5. "I am ready, children, to perform the promise. In the forests of Brazil, where I once resided several months, I saw thousands of monkeys of various sorts and sizes. 6. "I had many adventures with the mischievous creatures. But the most remarkable story I can tell you is about a bridge of monkeys." 7. "A bridge of monkeys! tell us! tell us!" cried several voices "I never heard of such a thing. I do not think there could be a bridge of monkeys. You are making fun of us." at once. 8. "No. I have not only seen a real bridge of living monkeys spanning a wide stream, but I also saw several hundred monkeys cross this bridge in perfect safety. 66 9. I will tell you all about it, but first must ask where Brazil is, and if you know anything about that country." 10. The oldest boy acted as spokesman. "Brazil is situated in the central part of South America. It lies within the torrid zone, and I know that it abounds in monkeys and other tropical animals." 11. "Do you remember any especially remarkable feature in the geography of Brazil?" 12. "I think the most remarkable feature is the length and vast volume of its great river, the Amazon." 13. "Right. And it was over one of the upper and smaller branches of this great river that I saw the bridge of monkeys. 14. "My companions were the lady of the house at which I was staying, and some of her children. 15. "We wished to cross the stream, which was deep and rapid. A frail skiff was moored to the margin, and we hesitated about its safety as a ferry-boat. 16. "While standing in perplexity a great tumult arose in the forests on the other shore. We heard the rattling of branches, the violent crashing of foliage, and a confusion of shrieks, screams, and chatterings. 17. "Presently a few monkeys, the advance-guard of the army, appeared on the edge of the woods, followed instantly by many hundred others, running, jumping, scrambling, pushing, rolling head over heels, leaping over each others' shoulders, and making a rapid course for the stream. 6 18. "They are coming towards the river,' exclaimed the lady; they will most likely cross by the rocks yonder.'-'What! swim it?' I asked, it is a torrent there.'-'Oh, no!' she answered, 'monkeys would rather go into fire than water. If the stream is too wide to leap, they will bridge it.' 19. "Bridge it?' I said in surprise, and how?'-'Wait a moment, captain, you shall see.' So I stood still to watch what the monkeys would do.” LESSON CXXXIX. CIPHER, in populer language, to calcu. | late, to compute. DE-TAIL', to select for some special pur. DI-LEM MA, a state of things in which it IN-GEN I OUS, well contrived. contri vance, dexterous movement. Pi O-NEER', one whose business it is to go before an army to prepare the way. RE-VIEW', military inspection. VIBRATION, swinging backward and forward. WHIP, to wrap, or twist. PRONUNCIATION.-An'i-mals 3c, approach' 3a, sol'dier (soleʼjur), pi-o-ncer′ 1g, en-joy' 3b, di-lem'ma 7. THE BRIDGE OF MONKEYS.-CONTINUEd. 1. "SOME of the monkeys had now reached the opposite bank, and I could see them quite distinctly. They belonged to a tribe with very long, strong tails. Their faces were half-human, and they were powerful animals. 2. "When at a distance, the whole troop seemed in complete confusion, but on nearer approach I could see that real order prevailed. They moved in companies, cach with its own officer, like so many soldiers, and headed by an old gray chieftain. 3. “One—a pioneer perhaps-ran up a projecting rock, and looked across the stream. He appeared to be calculating the distance, and when he had ciphered it out to his satisfaction he scampered back to report to his leader. 4. "By this time the whole body of monkeys had reached the opposite bank, and stood awaiting orders. A movement now took place. Parties were detailed and marched to the front, as if at word of command, like soldiers at a general review. 5. "At the narrowest part of the stream grew a tall cotton-wood tree, with long branches projecting over the water. The monkeys collected around this tree, and twenty or thirty scampered up its trunk. On reaching a high point, the foremost- -a stout fellowran out on a limb, and taking several turns with his tail around it, slipped off, and hung head downward. 6. "The next on the limb slid down the body of the first; then whipping his tail lightly around his neck and fore-arm, dropped off in his turn, and hung head downward. The third repeated this same maneuver on the second, and the fourth on the third, and so on, till the last of the string rested his fore paws on the ground. 7. "Thus a chain of monkeys hung from the end of the branch to the ground—each link of the chain being firmly attached to the link above, and being as firmly held by the link below. 8. "The lowest monkey now gave a push against the ground with ་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་འ་ his hands. The living chain began to swing backward and forward. At first the motion was slight, but at each sweep the last monkey gave a strong push against the earth, and the vibrations rose higher and higher. 9. "This continued till the monkey at the end of the chain was thrown among the branches of a tree on this side. Two or three times he clutched at a limb and missed, but at last he held fast; and I noticed that he executed this movement just at the highest point of the swing, in order to prevent the violence of a sudden jerk. 10. "The chain was now fast at both ends, forming a complete suspension bridge, over which the whole troop passed with the rapidity of thought; and right well did the rogues enjoy the frolic. I watched their countenances, and the face of every monkey was in a broad grin. 11. "All the troop was now on this side, with the exception of the animals forming the bridge itself. How are they to get over?" "I see no difficulty," interposed one of the children. "The farthest monkey has only to let go, and the whole chain will swing to this side." 12. "But unfortunately," replied the captain, "it happened that the branch on this side, to which the bridge was fastened, was much lower than the other end; and, in the second place, it hung over the water; so that if number one should let go, he, with the halfdozen next him, must be dashed on the bank, or plunged into the river."—"That was truly a dilemma! Did they get over it?" 13. "Yes, in the following ingenious manner. As the bridge hung in a curve, of course the animal in the middle was the lowest of the chain. We now saw a monkey jump down from the tree, and twist his tail around this lowest link. Another girdled him in a similar manner, and another, and so on, till a dozen or more were added to the string. These last were all powerful fellows, and running up to a higher projecting limb, they lifted the bridge into a position nearly horizontal. 14. "For a minute or two matters remained in this situation. A scream then gave warning that all was ready. The farthest monkey untwisted his tail from the tree. In an instant he swung over, and was safely landed on the bank. The lower links dropped off like a melting candle, while the higher ones leaped to the branches, and came down by the trunk. The whole troop scampered into the woods-and this, my children, is the true story of the BRIDGE OF MONKEYS." LESSON CXL. AR-RAYED', set in order, as an army. GLOW, shining, brightness. PALL, the cloth thrown over dead bodies at funerals. TINT, hue, color. PRONUNCIATION.-Are 33, and 29, fear less 22, tear 22, bright ́en 4d, re-gret' 1. "LOOK ALOFT." 1. A BOY who was climbing the ropes of a ship became giddy. An old sailor, seeing his difficulty, called out, "Look aloft, look aloft!" The boy did so, and found his giddiness depart. 2. In the tempest of life, when the wave and the gale Should betray thee when sorrows like clouds are arrayed, 4. Should the visions which hope spreads in light to thine eye, 5. Should they who are dearest-the son of thy heart, 6. And O, when death comes in terrors, to cast PRONUNCIATION.- Hearth 33, a-roused' If, En'glish 33, England 33, pock'et 1b, chil'dren 11, cheer 22. CHRISTMAS. 1. THE word Christmas is derived from Christ and a Saxon word signifying a holy day, or feast. It is the name applied to the day observed in commemoration of the birth of our Saviour. 2. In some countries this day is observed with very imposing ceremonies. The churches, splendidly decorated, resound with music expressive of joy and triumph. CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND. 3. In England Christmas was formerly celebrated with many singular games and amusements. It seemed to throw open every door, and unlock every heart. It brought the peasant and the peer together, and blended all ranks in one warm, generous flow of joy and kindness. 4. The old halls of castles and manor-houses resounded with the |