under his coat.

When supper was ended, and the dessert and wine on the table, Morgiana went away and dressed herself in the habit of a dancing-girl; she next called Abdalla, a fellow slave, to play on his tabor while she danced. As soon as she appeared at the parlor door, her master, who was very fond of seeing her dance, ordered her to come in to entertain his guest with some of her best dancing. Cogia Hassan was not very well satisfied with this entertainment, yet was compelled, for fear of discovering himself, to seem pleased with the dancing, while, in fact, he wished Morgiana a great way off, and was quite alarmed, lest he should lose his opportunity of murdering Ali Baba and his son.

Morgiana danced several dances with the utmost grace and agility; and then drawing a poniard from her girdle, she performed many surprising things with it, sometimes. presenting the point to one and sometimes to another, and then seemed to strike it into her own bosom. Suddenly she paused, and holding the poniard in the right hand, presented her left to her master as if begging some money; upon which Ali Baba and his son each gave her a small piece of money. She then turned to the pretended Cogia Hassan, and while he was putting his hand into his purse, she plunged the poniard into his heart.

"Wretch!" cried Ali Baba, "thou hast ruined me and my family.""No, sir," replied Morgiana, "I have preserved, and not ruined you and your son. Look well at this traitor, and you will find him to be the merchant who came once before to rob and murder you.' Ali Baba, having pulled off the turban and the cloak which the false Cogia Hassan wore, discovered that he

pretended oil

was not only the pretended oil-merchant, but the captain of the forty robbers who had slain his brother Cassim; nor could he doubt that his perfidious aim had been to destroy him, and probably his son, with the concealed dagger. Ali Baba, who felt the new obligation he owed to Morgiana for thus saving his life a second time, embraced her and said, "My dear Morgiana, I give you your liberty; but my gratitude must not stop there: I will also marry you to my son, who can esteem and admire you no less than does his father." Then turning to his son, he added, "You, my son, will not refuse the wife I offer; for, in marrying Morgiana, you take to wife the preserver and benefactor of yourself and family." The son, far from showing any dislike, readily and joyfully accepted his proposed bride, having long entertained an affection for the good slave Morgiana.

Having rejoiced in their deliverance, they buried the captain that night with great privacy, in the trench along with his troop of robbers; and a few days afterwards, Ali Baba celebrated the marriage of his son and Morgiana with a sumptuous entertainment; and every one who knew Morgiana said she was worthy of her good fortune, and highly commended her master's generosity toward her. During a twelvemonth Ali Baba forbore to go near the forest, but at length his curiosity incited him to make another journey.

When he came to the cave he saw no footsteps of either men or horses; and having said, "Open Sesame," he went in, and judged by the state of things deposited in the cavern, that no one had been there since the pretended Cogia Hassan had removed the merchandise to his shop in

the city. Ali Baba took as much gold home as his horse could carry; and afterwards he carried his son to the cave, and taught him the secret. This secret they handed down to their posterity; and using their good fortune with moderation, they lived in honor and splendor, and served with dignity some of the chief offices in the city.

THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SQUIRREL.

Ralph Waldo Emerson.

THE mountain and the squirrel

Had a quarrel,

And the former called the latter "Little Prig;"
Bun replied,

"You are doubtless very big ;

But all sorts of things and weather
Must be taken in together,

To make up a year
And a sphere.

And I think it no disgrace

To occupy my place.

If I'm not so large as you

You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry.

I'll not deny you make

A very pretty squirrel track;

Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;

If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut.”

}

ALADDIN, OR THE WONDERFUL LAMP.

IN a town of Tartary there lived a tailor, named Mustapha, who was so poor that he could hardly maintain himself, his wife, and his son Aladdin. When the boy was of proper years to serve as an apprentice, his father took him into his shop, and taught him how to work; but all his father could do was in vain, for Aladdin was incorrigible.

His father was therefore forced to abandon him to his evil ways. The thoughts of this brought on a fit of sickness, of which he shortly died; and the mother, finding that her son would not follow his father's trade, shut up the shop; and with the money she earned by spinning cotton, thought to support herself and her son.

Aladdin continued to give himself up to all kinds of folly, until one day as he was playing in the street, a stranger passing by stood to observe him.

This stranger was a great magician. Knowing who Aladdin was, and what were his propensities, he went up to him, and said, "Child, was not your father called Mustapha? and was he not a tailor?" "Yes, sir," answered Aladdin; "but he has been dead some time."

The magician threw his arms round Aladdin's neck, and said, "I am your uncle, I have been many years abroad; and now, when I have come with the hope of seeing my brother, you tell me he is dead!"

The magician caressed Aladdin and gave him a very beautiful ring, which he told the youth was of great value.

By these artifices he led Aladdin some distance out of the town, until they came between two mountains.

He then collected dry sticks and made a fire, into which he cast a perfume; and turning himself round, pronounced some magical words. The earth immediately trembled and opened, and discovered a stone with a ring, by which it might be raised up.

The magician said, "Under this stone is a treasure destined to be yours; take hold of this ring and lift it up." Aladdin did as he was directed, and raised the stone with great care.

When it was removed, there appeared a cavern, into which the magician bade him descend; and told him at the bottom of the steps was an open door, which led into a large palace, divided into three great halls; at the end of these was a garden, planted with trees, bearing the most delicious fruit. "Across that garden," said he, "you will perceive a terrace, and in it a niche, which contains a lighted lamp. Take down the lamp; put out the light; throw out the wick; pour out the oil; put the lamp into your bosom, and bring it to me.

Aladdin jumped into the cavern, and found the halls; he went through them, crossed the garden, took down the lamp, and put it into his bosom.

As he returned, he stopped to admire the fine fruit with which the trees were loaded. Some bore fruit entirely white, others red, green, blue, and yellow. Although he imagined they were colored glass, he was so pleased with them, that he filled his pockets, and then returned to the entrance of the cavern.

When he came thither he said to the magician, “Uncle, lend me your hand to assist me in getting up."