THE CLEAR-SIGHTED BLIND MAN.

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said, "Look what the shabby fellow (1) has given me for saving his life.” “ Whell, said his shipmate, "don't you think he knows the value of his own life better than you do? "

THE CLEAR-SIGHTED (2) BLIND MAN.

A blind man (5), having saved a considerable sum of money, buried it in a little garden behind his house, where he used to visit it from time to time to assure himself of its safety, and to add his little savings (4). A neighbour having discovered the deposit, appropriated it to himself. The blind man soon perceived that his treasure had been stolen, and suspecting his neighbour to be the thief, determined to ascertain it, and if possible to outwit (5) him. He went therefore to his house and told him that he was come to ask his advice on an important subject. " Well, said the other, “what is it?” “Why (6), " answered the blind man, "I have a sum of money which I have hidden in a safe

(1) A shabby fellow, un gueux, un grippe-sou.

(2) Clear-sighted, qui voit clair.

(3) A blind man, un aveugle homme, un aveugle; en anglais on n'emploie pas les adjectifs substantivement au singulier; il faut y ajouter un nom. Voyez Grammaire pra178.

tique,

(4). Savings, économies.

(5) To outwit, attraper, duper, surpasser en finesse.

(6) Why: ce mot n'étant pas suivi d'un point d'interrogation, n'est qu'un explétif que nous employons souvent comme le mot mais en français.

rest. "

place, but it brings me nothing; now having lately received a legacy (1), I am in doubt whether I had better (2) bury it with the other, or place the whole in the public funds where it would produce me some inteHis neighbour advised him without hesitation not to risk his money in the funds, which were fluctuating and uncertain; but to deposit it as he had done the other, in a secure place. As soon as the blind man left thim, he (the neighbour) carefully replaced the money he had taken, thinking by that means to obtain both sums. The other, expecting that such would be the result, took his money, and shortly (3) afterwards paid a visit to his honest neighbour to ask him which of the two he thought the most clear-sighted.

BRAVERY OF GENERAL DAUMESNIL.

General Daumesnil, who had lost a leg in Bonaparte's campaign in Russia, commanded the fortress of Vincennes near Paris at the time of the invasion of the allied armies in 1814. When he was summoned by the Russians to surrender the fortress, he replied: " Not till you restore me my leg.

CAUSES AND EFFECTS.

A counsellor (4) dying much in debt, his creditors

(1) A legacy, un legs, un héritage, une succession.

(2) To have better, faire mieux.

(3) Shortly, bientôt.

(4) A counsellor, un avocat.

TURKISH MANNER OF SUPPLICATING.

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seized his goods (1) for the purpose of paying themselves. The property however not being sufficient to satisfy their demands, one of them expressed great surprise that a lawyer should leave so few effects: "It could not be otherwise, "replied another, replied another, seeing he had so few causes.

HAPPINESS.

Happiness seldom accompanies grandeur.

Napoleon, when in the plenitude of his power, frequently regretted the days of his boyhood. He said that he remembered with delight the smell (2) of the earth of Corsica; and that the happiest period of his existence was when he was roaming about the streets of Paris as a subaltern engineer in search of a house where he could procure a cheap dinner.

TURKISH MANNER OF SUPPLICATING HEAVEN TO AVERT AN IMPENDING CALAMITY.

Chateaubriand, in his Journey from Paris to Jerusalem, tells us that, when the Turks imagine themselves menaced with a calamity, they lead to the pillars of the celebrated temple of Jupiter Olympus at Athens, a lamb; and turning its head towards heaven, make it bleat (3) : despairing to find, among mankind, a voice sufficiently

(1) His goods, ses biens.
(2) The smell, l'odeur.
(3) To bleat, bêler.

innocent to merit the grace of the Omnipotent Being, they seek it among the most harmless (1) of the brute creation.

GENEROSITY OF NAPOLEON TO AN ENGLISH PRISONER.

In the year 1805, an English sailor who was a prisoner at Verdun made his escape, and arrived in safety near Boulogne, where he concealed himself in the woods, and constructed a little bark with the branches of some trees, uniting and covering them with his shirt, which he tore in pieces for that purpose. Finding he had not sufficient linen to complete his boat, he went to a neighbouring village and stole (2) a sheet with which he finished his little bark. All he wanted was the appearance of some English vessel in the offing (5): he therefore climbed every day up a lofty tree and watching with impatience; when at last he spied an English sail. Hoping to reach it he set off carrying his little boat upon his shoulders. He reached the sea side, but while in the act of embarking he was seized by the custom-house officers, conveyed to prison, accused of being a spy, and was to be tried as such, at the next assizes.

sat

Two days after Bonaparte arrived at Boulogne, and the boat being shown to him as a curiosity, he desired to see the sailor. When he was brought before him, Bo

(1) Harmless, innocent.

(2) To steal, voler.

(3) In the offing, dans la rade.

naparte said:

Well, my fine fellow, you were making a desperate attempt to see your native country, as you say; I suppose you have a mistress there?"

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66

No,

Your Majesty, but I have an aged and infirm mother whom I supported out of my pay (1), and who must be now in the greatest distress." "And would you have put to sea in this crazy (2) little vessel?" Yes, Your Majesty, had they not prevented me; for I would run any risk to go and assist my poor mother, who has now only God to protect her. "

Napoleon, turning to a naval officer (3) who accompanied him, said: "Give this man a suit of clothes (4) and send him, in a flag of truce (5), to one of the English cruisers in the Channel; give him also five pieces of gold for his mother; she must be a good mother, and ought not to be deprived of so good a son.

GAMING.

Among many other evils that attend (6) gaming are these loss of time, loss of reputation, loss of health, loss of fortune, loss of temper, ruin of families, defrauding of creditors, and, what is often the effect of it, loss of life itself.

(1) Out of my pay, en partageant ma paye. (2) Crazy, frêle.

(5) Naval officer, officier de la marine.

(4) A suit of clothes, un habillement complet.

(5) Flag of truce, pavillon blanc.

(6) To attend, accompagner, suivre.