THE FIRESIDE.

arising, I imagine, from the manner in which the rays of light of an aurora dart about in the heavens), and consequently worship it. Of meteors and falling stars they have a great dread; they believe that they are sent by the great warriors who are in the "happy hunting grounds" to warn them of danger.-Sullivan's Rambles in America.

A FATHER'S TENDERNESS.-I will give a notion of my father's tenderness if I set down just one tiniest instance of his attention to me. The forenoon was oppressive. I was sitting under a tree, trying to read, when he came up to me. There was a wooden gate, with open bars, near. He went and set it wide open, saying, "There, my love, you will fancy yourself cooler if I leave the gate open!" Will you laugh at me for mentioning such a trifle? I think not; for it went deep to my heart, and I seem to know God better for it ever after. A father is a great and marvellous truth, one you can never get at the depth of, try how you may.-The Vicar's Daughter.

THE DUNCE-BLOCK.-A school-master tells the following story: "I was teaching in a quiet country village. The second day of my session I had leisure to survey my surroundings, and among the scanty furniture I espied a three-legged stool. 'Is this the dunce-block?' I asked a little girl of five. The dark eyes sparkled, the curls nodded assent, and the lips rippled out, 'I suppose so; the teacher always sits on it.' The stool was unoccupied that term."

The Fireside.

SLEEP AND DREAMS.-There are moments of repose, even in action, for the heart, the lungs, and the muscles of the body. But during wakefulness the brain has no perfect repose. Now that it is quite universally acknowledged that different parts of the brain have different functions assigned them, we can readily see that there would be change of activity, and in this change relaxation if not perfect rest, to which is due the integrity of this organ. The influence of sleep upon the brain has been carefully observed in cases in which fracture of the skull has left portions of the brain exposed to view. Continued loss of sleep undermines the nervous system. Peevishness, restlessness, annoyances at trifles, despondency, and even insanity, may follow as the result of sleeplessness. The sleep of health is unbroken repose. Sleep is generally more profound and restful in the early part of the night,

hence one of the advantages of "early to bed." One-third of life, on an average, is spent in sleep, profitably and necessarily so. Great wrong is done young and growing children by not allowing them to have all the sleep their system requires.

THE LAUNDRY.-Borax is much better to use than soda for fine articles in washing. French laundresses use it altogether. It saves soap, and does not harm the finest lace goods. It is used in proportion of a handful to ten or twelve gallons of water well mixed.

Clean washed sand is the best material in which to start slips from plants. Grape propagators use nothing but sand and water at first. When roots start, the cuttings are changed to other pots filled with rich compost.

To clean tortoise shells, use fine rottenstone and sperm oil; apply it with a chamoise, then polish it off with dry rottenstone and a dry chamois.

NOTES AND QUERIES-FACTS, HINTS, GEMS, AND POETRY.

Notes and Queries.

FACTS, HINTS, GEMS, AND POETRY.

THE PHONOGRAPH.

IN mechanism the phonograph is simplicity itself. It consists of a cylinder of hollow brass, mounted on a horizontal axis, supported by two iron uprights, furnished with a balance wheel, and revolved either by hand, clockwork, or steam power. On the surface of the cylinder, which is about four inches in diameter, is cut a screw thread, corresponding exactly in pitch with that cut on the axis for the purpose of giving the cylinder longitudinal motion. In front of the cylinder is a movable bar or arm, which supports a mouthpiece of gutta-percha, on the under side of which is a disc of thin metal such as is used for taking tintypes. Against the centre of the lower side of this disc, a fine steel point is held by a spring attached to the rim of the mouthpiece; an india-rubber cushion, between the point and the disc, controls the vibration of the spring. In fact, the instrument has no other parts but the cylinder and its axis and the vibrater with its arm, yet with it the most wonderful results are obtained.

To use the phonograph a sheet of smooth tinfoil is adjusted around the cylinder, and secured in position with a little gum. The vibrater, with its adjustable mouthpiece, is then moved to the cylinder, and clamped in position, with its pointer bearing on the wrapper of tinfoil to such a degree that, if the cylinder is revolved, the point will trace a shallow groove on its surface corresponding with the threads cut on the cylinder surface. While turning the crank the operator talks, sings, laughs, or whistles into the mouthpiece. Every vibration of sound is faithfully recorded on the tinfoil by the steel point, the cylinder making about one revolution to a word. In order to reproduce the words or sounds, that is to make the machine talk or sing, the cylinder is turned back, so that the steel point may go over the indentations made by speaking into the mouthpiece. A paper funnel, like a speaking trumpet, is now attached to the mouthpiece to prevent the sound from scattering, the cylinder is revolved as before, and the phonograph repeats in a clear tone every word and sound recorded on the tinfoil sheet. In a word, every sound of a pitch that causes vibration of the tintype diaphragm, and thereby the most minute impressions of the pointer attached to it on the tinfoil wrapper of the cylinder, is reproduced.

To reproduce the sounds that originally caused the vibration of the diaphragm and the puncturing of the tinfoil wrapper of the revolving cylinder, it is only necessary to make the pointer pass over and into these punctures and reproduce the vibrations in the

ROMAN CATACOMBS.

diaphragm. These latter, acting on the air, give to it the same relative impulses and in the same order and energy as were given it by the organs of speech or other causes of the original sound. Hence, the conditions of atmospheric vibrations being alike in both cases, the same effects must be produced. If the sound of the human voice causes the diaphragm to vibrate and mark the tinfoil, certainly the inverse action of the tinfoil on the diaphragm, when the cylinder is revolved, will cause the reproduction of the same series of vibrations, and consequently the same sounds. Although the quality of the sound as reproduced is not altered, its volume is somewhat less than that of the original. The notes of the higher pitch are given out with more distinctness than those of the lower. Whistling is perfectly reproduced, the sound of a low cough or sneeze is repeated with startling accuracy, singing is given out with full and perfect notes, and distinct as to the pronunciation of every word.

It would be difficult to set a limit to the uses to which this wonderful instrument can be put. With perfected instruments it is possible that a speech delivered by one of the orators of the day can be repeated fifty years hence, simultaneously, in a thousand towns and cities, word for word and tone for tone, as it was uttered by one who had long passed away. The phonograph may take the place of short-hand reporters. A man who has many letters to write will talk them to the phonograph and send the sheets to his correspondents, who will lay them on these phonographs and listen to the message.

ROMAN CATACOMBS.

BENEATH the ruined palaces and temples, the crumbling tombs and dismantled villas of the august mistress of the world, we find the most interesting relics of early Christianity on the face of the earth. In traversing these tangled labyrinths, we are brought face to face with the primitive ages; we are present at the worship of the infant church; we observe its rites; we study its institutions; we witness the deep emotions of the first believers as they commit their dead, often their martyred dead, to their last long resting place; we decipher the touching record of their sorrow, of the holy hopes by which they were sustained, of "their faith triumphant o'er their fears," and of their assurance of the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting. We read in the testimony of the Catacombs the confession of faith of the early Christians, sometimes accompanied by the records of their