A Precocious Youth.

The Dangers of Steamboat Teavel

Explained.

[From the Hearth and Home.] His hair wasn't white—not exactly the colour of the pastry flour, but a cursory glance would have marked it down in a stranger's mental memorandum book as white. He had a hatchet-like face. It was not a face exactly like a hatchet, but it was a long face, and a thin one, and was wider at the eyes than at the chin. There were freckles on his nose, a few distributed over his cheeks, and there was an honest, truthful look in his largo blue eyes. A mental inventory of the boy would have read:

' Some wandering, homeless lad, deter mined that the w rorld owes him a living ; but a bad boy, as boys run, but yet prepared to make the most of favourablo circumstances.'

Ho boarded the boat just as she was swinging clear, and he nodded familiarly to tho captain, smiled tenderly at the clerk, and carried the air of one who had paid his fare and had plenty of money left, though, truthfully speaking, ho hadn't seen a shinplaster in his own fingers for days and days

v . Sauntering into tho cabin ho selected a victim. It is not nocesasry that white haired boys should have victims, but this one walked across the cabin and seated himself beside an aged female. She was a female with two satchels and a parcel. She had spectacles on; her hair was bordering on the gray; she had just regaled her nose with a liberal pinch of black snuff—soft, balmy snuff, scented with cinnamon oil to enhance its natural flavour.

' JSTever on a boat before, I sco ?' he remarked, as ho gave her a searching, yet innocent look. 'Lots o'times,' sho replied, roturning his look without flinching, as if she believed him a sharper and meant to bluff him at the very start. 'I thought not; else you wouldn't be seated here, right over the bilers, and them firemen chucking in lard and taller and kerosene oil to get up steam enough to catch the boat ?' he replied.

She gave a little start, looked hurriedly around, and there was a little smile in the corner of hi 3 left eye as he noticed how tho arrow had struck the target. ' Then it ain't safe here ?' she asked.

' It may be, but —but—' His hesitation decided her. Rising up and seizing her satchels and parcel sho vacated tho cabin for tho promenade deck, where she secured a seat on a hard stool, and raised her blue parasol to keep off the sun. She was thankful for the boy's warn ing, and she blamed herself for not open ing the parcel and offering him a doughnut, a boiled egg, and a taste from the tumbler of jelly. A quarter of an hour had passed and she was feeling very comfortable, when the boy with white hair put in an appearance. His face did not look solemn ; it did not betray mirth ; but there was deep concern in his tone as he halted and exclaimed ;

' What, you here !' ' Isn't this a safe place ?' she anxiously asked.

' Why, madam, you are in the centre of the boat almost, and in case of a burst the boat always breaks in two in tho centre !' He passed on, and she lifted up two satchels and the parcel and walked aft, getting as near the stern of the boat as she could. Her heart swelled a little as she thought of the boy's disinterested kindness toward a stranger—a lone woman, who might have never returned from her trip but for the unexpected interest of a for lorn orphan boy. She was wondering whether the boy wouldn't like to be adop ted when he reappeared, drew up a stool and calmly said: ' I have been through three or four explosions, and I tell you they are awful. Last boat I was on exploded both boilers at once, and yet only one man was killed. He was sitting at the stern of the boat, just about where you are now !' ' Good stars ! but I thought I was safe here !' she exclaimed, reaching down for the satchels.

«If the end of one of the boilers should blow out it would strike you exactly on the chest!' he coolly continued, ' and there wouldn't be a piece of your body that I could not put into this tin-tobacco box !'

Ho suddenly became interested in a passing steamer, slipped away, and she lifted her bundles and walked to the other end of the boat. She had come aboard with full confidence that the trip would be pleasantly made, and slie wondered how the public—the free American people—could calmly permit a boat to leave laden with human beings vsho might be torn to fragments any moment *>y an explosion. She was wishing that she had taken the cars, when the boy with white hair sat down beside her and softly began : ' You know that every biler has two ends. If you were aft and that end blew out you would be torn to strips. If you a^e here and this end blows out, no one will ever be able to recover the relic of you, not even your spectacles ;' , ' Then I ain't safe yet P' she gasped. 'In the midst of life wo are in death !' he solemnly replied. ' You may be safe, but I will not assume the fearful respon sibility of saying so !' She gathered up the satchels and the parcel, entered the cabin, looked all ground, and finally sat down ia a chair

behind the door. The boy with white hair found her again after awhile. She had almost fallen asleep, but his exclama tion speedily aroused her. ' What! Behind the door —right over the larboard steam-chest !'

* Ain't this safe, either ?' she gasped.

'Madam, ten steam-chests explode to every one biler, and statistics prove it, Tho pieces tear, and grind, and splinter, and kill in an awful manner. You can sit there if you wish, but—but —' And he went down stairs, and, I saw her come out on the promenado-deck and look at tho smoko-statjks to see if there wasn't a safe spot up there somewhere.

The Legacy Hunters.

It was Abigail Varley's three-score and tenth birthday. She was a rich widow, childless, and with no known relatives save two gentlemen cousins. Never were cousinly attachments more beautifully illustrated, or cousinly jealously more amiably exemplified, than in the daily walk and conversation of these two collateral kinsmen. They bestowed so much affection on their common relative that they had none to waste between themselves.

Boih were several years younger than the lady, with a fair prospect, according to the course of nature, of surviving her, and how to supplant each other in her will, which, at least, she had begun to talk seriously of making, was the problem which at present engaged their attention. On tho morning in question, when cousin Roger called to wish Cousin Abigail the usual 'many happy returns,' he was not a little chagrined to find Cousin Dick there before him. However, he presented his annual gift and went through tho recitation of his annual spoeeh without missing a word ; and seeing Tabby, the cousinly cat, perched snugly on his rival's knee, by way of not being outdone in cousinly attention, he took up Pom pey, the cousinly poodle, though dogs were his abomination.

' Well, Cousin Abigail, I hope your health continuos good,' said Cousin Kog^r, patting Pompey's head, and glancing suspiciously at Cousin Dick, whom he devoutly wished at Jericho.

'.No, not so good latterly as it has been. The fact is,' the old lady con tinued, ' I have been thinking se riously of sending for Mr. Parker, with a view of settling my worldly affairs without delay.

'Oh, there is no need of haste, cousin,' broke in Dick; 'you have many years before you yet;' mentally adding, ' what has possessed the old ninny to put it oft'so long !' ' Well, well, I suppose there's no hurry about it,' said Cousin Abigail,

' And yet,' cousin Boger ventured to hint ' it's always well to be prepared and none of us can tell the minute or the hour, you know.'

' And after all, calling in a lawyer is not so serious a matter as calling in a doctor,' said Cousin Dick fastidiously.

The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of a young and beau tiful girl, at whom Cousin Dick stared with a surprised and troubled look.

' Pardon me, ma'am,' she said, in a voice remarkably sweet and gentle, ' not knowing you were engaged, I came to see if you wished me, as usual to read to yOu to-day.'

' Presently, dear,' Mrs. Varley answered in a tone that plainly hinted her visitors would not be pressed to stay if they offered to go.

After an awkward pause, the two cousins took their departure together.

' Who is that girl ?' inquired Roger, as soon as they had reached the street.

' You may well ask,' said Cousin Dick; and, estopping, he wbispered something in. his companion's ear, at which the latter started suddenly.

' Whew! the resemblance is cer tainly striking. But what is to be done ? Do you think the old—Cousin Abigail, I mean —suspects anything ?'

' .Not yet, I think; but no' time .is to be lost- I have a plan which it would be well for us to talk over together.'

The two hurried rapidly along. Mrs. Varley had occasionally found time hang heavily on her hands, and so had advertised for a person to fill the post of 'companion' to an aged lady. It was thus that Hester Darling had become an inmate of the house.

At as early an hour as was seemly on the morning following that on which we introduced them to the reader, Roger and Dick again presen ted themselves before their cousin.

'We have thought it our duty, cousin—' began Dick.

' Our bounden duty,' put in Boger. 'As painful as it is imperative,' Dick continaed.

' To put you on your guard, ma'am, I Koger added. ' Against a deceitful and designing person,' exclaimed Dick, ' Who is no better than she shpuld be,' shouted Boger indignantly.

Upon my word, cousins, 1 do not comprehend a syllable you have' uttered,' said Mrs Varley; ' nor shall I be likely to, if you both keep talking at once. Come, Dick, you seem the least excited, what is the meaning of of all this ?' ' What means, may i venture to ask/ said Dick, ' did you take to ascertain the character and-anteced ents of the young woman at present sheltered beneath your roof ?' ' Why, none/ replied the good old lady. ' Her young and truthful face was recommendation enough on which to give her a trial.' ' We have ascertained her to he a most abandoned creature/ proceeded Dick, ' and have deemed it proper at once to apprise you of the discovery. Should she deny the accusation, we are prepared with abundant proofs.* And the two cousins- took their leave with an air of exalted virtue. Mrs Varley was a lady of the strict est propriety, and severest morals. Much as she pitied the poor and friend less girl, she must be promptly freed from this foul and dreadful charge, or cross her threshold, never to return. She went directly to Hester's cham ber. ' You must tell me your past history, child/ said Mrs Varley in a determined but not unkindly tone. ' Oh madam, I pray you pardon nic ; but I cannot tell it.' ' Then it has been one of shame aud guilt P' 'For a time of shame, madam/ answered the young girl, with flushed cheek, ' but never of guilt.' What was it that caused Mrs Varley to start so suddenly, and stag ger, half fainting to a seat at Hester's dressing table ? ' Who —whose likeness is that ?' she exclaimed, in a scarcely articulate voice, pointing to an opdn miniature on the table. ' My mother's/ Hester answered. 'Then you are Florence Marvin's child?' • 'Thai was, indeed, my mother's name.' ' More—you are the daughter of my only brother, Q-eorge Heywood, for Florence Marvin was his wife.' With a stifled cry, she, who had believed herself alone and friendless in the world, fell on her kinswoman's neck and wept tears of mingled gladness and sorrow.

Her story, which Hester had refused to confide to a stranger's ears, she now willingly imparted to one from whom she felt' she had no longer a right to with-hold it.

That her brother had married in opposition to her father's wishes, and had been disinherited in con sequence, was already known to Abigail Varley, but what distant spot he had selected for his home, aud what had befallen him there she had never learned.

The story was sad enough. After a few toilsome butnotunhappy years— for they were spent in the loved society of his wife and child —a dire calamity had fallen upon George Hey wood. He came under the suspicion of a* fearful crime. A network of circumstances too intrioate for man's wit to disentangle environed him, and he was condemned to die. The stern judgment was carried into effect, and the executed murderer's widowsought concealment for herself and child in a change of place and name. Long, long years afterward the truth was discovered; but the judicial murder had passed among the things irreyocable. The poor widow died at last, broken hearted, but with one consolation —she had lived to see her husband's inno cence vindicated.

' And this, my poor child, is the shame of which you spoke?' ' My life has known no other.'

Not many days after, Hester was sent to one of the first seminaries in the land, for she had yet time enough to avail herself of opportunities of cul ture hitherto beyond her reach. Her aunt and herself kept their own coun sel. Cousins Roger and Dicfe only knew that the object of their solicitude had disappeared, and probably congrat ulated themselves on the success of their virtuous stratagem.

After a time, Mr. Parker, Cousin Abigail's lawyer, was sent for, and after that, the good old woman seemed wonderfully revived in spirits. At her next birthday, the prospect of 'many fyappy returns,' produced anything but

a happy effect upon the two expectant cousins, who began to think that, after all, the life tables might not be infallible But her time came at last; and, within a decent period after the sad event, Cousins Boger and Dick were duly summoned to attend the reading of Abigail Varley's will. They were a good deal startled at the sight of their old enemy, the strange girl. Boor Tabby, as if seeking consolation in her bereavement, leaped upon the knee of her old friend, Dick, who stroked her back pathetically but a little nervously- Pompey, who took things more philosophi cally, stretched himself out for a snooze at the fteet of Boger. Mr. Parker, drawing from his pocket the document, proceeded to read it. The introduction was long and formal. But hark ! there's something coming now: ' To my cousin, Bichard Figgins—' Richard looked at Roger in triumph. ' I give and bequeath—' You could have heard both their hearts beat. 'In consideration of the natural love and affection which I have observed, between them—' Dick looked puzaled. ' My favorite cat Tabby.' Dick gave Tabby a furious stroke the wrong way. ' And no more of my estate.' With a fling that betokened a most emphatic renunciation of the legacy, Tabby was sent mewing and spitting to the other end of the room. ' To my cousin, Boger Smith—' It was Soger's turn to triumph. 'In consideration of the like natural love and affection —'

Roger began to feel suspicious. ' I give and bequeath my dog Pompey, • and no more of my estate.' With a violent kick Pompey was sent spinning after the cat; and the fear of her who had so long kept the peace between them being no longer before their eyes, the pent-up enmity of years found vent in an uproarious fight, in the noise of which the voice of the old lawyer was almost drowned; but the words ' rest and residue of my estate—niece, Hester Heywood' were sufficiently audible, and Cousins Dick and Boger stayed to hear no more.

What Flies Do.

An English chemist named Emerson publishes in the Scientific American the result of his observations of flies, which is presented. If what he reports is truthful there should be more kind hearted Uncle Tobys to acknowledge the debt we owe these little insects. Did you ever watch a fly who has just alighted after soaring about the room for some little time ? He goes though a series of operations which remind you of a cat licking herself after a meal, or a bird pluming its feathers. First the hind feet are rubbed together, then each hind leg is passed over a wing, then the fore legs undergo a similar treatment; and lastly, if you look sharp, you will see the insect carry his proboscis over his '■ legs and about his body as far as he can reach. The minute trunk is per fectly retractile and terminates in two large lobes, which you can see spread out when the insects begin a meal on a lump of sugar. Now, the rubbing together of legs and' wings may be a j soothing operation, but for what purpose is this carefully going over the body with the trunk, especially when that organ is not fitted for licking but simply for grasping and sucking up food. On placing a fly under the ■ microscope, to the investigator's disgust it appeared covered with lice. Mr. EmersOn concluded that here was something which at once required looking into. Why were fiies lousy ? The y seemed to take his positon very coolly, and, expending his probos cis, began to sweep it over his body as if ■ he had just alighted. A glance though the microscope, however, showed that the operation was not one of self-beautification, for wherever the lice were there the trunk went. The lice disappeared into the trunk, and the fly was eating them. He took the paper into the kitchen and waved it around, taking care that no flies touched it, went back to the microscope and there found animal cules, the same as on flies. He had now arrived at something definite; the animalcules were floating in the air and the quick motions of the flies gathered them on their bodies, and the flies then went into some quiet comer to have their dainty meal. The investigator goes on describing how he continued the experiment in a variety of localities, and how, in dirty and bad-smelling quarters, he found the myriads of flies which existed there literally covered with animalcules, while other flies, captured in bed room?, or ventilated, clean apartments were miserably lean and entirely free from their psey. Wherever filth existed, evolving germs which might

generate in disease, ther?T^ flies covering themselves witt* organisms, and greedily devnh'^ same. J V(%g

An Eccentric Young Woman

A London correspondent.. Liverpool Post writes m 4 number of comical stories.''P told just now about the vaga^j very eccentric, very wealtL,J! repoxt be true, very ha^/3 lady, residing ma rural diaS very far from London. AsT imagined/>he has had plenty off .and th, devices shei^ gdPfc rid of them would reaS fairytale. She generally importunate lovers some* absurd impossible thing to do tke being that if they fafl'tW i trouble her no more. It is ' that a certain well-known __ m £ Parliament is not indifferent'm charms or her fortune, and-tint I night, while a great debate-%, progress, the lady dispatched j amorous swain, with a blacken^! and a striped coat, with a big music under each arm to % ? precincts of St. Stephen's. Im approved Christy Minstrel style presented himself before the outJ and indignant janitors. *__$] wildered officials, under thebelffi the honorable gentleman had j, dining too much, lugged him % and in spite of his protests, '% him into a cab and sent him off, tol lodgings. Last Sunday the lady fe self indulged in a prank 'whichi) greatly scandalized the gossips of j neighbourhood. She Weat'toekii iihe morning, and immediately if, her seat, opened a Urge,bti| : coloured parasol^ which shepefiigji holding over her head throughoufct entire service, notwithstaadiog _ entreaties and threats of the >verge and a couple of churchwardens, rl were summoned to ramonsfefcteij her. During the sermon she amu herself by twisting the parasol ro| and round and bobbing itupanddn to the mingled horror and amoste of the beholders. I beheve thatti Vicar has since waited on the hit and that more will be heard of I matter. . DABLING DOSEL. [Dorothea SibyUa, daughter of John! George; I grays and Elector of Brandenburg, mirrttd li Duke of Brieg, ia 1610. She is described si spit of goodnees, common sense, virtue and piefirHi, account of her kind, and genial ways, wunaina .beloved. Children were her especial delight,i whenever she passed through the tuwnof Brietli would walcsme with infinite zest their W benefactress. The following verses show hoi I Duchess of Brieg came to be called the M DoreL] She oame with her innocent beauty and put, An ant;el in heart and an angel in face,. As quaintly the old German chronicles tell Ihe picturesque story of Dirling DoreL v Some faces are bright like the sunbeam ot it., Wherever they shine the clouds vanish mj, ' While sorrow's pala phantom glides baok to Itsti And such was the face of the Dirling DoreL ' Some hearts are so full of the treasures ot lor*, The beausiful gifts of the Giver above, Their riches o'erflow into others as well;'.■■ And such was the heart of the Darling Dotal r Some lives are like chords uidsr music's contra^ ■ ISach incident harmony blends with the whole, i Until on the ear in fall concord they swell; And such was the life of the Darling DoreL. Whomever she passed through the streets of thetm ■ No story-book quean with a sceptre and (ton, Bat girted with graces that none could excel, The natural guards of the Darling Djml, Her ladies would bring with them comfits iaiftfl For the bright Utile maidens and brave little bM Wnile the children would follow love's magiultf And hasten to welcome their Darling DoreL The Duchess knew not of her pretty.new nam, Though far it was spread by the heralds of tamn Till at length, as it happened, one day it betel That she learned they called her the Darling Ds» It was breathed by a child's yet impolitic lips, Which often the wisdom of Sages eclipse; •.: The Princess had asked if her name sheaonlW • Your name,' said..she cuild, *i 3 the Darling Do» The conrti^rs all stared, half in wbnte bilfapjjjj. Such a name savoured msre of the cot thantheco^ , Bat their mistress said, smiling through tens, »> well; Henceforth let them call ma the Darling Dowl, The proudest of titles that monarch* ekisty* . Are those which the love of their people to*** ' And net for an Emperor's crown would I*l The title mine give me of Darling DoreL ■

A Cueious Custom.—lt was theewj in Babylon, five hnndred years before® Christian era, to have an annual ap» of the unmarried ladies. In er?ry_ Jr. on a certain stated day, each 4*J assembled all its virgins of marnagj age. The most beautiftd werepj firsthand the man who paid to* «P> gained possession of her. The §eponi personal charms followed her, an"l*, so that the bidders might P^WS selves with handsome wives r aocorpj the length of their purses. TM» " yet remain in Babylon some for .m> money was offrred, but tlpggK Babylonians managed that. ..llv^Jf the comely ones are sold, thecpern _, the most deformed one to stand^ after demanding who wWi^^A ], §mall sum, she is adjudged to huß*g, satisfied with the least;.''WjJ-Sfjf manner the money raised.^'^JSpt the handsome, serves as a Po™,.!, those who are either of disagreea? 1?1^ or that have any other imperfect"^.

Printed and published by tne P^P'6^ l_ McCul!ag;h Reed, of St George's 'fg'^.prOT Brett, of Parnell, at their General WT_Wm Office, Wyndham-street, in the C~J w M New Zealand:— '__~■_ rtwi Saturday, WjwißßwW*

Evening Stay Supplements December 18, 1875.