in New York. He was able to leave his wife an income of nine thousand dollars a year, as well as five hundred dollars a year for each of his children until they were twelve years old, and a thousand dollars a year afterward till they were twenty-one. So, at least, runs his will written a year before his death. His remains lie in Trinity churchyard, in the city of New York.

Robert Fulton was, in every respect, an honor to his country and his profession. Tall, handsome, and well-bred, he easily made friends, whose regard he retained by his sincerity, generosity, and good humor. His crowning virtue was that indomitable resolution which enabled him to bear patiently the most cruel disappointments, and to hold calmly on his way till he had conquered a sublime success.

JAMES PARTON.

THE STORY OF THE CHAMELEON

Two travelers, as they journeyed along, found themselves disputing about the color of the chameleon. It seemed impossible

for them to agree. blue. He was sure of this, for he had seen it on a bare branch of a tree on a very clear day. But the other affirmed that it was green. He, too, was very positive, because he had seen it on the leaf of a fig tree, and had examined it very carefully. Both men were sure that they were right, and they disputed so earnestly that it looked as though they might soon be engaged in a quarrel.

One said that it was

Fortunately a third man came along, and the two men agreed to consult him about the color of the chameleon.

66

'Well," said the third man, "I can easily settle your dispute. Just last night I caught one, and of course I know what its color is." And, smiling with satisfaction, he remarked that its color was black.

"No! No!" exclaimed both men. is impossible. You are mistaken."

"That

But he was sure that he was right and said: "We can easily decide the matter. As soon as I caught the chameleon I put it in a small box. Here it is." And he took the box from his pocket and opened it.

But it was neither blue, nor green, nor black. It was white! All of the men were amazed. They couldn't understand how the little reptile could be white. They were not aware of the fact that the chameleon changes color under different circumstances. So that each man was right, but each was wrong, also.

And the fable says that the chameleon, when it saw how astonished the men were, exhorted them to be more modest and temperate in their opinions thenceforth.

HANNIBAL was the son of Hamilcar Barca, a Carthaginian chief who hated the Romans, and led the Carthaginian party that insisted on war with them. Hannibal was born in the very year when his father was appointed to the Carthaginian forces in Sicily. He did not succeed there, and the Carthaginians lost Sicily. Hamilcar went to Spain afterwards as the Carthaginian commander there. He took the boy Hannibal with him, though he was but nine years

old. And it was then that he made him swear eternal hatred to the Romans at the altar in Carthage. Hannibal never forgot this. He told the story of it to Antiochus, not long before his own death. Here is his own account of it:

"When I was a little boy not more than nine years old, my father offered sacrifices to Jupiter the Best and Greatest, on his departure from Carthage as general in Spain. While he was conducting the sacrifice, he asked me if I would like to go to the camp with him. I said I would gladly, and began to beg him not to hesitate to take me. replied, 'I will do it if you will make the promise I demand.' He took me at once to the altar, at which he had offered his sacrifice; he bade me take hold of it, having sent the others away, and bade me swear that I would never be in friendship with the Romans.'

He

To this boy's vow he was always true. He could not have had a better school for war than was Spain, nor a better teacher than his father. The Carthaginians were establishing their colonies in the southern

part of Spain, the Romans were strengthening their allies in the northern part. The river Ebro, which they called Iberus, had been agreed upon as a dividing line between the two empires. The Spanish tribes were by no means easy under their foreign rulers, and were constantly rebelling. Hannibal loved the open air, and he loved war. He was indifferent to personal luxury. He did not sleep because it was night, but because his work was done. He did not rise from bed because it was morning, but because he had something to do. So they say he was indifferent to day or night. His dress was always simple, but his arms and his horses were always of the best. When he was so young as to be under command, he was always a favorite with his superiors, and then and afterwards he was always a favorite with his army. It seems to have been taken for granted from the beginning that he was to be a great commander. He commanded the Carthaginian cavalry when he was eighteen years old, and took command of the whole army on his father's death, when he was hardly twenty-five or twenty-six.