1. I have often puzzled myself as to the origin of the term "Uncle Sam," now in very common use, in designating the Government of the United States; but the following account of the matter, which has recently come under my notice, seems quite satisfactory.

2. Immediately after the declaration (June 19, 1812) of the last war with England, Elbert Anderson, a contractor of provisions to supply the army of the United States, visited Troy, on the Hudson, where he purchased a large quantity of beef, pork, etc. The inspectors of these articles at that place were Messrs. Ebenezer and Samuel Wilson. The latter gentleman, known as "Uncle Sam," generally superintended, in person, a large number of workmen, who were employed in overhauling the provisions purchased by the contractor for the army.

3. The casks were marked "E. A.-U. S." This work of marking fell to the lot of a facetious fellow in the employ of the Messrs. Wilson, who, on being asked by some of his fellow-workmen the meaning of the mark, (for the letters U. S. for the United States were entirely new to them), said that he did not know, unless it meant "Elbert Anderson and Uncle Sam ;" meaning by "Uncle Sam" simply Samuel Wilson.

4. The joke took among the workmen, and passed currently; and Mr. Wilson, being a good-natured man, was often rallied by them on the increasing extent of his possessions. Many of these workmen were found shortly after following the recruiting drum, and pushing toward the frontier lines, for the double purpose of meeting the enemy and of eating the provisions they had labored to put in good order.

5. Their old jokes accompanied them; and before the first campaign ended, this identical one appeared in print. It gained favor very rapidly, till it was recognized in every part of our country, and will, no doubt, continue so long as the United States remain a nation.

Woodworth.

XXVII. THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.

raid, a hostile incursion; feindlicher Einfall.

en-gi-neer', a person skilled in the science of engineering; Feldmesser; Maschinist.

sur'-vey, an examination; a measurement; Besichtigung; Vermessung.

chasm, a deep opening; Kluft.

struct ́-ure, a building of any kind; Bau.

prec'-i-pice, a very steep fall of land; Abgrund.

an'-cient, old; alt.

mod'-ern, new; neu.

1. Ages ago, China determined to protect herself against the envy and raids of the Tartars who roamed over a large portion of Asia. In order to do this, the Chinese built the great wall, which has been considered one of the wonders of the world.

2. This great wall was measured in many places by an American engineer, lately engaged on a survey for a Chinese railway. His measurements give the height at eighteen feet, and a width on top of fifteen feet.

3. Every few hundred yards there is a tower, twentyfour feet square, and from twenty to twenty-five feet high. The foundation of the wall is of solid granite. The engineer brought with him a brick from the wall, which is supposed to have been made more than two thousand years ago.

4. In building this immense stone fence to keep out the Tartars, the builders never attempted to avoid mountains or chasms to save expense. For one thousand three hundred miles, the wall goes over plain and mountain; and every foot of the foundation is in solid granite, and the rest of the structure solid masonry.

5. In some places the wall is built on the edge of precipices, where there is a descent of a thousand feet. Small streams are arched over, but in the larger streams the wall runs to the water's edge, and a tower is built on each side.

6. On the top of the wall there are breastworks, or defences, facing in and out, so that the defending forces can pass from one tower to another without being exposed to an enemy from either side.

7. To reckon the time of building, or the cost of this wall, is beyond human skill. So far as the size of the work

is concerned, it surpasses everything in ancient or modern times of which there is any trace.

Selected.

XXVIII. THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM.

cred'-it, to trust; trauen; glauben.

dis-posed', inclined; geneigt.

in'-sti-tute, to establish; einrichten.

stag-na-tion, cessation of action; Stockung.

pro-test', to declare solemnly; beteuern.

dis-gust', dislike; Widerwille.

cal'-cu-late, to reckon; berechnen.

hes-i-ta'-tion, doubt; delay; Zweifel; Zaudern.

ha-rangue', a speech; Rede.

il-lus'-trate, to make clear; to explain; beleuchten; durch Bei

spiele erklären.

ar'-gu-ment, a proof; Beweis.

com-ply', to do as requested; willfahren.

ex'-e-cute, to make; to perform; vollziehen.

stag'-ger, to cause to hesitate; verblüffen.

ac-cuse', to charge with a crime or offence; anklagen.
con-sent', accord; Übereinstimmung.

1. An old Clock that had stood for fifty years in a farmer's kitchen without giving its owner any cause of complaint, early one summer's morning, before the family was stirring, suddenly stopped. Upon this, the Dial-plate (if we may credit the fable) changed countenance with alarm; the Hands made a vain effort to continue their course; the Wheels remained motionless with surprise; the Weights hung speechless. Each member felt disposed to lay the blame on the others. At length the Dial instituted

a formal inquiry as to the cause of the stagnation, when Hands, Wheels, Weights, with one voice protested their innocence.

2. But now a faint tick was heard below from the Pendulum, who thus spoke: "I confess myself to be the sole cause of the present stoppage; and I am willing, for the general satisfaction, to assign my reasons. The truth is, that I am tired of ticking." Upon hearing this, the old Clock became so enraged that it was on the very point of striking.

3. "Lazy Wire!" exclaimed the Dial-plate, holding up its hands. "Very good!" replied the Pendulum, "it is vastly easy for you, Mistress Dial, who has always, as everybody knows, set yourself up above me,-it is vastly easy for you, I say, to accuse other people of lazinessyou, who have had nothing to do all the days of your life but to stare people in the face, and to amuse yourself with watching all that goes on in the kitchen! Think, I beseech you, how you would like to be shut up for life in this dark closet, and to wag backwards and forwards year after year, as I do."

4. "As to that," said the Dial, is there not a window in your house, on purpose for you to look through?" "For all that," resumed the Pendulum, "it is very dark here; and although there is a window, I dare not stop, even for an instant, to look out at it. Besides, I am really tired of my way of life; and if you wish, I'll tell you how I took this disgust at my employment. I happened this morning to be calculating how many times I should have to tick in the course of only the next twenty-four hours-perhaps some of you, above there, can give me the exact sum.”

5. The Minute-hand, being quick at figures, presently replied, "Eighty-six thousand four hundred times.' "Exactly so," replied the Pendulum. "Well, I appeal to you all, if the very thought of this was not enough to fatigue one; and when I began to multiply the strokes of one day,

by those of months and years, really it is no wonder if I felt discouraged at the prospect; so, after a great deal of reasoning and hesitation, thought I to myself, I'll stop."

6. The Dial could scarcely keep its countenance during this harangue; but resuming its gravity, thus replied: "Dear Mr. Pendulum, I am really astonished that such a useful, industrious person as yourself should have been overcome by this sudden action. It is true, you have done a great deal of work in your time; so have we all, and are likely to do; and although it may fatigue us to think of it, the question is, whether it will fatigue us to do. Would you now do me the favor to give about half a dozen strokes, to illustrate my argument?"

7. The Pendulum complied, and ticked six times at its usual pace. "Now," resumed the Dial, "may I be allowed to inquire if that exertion was at all fatiguing or disagreeable to you?" "Not in the least," replied the Pendulum; "it is not of six strokes that I complain, nor of sixty, but of millions." "Very good,” replied the Dial; "but recollect that, though you may think of a million strokes in an instant, you are required to execute but one; and that, however often you may hereafter have to swing, a moment will always be given you to swing in." "That consideration staggers me, I confess," said the Pendulum. "Then I hope," added the Dial-plate, "we shall all immediately return to our duty; for the maids will lie in bed till noon if we stand idling thus."

8. Upon this, the Weights, who had never been accused of light conduct, used all their influence in urging him to proceed; when, as with one consent, the Wheels began to turn, the Hands began to move, the Pendulum began to swing, and, to its credit, ticked as loud as ever; while a beam of the rising sun that streamed through a hole in the kitchen, shining full upon the Dial-plate, it brightened up, as if nothing had been the matter.