AND THEN. 3.19 DUTIES OF MONITORS AND PREFECTS. oENIOR boys ought to be taught to do their duty towards o their younger schoolfellows, simply because it is right for them to do it, and not because they will have this privilege granted to them, or that point of discipline relaxed in their favour, if they will be so good as to do what they are plainly bound to do, by the obligations of Christianity. And of one thing, at least, senior boys should certainly be taught to have no manner of doubt, namely, that it is their duty, whether they are rewarded for it or not, to do their best by all means in their power to help to keep all their younger schoolfellows out of sin, mischief, and trouble, and to prevent “rows” of all kinds. These are the duties that are especially imposed upon Prefects; but all senior boys are Prefects in the eyes of God, who Himself imposes upon them these very prefectorial duties. To punish senior boys for neglecting these duties is quite right and proper. They are Prefects at all events from the very fact of their leading position in the school, and they will most assuredly be accounted amongst those who neglected their opportunities, and buried their talents in the ground, if they shirk their responsibilities and refuse to do their duties. Let schoolmasters above all things cultivate the religious feelings of their pupils, let them instil into them the fact that there exists a living, Almighty God, who hears all our words, observes our actions, and knows even the secret thoughts of our hearts.-From “Intermediate Schools in Ireland,” by M. C. Hime, LL.D. AND THEN. STORY is told of a very good and pious man, whom the | Church of Rome has enrolled among her Saints on account of his great holiness. He was living at one of the Italian Universities, when a young man, whom he had known as a boy, ran up to him with a face full of delight, and told him what he had been long wishing, above all things in the world, was at length fulfilled,—his parents having just given him leave to study the law; and that thereupon he had come to the law school in this University on account of its great fame, and meant to spare no pains or labour in getting through his studies as quickly and as well as possible. In this way he ran on a long time; and when at last he came to a stop, the holy man, who had been listening to him with great patience and kindness, said—“Well! and when you have got through your course of studies, what do you mean to do then #" “Then Ishall take my Doctor's degree,” answered the young man. “And then "asked S. Filippo Neri, again. “And then,” continued the youth, “I shall have a number of difficult and knotty cases to manage, and shall catch people's notice by my eloquence, my zeal, my learning, my acuteness, and gain a great reputation.” “And then 2" repeated the holy man. “And then,” replied the youth, “why then, there can't be a question, I shall be promoted to some high office or other, besides I shall make money, and grow rich.” “And then 2" repeated S. Filippo, “And then,” pursued the young lawyer, “then I shall live comfortably and honourably, in health and dignity, and shall be able to look forward quietly to a happy old age.” “And then 2" asked the holy man. “And then,” said the youth, “and then—and then—I shall die.” Here S. Filippo again lifted up his voice, and again said—“And then o’ Whereupon the young man made no answer, but cast down his head and went away. This last And then 2 had pierced like a flash of lightning into his soul, and he could not get quit of it. Soon after he forsook the study of the law, and gave himself up to the ministry of Christ, and spent the remainder of his days in godly words and works. My brethren, the question which S. Filippo Neri put to the young lawyer I would put to all of you. I would urge you to put it frequently to yourselves. When you have done all that you are doing, all that you aim at doing, all that you dream of doing, even supposing that all your dreams are accomplished, that every wish of your heart is fulfilled,—still, I would ask you—What will you do, what will you be, then 2. Whenever you cast your thoughts forward, never let them stop short on this side of the grave; let them not stop short at the grave itself; but when you have followed yourselves thither, and have seen yourselves laid therein, still ask yourselves the searching question—And then 2–From Hare's Sermons. “ PITCHER PLANTS.” A PARABLE FROM NATURE. –ADDRESSED chiefly to YouNG MEN. |OTHING could be more effectively devised to ensure success than the shape and secretion of . . . “Pitcherplants.” They rival even those temptations to young men, which, however attractive at first, become more and more seductive and enchanting, until the fatal step is taken, and recovery is impossible ! Thus, the lips of these “pitchers" secrete a honeyed fluid, delightful to the hungry and thirsty insects which have alighted on the attractively coloured and patterned plant. This they greedily devour, following it up, or rather down the “pitcher,” where it becomes sweeter and sweeter. The hairs and other processes bend inwards and downwards, and offer no PITCHER PLANTS. 321 resistance to the thoughtless prey, but they absolutely bar return, and the deluded flies drop one by one into the horrible dungeon at the bottom of the tube Professor Asa Gray, the distinguished American botanist, has thoroughly studied both the structure and habits of these plants, and he thus describes them and their victims:—“After turning back the lids of most of the leaves, the flies would enter as before, a few alighting on the honeyed border of the wing, and walking upward, sipping as they went to the mouth, and entering at the cleft of the lower lip; others would alight at the top of the lid, and then walk under the roof, feeding there; but most, it seemed to me, preferred to alight just at the commissure of the lips, and either enter the tube immediately there, feeding downwards upon the honey pastures, or would linger at the trunk, sipping along the whole edge of the lower lip, and eventually near the cleft. After entering (which they generally do with great caution and circumspection) they begin again to feed; but their foothold, for some reason or other, seems insecure, and they occasionally slip, as it appears to me, upon this exquisitely soft and velvety declining substance. The nectar is not exuded or smeared over the whole of this surface, but seems disposed in separate little drops. I have seen them regain their foothold after slipping, and continue to sip, but always moving slowly and with apparent caution, as if aware that they were treading on dangerous ground. After sipping their fill they frequently remain motionless, as if satiated with delight, and, in the usual self-congratulatory manner of flies, proceed to rub their legs together, but in reality, I suppose, to clean them. It is then they betake themselves to flight, strike themselves against the opposite sides of the prison-house, either upwards or downwards, generally the former. Obtaining no perch or foothold, they rebound off from this velvety, microscopic cheveur de frise which lines the inner surface, still lower, until by a series of zig-zag, but generally downward falling flights, they finally reach the coarser and more bristly pubescence of the lower chamber, where, entangled somewhat, they struggle frantically (but by no means drunk or stupefied), and eventually slide into the pool of death, where, once becoming slimed and saturated with these Lethean waters, they cease from their labours. After continued asphixia they die, and after maceration they add to the vigour and sustenance of the plant. This seems to be the true use of the limpid fluid, for it does not seem to be at all necessary to the killing of the insects (although it does possess that power), the conformation of the funnel of the fly-trap is sufficient to destroy them. They only die the sooner, and the sooner become liquid manure.” Spenser could not have planned a more subtle or cunning story of temptation, deceit, and final ruin! For “pitchers” and “flies” we have only to substitute the various dissipations of “fast life,” and the characters who indulge in them, and both fact and moral hold equally true.—From Dr. J. E. Taylor on Plants, pp. 270-273. AWAY, DARK THOUGHTS. © bristmas G2 arol. Words from “A GooD CHRISTMAS Box.” A - wake, in glo - ry 2. The wake - ful Shep-herds near their flocks Were watch-ful for the 3. Since Heav'n is now come down on earth, Hith -er the An-gels 4. Wise men from far be - held the star That was their faith-ful t | | p -ce - | * * |