"The society having now reached its fifteenth anniversary, the committee of management beg to congratulate their friends and subscribers on the success that has been attained,

"When the Society first commenced its labors, the generous and noble-minded natives of the islands, together with their King-a chief whose name is well known in connection with one of the most sterling and heroic ballads of this country-attired themselves in the light but somewhat insufficient costume of their tribe-viz., little before, nothing behind, and no sleeves, with the occasional addition of a pair of spectacles; but now, thanks to this useful association, the upper classes of the Cannibals seldom appear in public without their bodies being enveloped in blankets, and their feet encased in top-boots.

"When the latter useful articles were first introduced into the islands, the society's agents had a vast amount of trouble to prevail upon the natives to apply them to their proper purpose; and, in their work of civilization, no less than twenty of its representatives were massacred, roasted, and eaten. But we persevered; we overcame the natural antipathy of the Cannibals to wear any covering to their feet; until, after a time, the natives discovered the warmth and utility of boots; and now they can scarcely be induced to remove them until they fall off through old age.

"During the past half-year, the society has distributed no less than 71 blankets and 128 pairs of top-boots; and your committee, therefore, feel convinced that they will not be accused of inaction. But a great work is still before them; and they earnestly invite co-operation, in order that they may be enabled to supply the whole of the Cannibals with these comfortable, nutritious, and savory articles.

"As the balance sheet is rather a lengthy document, I will merely quote a few of the figures for your satisfaction. We have received, during the last half-year, in subscriptions, donations, and legacies, the sum of 5,4031. 68. 8d. We have disbursed for advertising, &c., 2221. 68. 2d. Rent, rates, and taxes, 3057. 108. Old. Seventy-one pairs of blankets, at 208. per pair, have taken 717. exactly; and 128 pairs of top-boots at 218. per pair, cost us 134/. some odd shillings. The salaries and

expenses of management amount to 1,3077. 48. 21d.; and sundries, which include committee meetings and traveling expenses, have absorbed the remainder of the sum, and amount to 3,2681. 9s. 1d. So that we have expended on the dear and interesting Cannibals the sum of 2057. and the remainder of the sum-amounting to 5,1987.-has been devoted to the working expenses of the society."

The reading concluded, the secretary resumes his seat amid hearty applause which continues until Mr. Alderman Gobbleton rises, and, in a somewhat lengthy and discursive speech-in which the phrases, "the Corporation of the City of London," "suit and service," " ancient guild," "liberties and privileges," and "Court of Common Council," figure frequently, states that he agrees with everything the noble chairman has said; and has, moreover, never listened to a more comprehensive and exhaustive document than the one just read; which is calculated to satisfy even the most obtuse and hard-headed of individuals.

Gobbleton is a great man in the city. He has either been lord mayor, or sheriff, or something of the sort; and, as a few words of his go a long way with his friends and admirers, his remarks are very favorably received.

66

'Clever man, Gobbleton !" says a common councilman, sitting near us, to his neighbor, a languid swell of the period. Ya-as, vewy! Wemarkable style of owatowy--gweat fluency," replies the other.

66

But attention, if you please!-for M. Hector de Longuebeau, the great French writer, is on his legs. He is staying in England for a short time, to become acquainted with our manners and customs.

"MILORS AND GENTLEMANS!" commences the Frenchman, elevating his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders. “Milors and Gentlemans-You excellent chairman, M. le Baron de Mount-Stuart, he have say to me, 'Make de toast.' Den I say to him dat I have no toast to make; but he nudge my elbow ver soft, and say dat dere is von toast dat nobody but von Frenchiman can make proper; and, derefore, wid your kind permission, I vill make de toast. 'De brevete is de sole of de feet,' as you great philosophere, Dr. Johnson, do say, in dat amusing little vork of his, de Pronouncing Dic

tionnaire; and, derefore, I vill not say ver moch to de point Ven I vas a boy, about so moch tall, and used for to promenade de streets of Marseilles et of Rouen, vid no feet to put onto my shoe, I nevare to have expose dat dis day vould to have arrive. I vas to begin de vorld as von garcon-or, vat you call in dis countrie, von vaitaire in a café-vere I vork ver hard, vid no habillemens at all to put onto myself, and ver little food to eat, excep' von old bleu blouse vat vas give to me by de proprietaire, just for to keep myself fit to be showed at; but, tank goodness, tings dey have change ver noch for me since dat time and I have rose myself, seulement par mon industrie et perseverance. (Loud cheers.) Ah! mes amis! ven I hear to myself de flowing speech, de oration magnifique of you Lor' Maire, Monsieur Gobbledown, I feel dat it is von great privilege for von étranger to sit at de same table, and to eat de same food, as dat grand, dat majestique man, who are de terreur of de voleurs and de brigands of de metropolis; and who is also, I for to suppose, a halterman and de chief of you common scoundrel. Milors and gentlemans, I feel dat I can perspire to no greatare honneur dan to be von common scoundrelman myself; but, hélas! dat plaisir are not for me, as I are not freeman of your great cité, not von liveryman servant of von of you compagnies joint-stock. But I must not forget de toast. Milors and Gentlemans! De immortal Shakispeare he have write, 'De ting of beauty are de joy for nevermore.' It is de adies who are de toast. Vat is more entrancing dan de charmante smile, de soft voice, de vinking eye of de beautiful lady! It is de ladies who do sweeten de cares of life. It is de ladies who are de guiding stars of our existence. It is de ladies who do cheer but not inebriate, and, derefore, vid all homage to dere sex, de toast dat I have to propose is, 'De Ladies! God bless dem all!"

And the little Frenchman sits down amid a perfect tempest of cheers.

A few more toasts are given, the list of subscriptions is read, a vote of thanks is passed to the noble chairman; and the Fifteenth Annual Festival of the Society for the Distribution of Blankets and Top-Boots among the Natives of the Cannibal Islands is at an end.

THE PALACE O' THE KING.-WILLIAM MITCHELL.

It's a bonnie, bonnie warl' that we're livin' in the noo,
An' sunny is the lan' we aften traivel thro';

But in vain we look for something to which our hearts can cling,

For its beauty is as naetning to the palace o' the King.

We like the gilded simmer, wi' its merry, merry tread,
An' we sigh when hoary winter lays its beauties wi' the dead;
For though bonnie are the snawflakes, an' the down on win..
ter's wing,

It's fine to ken it daurna' touch the palace o' the King.

Then again, I've juist been thinkin' that when a'thing here's sae bricht,

The sun in a' its grandeur an' the mune wi' quiverin' licht,
The ocean i' the simmer or the woodland i' the spring,
What maun it be up yonder i' the palace o' the King.

It's here we hae oor trials, an' it's here that he prepares
A' his chosen for the raiment which the ransomed sinner

wears,

An' it's here that he wad hear us, 'mid oor tribulations sing, "We'll trust oor God wha reigneth i' the palace o' the King."

Though his palace is up yonder, he has kingdoms here below,
An' we are his ambassadors, wherever we may go;
We've a message to deliver, an' we've lost anes hame to bring
To be leal and loyal-heartit i' the palace o' the King.

Oh, it's honor heaped on honor that his courtiers should be ta'en

Frae the wand'rin' anes he died for, i' this warl' o' sin an' pain,

An' it's fu'est love an' service that the Christian aye should

bring

To the feet o' him wha reigneth i' the palace o' the King.

An' let us trust him better than we've ever done afore, For the King will feed his servants frae his ever bounteous store.

Let us keep a closer grip o' him, for time is on the wing,
An' sune he'll come and tak' us to the palace o' the King.

Its iv'ry halls are bonnie, upon which the rainbows shine,
An' its Eden bow'rs are trellised wi' a never-fadin' vine.
An' the pearly gates o' heaven do a glorious radiance fling
On the starry floor that shimmers i' the palace o' the King.

Nae nicht shall be in heaven, an' nae desolatin' sea,
An' nae tyrant hoofs shall trample i' the city o' the free.
There's an everlastin' daylight, an' a never-fadin' spring,
Where the Lamb is a' the glory, i' the palace o' the King

We see oor frien's await us ower yonder at his gate:
Then let us a' be ready, for ye ken it's gettin' late.

Let oor lamps be brichtly burnin': let's raise oor voice an sing,

*Sune we'll meet, to pairt nae mair, i' the palace o' the King."

THE GIFT OF TRITEMIUS.-J. G. WHITTIER.

Tritemius of Herbipolis one day,

While kneeling at the altar's foot to pray,
Alone with God, as was his pious choice,
Heard from beneath a miserable voice,-
A sound that seemed of all sad things to tell,
As of a lost soul crying out of hell.

Thereat the Abbot rose, the chain whereby
His thoughts went upward broken by that cry,
And, looking from the casement, saw below
A wretched woman, with gray hair aflow,

And withered hands, stretched up to him, who cried
For alms as one who might not be denied.

She cried: "For the dear love of Him who gave
His life for ours, my child from bondage save,
My beautiful, brave first-born, chained with slaves
In the Moor's galley, where the sun-smit waves
Lap the white walls of Tunis!"
"What I can
I give," Tritemius said,- my prayers."
Of God!" she cried, for grief had made her bold,
Mock me not so; I ask not prayers, but gold;
Words cannot serve me, alms alone suffice;

66

"

"O man

Even while I plead, perchance my first-born dies!" "Woman!" Tritemius answered, "from our door None go unfed; hence are we always poor.

A single soldo is our only store.

Thou hast our prayers; what can we give thee more?

"Give me," she said, "the silver candlesticks
On either side of the great crucifix;

God well may spare them on His errands sped,
Or He can give you golden ones instead."

Then said Tritemius, "Even as thy word,
Woman, so be it; and our gracious Lord,