“I have more to tell,” said John, solemnly:  “my apprenticeship is out.”

“What, in four years!—­you are mad, John!  What do you mean?”

“The indenture was cancelled this evening.”

“How?” cried William, with a gasp, and beginning to tremble all over, without knowing why.

“I was wounded on the beach,” said John, rising up, and walking backwards towards the window; while the moon, entering into a dense cloud, had scarcely sufficient power to exhibit the outlines of his figure.  “It was by the point of a dagger,” continued he, his voice sounding distant and indistinct, “and I died of the wound!”

William was alone in the apartment, and he felt the hair rising upon his head, and cold drops of sweat trickling down his brow.  His ghastly and bewildered look was hardly noticed by his parents and sister during the first moments of salutation; and, when it was, the excuse was illness and fatigue.  He could neither eat nor drink, (it seemed as if he had lost altogether the faculty of swallowing,) but sat silent and stupified, turning his head ever and anon to the door, till it struck one o’clock.  About this time a knocking was heard, and the sister, jumping up, cried it was John come home, and ran to open the door.  But it was not John; it was the minister of the parish; and he had scarcely time to break the blow to the parents with the shield of religion, when the dead body of their eldest son was brought into the house.—­Orient.  Herald.

* * * * *

SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY.

Zoological Gardens.

It is stated that upwards of one hundred and eighty pounds have been received for the admission of the public to these gardens during one week.

We omitted to mention last week, that one of the lamas was presented by Robert Barclay, Esq. of Bury Hill; a leopard by Lord Auckland; several animals from the Arctic regions by the Hudson’s Bay Company, &c.  The pair of emus were bred at Windsor, by Lord Mountcharles.  The emu is hunted in New South Wales for its oil; it frequently weighs 100 lbs., and its taste, when cooked, more resembles beef than fowl.—­See Notes, p. 378, vol. xi.  MIRROR.

Venerable Orange Tree.

There is an orange tree, still living and vigorous, in the orangery at Versailles, which is well ascertained to be above 400 years old.  It is designated the Bourbon, having belonged to the celebrated constable of that name in the beginning of the 16th century, and been confiscated to the crown in 1522, at which time it was 100 years old.  A crown is placed on the box in which it is planted, with this inscription, “Sown in 1421.”

Thirty-four orange-trees have lately been received at Windsor, as a present from the king of France to George IV.

Potato Mortar.

M. Cadet-de-Vaux found mortar of lime and sand, and also that made from clay, greatly improved in durability by mixing boiled potatoes with it.