“Blood IARGO!” was the cry.

I tride to make a masked battery with a piller.  It was no protection again Jarsey Muskeeters.

As RACHEL mourned for her step-mother, I sighed for me home.

“Why, oh why,” I cride, “did I leave old Skeensboro?”

A widder wearin’ a borrowed suit of mornin’—­eleven children cryin’ because the governor had been chawed up by Muskeeters crowded into my thoughts.

The army was gettin’ reddy to charge onto me agin, and avenge their fallen comrags.

Suddenly a brite thought struck me.

I ceased a sheet and waved it for a flag of truce.

The order wasen’t given.

“Kernal,” said I, “before we continue this fite, let’s take a drink all around, and I’ll stand treat.”

“Done,” said he, “trot out your benzine.”

I opened the burow drawer, and took out a black bottle.

I pulled the cork and filled all the glasses, then poured a lot into the wash-bowl, when I handed the bottle to the Kernal.

“Make ready!  Take aim!  Drink!” Down went the licker.

I laffed a revengeful laff, as every condemned Muskeeter turned up their heels and cride: 

“Water—­send my bones back to Chiny—­mother dear, I’m comein’, 300,000 strong—­we die—­by the hand—­of Jarsey—­lite—­”

And Jarsey litenin’, more powerful than the chassepo gun of France or the needle-gun of Prushy, had done its work, and the old man was saved to the world!

It was 3 days before any close would again fit me.

I looked more like a big balloon than a human bein’, I was swelled up so with the pizen.

My blessin’s on the head of the individual who invented Jarsey litenin’.  Nothin else would have saved the Lait Gustise’s valuable life.

Ever of thow,

HIRAM GREEN, Esq.,

Lait Gustise of the Peece.

* * * * *

From our own Correspondent.

Rumors of war from Europe must always be expected, for how can we get
Pacific news by Atlantic Telegraph?

* * * * *

[Illustration:  “WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS,” ETC,

First Small Bather.  “WOULDN’T OUR MAMS GIVE US FITS IF THEY CAUGHT US SWIMMIN’?”

Second Ditto.  “I’LL BET YER!”

(But neither of the happy little truants knows that a thief is running off with their clothes.)]

* * * * *

REFORM IN JUVENILE LITERATURE.

Since the thrilling moment when GUTTENBURG made his celebrated discovery, numbers of persons have tried their hands—­and undoubtedly their heads also—­at Books for the Young.  Hitherto, many of them have evinced a sad lack of judgment in respect of matter.