And heavy on my burning brow O, tell me not that there is hope,' And show the flames which there devour, O, could you see the black despair 'Tis not a common pang I feel Selected for The Casket. Take care THERE is an old proverbwhat you say before children and fools". which, if attended to, would save many a parent from getting into scrapes. A CHILD, sidling up to a visiter, and taking a sharp look at her eyes, was asked by the stranger what she meant by it. I wanted to see whether you had a drop in your eye: I heard mother say you had frequently. A BOY asked one of his father's guests who his next door neighbor was; and when he heard his name, asked him if the man was not a fool. No, my little friend, he is not a fool; but why did you ask the question? My mother said you were next door to a fool, and I wanted to know who lived next door to you. I KNEW an instance, where a child in a religious family, after the clergyman (who was on a visit there) had held family worship, asked her mother innocently - What is the reason, ma, we never have worship, only when the preacher is here? LIFE WITHOUT AN AIM. THOSE of you who are familiar with the shore may have seen attached to the inundated reef, a creature, whether plant or animal you could scarcely tell, rooted to the rock as a plant might be, and twirling its long tenacula as an animal would fly. This plant-animal's life is somewhat monotonous, for it has nothing to do but grow and twirl its feelers, float on the tide, or fold itself up on its footstalk when that tide has receded, for months and years together. Now, would it not be very dismal to be transformed into a zoophyte? Would it not be an awful punishment with your human soul still in you, to be anchored to a rock, able to do nothing but spin about your arms or fold them up again, and knowing no variety, except when the receding ocean left you in the day-light, or the returning waters plunged you into the green depths again, or the sweeping tide brought you the prize of a young periwinkle or an invisible star-fish? But what better life are you spontaneously leading? What greater variety marks your existence than chequers the life of the sea-anemone? Does not one day float you just as the tide floats over it, and find you much the same, and leave you vegetating still? Are you more useful? What real service to others did you render yesterday? What tangible amount of occupation did you overtake in the one hundred and sixtyeight hours of which last week consisted? And what higher end of living have you than that polypus? You go through certain mechanical routines of rising and dressing, and visiting, and going to sleep again; and are a little roused from your lethargy by the arrival of a friend, or the effort needed to write some note of ceremony. But as it curtseys in the waves, and vibrates its exploring arms, and gorges some dainty medusa, the sea-anemone goes through nearly the same round of pursuits and enjoyments with your intelligent and immortal self. Is this a life for a rational and responsible creature to lead ?-[ Hamilton. RELIGIOUS STATISTICS. ton, the American Catholic population, twelve ACCORDING to Bishop England, of Charles-| years ago, was 1,200,000; Catholic emigrants from Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium and other countries, from 1835 to 1852 inclusive, 2,250,000; increase by births and converts since 1835, 520,000; number who ought to be Catholics, 3,970,000; number who are Catholics at this time, according to their own claims, 1,980,000; number lost to the Roman Catholic Church, 1,990,000. This seems to be a fair estimate of the pro GOOD WIVES. gress of Papacy in this country; and with all of a most worthy nature and lofty importthe effrontery with which they bring them-ance; it setteth us upon doing things great selves before the public, and boast of their and noble as can be; it engageth us to free strength, progress and prospects, they feel it, our minds from all fond conceits, and to and are no little embarrassed by it. Rev. cleanse our hearts from all corrupt affections, Richard Mullen, a Missionary to the United to curb our brutish appetites, to tame our States on behalf of the Catholic University, wild passions, to correct our perverse incl:as we have before said, endorses unintention-nations, to conform the disposition of our ally a statement "that of the number of Irish souls, and the actions of our lives to the eterCatholics emigrating to this country, one-nal laws of righteousness and goodness. It third, at least, are lost to the Roman Catholic putteth us upon the imitation of God, and Church," and recommends most earnestly aiming at the resemblance of his perfections; that "the people be kept at home, and millions upon obtaining a friendship, and maintaining be saved from spiritual destruction." This a correspondence with the high and holy priest, writing to a priest in Ireland, says: love; upon fitting our minds for conversation "If you do not keep Catholics at home, they and society with the wisest and purest spirits will come over here and turn Protestants as above; upon providing for an immortal state; soon as they come." He said, also, that upon the acquisition of joy and glory everBishop Reynolds, of Charleston, approved his lasting. - [Dr. Isaac Barrow. work of charity in America, but said, "You will serve religion still more by proceeding, on your return to Ireland, from parish to parish, telling the people not to lose their immortal souls by coming here." From 1835 to the present time, the increase of Catholic population ought to be, at the lowest calculation, 2,770,000; the actual increase, however, according to the statistics, is about 780,000; showing a clear loss to Romanism, during a period of seventeen years, of little less than 2,000,000 of members. In the council recently held in Baltimore, we are told it was predicted that in 1862 this would be a Roman Catholic country; but does this look like it? The prophet's bones are here; the moment the carcasses of the old world touch them, they spring to life. Timid, apprehensive Protestants need have no fears of the success of Romanism in this glorious land. God will not give it up to such a fearful curse. Darkness cannot destroy light; it is a negative, and cannot act positively. It can only exist by the destruction of light, and it is not likely light will destroy itself. POWER OF IMMORTALITY. HERE is a paragraph of plain talk to girls, which is worth a library of Young Lady's Friends, or whatever may be the title of the wishy-washy compends that are sold for the benefit of that interesting portion of the population: "Men, who are worth having, want women for their wives. A bundle of gewgaws, bound with a string of flats and quavers, sprinkled with cologne and set in a carmine saucer this is no help for a man who expects to raise a family of boys on veritable bread and meat. "The piano and the lace-frame are good in their places; and so are ribbons, frills and tinsels, but you cannot make a dinner of the former, nor a bed blanket of the latter. And awful as the idea may seem to you, both dinner and bed-blanket are necessary to domestic happiness. Life has its realities as well as fancies; but you make it all a matter of decoration, remembering the tassels and curtains, but forgetting the bedstead. Suppose a young man of good sense, and of course good prospects, to be looking for a wifewhat chance have you to be chosen? You may cap him, or trap him, or catch him! but how much better to make it an object for him to catch you. Render yourself worthy of being caught, and you will need no shrewd mothers or managing brothers to help you WERE a man designed only, like a fly, to buzz about here for a time, sucking in the air, and licking the dew, then soon to vanish back into nothing, or to be transformed into worms, how sorry and despicable a thing were he! And such, without religion, we should be. But it supplieth us with business find a market." BY IS IT RIGHT? THE EDITOR. a tender and shrinking wife expostulated with him on the imprudence and rashness of such an undertaking. In vain she pointed out the dangers of the way, the uncertainty of accomIs it right to jeopardize the dearest and plishing such a journey, and the inconvenimost sacred interests of family and friends, ences to which they would be subjected in a both for this world and that which is to come, new country, even should they arrive there in making haste to become rich? Is it right in safety, among strangers and foreigners, for a man in good circumstances, to tear his where gospel privileges were few, and the wife and children from the endearments of a comforts of life hardly known. In vain did pleasant home and refined society, and to ex- she speak of her reluctance to be severed pose them to the dangers and hardships of a from her early friends, and to part from a long journey through an almost trackless wil-home that had become very dear to her. The derness, where they are liable to perish from mind of Mr. C- — was made up. There was starvation, even if they should not be devour- gold in California in abundance-it was ed by wild beasts and savages; and if they found pure, often in large lumps, on the arrive in safety at their journey's end, to set-mountains, on the sides of the hills, and in tle them among strangers, in a neighborhood the valleys, and even the sand of the streams where there are no good schools nor church privileges, and where they must suffer in their spiritual interests, all for the sake of the uncertain contingency of becoming rich a little faster than in the ordinary way? We ask - is it right? And let every one answer the question for himself, when he has heard our tale a tale, not of fiction, but of fact. of California ran down with gold — the inhabitants had nothing to do but to dig in the earth, or to strain the sand through sieves in order to fill their coffers with gold. This was the vision that danced before the eye of his delighted fancy. His pastor in vain (for he was a member of one of our churches) entreated him to abandon his design. He told him how God had smiled upon him, and prosNot many years ago, Mr. C. took up pered him in his present location. He spoke his residence in St. Louis. He was industri- of the danger and folly of tempting that beous and enterprising, though not in very af-nignant Providence that had been over him, fluent circumstances. He had married an by running such risks as he was about to enamiable wife; and a lovely child was the counter, merely for the sake of obtaining pledge and fruit of their love. By an up-gold; and, as a last argument to dissuade him right and consistent walk, he rapidly gained from his purpose, he asked him how he friends; and by his industry and attention to could bear to see the wife of his bosom, and business soon placed himself beyond the reach the child whom he loved, murdered by savages of want, and was accumulating wealth. He on the plains, before his eyes. But nothing could have acquired a fortune, if he had been could turn him from his purpose. He sold content with the steady and even gains of out, and started for California, taking his honest industry. wife and child along with him. But now, learn the sequel. But the California fever seized him, to which so many fell victims several years ago, and his peaceful, quiet home at once lost its attractions for him. Golden visions arose upon his imagination, and he longed to set foot upon that land where, according to the reports, the inhabitants could hardly walk abroad without treading upon the dust, that sparkled with the precious metal. Nothing would do now, but he must pull up stakes, sell out his property, quit a home and society, in the midst of which he had been truly blest, and start on the perilous journey to that land, that has shone brighter than heaven, we fear, to more than one imagination. In vain T Recently, some travelers, bound for the same region, came across a new-made grave, and on digging two and a half feet, they found a man, with his head and face badly bruised, apparently with a club; his shirt bosom and collar, and the hair of his head, covered with gore. The papers found, showed that the body was that of Mr. Cwhere are the timid, shrinking wife, and the lovely babe? That is a mystery not yet solved. Perhaps their bodies have been covered under the sands of the Platte, where they will repose till the last trump of the archangel shall recall them to life. Or, perhaps, But (far worse) they have fallen into the hands of Indians, of whom it may be said that their tender mercies are cruel. But who is responsible for this bloodshed, and these heartrending calamities? We care not to censure the dead; and, therefore, we will not say where the blame rests. But we cannot refrain from expressing our clear conviction, that love of money - that avarice was the cause. O, Avarice! thou foulest fiend that stalkest forth in this sinful, sorrowful world of ours, if we could see thee personified, how would even men of avarice turn pale at the sight of thee, so cursed with the spoils of widows' cries and tears, and orphans' wretchedness, which themselves had offered upon thine altars! There is coming a day, when there will be a fearful reckoning for deeds done on the score of avarice, but which were never laid to that account. In this world, many a plausible pretext, and many a fair name, are used to cover over the sins of avarice. For The Casket. THE DEATH OF MOSES. BY THE REV. JOHN S. WATT. See now that aged chieftain - he, who led To Pisgah's mount- one distant glimpse to take Or build his sepulchre. Such was his doom. Of Heaven, he sinned-in sight of all the host Beyond the smiling landscape dimly seen With lofty cedars, waving in the breeze, And gazed with rapture on the promised land. The deep, calm vault of heaven-and in his eye Beyond the stormy waves of Death's cold flood — From his cold brow the clammy sweat of death. and these were all gilded in sunlight and gold. Oh, it was a lovely scene! "The beautiful! the beautiful! - where do we find it not? It is an all-pervading grace - it lighteth every spot." Northward and westward, a number of boats were making their way: while far away to the east, might be seen here and there the tall, ghost-like, sheeted form, rising from the surface, in gigantic proportions, indicating some craft of Neptune, whose "pow er of motion goes with the wind." As I stood gazing on the resistless heaving of the element below, I thought of the Sea of Galilee, whose troubled waters, eighteen hundred years ago, obeyed the voice of God, and on whose banks the Saviour lived and prayed and taught; a man approved of God, but scorned of men, derided, mocked and driven out. Most loving, yet hated most. His very enemies he loved, and loved them unto death. Had ever earth a friend like this? It was of him, that "Cold mountains and the midnight air Alone, I loved to dwell on the scene. While thus musing and mentally feasting on the beauties around, "Twilight let her curtain down, Dayton is especially so, from the width and And long before I had done musing and feastregularity of its streets, and the great beautying, the thick drapery of night had settled on of the surrounding country. Not so, however, all the way: the route, for some digtance before reaching Sandusky, passes through a less lovely region: the road, too, by way of variety, is not as pleasant for the traveler, the T rail not yet being laid all the way. 6 o'clock Sandusky. The train stops, the passengers hurry from the cars to the waiting boat. In a few minutes we are quietly but rapidly moving out of the harbor, on the steamer Albany. The wind has been blowing hard from the east, which makes a very pleasant swell; indeed, to one coming up from the inland, the lake breeze and the heaving of the boat are delightful. The sun had just set, the islands westward stood out well defined against the sky. The scene was very beautiful; for the islands, though set in the liquid element, seemed hung in clouds, all around. Nature, enrobed in darkness, seemed composed to rest. I, too, would rest: so, thinking of him "who stilleth the noise of the seas, as well as "the tumult of the people," I laid me down to sleep. Thursday Morning, 12th.-Early this morning I was walking the upper deck. What a morning! The unsparing flood of beauty forces itself upon the soul. The heart that can contemplate such a scene unmoved, must be harder than adamant, incapable of love to God or man. Oh, man! what criminal ingratitude! It is only measured by the boundless goodness of God. A morning in Eden could not have been more lovely, nor Italian skies more clear. The deep blue waves below, fitly imaged the sky above. During the night the wind had lulled to rest: the morning was calm and peaceful, as if heaven and earth had met together. And Nature, in |