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7. There is no joy so great as that which springs from a kind act or a pleasant word; and if you do a kind act during the day whereby some fellow mortal has been happy, you will feel its glorious influence at night when you rest, the next morning when you rise, and throughout the day, when about your daily business. Then wear a pleasant countenance; let joy and love beam in your eye, and ripple forth in words and deeds of kindness.

XXI. THE HISTORY OF POSTAGE-STAMPS.

1. The introduction of postage-stamps, as at present used in all countries on the globe, has been credited to England, where, in 1840, covers and envelopes were devised to carry letters all over the kingdom at one penny the single rate. This plan was adopted through the exertions of Sir Rowland Hill, who has been aptly termed the "father of postage-stamps." It now appears, however, that there is another aspirant for the introduction of the stamp system.

2. In Italy, as far back as 1818, letter sheets were prepared, duly stamped in the left lower corner, while letters were delivered by specially appointed carriers, on the prepayment of the money which the stamp represented. The early stamp represented a courier on horseback, and was of three values. It was discontinued in 1836.

3. Whether Italy or Great Britain first introduced postage-stamps, other countries afterward began to avail themselves of this method for the prepayment of letters, although they did not move very promptly in the matter.

4. Great Britain enjoyed the monopoly of stamps for two years, and though the first stamps were issued in 1840, she has made fewer changes in her stamps than

any other country, and has suffered no change at all in the main design the portrait of Queen Victoria. 5. In other countries, notably in our own, the Sandwich Islands, and the Argentine Republic, the honor of portraiture on the stamps is usually distributed among various high public officers; but in Great Britain the Queen alone figures on her stamps, and not even the changes that thirty-five years have made in her face are shown on the national and colonial postage-stamps.

6. The next country to follow the example of England was Brazil. In 1842 a series of three stamps was issued, consisting simply of large numerals denoting the value, and all printed in black. Then came the cantons in Switzerland, and Finland, with envelopes which to-day are very rare, and soon after them, Bavaria, Belgium, France, Hanover, New South Wales, Tuscany, Austria, British Guiana, Prussia, Saxony, Schleswig, Holstein, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Oldenburg, Trinidad, Würtemberg, and the United States.

7. Other countries followed in the train, until, at the present moment, there is scarcely any portion of the globe, inhabited by civilized people, which has not postage-stamps.

St. Nicholas.

XXII. THE DAISY.

1. There is a flower, a little flower,
With silver crest and golden eye,
That welcomes every changing hour,
And weathers every sky.

2. The prouder beauties of the field,

In gay but quick succession shine;
Race after race their honors yield,
They flourish and decline.

3. But this small flower to nature dear,

While moon and stars their courses run,
Wreathes the whole circle of the year,
Companion of the sun.

4. It smiles upon the lap of May,

To sultry August spreads its charms,
Lights pale October on its way,
And twines December's arms.

5. The purple heath, and golden broom,
On many mountains catch the gale;
O'er lawns the lily sheds perfume;
The violet in the vale:

6. But this bold floweret climbs the hill,
Hides in the forest, haunts the glen,
Plays on the margin of the rill,
Peeps round the fox's den.

7. Within the garden's cultured round,
It shares the sweet carnation's bed;
And blooms in consecrated ground,
In honor of the dead.

8. The lambkin crops its crimson gem;

The wild bee murmurs on its breast;
The blue-fly bends its pensile stem
Light o'er the skylark's nest.

9. 'Tis Flora's page; in every place,
In every season fresh and fair,
It opens with perennial grace,
And blossoms every where.

JAMES MONTGOMERY.

XXIII. THE STRUCTURE OF BIRDS.

1. The structure of birds affords a striking instance of the care of Providence, in fitting animals for the kind of life to which they are appointed. Their bodies are so light as easily to float in the air. Their largest bones are hollow, so as to have sufficient strength without much weight.

2. A certain degree of thickness is necessary to give strength to the bone, according to the size of the bird; but it is found that a hollow bone is as little liable to break as a solid one of the same thickness. The hollowness, therefore, of the bones does not make them weaker, while at the same time it makes them lighter than if they were solid.

3. Besides this, their bodies are constructed with internal cavities, which may be blown up like bladders, and which are supposed to be useful both in making the bird more buoyant and in enabling it to keep its breath during the swiftness of its flight.

4. The shape of birds is no less beautifully adapted to their situation. The small round head terminating in a sharp beak; the neck growing gradually thicker towards the shoulders, the gentle swell of the breast, the body lengthened out, and narrowing behind; all are admirably fitted for enabling them to cleave their way through the yielding air.

5. Nothing, indeed, can be more finely adapted for swiftness of motion than the whole frame of the bird in its flight the forepart piercing the atmosphere by its sharpness, the feet drawn up or stretched out behind, the wings and tail spread out so as to float on the air, and the body all light and buoyant.

6. The wings of birds are so constructed as to combine

lightness with strength. The feathers of which they consist are thickest at the roots, where most strength is required, but formed into a quill, hollow, and of a tough, light consistency. They gradually grow thinner, and taper towards a point at the other extremity, where they do not need to be so strong; and thus every thing superfluous is avoided that would in the least add to the weight of the body.

7. To enable the bird to move its wings quickly and with force, it is provided with very strong muscles lying along each side of the breast,- so strong in proportion to its size, that a swan has been known to break a man's leg with a flap of its wing. Thus it is enabled to pursue its way for a long time through the air without weariness, though its wings be in constant motion.

8. The feathers of birds would be apt to be ruffled and put out of order by rain, were there not a curious contrivance to prevent it. Most birds have a gland or bag of oil situated under a tuft of feathers near the tail. The bird, by pressing this bag with its beak, extracts the oil from it, and with this oil it trims and dresses its feathers.

9. This keeps them always in good order, and fits them for throwing off any wetness that may fall upon them. You often see birds working with their beak among their feathers: at these times they are pluming and dressing themselves with the oil which nature has provided for that purpose.

10. Hens, and other birds which have better opportunities of shelter and fewer occasions for flight, have little or none of this oil; and, accordingly, when they are caught in a shower, they have a very drenched and moping appearance.

11. Besides these advantages in their structure, which are common to the generality of birds, each kind has

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