the captain his savage joy till--a-sudden he paused, gazed as if
spell-bound on the mill's mad work, with a cry of terror sprang forward
and grasped the check. But, in vain. There was no surcease to its labor.
Higher and higher up lifted the mighty salt banks, and, in a twinkling,
both destroyed and destroyer sank helpless into the depths of the sea.

And, down amid the green sea-weeds, the wonder-mill still stands,
pouring forth salt the whole day long--no hand to check its raging; for
the mermen and mermaids are all dead, and the _geists_ have ceased to
reign.

And this is why the sea-water is salt.

[Illustration]

THE MAN WITH THE STRAW HAT.

It is nothing strange that a man should wear a straw hat; but--well,
listen to my story.

One winter I was travelling near Lake Ontario, and, as the day was dark,
I could not see every one in the car very plainly. There was a little
old man near whose face I could but just see--for he had on a small
black hat, and his coat collar was turned up. Soon after I noticed him
the train stopped at the station where I was to get off. The old man and
five or six other persons also left the train. We all stepped into a
sleigh, and were driven several miles over the snow to a hotel.

"It is _very_ cold," said the little old man as we started.

"Yes," said one of the passengers; "but we shall not be long going."

After a short pause, he again spoke:

"It is certainly very cold. I am truly afraid I shall freeze before we
get there."

"O, no! not so very cold," said I, drawing my fur cap tightly over my
ears.

"I was never so cold in my life!" growled the little man. "My ears are
freezing, now."

"Sorry I can't help you," I said, with a feeling of true sympathy; "but
we have not much further to go."

Presently he growled again:

"I know I shall freeze, anyhow. Can I take your muffler?"

I spared my muffler. But, pretty soon, I heard from him again:

"The top of my head is very cold, and I shall have a fearful headache."

We soon reached the hotel and entered the office, where a warm fire
welcomed us. The little old man undid the muffler and handed it to me.
He then removed his hat, and I discovered _that it was of straw_, and,
also, that he was very bald.

My pity for the man was all gone in a moment. It could not be that he
had no other hat, for he was dressed well enough to own twenty hats. I
never found out what his reason was for wearing such a hat in th