240

vinced of that, Ibelieve. He pronounced

me, with some reason, 4 bad student.

Shall I tell you how the deacon came to

make up his mind on that point? ‘Two
circumstances mainly contributed to has-
ten the conclusion. He had been think-

ing for a week or two that I ought to

have some lessons in mowing. So, one
morning, he rigged up a scythe for my
particular use, and took me into the
meadow with the men, to set me to
work. I mowed a little.
was prodigious hard work. You may
have thought otherwise, as you have
seen the strong man swing his scythe ;

but I tell you, my friend, you never was
more mistaken in your life. I moweda

little. Things did not go right, however.
The grass did not fall very nicely. The
swath I made was nothing to boast of,
that is a fact. ‘Put on more steam,”
said Uncle Miah. I did so, of course—
I always obeyed the stern old farmer.
But the next moment I struck my scythe
against a huge rock which was hidden in
the grass, and broke the point short off.
“There, that will do, 1 guess,” said my
tutor.

A short time after that, we were wash-
ing sheep, and I must needs be instruct-
ed in the mysteries of this delicate pro-
cess. A sheep, not very large, but
somewhat strong and active for her size,
I thought, was entrusted to me, I man-
aged to get her into the water. Now
it so happened, though I did not know
it then, that there was a deep hole in the
brook, pretty close to the spot where
the sheep-washing was going on; and
my victim struggling with all her might,

gradually reached the deep hole, pulling
me with her. I found myself where I
could not touch bottom, hanging to the

Reader, it

  

. THE YOUTHS CABINET.

sheep, who was flouncing to a great rate.
The men, aftera laughing fit—somewhat -
too noisy for the occasion, I thought—
finally came to my assistance. They
were in season, so far as I was concerned ;
though, as to the poor sheep, I am sorry
to say that I had drowned her! She
had ceased to breathe.

After milking that night, Uncle Miah
and Aunt Sally had a long talk in the
buttery. As they sat with closed doors,
I ooo be sure what subject occu-
pied their attention. But this I know,
that, after the adjournment of that ses-
sion of the court, and the buttery doors
were again thrown open, I was called in,
and Uncle Miah, in the solemnest possi-
ble strain, gave a verdict to the effect
that I would never do for a farmer.

The English Bible.

zLDEN, in his “ Table-Talk,” speak-
ing of the Bible, says, “The Eng-
lish translation of the Bible is the
best translation in the world, and
renders the sense of the original best,
taking in for the English translation the
Bishops’ Bible as well as King James’.
The translators in King James’ time
took an excellent way. That part of
the Bible was given to him who was
most excellent in such a tongue, and
then they met together, and one read
the translation, the rest holding in their
hands some Bible, either of the learned .
tongues, or French, Spanish, Italian, de.
If they found any fault, they spoke ; if
not, they read on,”