When on sentry duty they are taught to warn their human companions of the approach of any strangers within three hundred yards. Each dog has his regimental number on his collar.
[Ill.u.s.tration: DOG CHILDREN OF THE REGIMENT.]
TRUE TO HIS WORD.
At the conquest of Susa, Harmozan, a Persian prince, the satrap of Ahwaz, was taken prisoner by the Arabs. When about to be taken before Omar, the Commander of the Faithful, he arranged himself in his most gorgeous apparel, wearing a crown on his head, and his embroidered silk robe being confined by a splendid jeweled girdle. When his conductors brought him to the mosque he saw Omar stretched on the ground, taking a mid-day sleep. When he awoke he asked their business, and they replied, "We bring you here the king of Ahwaz."
"Take hence the infidel," said Omar, averting his gaze. "Strip him of his robes, and array him in the garb of El Islam."
This was done, and when Harmozan was again brought into the presence of Omar he wore the striped garments of the Arabs. After conversing a while he complained of being thirsty; but when a cup of water was brought he expressed a fear that he might be killed while drinking it.
"Be of good courage," said Omar! "your life shall be safe till you have drunk this water."
Harmozan instantly dashed the cup on the ground, claiming fulfillment of the Caliphs word. Omar declared that this conduct deserved punishment as deceitful, but out of regard for his word he pardoned the Persian, who became a convert to the faith of El Islam.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "TAKE HENCE THE INFIDEL," SAID OMAR]
HUNTING A LION.
Some hunters near the Cape of Good Hope went in search of a lion which had carried off a number of cattle from the neighborhood.
They discovered him in a thicket or jungle, and at once proceeded to pepper him with slugs and bullets. Regardless of the shower of b.a.l.l.s the lion bounded forward, and in an instant turned the chase upon them. All took to their horses or their heels. One huge fellow, not nimble enough to mount his horse in time, was left in the rear, and was speedily run down by the rampant lion. He had the prudence to fling himself flat on the ground and lie quiet as a log. The lion sniffed at him, scratched him with his paw, and then quietly sat down upon his body. His routed companions, collecting in a band, took courage at length to face about; and, seeing the lion on the prostrate body of the hunter, they imagined that their comrade was killed, and began to concert measures for avenging him. After a short pause, however, the lion resigned of his own accord his seat of triumph, relieved his panting capture, and retreated towards the mountains. The party, on coming up, found their friend shaking his ears, unharmed, except what he had suffered from a very ungentlemanly piece of conduct on the part of the lion.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LION SITS DOWN ON THE HUNTER.]
PURSUED BY INDIANS.
Two young men who had been attached to an exploring party, out West, but had unwisely strayed away from their companions, were leisurely riding along the prairie, trying to track the footsteps of their friends, when they saw on the brow of a hill in their rear about a dozen Indian warriors, who were rapidly approaching them. There was not a moment to lose. The white men were unarmed, save for their hunting-knives, while the lances of the red men gleamed in the light of the afternoon sun.
Putting spurs to their horses the two young men tried to escape by flight, but the derisive cries of the enemy showed that the distance was rapidly lessening between them. Nothing could have saved them had it not been that, just at the most critical moment, they reached a "windrow," a strip of ground upon which a storm had hurled down the trunks of trees in wild confusion. Hastily abandoning their horses to their fate, the two friends got in among the thick fallen timber, where they concealed themselves, and listened breathlessly while the Indians with shouts pursued, and attempted to capture the coveted animals. But they did not succeed. A cloud of dust heralded the approach of a party of men, who with shouts and cries galloped into the midst of them.
It was the exploring party, whose opportune appearance saved their companions" lives.
[Ill.u.s.tration: PURSUED BY NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.]
THE TRUANT"S SOLILOQUY
My schoolmates all are blessed to-day, Their lessons conning o"er; O, how I wish that I were now Within that school-room door!
My teacher sits beside her desk, With a smile upon her face, Until she looks around the room, And sees my vacant place.
My heart is aching while I walk Along the mountain glade; I love the trees, the rippling stream, But sigh that I have strayed.
O, there"s no joy in the hours of play, If s.n.a.t.c.hed from the study-time; No music in the wild-bird"s song, While I hear the school-bell chime.
O, then, I"ll seek my school again, My teacher"s rules obey, Nor wander, as a truant boy, And waste another day.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "ALONG THE MOUNTAIN GLADE"]
A QUEER FISH.
Little May"s father is a fisherman. One day he brought home the funniest fish May ever saw. She was a little bit frightened and didn"t know whether to laugh or cry. Her papa took her up in his lap, put an arm around her waist and held her fast with one hand while he kept a tight hold on the fish with the other.
"See, May," he said, "what a queer fish this is. Would you think it followed the same kind of business that papa does for a living?"
"Oh, papa!" said May; "that horrid thing a fisherman?--surely you are joking."
"No, my daughter," said the fisherman, "it is no joke. With that queer looking rod and line fastened to its nose it angles for other fishes. It hides amongst the sea-weed at the bottom of the sea, and the fleshy shreds attached to its nose, floating about in the water, act as natural bait, and attract the unwary little fishes in its neighborhood, but the instant one of them makes a bite at the tempting morsel it is whisked away, and the poor fish is caught in the huge mouth of the fisherman fish, and crushed up by its sharp teeth."
"Oh, papa!" said May, "what horrid big eyes it has; what a huge mouth, and such awfully sharp teeth! Ugh! Put it down, please, papa, for I really believe I am going to be frightened."
The fisherman laughed heartily, and threw the queer fish into the basket.
[Ill.u.s.tration: A QUEER FISH.]
A PROUD MONARCH.
Theodore, Emperor of Abyssinia, was raised to the throne from a very humble position in life. He was one of the proudest of monarchs, was styled "King of Kings," and boasted a descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba; a fiction devised to flatter the vanity of the royal house of Ethiopia.
When this mighty emperor gave an audience he was surrounded by several large and fierce-looking lions, and he made a great display of his command over the savage creatures; but, notwithstanding their ferocious aspect, the animals were said to be in reality as tame as dogs. Anyway, they must have made a timid amba.s.sador feel rather nervous when first introduced to the royal presence.
The Abyssinians are very vain, and King Theodore thought himself greater than all the sovereigns in the world, and this led to his fall. Thinking he was not treated with sufficient respect by the British envoy and other Europeans, he imprisoned them all. In 1867 an expedition was fitted out under the command of General Napier. After encountering great difficulties on the march, the British troops stormed and took possession of Magdala without losing a single man; and the Emperor Theodore, seeing that all was lost, slew himself to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy. The captives were liberated, and for his services in this campaign General Napier received the t.i.tle of Lord Napier of Magdala.
[Ill.u.s.tration: A PROUD MONARCH]