The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-02-20
STORIES FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.
FOND OF BEASTS.

Sin Que of Landeeers's early visits to
Scotland he stopped at village and
took great deal of notice of the dogs,
jotting down rapid sketches of them on
bit of paper. Next day, on resumipg
his journey, he was Mortified to find
dogs suspended from the trees in all
directions, or drowning in the rivers
| with stones around their necks. He
stepped q weeping urchin who was hur-
ryiDg off with pet pup in his arms,
and learned that he was supposed to be
an excise officer who was taking notes
of all the dogs he saw in order to pros
ecute the owners for unpaid taxes.
Another time he went to Portugal, and
the king sent for him to express his adj
miration. 'Ah, sir Edwin, said his
msjesty, I am glad to see you I'm SO
fond of beasts"
INFLUENCE OF GOOD WORDS.
"When Robert Moffat, the mission
airy, was in England, he told an anus.
ing story of a poor African, who lived
near one of the miss onary settlements,
and whose dog, by some accident, had
got possession of Testament in the
native language, and had torn it to
pieces, devouring some CT the leaves.
This man came to the missionaries in
great diemsy, and laid his case before
them. He said that the dog had been
. very useful animal, and had helped to
protect his property by guarding it
frr m -;1d haoofs ond eIoo -, I,rrf;no
and destroying them but he feared it
would now be useless. The missionary
asked him how this was. As for the
injury done, that was but an accident
and the Testam INT could be replaced
BY another copy. THAT is true said
the poor man, but still am afraid the
dog will be of no further use to me.
The words of the New Testament are
full Of love and gentleness, and after
the dog has eaten them, il is not likely
that he will hunt or fight for me any
more"
FROST FAIR.
When Master Jack Frost can get his
own way, he proves q great tyrant, and
locks up lakes and rivers in countries
where such performances are least ex
pected. Even old Father Thames, in
the southern part of England, has been
at times shut up by him in prison Of
ice. Once when the river was frozen
over the Londoners held what they
called frost fair.
In the beginning Of December, 1868,
~, - ,fI
February, upward of two months. The
river was frozen, as an old writer says,
to that degree that another city, as it
we're, was erected thereon where by
the great number of streets and shops,
with their rich furniture, it represented
q great fair, with variety of carriages
and diversions of all sorts near White
hall, a whole OK was roasted on the ice.
Bull-baiting, puppet playing, horse-rac-
ing, and other amueements, were gen.
orally indulged in and persons OF all
ranks mingled in the new scene OF life.
Large boats, covered with tits and dec-
Grated with sails and flags, were used
as sledges, some being drawn by horses,
and others by the watermen, who were
frozen out of their usual employment.
Coaches piled up and down the river as
regularly as on the streets. A double
line of booths formed street, in which
were shops for the sale of refreshments,
draperies, and places for small wares.
Printers set up their presses on the ice,
and earned large sums BY printing the
names Of people for si1pencs each.
But, oh most inglorious termination
to the fun ! Master Thaw slipped in
unawares, and off rushed printers,
showmen, and spectators in a great
hurry.
HOW BUDDHA FED AN ARMY.
"There was brazen image of Bud.
dha not far from the Poyang lake, and
near the borders of the great river Of
China. When in sitting posture it
was forty feet high, ten feer in dame
ter, and twelve feet across the shout
ders. It was seated in the oriental
position, with the souls OF the feet
pointing heavenward, and in the hollow
of each foot four men could rest. So
large were the ears that in each man
could hide himself. This huge image
was made into three parts, all Of which |
were hollow. On one occasion, the
date not being known, some beggsrs |
made an excavation into the back o
this monster Bud,iha, and stole great |
quantity of the brass. The opening |
was quite large enough for any one to
walk into, and beggars were in the habit |
of sleeping within and cooking their
meals, even to the number of twenty
men, and yet there was room.
10 the seventh year Of Heenfung |
Qs5D, great general, Tsung-Quo-F Fan,
seeing his army deficient in supplies.
determined to avail himself of the ma
terisl of which this great idol was made
to meet the ants of his suffering army.
He at once dispatched two trusty Off
GERS, with 400 men, with orders to
pound Buddhs into pieces and bring it
with them.
"When they arrived before the image
and beheld its immense size, they said !: |
How very lofty is Buddhs, and how
difficult it will be for us to fulfill the
orders Of our general They were at a
loss how to begin. At last they con-
structed a ladder, and rested it against
tho shoulders of Buddha. Then rope
was to be thrown over the head of the
great image, and in this way they hoped
to drag it to the ground. But not
soldier dared ascend this ladder, for
fear took hold of them. A handsome
reward of 10 teels ($13) was then offered
to the man who would ascend the ladder
and throw the rope over the head of
Buddha. Not a soldier would volun-
tcer. At last poor beggar came for
ward who was bold enough for the
dollars. He assembled the ladder SLOWLY.