iling over furiously that contained our bit of dinner; and as
I sat close in to the fire, I got considerably scalded. How I got back
in the steam to my own fireside, I never rightly comprehended. Fill the
can now, Mrs. Pittis."

"'Yes,' said the landlady, 'but let me tell you, Mr. Spruce, that king
of the hearth is a gentleman, and if you really had gone with the coals
and got acquainted with fire-sides, it would have done you a great deal
of good. You'd have owned then that there is a mighty deal more love
than hatred in the world. You'd have heard round almost any hearth you
chose to play eavesdropper to, household words, any thing but hard or
bitter. Some people do not pay their scores with me, but, on the whole,
I live. Some of our human natures may run termagant; but, on the whole,
we men and women love. Among the worst are those who won't bear quietly
their share of work, who can't learn self-reliance, but run to and fro,
squealing for help, and talking sentiment against their neighbors, who
won't carry their burdens for them. It's all very well for a musty,
discontented old bachelor to say there's no love in the world, but it's
a falsehood. I know better.'

"'My pipe's out,' said the boy. 'Be smart there with the 'baccy.'"

[From Dickens's Household Words.]

THE MYSTERIES OF A TEA-KETTLE.

At one of Mr. Bagges's small scientific tea-parties, Mr. Harry Wilkinson
delivered to the worthy gentleman a lecture, based principally on
reminiscences of the Royal Institution, and of a series of lectures
delivered there by Professor Faraday, addressed to children and young
people. For it is not the least of the merits of that famous chemist and
great man, Professor Faraday, that he delights to make the mightiest
subject clear to the simplest capacity, and that he shows his mastery of
Nature in nothing more than in being thoroughly imbued with the spirit
of her goodness and simplicity.

This particular lecture was on Natural Philosophy in its bearings on a
kettle. The entertainment of a "Night with Mr. Bagges" was usually
extemporaneous. It was so on this occasion. The footman brought in the
tea-kettle. "Does it boil?" demanded Mr. Bagges.

"It have biled, sir," answered the domestic.

"Have biled, sir!" repeated Mr. Bagges. "_Have_ biled! And what if it
has 'biled,' or _boiled_, as I desire you will say in future? What is
that to the purpose? Water may be frozen, you simpleton, notwithstanding
it _has_ boile