seldom sang near the nest, unless the young were hatched; and even then, at the first appearance of an intruder upon the solitude of the dim woods, where his nest lay, he would fly to a distance, and endeavor to baffle the curiosity of the stranger by singing from the tops of the trees, as if he were entirely at ease as to the safety of his nest. Or he would glide off, with silent flight, into the deepest woods, and alighting watch, with his great brown eyes, the slightest movements of his obstinate pursuer-now and then gliding swiftly off in a straight line over the ground, then suddenly stopping, and with head lifted, gaze upon the enemy, whose eyes wandered over the brown leaves in search, but most often completely baffled. Thus we had hunted and hunted for this mysterious denizen of the woods, only now and then catching glimpses of him, just enough to convince us that he was a real bird, and not a phantom voice. We love the Song-Thrush better than all other song-birds. Its song is so wonderfully beautiful, and its perceptions so much more subtle than other birds. It seems to be the very embodiment of the sentiment of affection. Its expressions of confidence as a pet bird are so charming and endearing, and it grows to be so wise, so gentle, and so we spared no pains to find the nest of this bird, who had captivated our hearts with his mellow, delicious song at the sunset. many discoveries, but his secret h safely kept. Once we thought we had found his hidden treasure. We heard him singing, and stopped to listen. A saucy squirrel overhead commenced to bark-we did not look up, for at that moment we saw the female Thrush fly out from the shadow and alight upon a fallen tree, on one side of which was a thicket of brambles. Her white breast, dotted with dark spots, was distinctly relieved by the brown, mossy trunk. She stood tiptoe, gazing around, while we were motionless. She seemed to imagine nothing wrong, and darted down into the thicket. Ah, ha mister squirrel! baffled that time! You thought to give the alarm, did you? You need not run down that tree at me, I am not to be frightened! So bark as much as you please, sir! See! see! here she comes! And as we spoke, the Thrush flew to the ground, and appeared to be killing a worm or bug! This convinced us that she had a nest in the high thicket; and after watching her a little longer, and finally losing sight of her in the distance, as she still kept on the ground, we advanced to the nesting place, as we were sure it was! Conceive our chagrin! not a sign of a nest did we find the cunning mistress had seen us-had comprehended the warning of Master Squirrel, perhaps, and had deliberately deceived us! Too bad! too bad! This almost discouraged us, although we still continued But in vain we searched; we made an unsuccessful search, day after day! One day, passing slowly through the | Mr. W.'s leg, when I, with an eager wish to catch the little elf, made a slight movement. woods, followed by three or four handsome young calves, who were smelling at our clothes and hands, and whose curiosity about us seemed to be very great, Mr. W suddenly stopped, throwing up his hand as he did so! We had been in the woods so much together, that I comprehended this, and instantly paused. The calves stopped too, but not seeing anything unusual, I suppose, they commenced munching the leaves. "Shall I drive the calves off?" I whispered. 66 No, they serve to attract attention from us capitally! Look there!"* I stepped cautiously forward. In front of us, playing among the dry leaves, whirling them about with their swift movement, as they uncovered the ground to hide a nut-darting round and round in a game of "tag"-running swift as wind up the trunks of trees, swinging from twig to twig, or disappearing down hollows, or round the larger branches, were five or six little goblin-men! Yes! veritable little goblin-men, with bushy tails to them! Here was one who, seated on a bending root, sat munching something he held in his paws, while with a waggish bend of his head to one side he surveyed us. What was he thinking about? Presently he descended, ran towards us, paused, whirled about like a zephyr in a silver-gray coat, turned his quizzical eyes towards us, and then preparing for a spring, was about to leap upon Away they go! only this last turns round on the border of a hollow, and scolds us for our deceit! What did we mean by making him believe we were trees? Outrageous! and he went head first down the hollow in his indignation. "Oh! did you ever see such little squirrels !" I exclaimed. "Yes," laughingly replied Mr. W.; "but they were little simpletons, who were out for the first time without leave. Their mother was gone, and they ventured out for a frolic-and well scared they have been. They thought we were only trees, and were terribly frightened when you moved." "I would so like one of those beautiful creatures for a pet," I said. 66 Well, to-morrow we will come out here and try to get one," Mr. W. answered. The next day Mr. W. went alone, and after several hours' absence returned, but without the squirrel They had taken the alarm, and had not made their appearance once. "But," said Mr. W., "I have seen a fairy, and know where she lives! But I shall not tell anybody. If any one wants to know a fairy, he must seek her himself!" In spite of all my entreaties, Mr. W. would not tell me what the fairy's name was, or give me any further intelligence than this. If I went to the squirrel tree, went up the wood-path over the I turned round and round-crossed the path, and looked-no trail ! hill, sixty paces, to a fallen tree, turned | I counted, and found it too long, and off fifteen paces to an upright stick, then came back to the upright stick. and then followed a trail ten paces more, it would lead to the fairy's house. I determined to find it, and the next afternoon set out. It was my first lesson in woodcraft, and Mr. W. was determined not to help me; but walked after me, laughing and assuring me that the fairy did not disclose her secret to everybody. At the squirrel tree we paused. I must think all the route out first; and after I had fixed the direction in my mind I started, Mr. W. still following, laughing. The sixty paces carefully marked off, found me at the fallen tree, on the hill by the wood-path. Turning to the left, after twice returning to the tree, the fifteen paces brought me to the upright stick, which Mr. W. had planted. There I halted. Now came the difficulty. What was the trail made of? Sticks, perhaps, or leaves, or-I could not tell what. I turned round and looked at Mr. W. He stood in the centre of the path, watching me with a quizzical expression. This was enough. I would not fail now! My eyes glanced round over the ground, then I began to scan every object-suddenly my eye caught a slender stem, pointing in an oblique direction ahead of me. I stepped forward and followed the trail, as I thought it. It seemed to extend in a perfect line, but to my chagrin, at the end of it I saw no fairy's house or fairy! I retraced my steps without looking at Mr. W. I stopped to think. I almost despaired, but it would never do to give up. Suddenly my eye fell upon a piece of wood-a mossy branch, around which no leaves were clustered, no spears of grass were bending over it, only a twig lying across it! Ah, ha! and catching the idea, my eye wandered over the ground. I saw it all. Eight feet distant, a long branch lay across the roots of a tree, and it was in a line with this mossy branch, which I now divined did not belong where it lay. I hurried forward; as I reached the end of the long branch, Mr. W. called out as he sprang forward, "Stop! stop!" I stopped. I had discovered the fairy! Proverbs. He that has no bread, must not keep a dog. It is better to go round the stream than drown in crossing. The ardent reformer moves the multitude, but the calm philosopher moves the ardent reformer. What we learn in our infancy remains forever. A regular diet cures more people than physic. Patience, application, and courage overcome all difficulties. The Night of Three Tales. A CHAPTER OF HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPES. BY FATHER FRANK. OUNG ernment, and invited the son of the late Mary Lis- king to return and take possession of ton being the throne. Hoping, with their aid, designated ultimately to recover his lost inheritfurnish ance, he accepted their invitation, and the next placed himself at the head of the army story, pro- they had raised for his support. to posed, with becoming modesty, THE DISGUISED CHEVALIER. 'In one of the north countries of Europe, which, for ages, had been remarkable both for the frequency and the violence of its internal commotions, and for its gradual and steady advances toward a substantial freedom, a sudden and complete revolution had taken place in the form of the government. The monarch had been violently hurled from his throne, his friends and supporters removed from all places of trust or authority, and his family driven into exile. The leading agents in these violent proceedings erected themselves into a new government, under a new style and title, and in a form which I believe has no precedent or parallel in history, being neither a monarchy, an aristocracy, nor a republic. "A considerable portion of the people in one section of the country refused to acknowledge this new gov "Defeated in several successive engagements with his enemies, the young prince, whom I shall now call "The Disguised Chevalier," was reduced to the necessity of saving his life by flight. His prospect of ultimate escape was extremely precarious. His enemies were numerous, vigilant, and thoroughly acquainted with that part of the country, to which he was almost an entire stranger, and they immediately offered a large reward to any one who would betray his retreat, and.declared that any one who assisted to conceal him, or aided in his escape, should be regarded as a traitor, and punished with death. "His first object was to get away from the immediate vicinity of this last fatal battle; and, accompanied by about fifty faithful friends, he put spurs to his horse, and scarcely stopped to breathe till he had measured nine leagues of distance from his enemies. Here he took leave of his followers, leaving each to seek safety as he could, without being exposed to the extra hazard of being in his company. Left now to his own resources, he committed himself to the care of some peasants, who occupied a retired cottage on the borders of an extensive forest. These poor men showed themselves worthy of his royal confidence; for neither the fear of death, nor desire for the proffered reward, could induce them to betray him. Cutting off his hair, staining his face and hands, and changing his dress, he shouldered his axe, and accompanied his friends into the forest, as a wood-cutter. "His enemies were not long in tracking his flight, and were soon in hot pursuit. Fearing that it would be impossible effectually to conceal him, changed as he was, his humble friends assisted him to climb a large oak, in the midst of the forest, whose foliage was thick enough to hide him from the view of any one passing beneath, In this hiding-place he remained a whole day, while parties of soldiers were Scouring the wood in every direction. Once they passed so near that he could hear them expressing to each other their surprise that he could not be found, for they were sure he must be somewhere in the wood. "When night came on, and his pursuers had retired from the place, in despair of finding him, he came down from his leafy lodge, and, traveling nine miles, in company with a single friend, sought shelter and rest in another cottage. The owner, though honest and trusty, was very poor. He could only feed them with buttermilk, and lodge them in a hay-loft. In this loft "the Chevalier" remained two days, while his friend was seeking further means of escape. 66 "A new plan was now devised. A young lady, the daughter of one of his friends, going on a visit to some relations residing in a large city near the sea-coast, took the Chevalier for a servant; and, as was not unfrequent in those days, he rode on the same horse with her, she occupying a pillion, or cushion behind the saddle, while the servant at the same time managed the horse, and supported her in her seat. This journey, though continuing four days, through the heart of the country, where they were continually meeting with enemies, was performed in safety. But his person was so well known that even the servants recognized him, so that the danger of exposure was daily increasing. "A vessel was at length engaged to take him out of the country, but, when all was ready for embarking, the master, suspecting something wrong, refused to sail. They were obliged therefore to seek another port. When they arrived, they found the place full of the soldiers of the enemy. The royal fugitive, still acting as a servant, led his horses to the stable, boldly pushing aside some of the soldiers as he passed. Here he was recognized by the hostler, but contrived to confound him, so as to make him doubt the evidence of his own senses. Getting out of this place as soon as possible, they passed, on the road, a body of cavalry, led by one of his bitterest enemies. At length |