‘THE YOUTH'S CABINET.

293

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Peter the Great.

1 was the custom of Peter the Great
to visit the different workshops and
manufactories, not only to encourage
them, but also to judge of what

other useful establishments might be form-
ed in his dominions. Among the places he
visited frequently, were the forges of Mul-
ler at Istia, ninety wersts from Moscow.
The Czar once passed a whole month
there, during which time, after giving due
attention to the affairs of state, which he
never neglected, he amused himself with
seeing and examining everything in the
most minute manner, and even employed
himself in learning the business of a

blacksmith. He succeeded so well, that

on one of the last days of his remaining
there, he forged eighteen poods of iron,
and put his own particular matk on each
bar, The noblemen of his suite were

employed in blowing the bellows, stirring
the fire, carrying coals, and performing

the other duties of a blacksmith’s assist-

ant. When Peter had finished, he went

to the proprietor, praised his manufactory,
and asked him how much he gave his
workmen per pood. “Three copecks, or
an altina,” answered Muller. “ Very
well,” replied the Czar; “T have then
earned eighteen altinas.” Muller fetched
eighteen ducats, offered them to Peter,
and told him that he could not give a
workman like his majesty less per pood.
Peter refused. “Keep your ducats,” said
he, “I have not wrought better than any
other man; give me what you would give
to another ; I want to buy a pair of shoes,
of which I am in great need.” At the
same time he showed him his shoes, which
had been once mended, and were again
full of holes. Peter accepted the eighteen

  

altinas, and bought himself a pair of new
shoes, which he used to show with much
pleasure, saying, “ These I earned with
the sweat of my brow.”

One of the bars of iron forged by Pe-
ter the Great, and authenticated by his
mark, is still to be seen at Istia, in the

forge of Muller. Another similar bar is
preserved in the cabinet of curiosities at

St. Petersburg.

 

Animals Feigning Death.

URING a visit to Cumberland we
found several hedgehogs in Ingle-
wood Forest. One of these, in
order to destroy it, we put in the

pond. It swam about in a cirgular direc-
tion for some time, and reached the shore.
After putting it into the water a second
time, it remained motionless and appar-
ently dead, and we left it on the grass.
During the night, however, it walked
away. The spider will imitate death to
save itself; and canaries have been taught
by some showmen to look as if they were
dead. The most curious case, however,
‘s that of a fox in the north. A farmer
had discovered that he came along a beam
in the night to seize his poultry. He ac-
cordingly sawed the end of the beam
neatly through, and in the night the fox
fell into a place whence he could not és-
cape. On going to him in the morning,
the farmer found him stiff, and, as he
thought, lifeless. Taking him out of the
building, he threw him on the dunghill ;
but in a short time Reynard opened his
eyes, and seeing that all was safe and
clear, galloped away to the mountains,
showing more cunning than the man who

bad ensnared him.— Pres {gp Chronicle.