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*% m.m Coral Fishing. Coral fishers on the coast of Italy aud Sicily begin about the middle of February, and continue till the middle of October. The value ot the coral varies according to its color and size; the pale pink is the most prized, espe cially it it be of a uniform color throughout, without stains. OfTTorre del Greco, near Naples, a large quan tity of coral is found every year ; from 400 to 6U0 boats are sent out in search of it, each boat being of from six to ten tons’ burden, with a crew of at least twelve men, and costing from $2,500 to $3,000 a boat. The valuable pink coral is found chiefly off the coast of Sicily. In the year 1873 a bed was ditcovered in the Straits of Messina in which the coral, though found only in small quantities and of a small size, was of immense value, owing to its beautiful pink,of a uniform color, and without any of those stains which de tract so much from its worth. Unfor tunately, the supply of coral in this bed seems to have run short, and for the last few years coral-merchauts have not found it worth their while to send boats in search of it. In 1875 a local bed was discovered about twenty miles off the coast of Sciacca in Sicily, which was invaded for the next two years by 700 boats This number,ail crowded together in one spot, caused great confusion, and the Italian Government senta man-of- war to keep order among the fisher men. Another similar bed was dis covered in 1878, about tern miles fur ther from the coast, and in 1880 yet another still further. The coral found off'the coast of Sciacca does not grow, as at other places, attached to rocks, but is found clinging to any small ob ject it can lay bold of, such as a shell or a fragment of coral. It is supposed that its dark red or black color is caused by the muddiness of the water in which it lives, although the depth of the sea at such sp )ts is from 300 to 450 feet. This coral is not much esteemed in the English market, but is prepared in large quantities for the Indian maiket, at Calcutta, by being exposed for months to the heat of the sun, aud by being kept moist, when in time the black color gradually disap pears. A few years ago a large quan tity of Japanese coral fouud its w r ay into the market at Naples, and fetched as much as $750 the kilo, in raw branches, in spite of its being a bad color and somewhat cloudy. This high price was given on acoount of its extraordinary size. It was the lar gest real eoral ever known. Nothing has been beard of it since, excepting that the fishery was prohioited in Japan. regulation raiment. One of these days, perhaps, reform will triumph over the present Blue-coat uniform. Yet who will not bewail the change that robs us of the time-honored garb of Camden and Coleridge, and sends their successors out to roam the streets arrayed in the monotonous propriety of a chimney pot hat? Possibly the Grecians may walk with increased self-respect if divested of the stocking, but as regards the mass of “ Blues” the gown is probably regarded with a mixture of pride merging into indif ference. 11 Our dress,” says the inimi table Elia, “was of the coarsest and quaintest kind, but was respected out of doors, anil is so still. It consisted of a blue drugget gown, witli ample skirts to it; a yellow vest qnderneath in winter time ; small clothes of Rus sian duck, worsted yellow stockings, a leathern girdle, and a little black worsted cap, usually carried in the band. We used to flatter ourselves lhat the dresi was taken from the monks, and there went a monstrous tradition tliat at one period it consisted of blue velvet with silver buttons.” Yester day’s procession to the Mansion House, and afterward to church, was noticeable, among other things, for the badge carried by some of the scholars on their breasts, with the words “ He risen ” inscribed thereon, 'this is in accordance with the injunctions of an ancient legatee, whose last will and testament directed that a certain number of boys should wear gloves bearing the device in question in Easter week. Herein we have an in stance of the way in which the Christ’s Hospital of the present feels the influence of the past, the “grasp of the dead hand,” in all its ceremo nials—but no unkindly or unbeneficial grasp, after all.— [London Society. THE RETURN. Spring has comeback apain, divinely fair, And trees are budding ’ueath t,he violet skies, a nd faint,a-veet odors t! roug t»e sunny air. And yellow-winged, elusive butterflies Flit here and there ; nd nark ! the bluebirds, climbing heaven ward, sing, A ud it is spriug, spring, spring ! Walchltig the g.ass grow green, that show dropa grew ik no died iu other springs 1 half forget; Vhe skies intc xlcute.; 1 live anew ; And from my beating heart drops 8,11 re- Whtlo llts pours through ; For hark ! the bluebirds, climbing heaven- v-erd, sing, And li is spring, spring, spring 1 The Blue-Coat Boys. Pity has been abundantly and grat uitously lavished on the Blue coat boys, who are compelled by the laws of tbeir school to go about bareheaded in most weathers. The actual sight of the yellow stockings, the long cloak buckled round Hie middle—looking like something between an ulster and a dressing-gown—and the head en tirely destitute of any covering beyond tha which nature has given it, has often led to a notion that the Blue-coat boys are brought up to endure the most terrible hardships. However Lexperience would probably soon con "vince anybody who tried a short spell of goiDg about hatless or bonnetless— provided he did not catch cold—that many much worse evils have to be encountered in the course of a life’s career than this particular infliction The saving of time ana trouble In not having to take off’ the hat in presence of superiors, for instance, must in it self be an appreciable benefit. Yet Blue-coat boys are not so badly off”, after all, for they may carry the useful umbrella about with them in case of rain. Consequently it may be asserted fcwith some confidence that but little riditional convenience would be ac ^rded to the Newgate-street scholars fre they all at once to break out into id-coverings, while we should >rived of a picturesque aud original ^tiune in the metropolitan streets [se boys took to the same outward )iliment« as other lads. vantage of the Blue \ Uniform jjV* * u the ease with [Cll if. >t’s - eUHbl *‘ Bananas. With every fragrant viol't that 1 see I am a little child again, pierced through Wish ’I o Millie 1 hr< bhu :oldeti ecstasy ah when 1 saw therein lies mystery, Only i he h l.u! Oh, hark I the fcluebirdB, climbing heaven ward, sing, And it is spiing, spring, spring! li. O. WH1TON. An Educated Woman. of I All ,tL‘ Ch °o" e ; the scholars to be identified ;e, iu London or more or £f 1*»«o uJ Where the Fruit is Raised and Faots About the Trade. A recent letter from Aspinwall says : The most of the bananas that are used in the United States are shipped from this place. Until about two years ago the whole of them came from here but now they are beginning to ship them from Jamaica. A monopoly of the trade is had by two parties here, they having formed a contract with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, under which they agree to pay for a certain number of tons of room on each steamer that leaves here for New York, the Pacific Mail Company agreeing to carry bananas for no one else except these parties. In fact, they are so strict about it tnat even the officers on board the steamers aie not allowed to carry bananas for their own private use. Acres upon acres of land here are cul tivated for the raising of bananas. One of the men engaged in shipping them has a perpetual lease of fifteen thousand acres or one entire section of railroad land. With the exception of one or two plantations the bananas are not raised by the parties shipping them, but are bought up from the natives for miles around tlie country. The first thing to be done is to clear out all the undergrowth, bushes, twining vines, etc. These are gath ered and burned. After this is cleared away the large trees are cut down. It sometimes take two or three men as many days to cut down one tree. After the land is cieared the bananas are planted in rows about fifteen or twenty feet apart On ground that is usecl for the first time for bananas, vegetables of various sorts are planted between the rows. Yams, plantains, and sometimes quite a crop of Indian corn are raised in a 1 auana field. Those things help to keep down the grass, which is quite troublesome the first year. The best land for growing them is on a side of a hill, where the sun lias great force and more of a chance t^get at the plants. Each 1 ree bears a single bunch, which is ready to cut about nine months after setting out the plant. After removing the bananas the trees are cut off close to the ground, aud from the old stumps three or four more trees will spring up, each of which will in about nine months yield a bunch. The trees grow about fifteen feet high. In setting out a new field, the roots of bid trees are taken. These roots grow in clumps and contain a number of eyes from which new sprouts Jitfl'rt. The bunch of roots is cut into a ttftmber of pieces, each piece containing about one eye, and frjm each onejpf 1 these pieces a new tree starts. first orop ays “And vou are really not ashamed of me, father?” “Never, my daughter.” It was the tear-stained face that Molly lifted, but all other signs of gr'ef had disappeared, in the surprise with which she heard this assertion. “Well, I can’t understand it at all father.” “Then don’t try. Dinner is waiting for us now ; we’ll talk more about it another time.” Molly Bennett, with a score of other girls and half as many boys, made up the senior class in the Wellfield high school. After four years of school life together, the time for graduation was near. Mathematics, Greek and kin dred subjects had faded into present nothingness before the much discussed questions of class name and badge and colors. These were at last decided upon and peace for a time anticipated, when the class was one morning thrown into a greater commotion than ever before by the assignment of the honors.” There had been little doubt during the last year as to who should have the valedictory, but beyond that the claimants for honors included nearly every member of the class. As the number of essays to be given out was limited to six, there remained, as a mathematical necessity, at least twen ty-five disappointed boys and girls to talk the matter over. Everybody had beard such talk ; there was a great deal of it, and some tears ; truth com pels me to add tnat not a few ungra cious remarks were made about all parlies concerned. The teachers came in for a portion ; they had marked by favoritism and not justice; but that was too old a topic to be long inter esting, and Ihe school board was given a turn. “Minnie Janes, Principal’s pet! of course she must have an essay ; and Alice Smith, “because her father don’t like the high school any too well, you know.” Fred Dashiell! good thing to live in a fine house and come to school on a bicycle!” “Fred always makes a recitation, though,” said Garry Long, one of the younger girls. “Because lie is a first class guesser,” responded the first speaker. “Guessing is knowing, if one guesses right,” laughed Garry. Each holder of a fortunate ticket in these appointments was warmly dis cussed, and the others who had failed of honor were almost without exeption, in somebody’s opinion, very badly treated and ought to “make a fuss” about it. Molly Bennett had a kind heart, a pleasant face and overflowiug good spirits. Her ability as a scholar was not remarkable, so that although she studied more hours and with hearty good will, she constantly failed t > record as brilliant results as many less diligent students. Molly knew per fectly well that she was not a great scholar, but somehow her sense of merited reward, of honor really earned, seemed to claim that reward for the diligent workers, aud not for the lucky holders of high numbers. So it came to pass that all tlnough the latter part of her course in the high school Molly had cherished a fluttering little hope that her name would receive honorable mention, with the right to be represented by an essay at gradua tion. Iu girlhood’s dreamy fashion idly home from school and into the house. The sober flushed face told of something unusual, and at her father’s question. ‘Headache, Molly?” sh- sank into a chair and cried heartily. ‘ Oh, no ! 1 am not sick at all; but I have lost it and 1 studied so hard, aud you b"th expected me to get it,” said Molly. Just wimt their daughter had lost ami in what dear hope they were to | be disappointed was not quite clear. Boys are given to talking largely of their plans, “when 1 graduate, you know,” and “if I get the valedictory,” but a healthy girl nature is less lavish of its confidence. For thin reason further explanation was necessary be fore Molly’s distress was understood by her parents. their hearty assurance that they were well please i with t:.e results of her high school course, did much to mitigate the sharpness of disappoint ment, but the pain was too genuine for an iustant cure. “It seems to me I’m a failure,” in sisted Molly. And to me that you are a success,” said her father, ‘you have been faithful and persevering ; we have felt that uniformly you have done your honest best.” Then you must think I am an awful dunce,” said Molly, mournfully. I can’t hear my daughter slandered in my presence,” was the reply, “so I shall run away to my work before you shall call her any more names.” The next morning the school discus sion was vigorously renewed. Maude Kirklaud had the floor: “My father says it was a fraud, and he is going to have something done about it.” A poorly concealed smile went round, for Maude was noted as an utter dunce. “Going to secure the valedictory for you M’-udie?” asked somebody. “My father aud mother are perfectly satisfied,” said Molly. “Sour grapes,” said Laura Sherman. “Of course they say so now,” sug gested some one else. “Why haven’t they told you before ?” Molly hadn’t thought of that, why not, indeed! She put the question to her father the same evening. For an swer he opened his desk and handed her something which made her heart beat and her eyes fill. It was a case containing a pretty watch and chain in fulfillment of promise dependent upon her su cess- ful completion of the high school course. “Notice the bill, Molly,” said her father. It was a month old, and pretty clear proof that honors aud essays aud high per cents had not betn her father’s und rstanding of “successful.” Graduation day came and went. There was the usual round of exercise and thirty-one boys and girls were added to the ever-wideuing tide of humanity which seeks success in the world’s great ways. Molly’s father thought a great deal about his daughter and her future after the affair of the class honors. He was i^)t satisfied that she seemed to con sider her education completed by the framing and hanging of her diploma on the wall of her room. Had he fol lowed a very particular fashion, he would have put all the blame on the schools and berated the whole system as barren of all good results. “Oh, yes!” he would have said, “all very fine these public schools ; great, costiy buildings, crowds of teachers, courses of study that sound well, but I’d like to see some practical results.” Something of this sort, Mr. Dauforth, one of his neighbors, had often said to him, and now that Molly was through With the schools, the opportunity was taken for another attack. Greatly to Mr. Danforth’s surprise, he found Mr. Bennett “of the same opinion still.” “Wholly unreasonable,” he said, “to expect a thorough knowledge of any subject in a girl of eighteen. She has learned a few fundamental principles and memorized certain facts; these will serve us an outline which she must fill iu from the world of books and nature aud society. I do not look for anything more.” “After twelve years at sch groaned MADan forth. Looking a%iis daughter’s educ| the light of coi A in the school sense, Mr B( correct conci iu the many rJie had sometimes pictured this da>#tionhad been m ft piece of best. Tiie ba- 1 lie re are more lly average yield about if her first triumph, her own success id her father’s couseqv jBut now 4 it was all oi 9ve thought that great j Ifn upon $iolly as she] irlde. the merest acquired. He *iid not ranca^induh |tt arrived at ct Is. Itwasimpoj recta to which, leu that any.tl^ ue could 1 lioule Not although some chance question-'" ings frequently revealed an utter in ability to apply come very common place attainment of the school-room. To prove if this wore so, her father never failed to bring up the same sub ject a second time, and the interest thus awakened often developed much profitable thought on both sides. About this time, Mr. Bennett bought a tract of poor, unpromising laud. “Bad investment,” said his croaking neighbor. ‘ Ho you said of Molly’s schooling,” was the good-natured reply. A double development of resources began. On the farm, one ragged stretch of hilly pasture land proved the de posit of a valuable building stone, and ere many months went by, a produc tive quarry was being worked. Molly had always “stood well” in geology; here was an object-lesson iu the grand science which made her bring out her text book and compare its pages with the beautiful stone leaves upon which God had written the earth’s story long ago. In their rides and rambles about the quarry, father aud daughter grew well acquainted, and the next winter’s evenings found them enjoying many of the best books on geology and min eralogy. Railroads and lumber yards made heavy demands upon another portion of the land which was heavily wooded. Mr. Bennett’s presence was required almost every day, and Molly was fre quently his companion. Such trea sures of plant aud animal life as were unlocked to her eager mind! The variety and beauty of the trees, their modes of growth and the delicate perfec tion of their blossoms; that was a great chapter in botany. Another scarcely more exquisite was opened in the multitudes of tender, beautiful things which grow in the shaded woodpaths, where the sunlight steals timidly and the dreamy music of the wind Is the only sound. The botanical soc’ ty in the town received one very enthusias tic new member, and the contents of Molly’s specimen box always called out (xclamations of delight. “Such perfect beauties! Where do you Il ( everything ?” Then the birds. It was an old sa; ing with Molly that their noises al sounded just alike to her; but a ye after her graduation she would h resented such a remark about feathered friends with much the sa wrath which a young mother displays when all babies are said to “look just alike.” She learned the aristocratic hues of the black-bird family and knew their rich, well assured-notes; roystering old Bobolink was her friend, and the swallows and sparrows were too well learned to be mistaken. In this delightful science her father had bee a her constant companion, reviving the knowledge and pleasures of his own boyhood days All this time it never occurred to Molly to be surprised by her own de light iu books which had before proved dull and uninteresting. In th^wri ings of the great thinkers who been able to get behind n interpret her secreti^^^^WTrners' she found conato^K^onfirmation o that which she could herself observe with the added advantage of superior thought aud wider reseaich. Molly’s oft repeated request that she might help her father some way, really help,” was the more urgent as he noted his increasing business and consequent increasing care and weari ness. There were family letters to write, home%,ccounts to keep, bills and receipts to look after. A discour aging mistake now and then caused some confusion, but a prudent father did not say it was “just like an educa ted woman,” It was more likely to be something like this, “never mind, Molly, I have yet to see your first mis spelled word.” To father and mother their daughter was well nigh indispensable, and every one who knew Molly Bennett found In her an intelligent, capable woman, whose hands were as r with their service as her heart with its sympathy. The purchase of the unpromising land^had proved a most paying enter prise, t^^in view of these two facts, Mr. Dan^^^ had lon^tago dropped the suhject^knaying i^^ktments.” Inclinatiol^^Bl^^^^^& moral for the bene mothers; my yo 1 never forgive mi them. Oh yes, most certainly, and visited Molly (Bennett no m her own. Her diploma, now sevi? eight y^rs old, is matched by a si ml ment bearing the seal of jollege. r saw a pleasanter home no lUlren jfcau Molly Jr., Nelli Ben. i