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THE TURKS.

THIS grave old Basha Bazouk in the picture seems to be lost in such deep meditation that he has even forgotten to put his beloved pipe into his mouth, and sits there letting the rich latakia tobacco burn itself away. I do not think he is a Turk, for, you see, he does not wear a turban; and besides, he has not the true Osmanlee look of sublime indifference to everything. He looks as if he were thinking, whilst a geninue Turk is always dreaming when he has his "pipe of tranquillity" in his mouth. There are several Turks in the background with undoubted turbans.

Turks are not Christians, like the rest of the inhabitants of Europe; but they believe in Mahomet, and when you ask about their faith they say, "There is no God but God, and Mahomet is his prophet." The King of Turkey is not called a King, but a Sultan.

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AMY AND THE PUDDING.

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"Let's

I WONDER What pudding we shall have for dinner," said Johnny. all guess, and whoever guesses right shall have two pieces. I guess jampudding." "I guess gooseberry," said Mary. I guess rice," said Tom. "I dess pum," said little Margaret, who could not talk plain. Amy did not guess at all, but she stole down into the kitchen, and when Cook's back was turned she lifted up the saucepan-lid and saw that it was currant-pudding. Then she went back to the nursery, and said, I guess currant-pudding ; but this was not guessing, because she knew all the time. When the pudding came to table all the children sang out that Amy had guessed right; but Čook had found out that some one had touched her saucepan, and had made the pudding heavy, so she came up and told of Amy; and instead of getting two pieces, she had no pudding at all, because she had not acted fairly.

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THE ZEBRA.

No doubt you are all well acquainted with the picture of the Zebra, because this curious animal is generally given in picture alphabets to illustrate the letter Z; but perhaps you do not know much more about him than that his name begins with Z, and that he wears a striped coat. But although you only know the Zebra in pictures, or possibly at the Zoological Gardens, you are well acquainted with his poor degraded cousin, the much abused Ass of domestic life. The Zebra is the wild Ass of South Africa, and roams about savage and free amongst the mountains, never having submitted to the indignity of drawing a costermonger's cart. It is a very handsome animal, with smooth and richly striped skin; and if it could be caught and tamed, it would no doubt become as serviceable to man as other kinds of Asses; but it is difficult to tame it. Perhaps it is afraid of being as ill treated as its cousin, the Donkey.

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