what had brought me to his country; and the messenger advised me to lodge for the night in a village to which he pointed. As there was no remedy, I set off for the village; but no one to whom I applied would admit me into their house.

4. "Their prejudices against the whites led them to regard me with distrust and fear. I was obliged to sit the whole day without food in the shade of a tree. The night threatened to be very tedious; the wind was rising, and there was an appearance of a heavy rain. The wild beasts, too, were very numerous in the neighborhood, so that I should be under the necessity of climbing the tree and resting among the branches.

5. "About sunset, however, as I was preparing to pass the night in this manner, a negro woman, going home from her field labors, stopped to look at me. Seeing that I was weary and sad, she inquired into my situation. I briefly explained it; after which, with looks of compassion, she took up my saddle and bridle, and told me to follow her.

6. “Having led me to her hut, she lighted a lamp, spread a mat on the floor for me to sit on, and told me I might stay there for the night. Finding that I was very hungry, she went out to get me something to eat, and returned in a short time with a fine fish, which she broiled on the embers for my supper.

7. "The duties of hospitality toward a stranger in distress being thus performed, my kind benefactress told me I might sleep on the mat without fear of harm. She then cailed to the females of her family

(who had all the while stood gazing at me in wonder) to resume their task of spinning cotton.

8. "They employed themselves thus a great part of the night, lightening their labor by a song, composed at the time, of which I was the subject. It was sung by one of the young women, the rest joining in a chorus. The air was sweet and plaintive; and the words, literally translated, were these:

our tree.

9. "The winds roared, and the rain fell. The poor white man, faint and weary, came and sat under He has no mother to bring him milk, no wife to grind his corn.' Chorus-'Let us pity the white man; no mother has he to bring him milk, no wife to grind his corn.'"

THE AMERICAN BUFFALO

THE proper name of this animal is bison; and it

differs from the buffalo, which is found in other countries, by the short, crisp, woolly hair with which its body is covered, and which hangs in heavy masses over the head and shoulders of the male animal, his mane often reaching the ground.

2. These creatures gather together in enormous herds, often numbering several thousands. They are most valuable, both to the white hunter and to the

Indians, as their bodies will supply almost every necessary of life, furnishing, when occasion requires, food, drink, clothing, and shelter.

3. Their activity and endurance are really marvelous; their powers of running are very great, and so sure of foot are they that they will go at full speed over places where even a horse would find it difficult or impossible to travel.

4. Vast numbers of bisons are killed annually, whole herds being sometimes destroyed at once by cunning hunters. Finding them not far from a precipice, they surround the animals, and drive them within a half-mile of it, then frighten them by shouting, firing, and waving their hats.

5. The creatures, being naturally timid, are struck with panic, and dash off at full speed in the only direction left open to them, which leads them of course to the edge of the precipice. When they get there, the foremost of the herd tries to turn back; bút they are going so fast, and are so pressed by those behind, that they are all carried over.

6. A much fairer mode of catching them, and more sportsmanlike, is to chase the herds and fire at them while running. This requires a good horseman, with a true eye and steady hand, as well as a trained steed. The Indians are expert at this, and will often accomplish more with their bow and arrows than a white hunter with his best gun.

enormous, large. marvelous, wonderful. furnish, to give.

annually, every year. necessary, what is needed. precipice, a high, steep place.

LESSON XCI.

THE WANDERER.

WAS a wandering sheep,
I did not love the fold;

1. I

I did not love my Shepherd's voice,
I would not be controlled.

2. I was a wayward child,

I did not love my home,
I did not love my Father's voice,
I loved afar to roam.

3. The Shepherd sought his sheep,
The Father sought his child;
They followed me o'er vale and hill,
O'er deserts waste and wild :

4. They found me nigh to death,
Famished and faint and lone;
They bound me with the bands of love
They saved the wandering one.

5. Jesus my Shepherd is,

'Twas he that loved my soul, 'Twas he that washed me in his blood, 'Twas he that made me whole :

6. 'Twas he that sought the lost,

That found the wandering sheep; 'Twas he that brought me to the fold'Tis Ire that still doth keep.

MY MOTHER'S GOLD RING.

I

HAD many fears that my husband would fall back into his former habits of intemperance whenever he should meet his old companions, or stop in