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ml )c Atlanta Banntr Baptist,
SEIiECTEJ) ARTICLES.
THE TAIL OFJ TADPOLE.
A blade of grass is a world of mystery,
“ would men observingly distil it out.”—
When my erudite friend, Gerunds, glanc
ing round my workroom, arrested his con
temptuous eye on a vase abounding in tad
poles, and asked me, with a sniffling superi
ority :
“Do you really mean to say you find
any interest in those little beasts?”
I energetically answered:
“ As much as you find in Elzevirs.”
“ H’m ! ” grunted Gerunds.
“ Very absurd, isn’t it ? But we have all
our hobbies. 1 can pass a bookstall on
which I perceive that the ignorance of the
bookseller permits him to exhibit an edi
tion of Persius among the rubbish at ‘ one
shilling each.’ The sight gives me no thrill
—it does not even slacken my rapid pace.
But I can’t so easily pass a pond in which
I see a shoal of tadpoles swimming about,
as ignorant of their own value as the book
seller is of Persius. T may walk oif, but
the sight has sent a slight electric shock
through me. Why, sir, there is more to
me in the tail of one of those tadpoles than
in all the poems of that obscure and dreary
Persius. But I won’t thrash your Jew un
less you thrash mine.”
“ Why, what on earth can you do with
the tail? ”
“Do with it ? Study on it—experiment
on it—put it under the microscope, and day
by day watch the growth of its various
parts. At first it is little but a mass of
colls. Then 1 observe some of these cells
assuming a well-known shape, and forming
rudimentary blood-vessels. 1 also observe
some other cells changing into blood-cells.
Then the trace of muscles becomes visible.
These grow and grow, and the pigment
cells, which give their color to the tail, as
sume fantastic shapes.”
“ Very interesting, I dare say.”
“ You don’t seem to think so, by your
tone. But look in this vase ; here you seo
several tadpoles with the most apologetic
of tails—mere stumps, in fact. 1 cut them
oif nine days ago.”
“ Will they grow again] ”
“ Perfectly ; because, although the frog
dispenses with a tail, and gradually loses it
by a process of resorption, as he reaches
the frog form, the tadpole needs his tail to
swim with; and Nature kindly supplies
any accident that may deprive him of it.”
“ Yes, yes,” added Gerunds, glad to feel
himself once more in the region of things
familiarly known; “just like the lobster, or
the crab, you know. They tear oIT their
legs you know in the most reckless man
ner, yet always grow them again.”
“ And would you like to know what has
become of those tails ? ”
“ Arn’t they dead?”
“ Not at all. * Alive and kicking.’ ”
“ Alive after nine days ? Oh ! oh ! ”
“ Here they are in this glass. It is ex
actly nine days since they were out off, and
1 have been watching them daily under the
microscope. I assure you that I have seen
them grow, not larger , indeed, but dev elope
more and more—muscle fibres appearing
where no trace of fibre existed, and cica
trice forming at the cut end.”
* Come, now, you are trying my gulli
bility.”
“1 am perfectly serious. The discovery
isnone of min a. It was made this time last
year by M. Vulpian, in Paris, and 1 have
only waited for the tadpole season to repeat
the observations, lie says that the tails
constantly lived many days —as many as
eighteen on one occasion ; but I have never
kept mine alive more than eleven. He
says, moreover, that they not only grow,
as I have said, but manifest sensibility, for
they twist about with a rapid swimming
movement when irritated. I have not seen
this; but M. Vulpian is too experienced a
physiologist to have been mistaken ; and
with regard to the growth of the tails, his
observations are all the more trustworthy,
because he daily made drawings of the as
pect presented by the tails, and could thus
compare the progress made.”
“ Well, but 1 say, how the deuce could
they live when separated from the body ?
Our arms or legs don’t live; the lobster’s]
legs don’t live,”
“ Quite true; but in these cases we have]
limbs of a complex organization, which]
require a complex apparatus for their main
tenance; they must have blood, —the blood!
must circulate the blood must be oxygen ]
ated——“
Btop, stop; 1 dm t want to understand]
why our arms can’t live apart from our
bodies. 1 hey aon t, lho tact is enough'
for me. 1 want to know why the tail of
a tadpole mil live apart from the body.”
“It am. Is not the fact enough for you
in that case also ? Well, 1 was going to
tell you the reason The tail will only live
apart from the body so long as it retains
its early immature form : that is to say, so
long as it has not become highly organized.
If you cut it off from a tadpole which is
old enough to have lost its external gills a
week or more, the tail will not live more
than three or four days. And every tail
dies as soon as it reaches the point in its de
velopment which requires the circulation of
the blood as a necessary condition.”
“ But where does it get food? ”
“ That is more than I can say. 1 don’t
know that it wants food. The power of
abstinence possessed by reptiles is amazing.
I was reading the other day an account of
a reptile which had been kept in the Boston
Museum eight and twenty months without
any food, except such as it might have found
in the smsll quantity of dirty water in
which it was kept.”
“ Really I begin to think there is more
in these little beasts than l suspected. But
you see it requires a deal of study to get
at these things.”
“ Not more than to get at any of the oth
er open secrets of Nature. But since you
are interested, look at these tails as the
tadpoles come bobbing against the side of
the glass. Do you see how they are cov
ered with little white spots? ”
“ No.”
“ Look closer. All over the tail there
are tiny cotton-like spots. Take a lens if
your unaccustomed eye isn’t sharp enough.
There, now you see them.”
“ Yes; I see a sort of fluff scattered
about.”
“ That fluff is an immense colony of par
asites. Let us place the tadpole under the
microscope, and you will see each spot turn
out to be a multitude of elegant and active
animals, having bodies not unlike a crystal
goblet, supported on an extremely long
and flexible stem, and having round their
rim or mouth a range of long delicate hairs,
the incessant motion of which gives a
wheel-like aspect, and makes an eddy in
the water which brings food to the ani
mal.”
“ Upon my word, this is really interest
ing ! How active they are! How they
shrink up, and then, unwinding their twist
ed stems, expand again ! What’s the name
of this thing ? ”
“ Vorticella. It may be found growing
on water fleas, plants, decayed wood, or
these tadpoles. People who study the ani
malcules are very fond of this Vorticella. ’
“Well, f never could have believed such
a patch of fluff could turn out a sight like
this: I could watch it for an hour. But
what are those small yellowish things stick
ing on the side of these parasites ? ”
“Those, my dear Gerunds, are also par
asites.”
“ What! parasites living on parasites?”
“Why not! Nature is economical. —
Don’t you live on beef and mutton and fish?
don’t these beefs, muttons and fish live on
vegetables and animals? don’t these vege
tables and animals live on other organic
matters? Eat and be eaten is one law;
live and let live is another.”
Gerunds remained thoughtful; then he
screwed up one side of his face into fright
ful contortions, as with the eye of the other
he resumed his observations of the Vorti
cella. I was called away by a visitor to
whom I didn’t care to show my tadpoles,
because to have shown them would h&re
been to forfeit his esteem forever. He
doesn’t think very highly of me as it is, but
has a misty idea that 1 occupy myself with
science; and as science is respectable and
respected —our Prince Consort and endless
bishops patronizing the British Association
for the advancement of Science —the misty
idea that after all 1 mag not be an idiot,
keeps his contempt in abeyance. But were
lie once to enter my work-room, and see its
bottles, its instruments, its preparations, and
above all the tadpoles, l should never taste
his fellowship again.
[ Once a Week.
Stray Wait*.
What word may be pronounced quicker
by adding a syllable ?<> it ? Quick.
If you love ot hers, they will love you.—
If you speak kindly to them, they will
speak kindly. Love is repaid with love,
and hatred with hatred. Would you hear
a sweet and pleasant echo 1 Speak sweet
ly and pleasantly yourself.
What sea might make a comfortable
shaping room? The Adriatic. (A dry
at tie.)
Rum, while in hogs' heads, is capable ot
doing but little mischief; but when it gets
into men's heads—look out!
The Spaniards account by a quaint legend
for the constant political disturbances in
their country. When St. lago, their pat
ron, went to heaven, he interceded bless
ings on Spain. Brave men, handsome
women, a fertile soil and a fine climate, were
readily granted. The saint then asked for
‘ good government.’ ‘No, no,’ was the re
ply, ‘if th; were conceded as well, the
angels would quit heaven to live in Spain.’
CHILDREN’S COLUMN.
The Child’s Guardian Angel.
Each little child that sees the light
In hut or palace grand,
Has for his guidance, day and night,
A hidden angel’s hand ;
That hidden angel, kind and strong,
Conducts him step by step along.
When sinks to sleep the weary head,
The angel never sleeps;
But round the little trundle-bed
His silent vigil keeps.
When storms alarm the older breast,
He keeps his little charge at rest.
And when the light and bounding heart
Is pleased with play or toy,
The blessed angel takes a part
In all its childish joy;
And but for guardian angel’s cares,
How few would reach to hoary hairs !
It gives an angel joy to find
A child that loves to pray ;
To see it gentle, good and kind,
And cheerful to obey ;
And when he meets an angel friend,
He loves his darling to commend.
But when a child begins to stray,
Nor heeds his mother’s word ;
Neglects his father to obey,
And sins against the Lord ;
It makes the angel very sad
To see his child perverse and bad.
And if from worse to worse he speeds,
Rebellious in his heart,
Nor e’er reform his evil deeds,
The angel must depart,
And carry up a sad report
To read before the heavenly court.
But if a child, however small,
Is pious, good and true,
The Lord himself, who knows it all,
Keeps that good child in view,
And sends Him many an angel arm,
To guard him night and day from harm
Remember, children glad and gay,
That angels pure and bright
Are round about you every day,
And round your bed by night;
And God himself, the Great, the High,
Is always looking from the sky.
[From an Old Nursery Tale.]
The Story of Chicken-Little.
Once upon a time Chicken Little strayed
into a gentleman’s garden, where she had
no business to be. While she was scratch
ing under a rose-bush, a rose-leaf fell on
her tail, which frightened her so much that
she ran with all her might to Hen-Pen.—
‘O, Hen-Pen,’ said she, ‘ the sky is falling.’
‘ Why, Chicken-Little,’ said Hen Pen, ‘how
do you know it?’ ‘ O,’ said Chicken-Lit
tle, ‘ l saw it with my eyes, I heard it with
ears, and a piece of it fell on my tail! ’■—
‘You don’t say so!’ said Hen-Pen, ‘lot’s
run!’ So away they ran to Duck-Luck.
‘O, Duck-Luck,’ says Hen-Pen, ‘the sky is
falling!’ ‘Why, Hen-Pen,’ says Duck-
Luck, ‘ how do you know it ? ’ ‘ Chicken-
Little told me! ” ‘ Chicken-Little, how do
you know it? ’ ‘ (), I saw it with my eyes,
1 heard it with my ears, and a piece of it
fell upon my tail! ’ ‘O, let’s run as fast as
we can ! ’ says Duck-Luck. So away they
ran till they came to Goose-Loose. ‘O,
Goose-Loose ! ’ said Duck-Luck, ‘ the sky
is falling!’ ‘Why, Duck-Luck,’ says
Goose-Loose, ‘ who told you so? ’ ‘ Ilen-
Pen told me ! ’ ‘ Hen-Pen, who told you ? ’
‘ Chicken-Little told me ! ’ ‘ Chicken-Lit
tie, who told you ? ’ ‘O, l saw it with my
eyes, I heard it with my ears, and a piece
of it fell on my tail! ’ ‘O, come, let’s
run!’ says Goose-Loose. So away they
ran till they came to Turkey-Lurkey. ‘O,
Turkey Lurkey,’ says Goose-Loose, ‘the
sky is falling! ’ ‘ Why, Goose-Loose, you
don’t say so! ’ says Turkey-Lurkey. ‘ Who
told you so? ’ ‘ Duck-Luck told rne !’—
‘ Why, Duck Luck, who told you ? ’ ‘ Hen
Pen told me ! ’ 1 Hen Pen, who told you ? ’
‘Chicken-Little told me!’ ‘Chicken-Lit
tle, who told you ? ’ ‘O, l saw it with my
eyes, I heard it with my ears, and a part
of it fell on my tail! ’ ‘O, come,’ says
Turkey-Lurkey, “ let’s be off as fast as we
can go!' So they ran on-till they came to
Fox-Lox. ‘O, Fox-Lox,” says Turkey.-
Lurky, ‘ the sky is falling!’ ‘Why, Tur
key-Lurkey,’ says Fox L<>\, • is it possible?
Who told you so!’ ‘Goose-Loose told
me ! ’ ‘ Goose-Loose, who told you ?’—
‘Duck-Luck told me!’ ‘Duck-Luck, who
told you ? ’ ‘ llcn-Pen told me!’ ‘ llon-
Pen, who told you ?’ ‘Chicken Little told
!me ! ’ ‘ Chicken-Little, who told you ? -
‘ O, 1 saw it with my eyes. 1 heard it with
my ears, and a piece of it fell on my tail!’
I‘ O, dreadful,* says Fox-Lox, ‘come all of
jyou into my den as quick as you can ! ’ —
So he ran in first, and as Turkey Lurkey
followed him in, he turned round, seized
! him by the neck, bit off his head, and threw
his head on one side of the d-x>r and his
i body on the other. Next came Goose*
j and Fox-Lox bit off his head, threw
jit on one side, and his body on the other.
Then came Duck-Luck. Fox-Lox treated
1 him the same way. Then came in Hen-Pen.
[ Fox-Lox treated her the same way, too !
j Last of all eatne Chicken-Little. Fox-Lox
! snapped at her, and gobbled her up at one
mouthful. Bo that was the end of them.
And all this came from nothing but the
foolish fright of Chicken-Little!
THE LADIES’ COLUMN.
The Mission of Woman.
“ Speak cheeringly unto the sad,
The wounded in heart and the poor,
For a word of affection makes glad,
And helps the wrong to endure.”
So wrote and sung one of Eve’s fair
daughters her soul inspired by retro
specting past events, and her feelings ri
sing as she felt the sweet influences of
smiles and cheering words, as she passed
through life. 'Tis no wonder, then, she
gave utterance to the above sentiment. —
Though coming not from the lips of age }
are these words the less true? Surely
not.
This beautiful world of ours is indeed
blessed—formed for happiness. Many are
'its beautiful visions, its delightful hopes.
The cup of pleasure, to many, is full, and
hastily they quaff the contents; fortune
has showered its rich favors on many, and
as they weave and present their beautiful
pictures, our hearts to them gladly turn
and seek relief from the cares of life.
• But let us not forget, that while earth
has its joys, all is not sunshine. Let us
aemember, when our hearts are radiant
with happiness—cheered by the kind words
and smiles of companions, buoyant with
hope as our days glide swiftly and smooth
ly onward—that many, very many, are
sad. Life has its pictures of darkness and |
woe. Over many of these pictures of
grief—these sad reverses that cause the!
heart to weep and thrill with anguish —we!
would gladly draw a veil, did not stern du
ty, that mercy we are commanded to show
to others, forbid.
“ As iron sharpeneth iron, so the counte
nance of man his friend,” was the saying of I
the wise man, so also are the angels, the!
highest and mest exalted of created intelli
gences, ministering spirits often in this
world of woe and sin. When the sorrow
ing ones of earth have wandered forth at
the close of day, when evening shades were
gathering round and as the silent stars
came out one by one and brought no relief
to the burdened spirit; they have come as
messengers of mercy, and reminded us of
the star of hope, that still shone brightly,
and rose above the darkened ruins of the
grave; and the brow wrinkled by care, and
the heart smitten by anguish has looked
with a triumphant eye at the blighting ef
forts of earth. How forcibly should these
reflectioi s strike us? How should woman J
rejoice that her mission is one of mercy, 1
and in carrying out its great requirements ;
she becomes nearly allied to the angelic;
heart.
The work of man is before him, to con
trive, to investigate, to dare, and to do;
woman’s to bear and forbear, to soothe, to
counsel, to cheer. To
“Comfort man, to whisper hope,
When ’ere his faith is dim.”
Therefore, as a work but little below that
of the seraphs, who sing around the throne,
it becomes her duty to bind up the wounds
and soothe the sorrows of the suffering by
cheerful words and gentle smiles. This is
the true mission of woman. This is why
the sterner sex, “ the lords of creation,”
style us “angels of mercy,” when we per
form the duties devolving upon us in our
legitimate sphere. As “ ministering spir
its,” the virtues and charities of our sex
are to shine pre eminent. The briny tear
of the mother flows as she follows her child
to the grave. The w til of agony comes
from the heart of the husband or wife, as
the clods fall in mournful tones on the cof
fin of the partner for life. Sad are hearts
of brethren and sist< rs as the tomb closes
on the loved one gone before to the spirit
land.
As the bitter tear; in torrents flow, or]
the wail of despair . IF on the ear, or the
eye meets the sad countenance of the be
reaved ones —then can she speak cheerfully
of joys to come, of • ippy reunion beyond
the tomb, and pom* to the soothing and]
comfortable prom r- contained in the
“ Book of Books,” and soothe the sorrows,
brighten the countenance, and dry up the
tears of despair.
The tomb, the sad sorrow of bereave ]
ment, are not the only* woes that need her
sympathy and attention. There are youth
ful hopes forever crushed —prospects once
fair and alluring, which presented many
bright and joyful anticipations to the ar
dent imagination, have suddenly fh-d, have
faded, and left the possessor ii poverty’s
lowly vale; and the life once too bright
and cheerful, is embittered by the thought
that this world cares but little for the suf
fering poor.
’Tis here that kind words and cheerful
smiles h&ve often recalled the troubled spir
its back to earth, and have infused new life
and vigor into the soul. Hope so lately
fled has again returned, and with new ener
gy they have again commenced the duties
of life, while success has often crowned
their efforts. Let her not then withhold the
cheerful word—the hopeful smile of en
couragement, the gentle tear of spmpathy,
feeling assured many will “ rise up and call
her blessed,” while she but fulfills her mis
sion.
THE SOLDIER’S COLUMN.
A Soitlicr’s Prayer.
Arise, O iSd, lift up Thy hand; forget
not the humble. Give us help from our
trouble, for vain is the help of man. Lord,
it is nothing with Thee to help, whether
with many or with them that have no pow
er ! help us, O Lord, our God, for we rest
on Thee, and in Thy name we go against
this multitude. O Lord, Thou art God.
O, our God, wilt Thou not judge them ? for
we have no might against this great com
pany that cometh against us, neither know
we what to do, but our eyes arc upon Thee.
Our enemies are lively and strong; they
that hate us wrongfully are multiplied. —
Our own familiar friend, in whom we trust
ed, hath lifted up his heel against us. Arise,
O Lord, in thine anger, lift up Thyself be
cause of the rage of our enemies, and
awake for us to the judgment Thou hast
commanded. Judge us, O God, and plead
our cause against an ungodly nation. Oh !
deliver us from the deceitful and unjust
man. Deliver us, O God, out of the hand
of the wicked, out of the hand of the un
righteous and cruel man. Let them not
say in their hearts, aha! so would we have
it; we have swallowed them up. Let them
be confounded and put to shame that seek
after our life; let them be turned back and
brought to confusion that desire our hurt.
Slay them not, but scatter them by Thy
power, and bring them down, O Lord, our
shield. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the
nations may know themselves to be but
men.
Grant not, O Lord, the desire of the
wicked; further not his wicked device, lest
they exalt themselves; but grant unto us,
that we, being delivered out of the hand of
our enemies, may serve Thee without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before Thee
all the days of our life.
O Lord, though our iniquities testify
against us, do Thou it for Thy name’s sake;
for our backs!idings are many ; we have
sinned against Thee. Have sinned against
Thee, because we have forsaken the Lord ;
but now deliver us out of the hands of our
enemies, and we will serve Thee.
Hear now in Heaven, Thy dwelling
place, and answer and forgive; and this we
beg for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
—Amen.
AH Conscripts.
Conscription has become familiar to us
in these days. Our dear country’s necessi
ties have called for all the young vigor and
strength of our nation’s manhood. Our
people, seeing the urgency of our situation,
have cheerfully consented. At first there
was a jarring, the old plan did not easily
join with the new ; but soon we trust all
will work smoothly, and already we see
the wisdom that planned the measure.—
Possibly the conscription may be extend
ed, but at its furthest reach many will be
exempted through sickness, old age, infan
cy ; and all the females, of course, will be
p assed over. Only, as the census tables
show, about one-sixth part of the white
population can be included. These, with
the few exceptions above noticed, are liable
to be called out for the war. Even if at
home for awhile, they actually belong to
the army of the Confederate States, their
names are enrolled, they may at any time
be commanded to the camp or battle-field.
Now, there has been ordered another con
scription of our people which is not much
talked about. It has been made by the
highest and most lawful authority. It is
'like the other, in that all enrolled are liable
jat any day to be called upon. Butit is un
! like it too. In our Confederate conscrip
! tion some of the conscripts may possibly
; not be required for service. But in this
other all must sooner or later be summoned.
Our army conscription applies to those
only between certain ages. This includes
all. The feeble, gray-haired man and the
infant, all have their names set down ; the
females too are enrolled; and there are no
exemptions whatever. No State or Con
federate officer, however high in rank, nor
minister, nor workman, nor even those
win*can give millions for a substitute ; not
the bedridden, or blind or deaf and dumb
—all are conscripts and must go.
In the Confederate conscription there is a
probability that their time of service will
be brief. A few years at most of war and
then a happy return home, perhaps before
then a discharge on account of sickness or
a wound. But in the great conscription
there is no discharge. The chief authority
has published that “ there is no discharge
in that war.” Ecclesiastes 8: 8.
Reader, your name is enrolled, you are
a conscript. God has set down your name.
Are you preparing so as to be all ready
when your summons comes ? Are you set
ting your affairs in order ? Providing and
proving your arms? Ephesians 6 : 13.
Aie you ready to take your place with
them who will have “the victory?” 1 Co
rinthians 15: 55. Or will your place be in
that vast division of death’s army, which
shall assemble only to be defeated, accurs
ed and punished forever'?
[Southern Presbyterian.