Gideon Hoole's Secret. course you will know nothing except that I'm missing-haven't been home since office hours. There's no risk to you, and it's a simple favour enough.' "I will not consent for any money-nor for any consideration," said Martin firmly. A dire look came into Varcourt's face, but the proximity of a passer-by prevented answer, and in another second or two they stood on the office threshold. Truly there was reason for their pallor, and truly, as Maurice by-and-by informed Gideon Hoole, Martin had as yet refused compliance. As I have already said, the lad went off to Brand's Wharf with alacrity, and debated still his dreary round of problems. When he returned, he found both of his seniors busy writing, and a second commission awaiting him-this time to the shipyard. An unusual quantity of shipping seemed to be lying that day in the port, and Martin found himself scanning some vessels as he passed them with very curious eyes. He fell to wondering if the many tales he had read of happiness and freedom on the blue water had not really a substratum of truth in them. Like almost all boys of British growth and healthy taste, he had had his dream of the sea, and it came back to him this morning-altered perhaps in outline, but as vivid in tint as ever. Martin's business in the shipyard took him some time. There had been some changes there of late, and a new foreman-who wanted a great deal of explanation when one of Mr. Hoole's concise messages was sent was installed'in the post of honour. Dan Roberts, too, had vanished. But as it happened, Martin picked that worthy up on his way back. Neither Dan nor the lad had ever forgotten the episode of the child-rescue, and when they met they naturally fell into a chat. Dan, it appeared, was engaged just now in the loading of a vessel about to sail. He had retired for luncheon, and, seated alone on a huge stone by the waterside, was discussing bread-and-cheese. "Why, sir!" he said, after Martin had spoken and constrained him to look up," you're not well, sure-ly!" "Why not? What is the matter, Dan?" "Ah, that's jest the point what is the matter? Why, you're as pale as a chalked board, a'most; you can't be well, sir?" The tone evinced real concern. Rough as the man was he was deeply and abidingly grateful to the saviour of his little Polly. Martin, in his present condition as susceptible to sympathy as an Eolian harp is to the wind, was touched, and replied, 131 "When does she sail?" he asked, keeping up the farce. "Drops off shore this werry afternoon, sir, an' sails in the morning for the China Seas." "Rather too short notice, I'm afraid, Dan; can't get ready in time;" and this mention of time leading Martin to think he had loitered long enough, he said "Good morning," and trudged away. Mr. Marling, of course, dined with his family, but the two junior clerks were accustomed to patronize together a handy restaurant at the town end of St. Auland's Street. Thither they went to-day, and laboured at a meal which neither knew very well how to manage. In such a busy hive it was impossible to recur to the subject which was weighing upon both their spirits, and, when the almost silent task was ended, Maurice proposed a stroll. Martin agreed, and they wandered out of hearing of the crowd. Martin this time opened the subject. He had determined to have no farther parley with temptation, but to use every effort to dissuade instead of denounce Maurice. He had no idea of the mine which a craftier hand even than Varcourt's had laid beneath his feet. The boy grew almost eloquent and several times sent a qualm through his companion's heart as he painted again the dangers, the folly, the vileness of the contemplated deed. At first Varcourt's longcontinued silence led him to fancy he was winning, but a glance at the gloomy, mocking face undeceived him. He stopped suddenly, with a pang of despair in his breast. "Very fine, indeed. Wonder you weren't made a parson," said Varcourt then. But you'll not alter me, I can tell you. What's more, I'll either make you give in or ruin you. My word's as good as yours, I suppose? Well, then, I've taken good care to back it by evidence, my lad―by evidence! Safe in your little private box, in your desk-unless some. body's found it by now-there's a paper, with your figures on, that'll prove you meant business. It's got Gideon Hoole's name on it in his own writing, and a good many times in other people's. Do you understand? Practising for a forgery, they'd call it. And then there's a ten-pound note of the master's there that couldn't have been honestly come by, and that may be missed. What do you say now? "Say you're a villain!" cried the boy, with flashing eyes and clenched fists-" a villain out and out! You led me wrong, you got me into debt, you borrowed my money, and now you want to put your wickedness on to my shoulders! "But "Not so loud, please." Then, in the same measured, half-bantering, altogether pitiless tone he had used before, he continued: "And why were you such a ninny as to be led wrong, then? But I don't want, Martin, to put my doings on your shoulders. It's only for self-preservation that I am come to this alternative." This was true, in a sense far deeper than his hearer guessed. you must decide for yourself, and at once; there is no time to loose. If you've made up your mind to lose your money, to baulk me, to go to Mr. Hoole with your preposterous story, I shall take the opportunity of appealing first, that's all. As to which story he'll believe, that remains to be seen; but, as I tell you, I've taken the precaution to get evidence. Don't be a fool, Martin ! say you will give in." (To be continued.) То HOW TO KEEP A MARINE AQUARIUM. BY FELIX FERRY. 10 proceed to the discussion of the marine aquarium will seem to many of our readers a veritable invitation to mount the hill difficulty. How shall town or inland residents possess and manage a sea-water collection? Much as they would like to, the wish appears in the nature of things to be altogether vain. One lad says that, if he lived with his uncle at Brighton, now, it would be possible; but here, in a smoky suburb of the great city, he might as well be asked to go yachting, or to perform some other pleasurable, but impracticabl feat. We do not think so. This is an age of progress, of invention; and if the genuine article in the way of sea-water cannot be obtained, it is still feasible to procure a substitute. In London, or any large town, it is, however, quite possible to get the า much), except to occasionally replenish it with a little river water, quite clear. Your rock-work in the marine aquarium may, without rebuke, be far more ambitious than in the fresh-water one. As the range of fitting-materials will also be greater, the chances for effective building and grouping will be proportionately increased. Some good-sized stones, upon which alge are already growing, are best for the foundation; and upon them may be reared a fanciful superstructure of chips of granite or marine shells-even, if you have no other resource, of well-scraped fragments of coke. Fasten the whole firmly together with Portland cement, and do not be in any hurry to disturb it before it is quite "set." It is well to let the top of the rock-work show above water. In some of "briny" from Nature's laboratory. Real sea-water | the prettiest and most successful of home aquariums is sold by aquarium-dealers at a few pence per gallon. "Tidman's sea-salt" is sometimes used with fair success for the manufacture of an artificial supply, and another recipe is as follows:-To every gallon of pure fresh water put 3 ounces of the ordinary table salt, of an ounce of Epsom salts, 200 grains (troy weight) of chloride of magnesium, and 40 grains (troy) of chloride of potassium. Needless to say, in all cases the genuine is to be preferred to the imitation, and, however good the latter, an extra effort is well worth making to supersede it. We will suppose that you have done so, and that with regard to the chief staple of the marine aquarium your mind is at ease. The tank may here be somewhat larger with advantage, while retaining its old distinctions of shape, and of the slated sides. We give a representation of one in Fig. 1. When once filled to the proper level with the sea-water, no further trouble need be taken upon that point (as the salt will not evaporate deliberate attempts have been mado to imitate real rock-pools, such as may often be found in secluded spots on a favoured coast (Fig. 2), swarming with both vegetable and animal life. These attempts at copying nature are praiseworthy, and invite repetition. Do not imagine, however, that effect is the only aim of the aquarium rock-work. It has a genuine utility. It provides a much-needed sheltera retreat on the silent highway-for creatures of a nervous organization, and it offers convenient foothold for clinging sea-anemones, &c. A word about the position of the marine aquarium. Temperature is a question that must be studied. If you have a room that is moderately cool in winter and moderately warm in summer, that is decidedly the apartment to be chosen. An equally important factor in this problem is the kind and quantity of light. A soft, subdued daylight, without the intrusion of the actual sun-rays, is best. There are aquarium-keepers, as well as owners of gold-fish 133 Fig. 4. from accidental lapse of attention, such should be the case, the treatment of a few days' total seclusion may rectify the blunder. But the need for so severe a remedy should, if possible, be avoided. Clean sea sand, pebbles, and small shells will cover the bottom of your tank. Away from the neighbourhood of old ocean, these must be purchased-like the stones with the alge on, of which we have spoken, and the seaweed and living creatures, of which we are about to speak-from the dealers. The seaweeds should be quite small, and should be placed in the aquarium at least a fortnight before the admission of animal life. Of course, in a seaside trip many very pretty specimens may be found, Fig. 2. is far outstripping its normal progress, running riot in tendrils and floating germs, it is a sure sign of too much light, and if not altered will make the water quite turbid and work disaster. If, at any time, But and there will always be more interest in trophies won by one's own search than in those bought. the Londoner, all the same, may start and conduct with satisfaction, his marine aquarium. has The manager of one of our chief provincial aquaria says that many a time in his early days he has searched the shell-heaps by street oyster-stalls, and on the rough surfaces of the "commoners found tiny, unharmed sea-anemones of more than one species. Carrying them home, he dropped them into an artificial decoction of salt-water and kept them alive. Verily this was the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties; and few of our readers will be driven to such shifts. Let this example cheer the amateur whose lot is cast in an inland county. Artificial sea-water will be greatly improved, and will (so to speak) acclimatize the vegetation more quickly, if only a cupful or so of the real liquid can be mixed with it. It will require to stand longer than the genuine, too, before putting in its denizens. The red and green varieties of the minor seaweeds will be found to thrive best. They are the hardiest, and in all respects the best suited to our aquarium. Now for the representatives of the animal creation (Fig. 3-6). The remarks made in the earlier paper about caution, and slow and steady progress, must be borne in mind here also. Never overcrowd your aquarium. This is one of the commonest and most fatal of mistakes. It should never be forgotten that, merely by breathing, they may distroy each other if room is scarce. The molluscs and crustacea may supply to your collection a few perriwinkles, shrimps, small crabs and oysters, &c. In all cases, observe how they treat each other, and remove any quarrelsome members of the company at once. Anemones, corals, sea-worms, and such like can be added at will. The finny world may send such tiny representatives as the globy and the rockling. But the reader who is purchasing his aquarium will be naturally guided here by considerations of cost and of convenience, upon which we can throw small light; and the more fortunate one who is forming his within the echo of the ocean's own roar will capture what he can. CHRISTMAS WORK FOR NIMBLE FINGERS. BY OLIVE THORNE. ANY pretty gifts can be made of coloured cardboard, with strips of gilt edging and embossed pictures, which come in sheets all cut out, and in many cases gummed on the back. The first two of these articles can be bought at any first-class paper store, and the last at a stationer's or a book store. To make a frame for a small picture, photograph, water-coloured chromo, or engraving, first prepare the picture thus: Cut a piece of common paste-board-part of an old box will do-exactly the size of the picture, and sew a loop of braid or cord on the back to hang it by. If glass is desired, procure also a piece of clear glass of the same size. Now lay the back, loop down, on the table. On this lay the picture, face up, and finish with the glass, and bind the three together with paper gummed over the edge, or with narrow ribbon or strip of cloth. Next take of a delicate drab or light gray cardboard four strips, one inch and a quarter wide, and long enough to cross each other at the corners of the picture and leave their ends projecting two inches. Lay these on the picture, so as to get them exactly the size and exactly square. At the point where they cross each other, fasten them with two or three stitches. Cover the crossing with an embossed picture a flower is prettiest and gum the frame to the binding of the picture. These coloured embossed pictures-perhaps you call them Decalcomanie picturesare very pretty and cheap. Little vases to stand on a shelf and hold matches, or, filled with dry sand, to hold a few delicate grasses, autumn leaves (mounted on broom-splints), or ferns, are easily made. Take cut round or oval, cut a strip of coloured cardboard long for the base a large button-mould or piece of stiff cardboard, enough to go around the standard and lap over a half-inch, as high as you wish it. Gum it in the shape of a cylinder over a broom-handle, or anything the right size, and hold it firm till dry by winding soft cotton thread or yarn around it of three or four strips of paper, bent in the middle and fasvery closely. When dry, gum it to the standard by means tened half to the inside of the cylinder and half to the standard with glue or gum. Then ornament with narrow gilt edging at top and bottom, and gum a bright picture on the front. Black cardboard with a scarlet picture is the prettiest. With two or three general rules we will conclude. Take great pains to remove all that is offensive from your tank at the first possible moment. Either a dead fish or plant should disappear at once. It is possible that some ludicrous blunders may occur that some animals that appear to you ominously For nice boxes to hang on a Christmas tree and hold still may, in reality, be very much alive indeed, and candies, nuts, or anything else, make a delicate-coloured prove it to your discomfiture if you interfere with cardboard box, or take an old collar box which is made to them. But it is better to take the risk than per-andle of a narrow strip of cardboard, covered with the your hand, and cover it with light-coloured paper. Make a chance to leave in your aquarium so grave a drawback to its prosperity as decomposing matter will prove. On the other hand, do not be meddlesome. A habit of continually poking and prying is bad for anyone to cherish, and very detrimental to the success of the young aquarium-keeper. Cultivate cleanliness. Let your tank stand on a tray wider than itself, and if its table has a drawer in it so much the better; use it to keep all necessary implements in. same paper and sewed to the bottom of the box inside. Or nament with gilt edging on each edge of the box and each edge of the handle, with one of the embossed pictures on each side. Or, to vary it, glue a strip of bright silk or ribbon to the upper edge of the box inside, and draw it up with ribbon, to make a sort of bag. Or, still another, gum a strip of tissue paper, with edge cut into points or pinked, or fringed like motto papers, around, and fold it down over the contents of the box. These are very pretty on a tree. Beautiful things are made of silver perforated board, em. broidery or filling, silk, and ribbon. The inmates of the marine aquarium will need very careful treatment, especially if the water is arti- embroidered with some simple pattern. A Greek border, or Sachet-bags are made of two pieces of the cardboard, ficial; but, with perseverance, they may, neverthe-two rows of cross-stitch, missing each alternate hole, thus less, be induced to thrive, and the abiding pleasure of owning a flourishing and valuable collection will more than repay the labour and the scheming. Suppose our readers try it. making a checker-work border, are the prettiest. Each piece must be lined with silk and bound with narrow ribbon, sachet-powder laid between, and the two sewed together, the same shade as the embroidery, a piece of cotton, with overhand, around the edge. The Clam-shell Preacher. Hair-receivers of the same material, to hang over a dressing-table, are very convenient. For this you will need a strip of coloured silk (say scarlet) one eighth of a yard wide and fifteen inches long, a skein of filling-silk, and a yard and a quarter of narrow ribbon, all the same shade. Take a strip of the perforated cardboard four and a half inches wide and five inches long, with the upper part cut to a point. This is for the back. Another piece, seven inches long and two and a half wide, is for the front. Around each work a border, as for the sachet-bag, stiffen by lining with a piece of common white cardboard, exactly the same size, and bind the edges of each piece and its lining together with ribbon. Now take your silk and gather it full on to one long side of the seven-inch piece, leaving, however, the silk projecting two inches at each end. Now sew each side of the front piece to the side of the back piece, at the lower part of the latter. The back piece being but four and a half inches wide, and the front seven inches, it will set out round and form a pocket, of which the top is silver cardboard and the bottom a full silk bag. Sew together the two loose ends of the silk, to form the back side of the bag, and gather the bottom into a knot and finish with a tassel made of the filling-silk. Attach a loop and bow of ribbon to the upper point, and the thing is done, and the prettiest hair-receiver you ever saw. A more elaborate and a beautiful gift of silver perforated board, is a tripod for the dressing-table, for which you will require some cambric, silk, filling-silk, satin ribbon (threequarters of an inch wide), and split zephyr worsted, all of the same shade. First make three cornucopias of the cardboard, of a graceful shape, about seven inches long and four inches across the top. Where it laps over on the back it on the back it should be somewhat higher than the front. make a pattern by experimenting with newspaper, or you can cut one out by an old cornucopia. The top should not be cut off square, but sloped down in front. Embroider a figure or monogram on the front of each piece and line it with coloured cambric. Then form it into its cornucopia shape and sew it or glue it firmly to shape. For one of them make of silk a bag four inches long and just large enough to fit inside the edge of the top. Put it in and hold it by a binding of ribbon. This is to hold loose jewellery, taken off at night. In one of the others make a cushion of hair or wool, covered with silk; and in the third make a hair-pin holder by filling with curled hair and covering with crocheted worsted cover. Around the top of each sew box-plaited ribbon. They are now ready to be fastened to the standard, which should be made by a turner and consist of a round standard, four inches in diameter, with a hole in the middle, in which is glued a small stick, standing up nine inches, with an ornamental top. The three cornucopias are tightly fastened, back to back, around this upright piece, just below the ornamental top and also at the bottom, coming down nearly to the standard, and, of course, completely concealing the upright. A standard can be made at home by one handy with tools, the lower part being covered with black cloth or velvet, and the edge finished with plaited ribbon; but the turned one is preferable, and will cost very little. An acceptable present for a gentleman is a slipper-case, made of common pasteboard, in the shape of a wall-pocket, either with one pocket for both slippers, or with two pockets side by side, one for each. Experiment with paper till you have a good shape and size for both back and front. The back should be pointed at top, fourteen inches long, and eight inches wide at the bottom. From the bottom the sides should slope out or widen till nine inches from the bottom, where it must be ten inches wide, and from there slope up to a rounding point. The front should be the same width at the bottom; but more sloping at the sides, so that when sewed together it will form a pocket. It should be nine inches high at the sides, and rounded up a little in front. Now cover each piece with any pretty material you can find in the piece-bag-a piece of merino, alpaca, or cashmere; even cambric will do, though it is not as pretty. Cover the pasteboard very snugly, and bind with a bright-coloured dress-braid-scarlet or brown or drab covering is very pretty. Inside the binding put one or more rows of the dress-braid, doubled, so as to be the width of the binding, and about its own width from the edge. Now sew sides and bottom of the front to the lower part of the back, to make the pocket and a loop of the braid to hang it up by will finish it. You can ornament it further, if you like, with monogram, initial, or figure, embroidered or sewed on in front. A combined pincushion and handkerchief box, or jewellery 135 box, is very pretty, and easy to make. Take a good-shaped cigar-box, whose cover has a hinge of cloth. Make for the top a cushion, on a piece of board the size of the cover. The cover of another box is just the thing. Make your cushion by cutting pieces of old flannel, the first six the size of the board, the next smaller, and so on, till you have a pile well rounded up on all sides. Now cover with any pretty silk or velvet, and fasten the edges tightly on the under side of the board (you can sew them across from side to side). When done, lay it on the top of your box, and fasten it by four small screws, put through from the under-side of the cover. Around the edge put plaited ribbon, fringe, or gilt edging. Line your box, cover and all, with delicate tinted glazed paper, and cover the outside with other coloured paper, with gilt edging at top and bottom, and an embossed picture or flower on each side. Every one of these things can be easily made, if the directions are carefully followed, and all of them are acceptable presents.-Independent (New York). THE CLAM-SHELL PREACHER. a THE late Dr. Beadle, of Philadelphia, was not only science, especially in conchology, he having a very large collection of valuable shells. An incident in his Hartford ministry shows how he could find sermons in shells, as appropriate as any that men find in "stones or elsewhere. There was a mission-school in Hartford, in a garretroom of a rickety building, in the earlier days of such schools in this country. It was what the English would call a "ragged school," made up of boys and girls of the very lowest class in the community, out of homes of squalor and of vice along the river-banks in one of the poorer quarters of that city. It was not an easy matter to catch and hold the attention of that motley assemblage. There was rarely a visitor who was equal to the emergency. But Dr. Beadle won the eyes and ears of all who were there when first he came to that school. Standing in front of the superintendent's desk, before the school closed up for the day, he held up a common fresh-water clam-shell, and called out, Boys, what is that?" 66 "A clam-shell," cried a hundred voices. 66 "Yes, it's a clam-shell-a rough, coarse, clam-shell; just such a shell as you could pick up any day by the bank of the river, or back in the country by a brook in the wood." Then turning the shell quickly in his hand, he showed the other valve, beautifully polished, its iridescent colours reflecting the light attractively. "And what is that, boys?" he said. "That's a clam-shell, too," was the answer. "Yes; but see how much prettier this side is. What makes the difference?" "It's been rubbed down," said one. "Yes, that's it. And, boys, do you know that's just what we are trying to do with you in this Sunday-school? We've brought some of you in here as rough as the other side of the clam-shell; and now we are trying to rub you down, to smooth you off, to polish you up, so that you'll shine like this side of the shell. This polishing business is hard work, boys, and it takes time; but it pays.' Then he pressed home the need of soul-polishing, in words which were never forgotten in that room. Dr. Beadle was henceforth known by those boys as "the clam-shell man; " and they always gave him a hearty welcome in their school-room, or as they met him from time to time in the street. Many of them were more willing to be rubbed down and smoothed off in consequence of his suggestive words of then and later; and some of them came finally to have a character which reflected beautifully the rays of the Sun of Righteousness |