The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1871-06-29

auas iio uan .itns Imanf De- seems 10
ea.d1 her and wItb impeiuaus haste,
8tlv bgt back Is ltc scene ofhis Lahore.
Calm aud sorene herself She cannot
Share his frenzy tat ,he eenil, gives or
ber own wi.l Is hIs. although sbe sees no
reason tar bls perturbation Then he
forget BIS Tears forgive, Zoe cause. aud
resume, his task,
Now and then he stops work fora few
minute. and has a liulg 0yale wiih 81.
mate. IlIrg affect Go h,ceseb other. and
bay thcir heads scros, each others ucgks.
like friendly horses ia 4 Gclj They
swim, sido hy side, Ia uatoW eircle.
they chase each othcn rising one above
the other 10 puruit ike swallows II tbe
air.
Two day. or moro pass thus, and NJ
last tbcne,t is ready, aud ihe eggs are
deposited IA Il.
Then the careful slieklobaak males
haste 10 cover ibcm Working more
nightly tlau ever, DC brings iroud aller
froud Of some delicate water plant aud
spreads over thcm Crossing these a.
blorc, hc takes no rest while chnk rc.
mains through which can 81 secna single
egg.
lie goes further and piles On moro
leaves, with SO Ingenious a how or care
lessucss llat no boy or gin would ever
suspect that beneath tb. little patch Of
shredded weeds, here was hidden fsh's
adlc.
+ The slicklrback's tasks are not yct end
/ cd. lie has other work 70 DO Some
rude intruder may meddle with his
charge lIe must not leave Il.
Accordingly, he sets himself to watch
( An day he sails up aud down. aud round
about, feeding scaintly upon such morsels
Of food as dHit within his beat, never
losing sight Of the nest
/ An night he hoyers above Il, even
sleeping with SO much wakefuluess a. 10
/ be rou cd to vehement action by the
slightest stir in the water. II strolling
crab chances to sidlc by, he rushes head.
long upon IL, aud bites npdly at It's de-
tenccless eyes, lfau eel wrlggles near,
/ le ereets his hordd spines, aud dashes
turiousIy against H. threatening 70 rip II
up with these double daRgers. He darts
with the speed OF tightening. The iride-
of bis eyes, his checks, bis sides, glow
with vivid scarlet.
No foe dares resist him, but every one
makes haste TO quit the field.
For three weeks this faithful sentinel
keeps guard. Towards The close his vigil.
auce increases, lie often draws very
near the nest, and peers closely. Some
times he touches IL with his nose, puts
down his head, as II listening.
Suddenly he acts as IL be had gone
mad. lie sezes the loosc, outer conyor.
ing that served asa screen, and scatters
the pieces right and left. lie tears open
tho inner eoverlid. that be had So oerennl'
4 y lclted. lie hangs breathless above the
nest What does he eNpccti
Presently there issues from the rents
train Of so TO 100 tiny creatures, 10 big.
ger than midges, with 6lmy, transparent
bodies, and wide, staring eyes.
The eggs have hatehcd, and these arc
the baby sticklcbacks. They swim away
aud the Fathers work is done
There Is something beautiful in all this
toll, and watching, and anxiety, aud
bravery, and patience Of the little two.
spined stieklebacll.
! II is not for himself, Il Is wholly for
others, for little ones that are to appear
before him for a moment, ana pass out
Of his sight, to be known no more
When we see the selEdeyotion that the
Maker of US all has taught tails humble
fish, shall we waste our higher lives IL
seIfplcaslng2 let Us rather learn from
these lowly dwelcrs Of the pool, that
Ills works anl Ilis word teach the same
Icson Live for others, and not for
/ yourselves - Lime CoJpo,al.