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of soldiers enter the palace-gate. Soldiers at midnight!-her heart sank, and she fell back against the parapet in a cold

tremour.

What could it mean! Some deadly event was in progress, and her thoughts turned with affright towards the royal children. But Athaliah could not be so cruel -so wicked! A sudden shriek as from a death-stroke, awoke the silence of night. Jehosheba started as if her own heart had been pierced. She turned toward the palace, where a miserable seene met her view; from the balconies and terraces of the women's apartments, were children and females rushing apparently in the wildest affright. Some soldiers ran in pursuit of them,-whom the wretched princess recognised as the queen's own band, who were notorious for performing every bloody deed which the queen might dictate.

The cries of children and women almost aroused the princess to madness; for she doubted not the cruel Athaliah had given over the young princes to slaughter. Could she stand threre and look on without helping them? But what availed her feeble arm against those ruthless men? Jehosheba rushed from the wall; and had nearly regained her apartment, when another loud wail arrested her steps, and she determined, at whatever risk, to seek the palace, and endeavour to save one of her nephews. There was a private way, built by Solomon, which led to the palace; and over this Jehosheba wildly rushed, resolving to die with, or save her nephews. She sought the women's apartments, and found the court filled with soldiers.

"You cannot pass in, lady," said one. Away!-I am the Princess Jeho

66

sheba!"

At the majestic wave of her hand, the soldiers gave way. A dreadful sight met her eye on entering the rooms. Dead and dying children, and nurses who had faithfully defended them, were lying around. Bloody and brutal soldiers opposed her path, but Jehosheba struggled through; for she had thought of the infant Joash, and sought to conceal him, at least. The deadly deed would have been over ere this, but there were a few devoted servants of the house of David who resisted the soldiers' bloody purpose. All were killed,

At

She

except those in the last apartment. the door stood two faithful eunuchs, disputing the soldiers' entrance. Jehosheba endeavoured to force her way through. "Forbear, princess," cried one of the eunuchs, "the fiends will kill you also.” Jehosheba was not to be daunted. pushed aside their swords, and entered the apartment. She gazed wildly around; there were several children and young persons there of the royal blood, all weeping and clinging to their attendants in the greatest terror.

Cowering in a corner sat a nurse, pressing in her arms an infant; it was the young Joash, now the only living child of Ahaziah. Jehosheba seized the infant, and, concealing it under the wrapper she wore, beckoned the nurse to follow; and rapidly left the room. The faithful eunuchs were dead; and the soldiers, busy with their prey, cared not to stop her, for they were not ordered to murder any except the royal children. Struggling through blood and ribald soldiers, and severely wounded, the heroic Jehosheba at last saw herself in the temple-court.

Jehoiada was awakened from his slumber by sobs of anguish. He arose hastily, and beheld his beloved Jehosheba covered with blood, lying senseless upon the floor, while a strange nurse and infant were weeping over her.

Six years was Joash concealed in the temple; the secret of his escape from the massacre being only known to his aunt, uncle, and nurse. In the temple there was more security than in any place in Jerusalem, for it was then only frequented by a few faithful Jews; the remainder of the people repairing to the idol fanes, which Athaliah had reared in many places. The glory had departed from the house of God; its gold was stripped off-its walls broken down, and the golden utensils decorated the altars of Baal. At the end of these six years, Jehosheba thought the favourite moment had arrived to restore Joash to the throne of his fathers. Athaliah, by her rapacity, her cruelty and unlicensed passions, was universally detested, and the people began to sigh for release from her tyranny. The measure of her iniquities was full, and God had commanded her downfall. Jehoiada, as a preliminary step, called to his council some

of the Levites whom he could trust, and some officers who he knew were disaffected towards Athaliah. After swearing them to secrecy in the temple, he revealed to them the fact of the existence of one of the royal princes. They were all rejoiced at the news, and vowed to serve him, and place him upon the throne. These were commissioned to go to the several towns and cities of Judah, and collect all the Levites who had been dispersed, and send them to the temple. All the nobles of Judah who had fled from Athaliah's tyranny were also to be informed of the conspiracy. All was ready. The day arrived, and the people summoned by the High Priest, on pretence of an unusual fast, crowded the courts before the temple. Each one who was in the secret was instructed in his part. They were divided in three bands-one was placed at the court gate, and one at the outer gate, while the third encircled the young prince. The courts were filled with people, who awaited in silence the commencement of the religious ceremonies of the day. Jehoiada, the High Priest, entered the upper court from a side cloister, leading by the hand a young boy of seven years, and followed by the Princess Jehosheba and his nurse. The High Priest advanced to the head of the steps leading to the lower court, that all might behold him.

"Ye men of Judah!" he said, " ye have heard how our God hath sworn he will establish the throne of David for ever, and hath said David shall never want an heir to his throne-then why suffer ye the daughter of Jezebel, the seed of Sidon, on the throne of our glorious king?" A murmur of astonishment interrupted Jehoiada. "Men of Jerusalem, I have called ye here this day to know if ye will serve Baal or Jehovah."

"We will worship the Lord our God!" cried several voices.

"And I have called ye here to know," continued Jehoiada, "if ye will serve the daughter of Jezebel or a son of David?" "Down with Athaliah!" exclaimed a few who were in the secret.

"Behold, then, this youth. It is Joash, your lawful prince, the son of Ahaziah; saved from the massacre by the heroism of his aunt, the Princess Jehosheba, who is here to corroborate the tale."

Loud acclamations of joy, which seemed to come from the hearts of all, resounded from the throng. The High Priest then placed the prince against the marble column, the usual stand of the king when in the temple; and after anointing him with the holy perfumed oil, placed the diadem of David upon his head. Then the silver trumpets sounded, and the sweet singers of Israel burst into hymns of praise, and the joyous multitude shouted, "God save the king!

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Athaliah, like all tyrants, was of a very suspicious nature. Her spies had informed her of the unusual concourse in the temple, and she had been uneasy the whole morning. Aroused by the shouts and clangor of trumpets, she repaired to the temple through the king's passage; and when there, a blasting sight met her view Placed in the centre of that spacious court, was a crowned king, around whom stood a circle of armed guards; while the people were crowding to do homage to the son of David. The striking resemblance of the noble child to her son, Ahaziah; the presence of Jehosheba and his nurse, whom she recollected, revealed to her the truth-the boy had been secretly reared, and the people had conspired to place him upon her throne. The most demoniac passion took possession of her. stamped and tore her robes-"Rebellious wretches!" she cried, "tortures shall follow this! Ho! my guards! treason! !!"

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"Take that accursed woman hence!" said the High Priest," and slay her without the temple."

Athaliah was slain, and Joash reigned in her stead.

THE MORAL.

May we all imitate the heroism of Jehosheba when called upon to undertake any difficult or dangerous achievement. She turned from the gaieties of a court to live in a retired and humble manner within the temple, where she practised a faith then despised by all. At the cry of innocence she rushed to the rescue, heedless of the assassin's sword, or the queen's displeasure. This her generous devotedness was of the greatest benefit to her country, for in her nephew's reign the idols were overthrown, and the true worship prevailed. Let us not think of our own peril when we may succour the poor or the oppressed.

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KNITTED BASSINET QUILT, OR COUVRE-PIEDS, BY MRS. PULLAN. THE WORK-TABLE FRIEND.

KNITTED BASSINET QUILT, OR COUVRE

PIEDS.

requires very good sight. It has, therefore, recommendations which no other work possesses, and should be cultivated

Materials.-1 lb. of white 6-thread fleecy wool, by every woman, no matter what her station.

lb of blue or pink ditto, a pair of wooden knitting needles, No. 8, eagle card-board gauge, and a coarse crochet-hook and rug-needle.

THIS pretty quilt is quite a suitable piece of knitting for a beginner in the art; it is so simple, and has so elegant an effect. It may be done in cotton, if preferred; but we advise wool to be used, as so much warmer. We counsel those who teach young people to knit, to attend particularly to the INSTRUCTIONS given at page 136, Vol. 1, New Series, of the Family Friend; and especially to insist on their pupils' hands being held, and fingers used according to the directions there given. Skill being once acquired in this pretty and useful art, is never lost; and it can be practised when illness, or age, or any other cause prevents one doing work that

For a bassinet quilt cast on 135 stitches, or any other number which can be divided by 24, and leave 15 over. At the beginning of every row slip off a stitch, without knitting, putting the needle in as if you were going to purl it, and at the end knit a stitch, taking it through the centre instead of the front of the loop, as is usually done. These stitches are not reckoned in the receipt, as they are invariably the same.

1st Row.-Knit 13, + make 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slip-stitch over, 6 times knit 12+ repeat to the end of the row.

2nd Row, and all the other alternate rows are purled.

1st.

3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th Rows.-Like the

13th. Row.-Knit 1, + make 1, slip

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SCALLOP BORDER IN BRODERIE ANGLAISE, BY MRS. PULLAN.

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24th Row.-Purled like all the other

alternate rows. This completes one pattern, and the twenty-four rows are to be repeated until the piece of knitting is as long as is desired, when cast off. Now thread a large rug-needle with wool of the other colour; fasten on at the corner of one of the plain squares; take the needle through the centre of the square, to the opposite corner, and then the next, in a diagonal line downwards, returning in the same stitches, twisting the needle in every loop of wool. When all the plain squares are thus worked in one direction, do them in the same way from corner to corner in the opposite direction. Thus every plain square will have a coloured cross on it, the open squares being left without.

A bassinet quilt might be done in stripes of two colours, each being worked with the other colour. For this purpose, cast on 39 stitches only for each stripe, and make them an uneven number, 3, 5, or 7, so that the same colour may be at each edge. They must be neatly sewed together. When the centre of the quilt is done, work one round of open square

crochet, with three stitches close together in every corner. In these open squares knit a fringe 3 inches deep, and composed of the two colours.

SCALLOP BORDER IN BRODERIE ANGLAISE. Materials.-Thick French muslin, and W. Evans & Co.'s embroidery cotton, No. 30.

THIS edging is very well adapted for trimming articles of dress for ladies and children. It has the further merit,-to amateurs,-of being very easily done. The full-size being given, any length of pattern may be drawn from it. Tack it on a strip of toile ciré, and work the edge first, in close button-hole stitch; then the flower, beginning with the centre which must be cut out, and the row edges sewed over in overcast, before the other pieces are cut away. All the black portions of the engraving are to be cut out.

THE USE OF LITTLE TIME.-One of the

hours, each day wasted on trifles or indolence, saved, and daily devoted to improvement, is enough to make an ignorant man wise in ten years-to provide the luxury of intelligence to a mind torpid from lack of thought-to brighten up and strengthen faculties perishing with rustto make life a fruitful field, and death a harvest of glorious deeds.

SCIENTIFIC RECREATIONS FOR into the bag, the vulcanized India-rubber

THE HOLIDAYS.

II. THE PREPARATION OF OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN GASES-PHANTASMAGORIA

CHROMATROPES-MAGIC DANCES.

In our first article we promised that the method of making the oxygen and hydrogen gases should be given, and therefore before proceeding to describe other interesting recreations, we shall fulfil our promise.

tube attached to (d) and ready to attach to (c); when the gas begins to issue from the end of the bent tube, do not immediately attach the elastic tubing, but allow the first portions of the gas to escape, because it is mixed with the atmospheric air contube. Make tained in the retort and haste now and attach the tubing to (c), as the pure oxygen is being rapidly given off from the chlorate of potash. You were just in time; see how the gas-bag is fill

To make oxygen gas.-Have an ironing, but it will not be quite full, because vessel made of the same shape as (a b), in fig. 8; and have a hole at the top, with a Ꮭ

Fig. 8.

female screw in it, so that the end of the pipe (c b), which terminates in a male screw, may be fitted tightly to it. The pipe (e b) is generally formed of a piece of gaspipe, and to the end (c) is attached a piece of vulcanised India-rubber tubing of the required length, the other end of the tubing being fastened to the nozzle (d) of the stopcock (e), which is attached to the caoutchouc gas-bag which is between the press-boards, marked O X Y in Fig. 7, page 22. As all the apparatus for making the oxygen is now complete, we will commence by making a good large fire in the grate of the lecture-room or any other room, and while it is burning up, we will unscrew the bent pipe (c b) from the retort, and pour an ounce of the salt called chlorate of potash through the hole where the tube was fixed. The tube must now be screwed again, and if it does not fit very tight, the outside of the joint as well as the male screw should be smeared with a little white lead. A hole must now be made in the centre of the fire, so that the retort may be well covered; and as the form of this retort is the best for generating the gas quickly, be sure to have the press-boards off the caoutchoucbag, the stop-cock turned to admit the gas

it holds two gallons-and an ounce of chlorate of potash only gives off 543 cubic inches of pure oxygen gas, which is more than 1 gallons. This is an important fact to remember, because you may always calculate the quantity of salt required when you know the number of cubic inches the gas-bag holds. All the gas has now passed over, and you must turn the stopcock (e) to prevent its escape from the caoutchouc-bag (f), and remove the tubing from the gas-pipe attached to the retort.

There is another method of collecting which is generally employed by the che and storing large quantities of gases, mist, and which is also very handy for lecsection of which is shown in the followturing, we mean Pepys' gas-holder, a ing figure. It is made of copper, or tinned iron, and may be of any size from four to forty gallons, or more. It consists of a cylinder (g) with a shallow pan P

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