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The Answering Blow.

BY NILLA FORRESTER.

“WHY is your cheek so flushed, my boy,
And why is your eye cast down?"
“Why, mother, you see, that Harrison Gray
Is the ugliest boy in town!

We were out at play on the village-green;
I, with my bat and ball,

And it chanced to roll where Harry stood,
And he, like a clown, must fall!

"And what do you think he said, mamma?
Why, I did it on purpose, and so
He struck me right over my head, mamma,
But I answered him blow for blow.
His nose just bled a little, and now

He's gone like a cry-baby home,

To make a complaint, and get me whipped —
You will see what a tale will come!"

"But, William, 't is wicked to quarrel and fight,

And cowardly, bullying boys

Run about, with their fists ready-doubled for blows,

And are known by their bluster and noise.

True courage consists in restraining the blow,

And repressing each angry tone;

'T would have shamed Harry Gray had you told him the truth, And manfully let him alone."

"But, mother, he gave me no time for a word,

For he struck me before I could speak;

I meant to have told, but the first thing he did
Was to strike me a blow on the cheek!

I am sure, there is no one would like to stand,
To be beat like a dog, mamma;

I would not have given him a single blow,

But he struck me the first, mamma!"

"You have seen David Rice!

When a boy like you,

He was out on the green one day;

When a boy much larger, and stronger than he,

Just hit him a blow in play.

But he never stopped to inquire the cause,

For his temper began to rise;

So he raised a thistle he held in his hand,
And struck it across his eyes.

"The boy that David so hastily struck,
Shrieked aloud in terrible pain;

And the surgeon came to examine his eyes,
But his skill and care were vain,

For the light went out, and the beautiful day
To him is as dark as the night;
And though David wept like a penitent boy,
Yet he could not bring back the sight.

"Now, William, you see that David Rice
Grew warm at the first attack,

And thought, because he struck him first,
It was right to strike him back.

Whene'er you are tempted to quarrel or fight,
Just think of this terrible woe;

And remember how bitterly David hath mourned
The result of his answering blow."

Silver Mines.

In the year 1545, an Indian, named Hualpa, was scampering up the side of a mountain in Potosi, after a goat; when, finding that it had jumped up a steep place quicker than he could, and determining to follow it, he laid hold of a branch of a shrub to assist him in climbing. But instead of assisting him, it was torn up, roots and all, out of the earth. He was, however, repaid for his disappointment, by the appearance of something bright in the hole that the plant had come from. He soon discovered this to be a lump of silver; and he found several small bits sticking about the roots. These he picked off carefully, and right glad was he to have found such a treasure. For a time he kept the matter a secret, and returned to the mine whenever he wanted cash; and soon grew so much better in his circumstances than formerly, that his neighbors wondered at

One of these was his particular friend; so, to stop his inquiries, he told him of his discovery, and showed him the place; and they both helped themselves to as much as they happened to want. By and by some disagreement arose between them, because Hualpa would not tell how he purified the precious metal, and then this unworthy friend went and told the whole to a Spaniard. The mine was soon taken possession of, and the poor Indians got no more. This mine proved vastly productive, and a town was soon built at the foot of the mountain. The mine is in a mountain by itself, like a sugar-loaf in shape. The city of Potosi, although at the foot of the mountain seemingly, is high up in the Andes, whose white tops, always covered with snow, glitter at a few miles' distance. The mountain containing the silver is about eighteen miles in circumference, and seems to be one mass of clayey slate, yellowish and hard. The miners do not proceed in any regular or scientific manner, but get as much silver as they can obtain easily. None of them have yet penetrated above seventy yards, though there are more than three hundred pits. All the processes for roasting or refining the ore are conducted in the most slovenly manner by the Indians, who are ignorant of the scientific modes of operation. A great deal is wasted, and from a ton of ore not more than three or four ounces of silver are obtained. Some Germans have been there lately, and

they are showing them how to conduct the works in a better man

ner.

There are silver mines in Mexico, as well as mines of gold. Indeed, silver, although the second in rank, is first in importance in a commercial point of view, on account of the much greater quantity obtained from the mines.

Silver, as is the case indeed with most other metals, is found in a variety of different ores. It is sometimes pure, or in veins which penetrate every crevice of the stony rock to which the metal adheres; but, more frequently, it is mixed with other matters, which must be separated from it; so that its first appearance varies much, as it is ash-colored, reddish, bluish, often black, and sometimes in pointed forms, like crystals.

The manner of refining it differs but little from the processes used with gold; except that none is obtained by mere washing, though it is cleared from earthy particles with water. The workers depend chiefly upon amalgamating it with quicksilver; but in this case there is more difficulty than with gold; as silver clings more powerfully to the mineral substances with which it is united, and the process requires more labor and care.

Silver is found also in Norway, Sweden, and in great abundance in Siberia, near Chinese Tartary; and in moderate quantities in many other countries. It forms, as you know, the principal part of the circulating coins of all countries, being a medium between gold, which is very valuable, and brass, or copper, which is very cheap. It is also manufactured into many varieties of table ware, and considerably used as ornaments to carriages, and the like.

About Railroads.

In building a railroad, the preliminary trouble, before the first soa is turned, is no trifling task. Leaving out of the question the visionary schemes, projected for the purpose of gambling or speculation, let us consider what has to be effected before a railroad can be commenced.

These undertakings generally begin with a few individuals inter- ́ ested in a proposed line. A meeting is called, and the matter is