In

The mule, which is partly horse and partly ass, is a valuable animal on account of its being so surefooted. It can carry heavy burdens, and mount or descend the steepest hills with ease. Spain people of the highest rank are drawn by mules, many of which will sell for fifty or sixty pounds a-piece. From twenty to thirty years is the ordinary duration of the mule's life.

The zebra is a kind of wild ass, and is probably the animal so poetically described in Job xxxix., 5-8, "Who hath sent out the wild ass free ? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing." In South Africa small herds of zebras may occasionally be seen feeding on the extensive plains. But so swift are their movements that they leave very readily every pursuer far behind. Like that of the ass the head of the zebra is large, its back straight, and its tail tufted at the end; like the horse, its skin is smooth and sleek, and its hind quarters full and fleshy. Its ears are neither so long as those of the ass, nor so short as those of the horse. But its greatest beauty lies in its colours. These colours are white and brown, or white and black, and are disposed in alternate stripes all over the entire body with an exactness and symmetry that no painter could possibly attain. These stripes are narrow, parallel, and separated by exact distances from each other, and look like so many ribands laid over the body. The zebra has not as yet been tamed and trained for man's service. If this result should ever be accomplished, man would have at his service as swift and beautiful a creature as moves on the face of the earth.

The goodness of God is seen in providing us with animals of very various capabilities, so that by their aid all Nature is laid under contribution for the benefit of man. Nor is that goodness less conspicuously seen in the fact that every animal's disposition and habits are attuned to his way of life; and the donkey has as much satisfaction in the dull round of duties he is called to discharge as the gaily caparisoned horse with his greater publicity and glitter and show. God, who is said to temper the wind to the shorn lamb, has unquestionably given to the creatures He has made for our service a spirit and temper that exactly agree with the place they are called to occupy. The patience of the ass might be a defect in the highspirited horse, and the fiery impetuosity of the horse would certainly ill accord with the humbler duties and less elaborate organisation of the donkey. From beginning to end the arrangements of Nature are so perfect that the most inventive intellect cannot suggest improvement; all that we can do is to behold and reflect in order that we may appreciate and admire.

TOM FOSTER, THE ORPHAN.

BY CHARLES LEACH.

CHAPTER XII.—A FIGHT IN THE BILLIARD-ROOM.

M

R. TRUEMAN was alarmed. He felt as much concerned for the young men, but especially Foster, as he did for his own safety. He knew that men with their slender means could not drink as they evidently did and be honest.

"I am very sorry this has turned up just as I am going away," said he to his manager; "but it cannot be helped now. Let the thing take its course until I return. Say nothing to them in my absence, nor do anything that will lead them to think we know anything about this affair. Book the name of the horse upon which Barker said he had bet his money. The race will be over a day or two before I return, unless I can come earlier than I had thought, and this I must try to do. In the meantime keep a sharp look-out, and pick up any scraps of information that you can without creating suspicion. Of Barker for some time I have been rather suspicious, and have not liked two or three things which I have seen. I have my fears that he has led Foster away. I have always had great hopes of that youth since the first day Mr. Wood brought him to my office until now. But what I have just seen has shaken my confidence." A few moments later he bid his manager good night and left him.

The next day all went on as usual at the firm. Neither Barker nor Foster had the remotest idea that Mr. Samson, the manager, knew anything of their doings on the previous evening, hence they did not notice that he watched them more closely than usual. A great amount of money passed through Foster's hands. If he really were dishonest, he had many opportunities of appropriating his master's cash. If any fraud had been practised, Mr. Samson determined to find it out. He spent many hours that week at the office after all the rest had left. As well as he was able he examined all the books Foster had in his care, but all was in good order. No irregularity, no trace of tampering, all as straight as he could wish to see. He felt sure that whatever else Foster had done, he had not yet become a thief. This was no small relief to Mr. Samson. He set his heart upon saving him, if that were possible, and determined to know where and how they spent most of their time. Remembering that Mr. Trueman had expressed a wish that the suspicions of the assistants should not be aroused, he had to proceed with caution. This he did, as the reader will see.

To watch them himself was out of the question. He, therefore, spoke to a personal friend of his, who expressed his willingness to assist in any way he could. It was agreed between them that he should place himself near to Mr. Trueman's shop in the

evening, and, when the youths left, follow them, enter where they did, and watch their whole proceedings.

At the appointed time Mr. Earnest was in the neighbourhood of the shop, having previously made himself well acquainted with the faces of Barker and Foster. Mr. Samson left at the usual hour, and walked past Mr. Earnest as if he had never seen him before. Shortly after several young men left the house, and, after passing along the first street in a body, broke off in several directions. Barker and Foster as usual went together. A few minutes' quick walking brought them to a respectable-looking house of its kind, which they immediately entered. From the familiar manner in which they spoke to the landlord, it was evident that they knew one another well. They passed at once to the billiard-room. They had no sooner entered than they called for "brandies," and lit their cigars. There was a somewhat large company for that room; like Barker and Foster they seemed to be mostly clerks or assistants. Whilst most of them were young, there were a few of middle age.

Barker was soon engaged in play, whilst Foster smoked, drank, and watched, Game after game was played, in each of which Barker unfortunately lost. After repeated losses, and drinking several glasses of spirits, he became much excited. His face was flushed, his hand unsteady, and his temper ruffled. At length he charged his opponent with unfair play. This led to angry words, then to blows. A fight ensued, in which Barker was thrown with great force to the floor, and struck in the face by his opponent several times in quick succession. Foster rushed to the assistance of his companion, and with one heavy blow struck his antagonist to the ground. He was about to follow up this blow, when several voices cried out, "Foul play!" and the next moment Foster found himself at full length on the room floor.

CHAPTER XIII.-MAKING BAD WORSE.

A description of the scene which followed the events narrated in the last chapter is almost impossible. All was excitement and noise. Barker lay bleeding on the floor, just where he had fallen; but his opponent and Foster sprang to their feet and would have rushed at each other like tigers, which they much resembled, had not someone interfered. Happily at this moment a gentleman who had sat in the room most of the evening reading the newspaper, and apparently taking little notice of the company, came forth and placed himself between the combatants. With the help of the landlord, the stranger managed to restore peace. Having done so, Foster and he helped up Barker, who was just recovering from the half insensibility into which the blow and fall had thrown him. He had an ugly cut over his eye, from which blood still flowed. They took him out of the room and from the house. When outside the stranger said, "Good-night," and in a moment was gone.

As it was not very late, they succeeded in getting into a chemist's shop. Here Barker's face was washed, his wound dressed, and his clothes brushed. Leaving the shop they made for home. On their way they had to concoct a scheme for deceiving Mr. Samson as to the real cause of Barker's wound. This was an easy task; long before they had reached home Barker had it all "cut and dried."

About half-past ten that night a sharp rap was heard at the door of the house in which Mr. Samson lived. "He is early," said that gentleman, as he rose to answer the door, evidently recognising the knock. A few seconds later Mr. Earnest was seated by the fire with a look of sadness upon his face painful to behold. We scarcely need remind the reader that the stranger who settled the dispute in the billiard-room, and helped Barker from the house, was Mr. Earnest. He told all that had passed. "Barker," said he, "has lost ten shillings. Foster has formed a love for drink. I noticed that he took it freely. But beyond the drinking, which is serious enough, I do not think him so bad as his companion."

"Lost ten shillings!" said Mr. Samson, "besides what was spent in liquor! Where does the money come from? He has at this moment a quarter's salary staked on a horse-race, and yet he can lose ten shillings in one night besides. Wherever he gets it, of one thing I now feel certain, it does not come from his salary."

It was arranged that Mr. Earnest should watch for two or three nights more, so that when Mr. Trueman returned, they might, in addition to these facts, be able to say how they spent several of their evenings.

The next morning Barker found himself in so much pain from his wound and other bruises that he did not rise at the usual time. Foster had an ugly lump on the side of his head, but this he could easily hide from the gaze of anyone. Mr. Samson finding that Barker was not at his post, walked into the office to speak to Foster.

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"Where is Mr. Barker this morning?" asked the manager in his kindest tone.

"He is a little unwell, and unable to rise," said Foster.

"I am very sorry to hear that," said Mr. Samson; "do you know what is the matter with him? I do hope there is nothing serious." "Not very serious," said Foster; "he is suffering from the effects of a slight accident with which he met last night."

"Accident!" said the manager, leaning his head forward and opening his eyes wider as if greatly astonished. "Do you know what it was ?"

"Yes, very well, for I was with him when it happened. We had been out for a long walk, and were returning home, as near as I can tell, about ten o'clock. Just as we turned a corner to enter the main street, we were passing a rough-looking man, who, without the slightest provocation, struck Barker in the face and then ran off as fast as he could." The manager more astonished than ever said :

"Why did you not follow the man and give him into the policeman's hands?

"I should have done so, but Barker was so stunned with the blow that I was obliged to attend him. With the help of a stranger I got him into a chemist's shop, had his wound dressed, and then we came straight home."

Whilst making these statements the colour had come to Foster's face, which Mr. Samson carefully noticed, but said nothing about. It would have been strange if such lies had not made him blush. It made the manager's heart ache to hear so base an untruth told to cover up their sins. It was making bad worse. But thus it ever seems to be with wrong-doing. One sin makes another necessary; the second to hide the first, then a third must follow to hide the second. In some respects sin is like a stone rolled down a hill; it goes slowly at first, but gains speed with the distance travelled. Avoid the first wrong action, that the second may never follow. Shun the very appearance of evil.

Mr. Samson, after saying that all such wickedness would meet its deserts, left the office and went to see the unfortunate assistant. He had just come down, and was trying to take a little breakfast when the manager entered. He was certainly in a pitiable_condition. He had several pieces of sticking-plaster over one eye, and both eyes were black and much swollen. Mr. Samson expressed his sympathy, and asked the cause of his suffering. Barker told the same tale that his companion had done, and added: "I shall be sure to know the man the next time I see him."

PAPERS FOR THOUGHTFUL BOYS.

BY THOS. STONELEY.

VIII.-NATURAL PRODUCTS-PRECIOUS STONES. NO. III.

HE belief in the miraculous power of precious stones among the ancients was very great. They drank the powder of chrysolite mingled with wine, with the belief that it was good against fever and melancholy. Albert Magnus of Lauingen, who lived in the thirteenth century, wrote a work on the virtue of stones, in which he says:-"If you wish to become invisible take an opal and wrap in a bay-leaf, and it is of such virtue that it will make the bystanders blind, hence it has been called the 'patron of thieves.'

it

"If you would avoid all danger, and overcome all earthly things, and possess a stout heart, take an agate. If you would sharpen the understanding, increase your riches, and foresee the future, take an emerald. For prophesying it must be placed beneath the tongue." We are apt to smile at the credulity of these ancients, and wonder where