XLVII.-WATER SPOUTS. con-dense', to compress; verdichten. 1. These wonderful appearances are caused by the action of currents of wind meeting in the atmosphere from different quarters. They are sometimes seen on land, but much more frequently at sea, where they are very dangerous visitors. I will try to give you some idea of what they are. I dare say you have often noticed little eddies of wind whirling up dust and leaves, or any light substances which happened to be in the way: when these occur on a larger scale, they are called whirlwinds. 2. Now if a cloud happens to be exactly in the point where two such furious currents of wind meet, it is turned round and round by them with great speed, and is condensed into the form of a cone. This whirling motion drives from the center of the cloud all the particles contained in it, producing what is called a vacuum, or empty space, into which the water, or any thing else lying beneath it, has an irresistible tendency to rush. 3. Underneath the dense impending cloud the sea becomes violently agitated, and the waves dart rapidly towards the center of the troubled mass of water. On reaching it they disperse in vapor and rise whirling in a spiral direction towards the cloud. The descending and ascending columns unite. The whole presenting the appearance of a hollow cylinder, or a tube of glass empty within. 4. This Malte Brun tells us; and he further adds: "It. glides over the sea without any wind being felt; indeed, several have been seen at once, pursuing different directions. When the cloud and the marine base of the waterspout do not move with equal velocity, the lower cone is often seen to incline sideways, or even to bend, and finally burst in pieces. A noise is then heard like the noise of a cataract falling in a deep valley. Lightning frequently issues from the very bosom of the water-spout, particularly when it breaks; but no thunder is ever heard." 5. Sailors, to prevent the danger which would arise from coming in contact with one of these tremendous columns, discharge a cannon into it. The ball passing through it breaks the watery cylinder and causes it to burst, just as a touch causes your beautiful soap-bubble to vanish and turn to water again. Globe Reader. XLVIII. THE LITTLE POST BOY. PART I. lap'-pet, a little loose flap; Chrklappe. vis'-i-ble, to be seen; sichtbar. cud'-dle, to sit or lie close; anschmiegen. in-ces'-sant-ly, without ceasing; unaufhörlich. 1. One night, while I was travelling in Norway, and stopping at an inn, I decided to take supper while the horse was eating his feed. They had not expected any more travelers at the station, and were not prepared. The keeper had gone on with two lumber-merchants; but his wife, a friendly, rosy faced woman, prepared me some excellent coffee, potatoes, and stewed reindeer-meat, upon which I made an excellent meal. The house was on the border of a large, dark forest, and the roar of the icy northern wind in the trees seemed to increase while I waited in the warm room. I did not feel inclined to go forth into the wintry storm, but, having set my mind on reaching the village that night, I was loath to turn back. 2. "It is a bad night," said the woman, "and my husband will certainly stay at Umea until morning. His name is Neils Petersen, and I think you will find him at the posthouse when you get there. Lars will take you, and they can come back together." "Who is Lars?" I asked. "My son," said she. "He is getting the horse ready. There is nobody else about the house to-night." He 3. Just then the door opened, and in came Lars. was about twelve years old; but his face was so rosy, his eyes so clear and round and blue, and his golden hair was blown back from his face in such silky curls, that he appeared to be even younger. I was surprised that his mother should be willing to send him twenty miles through the dark woods on such a night. 4. "Come here, Lars," I said. Then I took him by the hand, and asked, "Are you not afraid to go so far to-night?" He looked at me with wondering eyes, and smiled; and his mother made haste to say: "You need have no fear, sir. Lars is young; but he'll take you safe enough. If the storm don't get worse, you'll be at Umea by eleven o'clock." 5. I was again on the point of remaining; but while I was deliberating with myself, the boy had put on his overcoat of sheep-skin, tied the lappets of his fur cap under his chin, and a thick woolen scarf around his nose and mouth, so that only the round blue eyes were visible; and then his mother took down the mittens of hare's fur from the stove, where they had been hung to dry. He put them on, took a short leather whip, and was ready. 6. I wrapped myself in my furs, and we went out together. The driving snow cut me in the face like needles, but Lars did not mind it in the least. He jumped into the sled, which he had filled with fresh, soft hay, tucked in the reindeer-skins at the sides, and we cuddled together on the narrow seat, making every thing close and warm before we set out. I could not see at all when the door of the house was shut and the horse started on the journey. 7. The night was dark, the snow blew incessantly, and the dark fir-trees roared all around us. Lars, however, knew the way, and somehow or other we kept the beaten track. He talked to the horse so constantly and so cheerfully, that after a while my own spirits began to rise, and the way seemed neither so long nor so disagreeable. "Ho there, Axel!" he would say. not too far to the left. Well done. trot a bit." "Keep the road,— Here's a level; now 8. So we went on,- sometimes up hill, sometimes down hill, for a long time, as it seemed. I began to grow chilly, and even Lars handed me the reins, while he swung and beat his arms to keep the blood in circulation. He no longer sang little songs and fragments of hymns, as when we first set out; but he was not in the least alarmed, or even impatient. Whenever I asked, as I did about every five minutes, "Are we nearly there?" he always answered, "A little farther." 9. Suddenly the wind seemed to increase. "Ah," said he, "now I know where we are: it's one mile more." But one mile, you must remember, meant seven. Lars checked the horse, and peered anxiously from side to side in the darkness. I looked also, but could see nothing. "What is the matter?" I finally asked. 10. "We have got past the hills on the left," he said. "The country is open to the wind, and here the snow drifts worse than anywhere else on the road. If there have been no plows out to-night, we shall have trouble." You must know that the farmers along the road are obliged to turn out with their horses and oxen, and plow down the drifts, whenever the road is blocked up by a storm. XLIX. THE LITTLE POST BOY. PART II. ex'-tri-cate, to disengage; herauswinden; heraushelfen. gear, to harness; anschirren. I saw 1. In less than a quarter of an hour we could see that the horse was sinking in the deep snow. He plunged bravely forward, but made scarcely any headway, and presently became so exhausted that he stood quite still. Lars and I arose from the seat and looked around. For my part, nothing except some very indistinct shapes of trees: there was no sign of an opening through them. In a few minutes the horse started again, and with great labor carried us a few yards farther. 2. "Shall we get out and try to find the road?" said I. "It's no use," Lars answered. "In these new drifts we should sink to the waist. Wait a little, and we shall get through this one." 3. It was as he said. the deep part of the drift, the snow was quite shallow. surface of the road; we could feel that the ground was uneven, and covered with roots and bushes. Bidding Axel stand still, Lars jumped out of the sled, and began wading around among the trees. Then I got out on the other side, but had not proceeded ten steps before I began to sink so deep into the loose snow that I was glad to extricate myself and return. It was a desperate situation, and I wondered how we should ever get out of it. Another pull brought us through and we reached a place where But it was not the hard, smooth 4. I shouted to Lars, in order to guide him, and it was not long before he also came back to the sled. "If I knew |