THE FATHER'S DEPAR

TURE.

HORACE and Alfred are very sad, for the time has come for their dear Papa to set sail on a long voyage, and they know that he cannot return home for many months. Even poor old Sybil, the dog, seems to know that her master is going away, and looks up sorrowfully in his face, as much as to say, "Don't stay away very long, master dear." Papa would like very much to take his little boys with him across the seas, but he cannot do this, and they must stay at home and work hard at their studies, so as to please him with their progress when he sees them again; and every night when they say their prayers they must ask their Father in Heaven to bring their dear Papa safe home. Oh! when he comes what rejoicing there will be! What wonderful things he will bring with him from foreign lands, and what a number of presents Horace and Alfred will have!

THE MEDUSA.

REGINALD and his tutor were walking one day along the coast of Cornwall, when they saw, fastened on to one of the low rocks, a very beautiful Medusa. Now I dare say you do not know what a Medusa is, but, if you have been to the sea-side, you have no doubt seen a jelly-fish, and that is the same thing. There are many kinds of jelly-fish, and the Medusa is one of the most beautiful. It is a wonderful and curious animal; for although it looks just like a round piece of jelly, it is, nevertheless, as much alive as you are, and contrives, although it has no mouth, to make its dinner off the small fishes that come near it. The way it does this is by stretching out a number of arms, or tentacula, and drawing its prey in with them and then sucking it into its stomach; for the Medusa is all stomach and arms, and when taken out of the water melts away completely.