the whole kingdom of Great Britain. But the idea does not startle us as it does when we plow one of those lakes, with a swift steamer, for days, before we reach the end of it. We hear of a river, one of the branches of which is navigated with steamers for eighteen hundred miles. But the thought is a vague one, until we have arrived at it by something like actual experiment. We read of storehouses which hold half a million of bushels of wheat, and, what is more, that they are filled brimfull of grain. But we have to see one of these immense buildings before we can make the idea a reality.

There is another way, too, in which this western tour has been of service to me. I have looked in the faces of a good many of my young subscribers, have seen their bright eyes, have heard the expressions of warm welcome, and have learned how much they love their Uncle Frank and his monthly visitor. I have seen the parents of these dear children, too, and have heard them thank me, with tears in their eyes, for the amusement and instruction I have furnished for their families. I never knew, until I entered the dwellings of my nephews and nieces in Michigan, and Indiana, and Illinois, and Wisconsin, and Missouri, and Kansas-for even there I found the Cabinet as much at home as if it were in Nassau-street-I never knew until then how much my monthly labors were appreciated. Sometimes, when I have read my letters from different parts of the Union, and have seen so many complaints because my magazine was not this thing, and because it was not that thing, and because it was not the other thing, I have thought, "Well, there's no use in trying to please every body; I wish I was well out of the whole business." But what I saw and heard in these western homes made amends for a thousand letters from grumbling subscribers. I don't believe any one here at the East can have any idea how cordially I was received, both by the children and their parents, in

the Far-West. Wherever I went I found subscribers. I visited several families who had taken the Cabinet during its entire life-time. For ten years they had been in the habit of chatting with it every month. Both it and its editor had got to be great friends at those fire-sides, during this long period, you may be sure.

Some incidents which occurred in a pleasant little village in Wisconsin, deeply affected me. I had visited this place solely to see a good old lady residing there. This lady, many years ago, after I lost my own dear mother, used to treat me almost as if I were her child, and to her I was wont always to go with my little trials and sorrows. How happy was our meeting, after nearly twenty years, I will not attempt to tell you. If I should dwell long upon it, I am afraid I should forget the incident I was about to mention, which was this: I had not been two hours at the house of my old friend, when the village physician called to see me. I suspect that a secret dispatch had been sent for him, though I don't know. This man proved to be one of the warmest friends the Cabinet ever had in its life. He had obtained multitudes of subscribers for it, and no terms in Webster's great dictionary seemed to be too ardent for him to use in its praise. He took me to see his children; and not satisfied with this introduction, he took me to see ever so many other little boys and girls in the neighborhood; and a very nice time I had with them all. Every body inquired about Aunt Sue. How difficult it is to satisfy people, is n't it? It was not enough to see Uncle Frank, the chief Cabinet-maker. To make their happiness complete, they wanted to see Uncle Frank's right-hand assistant.

There was another place in Wisconsin, too, which I visited on account of another dear friend, a lady who was a kind of protégé of mine some years ago in New York, but-oh, how time hurries us on !who is now a wife and the mother of five children. This visit, likewise, proved the

admirers of the Cabinet besides those dwelling under my friend's roof, who have a double claim to my good-will.

Now, I am sure the effect upon me of cordiality such as this will be a happy one. It will be happy in more than one respect. It will greatly encourage me in carrying out my plans for making the Cabinet the best magazine for the young in the world. It will cheer me, when I am weary with hard thinking. I shall feel that I shall be paid for it all, over and over again. It will aid in keeping the solemn and delightful thought before my mind, that my monthly messenger will be hailed with delight by thousands who will be amused, instructed, to some extent educated, by it, both for this world and for the other. And beside, it will, as it ought, make me especially interested in the large army of my nephews and nieces who may properly be regarded as residents in our western country. I am quite in love with the West, and hope I shall be able, one of these days, to extend my acquaintance with it. I want very much to go up the Mississippi near to the Falls of St. Anthony, and to make the tour from Detroit to Lake Superior. Who knows but I may be able to accomplish one of these tours, at least, should my life be spared, before the ground is white with snow again?

A VISIT FROM A GLASS SNAKE. I suppose you all recollect how much has been written in the Cabinet, by subscribers in different portions of our southern and western conntry, about the glass snake. The curious little fellow has been made very famous in our charmed circle. Well, I have long been wanting to see a member of this family. While in Georgia last winter, I inquired in high places and low places for one, but without success. While in Kansas, during the spring, I tried to find one; but the more I tried, the more I couldn't find it. But on my

I discover, nicely coiled up in a cosy bed of cotton, but a veritable glass snake; and he came all the way from Kansas, too. It was a present from my very obliging friend, Miss Morse, a missionary among the Delawares in this Territory. The brittle fellow is not alive. So you need not get nervous at all while I talk to you about him. He was found dead in a bay-mow on the mission premises. He is quite a beauty, I think. I wish you could see him, and you shall, if you will call at "Woodside." He is handsomely striped with black and golden stripes; and oh how gracefully his delicate form tapers from the head downward. As to his capacity of being broken like a stick, he has given proof enough of that, as he is already in three pieces. I can't join the parts, though I will not pretend to say that he could n't do it if he was alive. But I can't-I know that. Miss Morse must ac cept the wholesale thanks of an editor and a whole prairie-full of boys and girls for her timely present. I tried hard to visit this mission in the Delaware Nation, while in Kansas; but I deeply regret that I found such a visit impossible.

MY CORRESPONDENTS.

I promise my little friends due attention to their numerous letters, but not in this number. They will patiently wait another month, I know, when I tell them that I had time, after preparing the rest of the bill of fare for July, only to glance over these letters, and to satisfy myself, from this budget, that my dear little friends had not forgotten Uncle Frank during his annual pilgrimage.

THE NEW VOLUME.

Our readers will perceive that a new volume commences with the July number. They might as well take notice, too, that this is a good time for new subscriptions

to commence. Can't you persuade some dozen of your friends to take the Cabinet? And another thing: My brother, who always takes a great interest in his subscribers-his subscription-list is his great hobby, I believe-wishes me to hint, in the most delicate manner possible, though not so delicately that nobody can understand the hint, that there are some of his

present subscribers who owe for a year or more. He hopes they will notice the bill which has been sent to them, by way of refreshing their memories, and that they will inclose the money in a letter, and forward it to his office. He is sure, if they only knew how good-natured it would make him, they would not incline to delay a single minute.

PRIZE PUZZLE.

Look at this, boys and girls. Here is a chance for you to exercise your ingenuity a little-perhaps a good deal. See what you can do with the puzzle. If you are successful in solving it-without any help, mark that we will give you a little premium for it. Tell us what new subscriber you want the Cabinet sent to, and we will send it to such address through one halfyearly volume. Answers must be received at the office before the 10th day of August. Only one prize can be allowed in a single family, and of course boys and girls in the same neighborhood will not be allowed to avail themselves of the solutions of any one else.

Place the numbers from 1 to 144 in a square (twelve numbers, of course, on a side) in such a manner that, added horizontally, their sum shall be 870, and so that every square composed of four adjacent numbers shall equal 290. There will be 121 of the latter squares.

ALPHA.

CHARADE NO. 17.

My first was worshiped in old times,
On Egypt's sunny plains;
Where Nile doth fertilize the land,
And make it rich in grains.