Sir," said the minister, very quietly. The infidel walked off in confusion, and went by the name of "The Buzzard" during the remainder of the passage.

B

MOTHER'S DARLING.

OUNDING like a football,
Kicking at the door;
Falling from the table-top,
Sprawling on the floor;

Smashing cups and saucers,
Splitting Dolly's head;

Putting little pussy-cat
Into baby's bed.

Building shops and houses,
Spoiling father's hat,

Hiding mother's bunch of keys

Underneath the mat;

Jumping on the fender,

Poking at the fire,

Dancing on his little legs-
Legs that never tire-

Making mother's heart leap

Fifty times a day;

Aping everything we do,

Every word we say.

Shouting, laughing, tumbling,
Roaring with a will,
Anywhere and everywhere,

Never, never, still.
Present-bringing sunshine;
Absent-leaving night;
That's our precious darling,

That's our hearts' delight.

"I SAY."

you

OME people are in the habit of repeating "I say" to almost every sentence to which they give utterance. On one occasion a lady rang the bell for her footman; on his entering, she said:"I say, James, I have been to Mrs. Thompson's, and heard that say, said that I am in the habit of saying 'I say' to every word I say. Now if I do say 'I say' to every word I say, it does not become that I you to say say 'I say' to every word I say, James." Children should guard against this and the like vulgarities while they are young, else they will use them, when they are grown up, without knowing it, just as this lady did.

THE GREAT AFRICAN DESERT.

HE SAHARA, or the Great Desert of Africa, sometimes called the ZAARA, is a very large tract of territory, situated between the States of Barbary and the countries watered by the river Niger. It has an area of one million eight hundred thousand square miles. In its greatest

spaces, it is true, in which little is to be seen but an expanse of such sand; but the greater portion of it consists of a firm soil, in many parts composed of hardened sand, in others of sandstone. The surface of other portions consists of rocks, frequently of granite, mixed with quartz. But whatever may be the soil in particular places, it is very poor, and almost entirely destitute of vegetation. There are tracts covered with bushes and coarse grass, but they are few, and always of small extent. This general want of trees, and shrubs, and grass, is owing to the dryness of the air. The Sahara is in that part of the globe which separates the region of winter rains from that of summer rains, and it does not enjoy the benefit of either of them. In the greatest portion of it not a drop of rain falls to refresh the hot and dry soil; and in those parts of it which border on the countries which have abundant rains, only a few showers occur in August and September, and even these not every year.

This want of rain makes the whole of this division of Africa unfit for any kind of cultivation. But it is not on that account

entirely uninhabitable. The lower districts contain a few wells, in the neighbourhood of which the soil is covered with grass, shrubs, and bushes, that afford food for camels, goats, and sheep. These animals supply a subsistence to the tribes that wander with their tents from place to place.

Those who venture across this uninviting region are exposed to many dangers, both from the nature of the country, and the character of the people who live in it. Though the camels here and there find some herbage and shrubs to satisfy their hunger, no provisions can be obtained along the whole route, a distance of above a thousand miles. The traveller must carry everything with him. The wells of drinkable water occur only at a distance of ten days' journey from each other, and sometimes the interval is greater. Whoever attempts to traverse this forbidding waste, must therefore provide himself with as much water as is required for his use till he reaches the next well; and if the season is hotter and drier than usual the well is dry, and he runs a great risk of perishing of thirst. If he loses his way, a certain death awaits him. In those