“They have,” I replied.  “They are iron ores from which iron is made.  Why did you think there was iron in them?”

“Because they wouldn’t have stuck to the magnet if there wasn’t.”

“Quite true.  So you have learned another very important fact.  Can you tell me what it is?”

“The magnet pulls iron,” said Charlie.

“Good,” said I; “and it is also true that the magnet does not pull—­”

“Things that are not iron,” said Charlie.

“True again,” I said.  “So far as our experiments go, the magnet pulls iron always, and never any thing else.”

“But what makes it pull iron?”

“That I can not tell.  We see it does pull, but just how the pulling is done, or what makes it, no one has yet found out.

“For convenience we call the pulling power magnetism.  You may keep the magnet, and at some other time, I will tell you more about it.”

* * * * *

Language Lesson.—­Name six words in the lesson, each of which is made up of two words by leaving out letters.

Write out the two words in each case.

What is the name of the mark which shows the omission of letters?

Point out the statement, command, question, and exclamation in the sentences given below.

    “O, isn’t it a funny horseshoe!”

    “Put the bar back.”

    “What made it jump so?”

    “The magnet pulls iron.”

* * * * *

LESSON XVIII.

ex pos’es, shows.

mi mo’sa, a tree that grows in Africa.

mot’tled, marked with spots of different color.

re sem’bling, looking like.

ap proach’, coming near.

pub’lic, open to all; free.

va’ri ous, different; unlike in kind.

de fend’, take care of; protect.

gait, manner of stepping.

pre vents’, keeps from; stops.

ca’ pa ble, having power; able.

* * * * *

THE GIRAFFE OR CAMELOPARD.

There are few sights more pleasing than a herd of tall and graceful giraffes.

With, their heads reaching a height of from twelve to eighteen feet, they move about in small herds on the open plains of Africa, eating the tender twigs and leaves of the mimosa and other trees.

The legs of a large giraffe are about nine feet long, and its neck nearly six feet; while its body measures only seven feet in length and slopes rapidly from the neck to the tail.

The graceful appearance of the giraffe is increased by the beauty of its skin, which is orange red in color and mottled with dark spots.

Its long tail has at the end a tuft of thick hair which serves the purpose of keeping off the flies and stinging insects, so plentiful in the hot climate of Africa.