Various

“ Now do you not think a musician who could make any Christian heart full of such reverence and love ought always to be honored? I like to think of Handel revered as he is now. His life was not happy in many ways. Many things troubled him. He used to sit hours playing on his organ, and I have no doubt trying to reconcile himself to the blindness which fast came upon him. He had many friends, but no family ties of his own. He wrote on unceasingly, and some other time I may tell you more of his work. Just now I have had space only to speak of his greatest oratorio. ”

“ Jack was already out and standing at Popsey's head, but no sooner had her elder sister vanished from sight under the long grape arbor that led to the house, than May suddenly discovered that she was terribly thirsty.
"Oh, Jack," she cried, "I must go in and get a drink; but I don't want to wake baby, and make her cross, perhaps; so I'll just put her down here in the bottom of the cart on the seat cushion. I'll be back in a minute or two; but mind, keep a tight hold on the donkey, and if Amy wakes up, talk to her till I come." ”

“ Let us consider the oratorio for a moment as represented by Handel's Messiah. The most famous part perhaps is the "Hallelujah Chorus." Hear this sung by thousands: do you not thrill with joy and praise? As the music swells on, with its bursts of melodious exultation, we feel ourselves lifted away from everything common and base. ”

“ After a few experiments you will be able to judge pretty accurately how long to expose a plate.
It would be impossible to enumerate the mistakes which a young photographer will make. The only way is to profit by them, and not make the same one a second time. Many boys who get a photographic outfit are disgusted with it, after one or two trials, because they can not make as good a picture as a professional photographer. ”

“ Amateur photography is getting to be exceedingly popular. The price of outfits is so low that they are within reach of all, and from what we hear it would seem that a goodly number of the readers of Young People are engaging in it. A few words therefore on the subject from one who has been through the first few months of enthusiasm and disappointment which succeed the purchase of an instrument may be of service to those who have embarked on the ocean of amateur photography. ”

“ The mahout usually takes his wife and children with him, as it takes several people to keep an elephant comfortable. Every morning and evening he must have his bath, and before beginning the day's march his forehead, ears, paws, and every part of his body likely to be cracked with the sun must be greased. When the party comes to a halt, the elephant's heavy trappings are always taken off, and he is allowed to rest under a spreading tree. When an elephant does not feel well, he makes a pill for himself without saying a word to the doctor. ”

“ Ethel, half raising herself in bed, thus explained:
"Why, Mabel, I will tell you what makes the rain come. You see, God is up there above the clouds, and He has wings, and flies from place to place, all over. Then, you know, He has a pump, with a big deep well, with lots, oh! lots of water in it, and on the pump there is a rubber tube, with a sprinkler fastened to it. And then He pumps, and pumps, and pumps, and the angels they pump, and the water comes, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles; and that's what makes the rain come." ”

“ On the other hand, I have worked in a closet two feet deep, by the dim light of a single ruby lamp. But in photography as in everything else the "golden mean" is preferable.
If kept in a perfectly dark box, the dry plates need not be developed for months. Travellers often change plates, and even develop and fix them, at night, in their rooms, by the aid of a ruby lantern. As the changing of plates is an operation which consumes but little time, this may be done with safety, but we would recommend the young photographer to make use of his dark room for the process of developing. ”

“ So long as Toby was willing to feed him with doughnuts he was willing to remain; but when his companions gathered around in such numbers that the supply of food was quickly exhausted, he went back to his lofty perch, much to the boy's regret.
"He looks like Mr. Stubbs, an' he acts like him, an' it must be his brother sure," said Toby to himself as Abner hurried him away to look at the other curiosities. When he was at some distance from the cage he turned and said, "Good-by," as if he were speaking to his old pet. ”

“ I have taken Harper's Young People two years (ever since we left England) , and have never written before. I have an Indian pony, on which I ride about; her name is Frances. My brother Jack has one called Charlie. I have a little sister Mabel; she is six, and so fat that mamma calls her Pumpkin. She calls me her fairy lily. I have seen Jumbo in England, and am glad he has come to America. Papa says some time I may see him again. I am very fond of reading. I have lots of books, and my grandma sends me Little Folks every month. I have been learning music for a year, and am getting on nicely. ”

“ In a gallery where the surroundings are the same and the light varies but little, it is comparatively easy to determine how long a plate should be exposed in the camera. But in out-of-door work the amateur must take into consideration the state of the weather and the atmosphere, the presence or absence of reflecting surfaces, such as a stretch of sand-beach, a sheet of water, or the proximity of a light-colored building, and time the plate accordingly. ”

“ It was a grand ride down the creek, but when they came out on the mill-pond, Mrs. Chittenden exclaimed:
"I'd no idea it was so wide. Dear me! If I had dreamed of any such risk as this, I'd never have come."
"Nonsense!" said Aunt Dorcas. "If Mr. Harms's end of the boat keeps above water, all the rest will."
"He's a very heavy man," sighed Mrs. Chittenden. ”

“ That he might not be able to witness the performance did not trouble him very greatly, although it would have been a disappointment not to see Ella ride; but he blamed himself very much because he had not saved a ticket for Abner, and he hurried to find Ben that he might arrange matters for him.
The old driver was easily found, and still more easily persuaded to grant the favor which permitted Abner to view the wonderful sights beneath the almost enchanted canvas. ”

“ We had a few dogs out with us, but they are not required if there are a good many people mounted. Of course, to any one hunting by himself, they would be a necessity. Just before our start homeward it was proposed to let the kangaroo go, and with some difficulty they managed to untie the rope. The kangaroo being at bay, it stood upon its hind-legs, with its back to a tree, and kept striking out with its paws. ”

“ I think "Toby Tyler" and "Mr. Stubbs's Brother" are the best of all. Blue Ribbon has a little kitten; she is teaching it to walk. I have a horse; his name is Old Indian. The reason I call him Old Indian is because we bought him of the Indians. I have some nice rides on him. We live on a ranch, and have lots of little calves and little chickens. I do not go to school, but study my lessons at home. I send one dollar for Young People's Cot.
Oliver T. C.
Your contribution has been sent to the lady who receives and takes care of the money for Young People's Cot. ”

“ Very likely he did send his cat away on one of his employer's ships to clear the vessel of rats and mice, and it would not be at all strange if he sometimes fancied he heard the sweet tones of the Bow-Bells calling to him
"Turn again, Whittington,
Lord Mayor of London."
Few boys become successful men without ambition. It is a good thing to mean to be somebody one of these days. But doing well is better than dreaming. The lad who works with all his might at whatever he begins, never slighting any duty until it is done, will be sure to make a useful and honored man. ”

“ After the chemicals have had time to dissolve—say fifteen or twenty minutes—filter the solutions into separate bottles, and cork them tightly, to keep out the dust. Always filter all your solutions before using them; even filter the water if it is not perfectly clear. Cleanliness is a prime necessity in photography, and the amateur can not be too careful.
Now comes the "fixing" solution, which is made by dissolving four ounces of hyposulphite of soda in twenty ounces of water. ”

“ I say of course, because for the amateur they are cheaper, more convenient, produce better results, and afford a wider latitude of subject than the wet plates. We will suppose, then, that you have provided yourself with a good camera and lens, chemicals, plates, baths, and all that go to make a complete outfit.
Your first trouble will be with your dark room. It must be absolutely dark; the faintest ray of white light will destroy the most perfectly timed picture. Any closet will do, so long as you can have perfect darkness and room to work. ”

“ Twenty-five pounds of flour were mixed and baked, and one-half the quantity was given to the elephant in the morning, and the other in the evening. Besides these cakes, he ate freely of the leaves and branches of trees. Each morning he would go with his mahout, or driver, into the jungle, and there he would choose and pick the branches he liked best, loading them on his back, and taking the supply home to the camp. There was a kind of marshy grass which he considered a very choice dessert. When a person engages an elephant, he of course engages the mahout as well. ”

“ MR. STUBBS'S BROTHER, PRESENTED TO TOBY TYLER BY THE SKELETON, THE FAT WOMAN, OLD BEN, LITTLE ELLA.
Toby took the collar, and as he fastened it on the monkey's neck, he said, in a voice that trembled considerably with emotion:
"You've all of you been awful good to me, an' I don't know what to say so's you'll know how much I thank you. It seems as if ever since I started with the circus you've all tried to see how good you could be; an' now you've given me this monkey that I wanted so much. Some time, when I'm a man, I'll show you how much I think of all you've done for me." ”

“ My sister has been all over the establishment of Harper & Brothers, and saw them printing Young People. I should like to see that, and hope to some time. I think it was Augusta C. who did not like cats. She would not change her mind if she saw our cat, for that lazy animal is awake all night and asleep all day. We have had no less than six cats during the past year. "The Talking Leaves" excited us very much, and I think it was splendid. Toby Tyler is a very nice little boy, I think, and when I first glanced at the picture of the circus coming in, I thought they were taking him away again. ”

“ More pictures are spoiled than saved by inexperienced doctoring.
After your chemicals are all prepared, put a plate in your holder, or wooden box with slides, one or more of which accompany every outfit. Focus your camera on some object; a row of buildings, the side of a house, or a board fence is preferable for this experiment. Take off the cap, and pull the slide about half of the way out. Expose about six seconds, and pull out the slide the rest of the way. Expose this six seconds again, and replace the slide. ”

“ But it was not long before Popsey became so attached to his young master that it was thought perfectly safe to allow two-year-old Amy the privilege of a ride now and then, from which she returned in a very mixed state of mind as to whether she wanted to tell papa about Popsey, or Popsey about papa.
One Saturday, about three months after Popsey's advent, Walter's cousins came over from Wallingville to make him a visit. They were the children of Mr. Radlow's only brother, and Helen was fourteen, May twelve, and Jack ten. ”

“ Is scarcely fit to hold a candle.
Strange all this difference should be
'Twixt tweedledum and tweedledee."
Handel's genius, however, was not to be suppressed by any such foolish contentions. He worked on as usual, and in 1749 produced the work with which his name is most associated, the oratorio of The Messiah.
I do not think you can go into any part of England without finding people who love The Messiah. It used to seem to me it was the one work every one knew about. And it is well worthy of such general knowledge. In it are airs that must move every Christian heart. ”

“ I do not know Georgie Hackett, but poor Jimmy is certainly an interesting boy, though I would not care to have him living at my house, unless he could behave better than he now does. Perseverance is an excellent quality. ”

“ This gentleman examined the pebble again and again, and finally asked permission to take it to Cincinnati with him to show to some one there. Not long afterward the gentleman returned, and told the lad that his "pretty stone" was worth a good many thousands of dollars. It was, in fact, what is called a fire opal, a very precious stone, specimens of which are so very scarce and costly that jewellers can not afford to make use of them. The few that have been found since Humboldt carried specimens to Europe have been eagerly bought at enormous prices for the great museums. ”

“ After the Postmistress has assured us she has seen Jimmy Brown, his stories are much more interesting to me, for they must be the experiences of a real boy. We always laugh at them, they are so funny. ”

“ I have had a nice black and white rabbit for almost a year. I will try to get some wild ones this spring, and tame them. Some of us boys take our dinners out in the woods on Saturdays, and have a splendid time. ”

“ Our house is a square from Lake Superior. We can stand at any window and look right out on the lake. Bayfield is a great summer resort for invalids and pleasure-seekers. Very nearly all the large steamboats come here. ”