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obedient youth; and for this reason, the Lord turned to his greatness and happiness what others had wickedly designed for his destruction. So it will ever be with the children of God; for the Apostle assures us that "all things work together for those who love the Lord."

DEDICATION FOR AN ALBUM.

BY THE EDITOR.

As often as I call to mind, I must admire
That mythic story of the olden days,
Which tells that Janus-wisest of the Roman Gods,
Was double-man, and looked two different ways;

Biceps, Bifons, Biformis*-if the tale be true-
He ever held both Past and Future full in view.
In this methinks a type or picture doth appear,
Of what in spirit every one should be;

For we should hold alike the past and future dear—
Each way our fond and earnest look bestow;

Though future friends and loves be many, yet
Amid the new we never should the old forget.
This Book is sacred to the Past; and any friend,!
To whom the farewell hand must needs be given,
May here record and seal a love that will not end,
If it have root in truth, bound up with hope of heaven;
And thus in after years I shall recall, in hours of love,
The friends I've met below, and hope to meet above.

*Two-headed, two-mouthed, two-formed.

HOW COFFEE CAME TO BE USED.

It is somewhat singular to trace the manner in which arose the use of coffee, without which few persons, in any half or wholly civilized country in the world, now make a breakfast. At the time Columbus discovered America, it had never been known or used. It only grew in Arabia and Upper Ethiopia. The discovery of its use as a beverage is ascribed to the superior of a monastery in Arabia, who, desirous of preventing the monks from sleeping at their nocturnal services, made them drink the infusion of coffee, upon the report of shepherds, who observed that their flocks were more lively after browsing on the fruit of the plant. Its reputation spread through the adjacent countries, and in about two hundred years it had reached Paris. A single plant brought there in 1714 became the parent stock of all the French coffee plantations in the West Indies. The Dutch introduced it into Java and the East Indies, and the French-Spanish all over South America and the West Indies. The extent of the consumption can now hardly be realized. The United States alone annually consume it at the cost, on its landing, of from fifteen to sixteen millions of dollars.

TIME FOR SLEEP.

THE following, which we borrow from the Journal of Health, is so well and sensibly said, that we cannot refrain from commending it to the special attention of our readers. Certain good habits are so very nicely delineated, and certain evil ones most genteely reproved. If any one of our readers should find himself entangled in any of the bad ways censured herein, "may he have repentance and a better mind." It may not be improper also to inform him that we have, ourselves, endeavored first. to profit by the lessons which we have delivered to him through the pen of another.-ED. GUARDIAN.

Sleep, "tired nature's sweet restorer," is well known to be essential to the existence of man. Those who are long deprived of a necessary proportion of it, have their health impaired, and not unfrequently the period of their existence abridged.

Many would appear to imagine that, provided a certain number of the twenty-four hours be passed in sleep, it matters little how or where such repose is obtained. This, however, is a very gross error. The accomodations of the night, equally with the occupations of the day, exert a very powerful influence upon the health and well-being of the system.

Night is evidently the period appropriated by nature for repose, and general experience has proven, that it is the only one during which we can with certainty obtain that sound, sweet, and refreshing slumber, so necessary for the preservation of health.

Sleeping during the day is, indeed, on many accounts, a pernicious practice, which should be carefully avoided, excepting under particular circumstances of disease, or when a sufficient amount of repose cannot be obtained at the natural periods. This, however, does not apply to infants. For the first months after birth, a healthy child sleeps full twothirds of its time. The propensity requires to be indulged by day as well as by night; but, with judicious management, it may be brought, in a short time, to require and enjoy repose during the latter period only. Young children, when fatigued by exercise, will also, in general, be found inclined to sleep during the day; from indulging them in a short repose, under such circumstances, 'no bad effects can result, provided their clothing be perfectly loose, so that every part of their bodies is freed from bands or ligatures.

The popular maxima, "early to bed and early to rise," is one which should be rigidly observed by every individual. It has been remarked that, in the natural state, the disposition to sleep usually comes on soon after the commencement of darkness; and according to the oldest and most accurate observers, three or four hours sleep before midnight is very nearly as refreshing as double that portion in the morning. Persons who spend the day in manual labor, or exercise in the open air, with great difficulty keep awake for a few hours after the night has closed in; and this disposition to early sleep is, perhaps, one of the strongest indications of perfect health,

The studious are noted for their disregard of "the regular hours of rest." The solemn stillness of night, inviting to those pursuits which

require a fixed attention, and a connected series of thought and reasoning, leads them first into the habit; which is subsequently strengthened by the circumstance of intense application of the mind, uninterrupted by sufficient and appropriate exercise, producing a state of nervous irritability inimical to sleep. Hence the student fears to leave his midnight lamp for a couch which he can only occupy in a state of restlessness. Let him, however, relinquish his nocturnal studies, and seek during the natural period, that repose which his mind and body alike demand; appropriating "the hours of early morn" to study, and the residue of the forenoon to exercise, and we are all persuaded, that while his progress in the pursuit of knowledge would be in no degree retarded, he will be the gainer, not merely in the enjoyment of more perfect health, but in the increased clearness and vigor of his intellectual faculties.

It has been very correctly remarked, "that the atmosphere of the night is always more vitiated, and consequently less fit for respiration than that of the day; and as we respire a greater portion of air while awake than in a sleeping state, it follows that from these, independent of other causes, the system is more liable to injury in the former than in the latter state."

Early rising is equally important to the health of the system as early rest. On no account should any one permit himself to again slumber, after the moment of his first awaking in the morning, whether this happen at the early dawn, or before the sun has risen; even though from accident or unavoidable causes he may not have enjoyed his six or eight hours of repose. It is much better to make up the deficiency, if necessary, at any other time, than to attempt taking another nap. Whoever shall accustom himself thus to rise, will enjoy more undisturbed sleep during the night, and awake far more refreshed, than those who indolently slumber all the morning.

Even this second nap is, however, by no means so injurious to health as the practice of continuing in bed of a morning long after waking; nothing tends, especially in children, and young persons generally, more effectually to unbrace the solids, exhaust the spirits, and thus undermine the vigor, activity, and health of the system, than such a practice.

Let any one, who has been accustomed to lie in bed till eight or nine o'clock, rise by five or six, spend an hour or two in walking, riding or any active diversion in the open air, and he will find his spirits more cheerful and serene throughout the day, his appetite more keen, and his body more active and vigorous.

Rees, in his life of Dr. Kippis, attributes the uninterrupted health of the latter to habits of early rising, as well as to the uniform regularity and temperance to which he had been accustomed from his youth. It may be added, that however different in other respects may have been the habits of those who have been remarkable for their longevity, they were all early risers.

The habit of early rising is one of great importance in reference to the health of young persons; when commenced in the first years of life. it will be persevered in from choice. "Hence," to use the language of an experienced writer, "while under the eye of parents and guardians, children may be taught to rise constantly at a certain hour, which will render it more easy for them to persevere in the habit after they are re

moved from under that control. If no disease or accident intervene, they will need no further repose than that obtained in their first sleep, which custom will have caused to terminate, of itself, just at the usual hour, and then if they turn upon the other ear to take a second nap, they will be taught to look upon it as an intemperance, not at all redounding to their credit.

No one should retire to rest immediately after a full meal, or in an agitated state of mind. Indeed, after a light supper, at least two hours ought to elapse before bed-time; and as a requisite for sound and invigorating repose, it is necessary to banish all anxious, gloomy, or depressing ideas and thoughts, and every species of mental exertion. To the same intent, every circumstance calculated to excite the senses should be removed. The pernicious practice, adopted by many, of reading in bed until they fall asleep, is particularly to be avoided. In place of this dangerous expedient to invite sleep, it would be more salutary to walk up and down the room for a few minutes, or to partake of any other gentle exercise. Fortunately, however, the individual who lives a life of temperance and virtue, and partakes daily of sufficient active exercise, requires no opiate to lull him to repose:

"On him the balmy dews

Of sleep with double nutriment descend."

THE MINSTREL.

BY B. H. WATERMAN.

THE minstrel's hand o'er the trembling strings
Of his plaintive harp is sweeping,

And the gushing forth of unseal'd springs,
Is traced in his silent weeping.

The tears flow fast o'er his pale, pale cheek,
Tho' no words his lips have spoken,
Oh! tongue and the lip, need never speak
To say, that heart is broke..

To no fond ear doth he breathe his song,
For his notes are sadly swelling;

And there beats no heart in the worldly throng
That would sigh for the tale he's telling.

And fainter, fainter, now they rise,

Like the sound of water falling

In its pebbly bed, where echo lies
In wait, for its silvery calling.

His last lone lay to the summer moon
Was sung in a strain of sadness,

For its joyous notes had learn'd too soon,
To lose their tones of gladness.

The morning broke-but the minstrel slept,
With the silent harp beside him;

Death brought the gift for which he wept,
The peace that the world denied him.

GOLDEN PARABLES.

FROM THE GERMAN BY THE EDITOR.

XXXVI-THE THREE BROTHERS.

THREE robbers murdered and plundered a merchant, who bearing with him much gold and other valuable articles, was passing through a lonely wood. They brought their ill-gotten treasures into their cave, and sent the youngest one into the village to buy food.

When he had gone, the two remaining said to one another, "Why need we share these great riches with this fellow? Let us kill him when he returns, and then his part will fall to us."

But the young robber thought to himself as he went: "How fortunate would I be if all these treasures were mine alone. I will poison my two associates, and then all will be mine." He bought food and drink, put poison into the wine, and returned to his companions.

As he entered the cave the other two sprang upon him, plunged a dirk into his heart, and he dropped dead on the ground! Whereupon they sat down, ate the food and drank the poisoned wine, and died in the greatest agony. Surrounded with stored treasures they were found dead.

On their own heads the wicked draw
The judgment of the broken law.

XXXVII- THE SWINE THIEF.

Late one evening two men came to an Inn with a dancing bear, and remained over night. The innkeeper had just sold his large fattened Swine, and thus he put the bear for the night into the empty pig-pen.

At midnight there came a thief to steal the Swine. Knowing nothing of what had been done, he softly opened the door of the pig-pen, entered, and in the darkness, instead of the swine, laid hold of the bear. With a fearful bellowing the bear fell upon him, grasped him in his powerful arms, and would not let him go.

The miserable man began to cry aloud from pain and fear. All the people in the Inn were awakened and came down to the pig-pen. With much difficulty the owners of the bear delivered the thief, bleeding and much injured, from his fearful claws. From the hands of the bear he was transferred into the hands of the magistrate.

To honest work in open day,

We safely may attend;
But evil works in darkness done,
Lead to an evil end.

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