placing between handkerchiefs. For ourselves we prefer the oblong, or square flat shape, as being more convenient, but novelties are always more or less admired and sought after; thus, for instance, a miniature copy of the two Turkish cushions that serve for seats has been made. They are managed in this way. First two squares are cut out and three of the sides joined up, the fourth being left open to receive the padding; the two squares being so stitched together form a bag, which is now turned right side out. Some wadding, sprinkled with sachet powder, is put inside, and the fourth side is neatly sewed up, after which the whole is corded. One cushion being completed, another is to be made after the same fashion, and when finished it is placed cornerwise on the top of the first, and they are fastened together with needle and thread. Sachets painted in grisaille make dainty presents. A grisaille is work carried out entirely in black and grey, pure Chinese white standing for the high lights; the gradations of grey formed by the differing strengths of the mixture give a beautiful softness, while the lights enhance and heighten, and the dark touches strengthen the effect. Another style is to carry out the picture in monochrome, that is, in shades of one colour alone. On a brown ground the flowers, leaves, and stems would all be brown of varying shades. Medallions can be done in this manner, or the design may be carried out on the ground of the sachet itself, if it be formed of satin or silk. Painting on velvet is accomplished in a different way, and will not be treated here, the

instructions for painting on silk and satin fully requiring the remainder of our space. The fabric should be sized, although, if the colours are used very dry, a slight subject may be managed without. any preparation. Isinglass or gelatine form the size. To make a small quantity, put a quarter of an ounce of isinglass into a jar, add a quarter of a pint of water, and let it soak for twelve hours; then place the jar in a saucepan holding some boiling water, that the size may dissolve thoroughly. Use at once. If gelatine be used a double allowance is needed to the same amount of water. Wash it over the material with a large flat soft brush. Then stretch on the drawing-board by gumming the edges of the fabric all round, and smoothing it out with a soft clean piece of linen. Leave it to dry and it is ready for painting. Trace off the design with tracing-paper, lay it on the satin in position, then carefully slip red transfer-paper between the two, and fix the whole with drawing-pins. Now mark off every part with an ivory tracer lightly, and be sure not to press with your fingers on the tracing, or red marks will show on the satin. Before using the red paper it is well to rub off all superfluous colour with some linen, or it will soil the satin.

Ordinary water colours are used, but every tint is mixed with Chinese white. A drop of ox-gall added to the water used for painting will cause the colours to adhere if any difficulty be found in this respect. It should be added that too much Chinese white will cause the colours to crack.

In Colorado there is a corn-field of so remarkable a nature that, if all that is written about it be true, it must be regarded as a wonder of the New World. It is ten acres in extent, and is a subterranean lake covered with soil eighteen inches deep. It is believed to have been at one time an open sheet of water on which accumulated vegetable matter that in course of a long period acquired a crust thick and strong enough to yield corn, which has, however, to be cultivated by hand, as the soil will not bear the weight of a horse. The harvesters, by digging a hole through the crust, catch perch-like fishes four or five inches long, but without eyes or scales. A man rising on his toes and coming down suddenly on his heel will see the corn around him quiver, while if he push a stick through the soil and then release his hold, it will vanish in the water beneath.

A Brave Miner.

A fire once broke out in a coal-mine in the United States, whereupon the miners in a panic rushed to the cage, each struggling for a place. Five trips of the cage would carry them all safely to the surface, but it looked as if the flames would do their fatal work while the insane fight for carriage-room was going on among the men. The foreman, a strong cool-headed man, took in the situation at a glance. Pushing them all aside he called out the names of as many as could be hoisted at one journey, and in doing so he selected first those who had large families dependent on them, then those who had fewer relatives, then husbands who had no children, then unmarried men. The fifth and last lift conveyed the worthless characters, and Tom Lukey the foremah, the fire scorching their clothes. When praised for his conduct; he carelessly replied, "Oh, that was

nothing. If I hadn't got those fellows out of the way I should have been burned up, don't you see?" But that is just the modest self-denial of the hero. His forethought and care in arranging the rescue are the best comment upon his reply.

A Vessel sunk by Rats.

Apparently there is no limit to the mischief that rats, when so minded, may accomplish. You all know the damage that only one of these rodents did in the house that Jack built. Here is an instance of mischief on a larger scale. A vessel was lying ice-bound in the harbour of a seaport town, and, as is usually the case with ships, she carried a crew of rats in addition to her sailors and cargo. Well, I suppose there is nothing these animals dislike more than idleness, and so they set about gnawing a hole through the planks just above the ice. The hole was not noticed, and as soon as the increasing weight of snow caused the vessel to settle down, the water at length entered it, and the ship sank. Fortunately not much harm was done, as she lay in the harbour. The water was in due time bailed out, and the vessel repaired. Small thanks, however, to the rats!

Curious Freak of a Bullock.

Not long ago, as a number of bullocks were being driven through London by a couple of drovers, one of the animals took it into his head to enter an auction mart. The long passage leading down the sale-room was barely wide enough for the fat bullock's body, each side being closely packed with glass, crockery, furniture, and other breakables. Had the animal turned round, great damage would have been done. At the end of the room stood a large pier-glass, in which the bullock surveyed himself for a few minutes. Meanwhile one of the

A Fight with an Owl.

The owl is looked upon with a good deal of contempt, in spite of the reputation for wisdom with which it has been credited by fable and legend, but that it is not a pleasant bird to encounter in its anger let the experience of a farmer's son near Plymouth prove. A pair of owls which had taken up their quarters in an elmtree made somewhat free with the farmer's chickens.

vengeance on the part of a bird occurred some time ago in the State of New York. A phebee bird had built her nest under the piazza of a country house, and for many years had occupied the spot unharmed. One spring, however, a robin arrived before the lawful owner, and not only took possession of the nest, but declined to retire from it. A quarrel of course ensued, but no notice was taken of the circumstance till autumn, when the peculiar shape of the nest attracted attention. It was found to be a double nest, one built above the other, and in the lower one lay the body of the dead robin. The phebee bird had constructed a fresh nest, and completely entombed the rash but unfortunate robin.

One of the farmer's sons climbed the tree, and took two of the young ones. One day he was showing them to a friend when one of the parents suddenly pounced down. on him, striking him heavily upon the head. Dropping the youngling, he protected himself with a stick, but the owl resented the attack fiercely, and wounded him in the eye so severely as to destroy its sight. The farmer at once killed the two young owls, whereupon he and another of his sons were assailed by the infuriated bird and also seriously wounded. The Egyptian Boys' Sweetmeat.

Egypt is more commonly associated with corn than with sugar; but the latter forms in certain parts of the country an important growing industry. In Middle and Upper Egypt the traveller may see field after field of Indian canes, which may now be regarded as a thoroughly Egyptian product, and which give employment, in the harvest and factories, to thousands of the fellaheen or peasantry. In its natural state the cane is a favourite sweetmeat of the women and children. The little ragged boys who enliven the streets of town or village with their mirth and fun find in the juicy cane a confection as highly prized as the "bulls'-eyes" so toothsome to boys of more northern climes. These Egyptian lads may often be noticed carrying a large piece of this monster sugar-stick," which they devour-sometimes in couples-with gusto.

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