The Work Of Nature In The Months.

place there are arriving such Waterfowl as the Dabchick or Lesser Grebe and the 'feal . Redwings , Fieldfares , Woodpigeons , and the Royston Crow return ; Rooks come back to their nesting-trees , Hen Chaffinches assemble , and we now see those last lingerie emigrants of the Swallow tribeour

, friends , the House Martens . The fine frosty mornings make apparent the threads of gossamer that fill the air , whilst they have a contrary effect upon the Tortoise , which buries itself in its Winter quarters underground ; lucky fellow if the bad fate

does not befall him that did one belonging to a friend of ours—that of being accidently cooked by the heat of a large heap of manure unconsciously placed over his unknown burrow . And now we must say " Good-bye " for some few months to our friends the

flowers , or to such of them as still linger , amongst which we may notice the Wild Chamomile and Geranium , the Grey Speedwell and the Wall Rocket , or narrowleaved Wall Mustard ; last , but by no means to be despised , is our faithful , if humble friendthe Dead Nettlein its

, , varieties of the Spotted , and the Red , with its sisters , the Bee Hemp , the Yellow D warf Hemp , and the Common Hemp , all allied more or less to the typical acquaintance of Aaroin Hill , of whom he says : —

Tender-handed stroke a Nettle , And it stings you for your pains ; Grasp it like a man of mettle , And it soft as siifc remains . 'Tis the same with common natures : Use ' em kindly , they rebel ; But be rough as nutmeg-graters ,

And the rogues o ' jey you well . " These different varieties do not bear so very strong a famil y likeness to one another , but it will astonish some of us to learn that a member of the same family is the Bop . A useful lant is this well

very p , as as an ornamental one , even in its wild state , for its young shoots , boiled , furnish * most delicate vegetable , not unlike Asparagus . The use of the cultivated variety is too well known to need description suflice it to that the lass of

, say g foaming "October" to which it gives favour and keeping qualities , is an excellenfc exemplification of this present life of ours , in which , if it is to be useful and productive of lasting good results , the bitters

The Work Of Nature In The Months.

must be duly blended with the sweets . In the young shoots of the Common Stinging Nettle , boiled , many country people find a wholesome aud not unpalateable vegetable ; whilst" Nettle-tea " was one of the most potent medicines known to our grandmothers , being as well a preventive ofas a cure for

, , the spring-tide blood-eruption known as " Nettle-rash . " One other lowly way-side friend we must notice in passing , the Good King Henry , or Mercury Goosefoot , with its inconspicuous green flower-spikes , and its

large , deep green triangular leaves , not unlike Spinach in appearance , and then a sad "Farewell to Flowers " : — " Farewell ! farewell ! bright children of the sun , Whose beauty rose around our path where'er We wandered forth since vernal days begun , The lory and the garland of the

g year . Ye came , the children of the Spring's , bright promise : Ye crown'd the summer in her path of light . And now , when Autumn's wealth is passing from us , We gaze upon your parting bloom . * * * * * Sweet flowers , adieu

The True Mason.

THE TRUE MASON .

Inscribed to III . Bro . Charles Roome , 33 ° , by his Friend unci Brother , F . G . TISDALL , 33 ° . No Mason is he who is dead to the wailings Of those whom misfortune has placed under ban ;

Who is harsh , unforgiving toward other men ' s failings , Or does any act that debases the man . Ho may seem a good brother in sight of his fellow , Be high in his order and learn'd in its

code ; But still his pretensions are truthless and shallow , And he is no Mason in si ght of his God . But he ' s a true Mason whose soul ever rises Above the small honors and lories of

g earth ; Who all the poor glitter of tinsel despises , And loves to he measured alone hy his worth , L 2