passing it quickly from one hand to the other, and using all other
persuasive attempts to solve it into lather. Useless; it was
_un-lather-able_, and hearing the gong sound for dinner, I gave it
up as a hopeless job.

After dinner, in conversation with the landlord, he asked me how I
liked my room. I told him that it pleased me very well, and that I
had but one fault to find,--that was, that the soap in the
wash-stand was the hardest I had ever seen, and I believed it was
made of iron.

'Well,' said he, with a diabolical smile, 'it _is_ hard soap, and
it ort to be--it's iron-y--for it's Cast-Steel!'

* * * * *

The annexed may be read with profit by the charitable:--

H---- has never yet been known to give one cent in charity. A
Christian called on him, the other day, and begged him to give
something to a soup society.

'Ah-h-h!' said H., 'war times, now. Can't give anything.'

'The soup society is very poor, and would be thankful for the
_smallest sum_.'

'Would it?' said H., cheerfully. 'Why, then, twice one are two.
Good-morning.'

This, we presume, may be called figuring as a benefactor.

* * * * *

Our Arabic-studying friend has supplied us with a fresh batch of
oriental proverbs:--

'A monkey solicited hospitality from devils. "Young gentleman,"
they replied, "the house is quite empty of provisions."'

'Eat whatever thou likest, but dress as others do.'

'Like a needle, that clothes people, and is itself naked.'

'He who makes chaff of himself the cows will eat.'

'Give me wool to-day, and take sheep to-morrow.'

'He is high-minded but empty-bellied.'

'Easier to be broken than the house of a spider.'

'He descends like the foot of a crow, and ascends (like) the hoof
of a camel.'

But all yield in grim drollery to the last given:--

'There are no fans in hell.'

Which, as our friend declares, 'sounds as Western as Eastern.' Verily,
extremes meet.

* * * * *

Many of our exchanges have spoken of the series entitled 'Among the
Pines,' now publishing in this Magazine, as being written by FREDERICK
LAW OLMSTED. In justice to Mr. OLMSTED we would state that he is not the
author of the articles in question, and regret that the unauthorized
statement should have obtained such gener