object; none but the Divine hand could so beautify a creature. Its skin is close, but is as smooth as satin; the bands, which are arranged with astonishing regularity and beauty, are black and white in the female, but in the male are black and yellow, but are always characterised by a brilliant colour. These bands are narrow, equal, and could not be better separated. The ground coat is composed of excellent fine hair, and has a velvet appearance; the tail is furnished with long hairs only at its tip. The back of this handsome creature is almost straight; its legs are well set, and about its hinder quarters it is round and generally very fleshy. In the kingdom of Angola, and in some of the provinces of Barbary, this wild beast may be found; but it is chiefly a native of the southern parts of Africa; and we have read that whole herds of them may often be seen on the very extensive plains not far distant from the Cape of Good Hope. In proportion to its size it is much stronger than the horse, and it is very difficult to capture these animals alive, for generally they will leave their hunters far behind; and if overtaken they will often bite to death their opponents, or trample them under their feet until death is the result. The speed of the Zebra is proverbial among the Spaniards and Portuguese. One writer informs us that the noise which they make is very much like the confused barking of a mastiff dog. Some naturalists tell us that it is impossible to tame these ferocious yet admirable objects in creation; but other penmen have told us that some have been tamed, but we are inclined to think that if any have been tamed their number is very scanty. We know that some have been captured alive and have been exhibited in our own country; and others have been sent as presents to the princes of the east, who have regarded them as very valuable presents and have highly appreciated them. One of the governors of Batavia gave a Zebra to the Emperor of Japan, for which he received as an equivalent for the company a present to the value of 60,000 crowns. 1 Surely our readers cannot rightly consider these facts in connection with natural history without being constrained to say in the language of holy inspiration: "O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all." Yes, in the great work of creation every animal has its place assigned it by the Almighty Creator. Holy Job seems to have understood this when he made some reference to the hawk and the eagle in his 39th chapter, verses 26, 27: "Doth the hawk fly by Thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south. Doth the eagle mount up at Thy command, and make her nest on high." From some of the wild animals in creation we may learn some valuable and important lessons. From the rapid flight of the Zebra, when pursued by its enemies, we should learn to fly from sin in every form when tempted to do that which is evil. And for safety we must fly to Christ. "Fly from self and fly from sin; WILLIAM BIRKS. THE PERSEVERING BOY. BY MRS. MADELINE LESLIE. THE month of December in the year 1807 was unusually cold and blustering. In some instances, cattle and swine, poorly sheltered, were found badly frozen; winter had come on so suddenly that many were unprepared for it; while the effect of such severity in the weather so early in the season was disheartening to most both young and old. There was one exception, however, and this was a youth of fifteen summers, tall and gaunt, who sat one stormy evening in the old-fashioned chimney corner of his father's humble dwelling, reflecting upon his own situation, and planning what he would do to improve it. There was one fixed purpose in his mind, and this was to get an education. How to accomplish it he could not yet imagine, for though his will was as inflexible as iron, his power of conception was not yet developed. He had been to a school in the neighbourhood the previous winter, but this avenue to learning was now closed to him. As he sat on his oldfashioned stool, amid the noise and confusion of the family around him, and the hoarse sighing of the tempest without, his thoughts were something of this nature: "Winter has commenced, I long to be at my studies. The best part of the year, and the only time I can call my own, is passing away; what shall I do?" As if in answer to this question, there was a knock at the door, and presently a neighbour walked in covered with snow. He had been to a village beyond, and was returning to his home, when the bright light of the pine knots attracted his attention. Our youth in the corner nodded good evening to the guest; but his mind was too deeply absorbed to listen to the chit-chat which followed. The great question, "What next?" was still undecided, and his brow knit more and more as he reflected on the difficulties in his path which, however, not for one moment deterred him from pursuing it. Presently he was roused by a voice. 66 Jo, did you hear, Jo? There's a school in Plainfield. Neighbour G. says it's a good one, taught by Master Maynard.” Jo rose slowly from his seat, a look of cool resolve stamped on every feature. "I shall go to Plainfield in the morning," he said quietly. "But how can you get there? It'll be awfully drifted, the snow is a foot deep now, and the wind blows a gale." "I'll get there somehow, I reckon." 66 But," remonstrated his father, "I don't see the way for you to go to Plainfield. I can't pay for your board nor schooling, much as I'd like to do it." "I know that, father, but I'm determined to have an education." Bidding the family good night, he mounted to his humble chamber in the loft, saying to himself, "Yes, that's the next step. I'll go to Plainfield, and I'll go to-morrow. What's a few drifts of snow to me, when I'm determined to get where I can be at my books? Perhaps this Master Maynard 'll help me to contrive a way to get an education." The next morning the thermometer was down to zero, the banks in front of the house covered the stone walls; but not one whit daunted, our friend started off as soon as it was light, a small package of clothes and books slung over his shoulder with a stick, in search of "larnin," as his father called it. On entering the school-room in season to see that the fires were sufficient for the severity of the day, Master Maynard observed, sitting on a bench, and warming himself by the blazing logs, a youth whom he had never seen before. There was an expression on his brown face which fixed the attention of the teacher, and the following conversation took place. "Have you come to join the school ?" "Yes, sir, I have walked seven miles this morning to do it." "Are you acquainted with any one in Plainfield ?" "No, sir, but I want to get an education. I heard last night that you were teaching a school here; and I came to get you to help me to contrive a plan." "Cannot your parents assist you?" "No, sir." "Have you no friends to lend you a helping hand ?" "No." "How do you expect, then, to get along? " "I don't know, I thought I'd come and see you about it, I'm determined to get learning before I'm much older." There was something in the cool resolute manner in which the youth undertook to conquer difficulties that interested the teacher. He told the stranger to remain through the day, and he would see what could be done. Before night he had made arrangements in the family where he was boarding that the young man should remain, paying his expenses by labour out of school hours. Our friend now gave himself diligently to study, and soon convinced his teacher that, though not possessed of brilliant talents, his will to acquire knowledge was indomitable. Through the winter he made good, but not rapid progress, and so much interested his teacher by his perseverance that, at the close of the term, that gentleman made arrangements with a clergyman, who resided four miles from his father's house, to hear his recitations. For some time the youth boarded at home, gladly walking the distance to recite, and beguiling the time with repetitions of Greek and Latin nouns and verbs. At last he was prepared for college and the theological school. He became one of the earliest members of the Seminary in Andover, from which place he went to Greece as a missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. I scarcely need say that I have given the early history of Dr. Jonas King, whose indomitable perseverance amidst discouragements and persecutions has done so much for the |