the poor had but one wish for her, “God bless you, my lady; and make you a blessing to the world.” One Easter Monday—that is the day after Easter Sunday—she had a feast for the children, and, as usual, had prepared colored eggs. The time arrived, and so did the children. They spotted the green, and were sprinkled about the borders of the stream, and under the weeping wil lows, that grew in a cluster on its banks. It was a bright afternoon. The sun smiled upon them ; the trees waved a beautiful welcome to Spring, and the birds were all music and joy for the lovely day. The children looked only for hap piness, and nothing else, that bl ight after noon. There was to be no scolding, no crying, no falling down, no melancholy accidents, by -which any of them were to be scut home. Oh no, it was Easter Monday at the Castle of Colombiere! The table was spread beneath the over hanging foliage; the carpet beneath their feet was green grass. When the children were called to partake, they came in little parties from the stream, and from hillocks of grass, and from seats around large trees, to the place where the sylvan feast was spread. The Countess was there herself, and her two children with her. She greeted them with a smile, and said : “ You are welcome guests, my little friends. Partake of the feast, and re member that Jesus Christ once took upon himself the form of a child that he might save you from evil. Let us invoke his blessing.”' And she asked a blessing upon the feast, and the little right hand of all the children was raised to make the sign of the cross, before they ate. They were helped to the good things, and filed off, to seat themselves in little parties on the grass. The presence of the Countess, whom they all reverenced, as well as loved, served to keep them very orderly. Looked at them, seated around in little clusters! Here a little family, and there a little family, and many other places, bands of friends. They had their food served to them thus. Then, there was no eye there, of all that little crowd, that did not see those two baskets, piled with beautiful colored eggs; and each one there knew that a share was for them. There was blue, and orange-colored, and red, and violet, and green ; ail the colors were found there—some among them were left white, and marked upon with colored letters. But there was no black—-no sombre shades. Everything was bright—cheerful—gay. “ Yonder is a little boy, my mother; walking on the road, the other side of the stream,” said Teresa. “ Where is he, my dear Teresa ? I do not see him.” “ Look at him, my mother. Now he passes the willows that grow down on the bank of the stream.” “ Oh, yes. I see him now/' said the Countess “Let us watch him; and when he gets near the bridge, we will send, and invite him to come in, and par take of the feast.” The little boy trudged on. He looked to be not more than twelve —a young traveller—and seemed weary. When he reached the bridge, the message from the Countess was delivered to him. He turned—crossed the bridge—came up the * hill, and over the lawn to where she stood. “ You are a very young traveller,” said the Countess, extending her hand to him. “ How far have you walked to-day ?” “ I come from a great distance,” touch ing his hat with gentle grace, “ and am waiting to hear the name of the kind lady who offers me refreshment at this pre cious feast.” “ Countess L. is my name, and here are my daughter and son.” “ Thank you, Countess, for your mes sage, and I do with pleasure accept,” re moving his hat now, and bowing. Ilis hair fell over his neck in golden curls, aud his eyes were full of joy. His happy expression pleased her, and she said to him: “ You are happy, I see, though you are tired How many miles have you walked to-day V’ “ Oh, I have walked many a mile to day ; but Ido not mind that. There is something in here,” touching his heart, “that keeps me strong, though I am tired; and that makes me happy, when I am alone.” Teresa said: “My mother, may I offer him some refreshments?” “ Yes, my darling.” And she brought him bread and a mor sel of chipped beef, fruits and cake, and said to him: “ Here is a seat at the foot of this tree; and I will watch your plate, and wait on you myself. May Ido so, my mother ?” “ Yes, my darling.” Ho was a vigorous youth, with a man ly appetite; and that for very good reason, because he liad undertaken a manly task. [to be continued.] FAMILIaTSCIENCE. [Fro{>ai\><l for the Banner of the Sonth by Unde Baddy.] ELECTRICITY CONTINUED LIGHTNING. Lightning destroys animal life, because in passing through man or beast, its action upon *the nerves is too violent for their powers of resistance ; but a person is killed by lightning only when the body is actually in the path of the electric fluid as it is on its way to the earth. Sometimes the action of this fluid is only strong 7 enough to injure the nerves, and not to destroy life. Balls of fire are formed by masses of explosive gas. They are formed in the air, travel more slowly than the ordinary lightning, and fall to the eaith, exploding like a cannon, and doing great injury. Sometimes they run along the ground and explode in a mass, while, at other times, they split into numerous smaller balls, each of which explodes in a similar manner. They set fire to houses and barns, and kill all cattle and human beings that happen to be in their course. It is very dangerous to be near a tree or lofty building ; also, near a river or any running water, because any tall object will frequently discharge a lightning cloud, and, if any one were nearby at the time, the lightning might glance off and pass through the human body. If a cloud were 700 yards above the earth it would be too far to be discharged; but a spire or other tall object, fifty yards high would shorten the distance so that the cloud would no longer be too far off to be discharged, the object acting as a conductor for the lightning. The most dangerous parts of a dwell ing during a thunder storm are the fire place, especially if the fire be lighted, the attic, and the cellar. It is also imprudent to sit close by the walls, to ring the bell, or to bar the shutters, during a thunder storm. Fire-places are dangerous, becaase heat, air, and soot, especially when con nected with a stove or grate, are conduc tors. Attics and cellars are dangerous, because the electric fluid, as we have al ready told you, sometimes passes from the clouds to the earth, and sometimes from the earth to the clouds, so, that in the middle story must be the safest place. It is dangerous to lean against a wall, because the lightning, in passing down the wall, would leave it and go into the ! body, which is a better conductor. It is ® dangerous to touch the bell, because bell wire is a conductor, and the fluid might pass through the hand and injure it. It is dangerous to be in a crowd, because a mass of people forms a better conductor than one person, and because the vapor arising from the crowd increases its con ducting power. Any place, about 20 or 30 feet from a tall tree, building, or stream of water, is the safest place. A person in a carriage during a storm, should not lean against the sides of the carriage, but sit upright, for the same reason that we have given why no one should lean against a wall. A mattrass, bed, or hearth-rug fur nishes good security against lightning. If in the open air at the time, the best thing a person can do is to stand about 20 or 30 feet from ai'y tall object and get wet to the skin, because wet clothes form a better conductor than the fluids of the bod} 7 , aud the lightning, therefore, would more readily pass down the wet clothes. , The Boy that was Wanted.— Dr. Bartram wanted an errand boy. George Way land heard of it. “I will offer my self,” said George, glad of a chance to do something to help his poor mother. He was a small, chubby little fellow; but he was strong and willing hearted. When he went to see the doctor, “I am afraid you are not big enough,” said the doctor. “Only try me, sir,” said George. “1 am older than you take me'for; I am eleven.” The doctor was surprised. “And I can read,” said George, “and write small hand as well as big, and lean do sums. Do try me, sir; please do” I “Are you a good walker !” said the doctor. “Oh, yes, sir.” “You may be a first-rate walker,” said the doctor, “and be able to read and write, and do sums, and you may be very strong, and yet you may not be the boy I want.” It was now George's turn to look sur- O prised. “I want an honest, truth-telling, indus trious boy ; one who would feel that if he idled away his time when he ought to be doing his work, he was robbing me; one who would ask God to help him to be faithful, and who would try to act when I am away just as he would do if I were present. Would you try to be such ahoy to me as that, George.” “Yes, sir,” said George, as if his whole heart was in the answer, “yes, sir.” That is the kind of boy every man who hires a boy wants, as well as Doctor Bartram; and no boy or girl that answers to it will ever have to remain idle or complain that the} 7 can find nothing to do. l)r. Bartram took George into his em ployment. Nicknames of Cities.— The following is a list of the nicknames of a number of the cities iu the Union : New York City, the Gotham ; Boston, the Modern Athens; Philadelphia, the Quaker City ; Balti more, the Monumental City; Cincinnati, the Queen City ; New Orleans, the Cres cent City; Washington, the City of Magnificent Distances; Chicago, the Gar den City ; Toledo, the Corn City; Detroit, the City of the Straits; Cleveland, the Forest City ; Pittsburg, the Smoky City; New Haven, the City of Elms ; St. Louis, the Mound City ; Indianapolis, the Rail road City: Keokuk, the Gate City; Nash-j villc, the City of Rocks ; Hannibal, the Bluff City; Quincy, the Model City; Alexandria, the Delta City; Maysville, Ky., the Seven Acre City ; Savannah, the Forest City ; Atlanta, the Gate City, Charleston, the Queen City of the South WIT AND HUMOR. The way one noble lord in Parliament calls another noble lord a liar, is as fol lows, as quoted from a speech last ses sion : “I beg to call the attention of my noble friend, the noble duke, to an obser vation which my noble friend, the noble duke, is reported to have made, and which my noble friend, the noble duke, will find upon retlection to be inconsistent with strict veracity.” An ingenious cobbler, who is known as a man of few words, and who is very provident of them, hit upon the following plan to save expense in painting all the letters of “Shoe Shop:” E SHO P. A Little^Lay. —Bachelor at breakfast —Dear me, Susan, that's a very small egg ! Susan—Yes, sir, it is; but it was only laid this morning, sir.— Judy. During the war for Southern independ ence it is°known that a strong secessions spirit was prevalent in Baltimore, in which many of the newsboys sympathized. One of these small itinerant peddlers, with a bundle of newspapers under his arm, entered a car at the Baltimore and Ohio depot in that city, a few minutes before the train started lor Washingtor, and while passing through, shouted, “Hurrah for Jeff Davis ! ’ Hurrah lor the Devil!” replied a United States sol dier, who, in bis blue uniform, occupied a near seat. “4hat’s right! said the youngster, “l oil hurrah for youi side, aud I'll hurrah for mine!” Seeing it announced that Grant is to make a speech, one of our exchanges warns him to remember the fate of the first Ulysses, who, when very near to port, was, by the opening of his wind* [tags, blown far away from Ithaca. Fooled.—A traveller was induced to go into a cook shop by this inscription : “Roast and boiled at twopence a head.” He was not a little disappointed at two courses of potatoes. “I wish I could prevail on neighbor Binder to keep the Sabbath,” said good old Mr. Jones “I’ll tell you how to do it!” exclaimed young Smith ; “get some body to lend it to him, and I’ll be bound if he don’t keep it. He never was known to return anything he borrowed.” MRS. SMITH ONCE MORE. “The 'conscience fund,* at Washington, Is growing every day, Because the little, petty thieves, Are learning how to pray; But, strange to tell, our shoddy men From pangs of fear are free; They don’t return the wealth they stoic,” Says Mrs. Smith, says she. “If all the world were blind, what a melancholy sight it would be !” said an Irish orator. Cross Heading.- -Here is a queer old rhyme which is quite contrary in sense, as you read it across, running the lines together: I always did intend To take me a wife, Single my life to spend, Would grieve my very life, It much doiiglitcth me To think upon a bride, To live from women free, I can’t be satisfied. A female to my mind, The joy I can’t express, I ne’er expect to find, So great in singleness. A bachelor to live I never could agree My mind I freely give, A married man to be. A few days since, an old gentleman in Missouri, where the drouth has been severe, and who has been hauling water for the last three months, on being asked by an acquaintance if he thought it would rain, remarked, “I hope not; for it it does, it will spoil the road so I cannot haul water.” AGUE. “And it shook him, shook him sorely, Shook his boots off and his toe nails. Shook his teeth out and his hair off. Shook his coat all into tatters, Shook his shirt all into ribbons, Shirtless, coatless, hairless, toothlosi. Minus boots and minus toe nails, Still it shook him, shook him till it Made him yellow, gaunt, and bony; Shook him till it shuffled for him Off his mortal coil, aud then, it, Having laid him cold and quiet, Shook the earth all down upon him; And he lies beneath his gravestone, Ever shaking, shaking, shaking!” Old gentleman at railroad depot buys a ticket, putting his wallet between his teeth while lie counts his change, then with a startled look, turns around, files about, searching carefully everywhere, stops frequently to make nervous inves tigation of his pocket, shakes his head, and resumes his tramp. Comes finally to the ticket window again, and says: “Have you seen"—and the wallet falls from his lips to the counter. “There Tis now! Had it in my mouth all the time!” He smiles benignantly, the crowd laugh b ti.sterously, amd the curtain falls. Too Smart for the Minister. —An acquaintance of ours, who has a bright, keen little girl in her family, related to us yesterday the following incident: The family were dining, when the conversa tion turned upon an excursion about to take place. A clergyman at the table spoke to the little girl and asked her if she could repeat the alphabet backwards. She said, “No, sir.” when the gentleman remarked, “Then you can’t goon the ex cursion.” She looked very demure for a moment, when she asked, “Can you say the Lord’s Prayer backwards ?” “No, dear.” “Then,” replied the girl, “you can’t go to heaven.” Her interrogator stopped. “Have you paid the Tax on your in come, Pat ?” “No, sur.” “And why not ? “Because it is iueom-pat-ible with my interests.” Os all the young women mentioned in the Bible. Ruth seems to have treated her sweetheart the worst. She pulled his ears and trod on ids corn Specimen copies of The Banner or tiie South sent free to any address.