broad that makes this plunge from the brow of the awful precipice. At the first leap, it clears fourteen hundred and ninety-seven feet; then it tumbles down a series of steep stairways four hundred and two feet, and then makes a jump to the meadows, five hundred and eighteen feet more.

But it is the uppermost and highest cataract that is most wonderful to the eye and most musical to the ear. The cliff is so sheer that there is no break in the body of water during the whole of its descent of more than a quarter of a mile. From the summit it pours down nearly fifteen hundred feet to the basin that hoards it but a moment for the cascades below.

The cataract is comparatively narrow at the top of the precipice, but widens as it descends and curves a little on one side so that before it reaches its first bowl of granite, it shapes itself into the figure of a comet. More beautiful than the comet, however, we can see the substance of this watery loveliness ever renew itself and ever pour itself away.

"The Bridal Veil," called by the Red Man "The Spirit of the Evil Wind," is another marvelous waterfall. It casts its waters from a smooth ledge into a bouquet of pine tree tops nine hundred and forty feet below. Another beautiful cascade is the "Vernal," the "Wild Water" of the Indians. You forget the Bridal Veil in the new loveliness of this broad sheet of water which in most exquisite curve drops three hundred and fifty feet.

We ride on now higher up and all at once are face to face with the Nevada Fall. Close beside it, steep as the face of a

wall, rises the Cap of Liberty, a single solid rock, thirty

eight hundred feet above

the edge of the fall. Can

BRIDAL VEIL FALLS

we put before the reader even a faint idea of the scene?

From a sheer, clean, seamless rock seven hundred feet above the spectator's head, a great body of water leaps out into space. As soon as it has taken the spring, innumerable jets of snowy spray like bouquets of white lilies are cast forward from the mass, lengthening out as they quicken their descent into rockets of crystal.

This wonderful fall has many companions. There are few places in the entire valley from which the eye cannot discern the sheen of water falling perpendicularly great distances, no place in which the ear does

not catch the roar or the murmur of cataract or rill; and the

music of these waterfalls is one of the charms of the Yosemite. Truly the Valley of the Yosemite is a marvelous place one of the greatest wonders of American natural scenery. WILLIAM FRANCIS BUTLER (Adapted)

Had a quarrel,

And the former called the latter "Little prig;"

Bun replied,

"You are doubtless very big;

But all sorts of things and weather

Must be taken in together

To make up a year,

And a sphere.

And I think it no disgrace

To occupy my place.

If I'm not so large as you,
You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry:

I'll not deny you make

A very pretty squirrel track.

Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;

If I cannot carry forests on my back,

Neither can you crack a nut."

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

1 The four greatest wonders of nature in America are the Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, Niagara Falls and the Yosemite Valley.

THERE

THE GREAT SCHOLAR

HERE was once a little boy named Leon who was always at the head of his class at school. In every competition of scholarship, he was sure to gain the prize the arithmetic prize, the geography prize, the grammar prize, the history prize. On examination days he would go home with a great pile of books under his arm and so many badges and bouquets about him that you could hardly see the boy himself. He seemed quite like a conquering hero with laurel wreaths upon his head, or like a victorious general returning from the wars.

Prize competitions were very good things for the other children, for they encouraged them to do their best.. But unfortunately Leon soon began to consider himself a great scholar, and to be very vain and proud of his successes at school; and this brought him into much trouble, as you shall straightway see.

There was a little girl named Rose living in the neighborhood who often played with Leon, and many a happy hour they spent at their games and their books. Rose could not learn so easily and quickly as Leon, though she studied very hard; but nevertheless she was a sweet winsome little child, gentle and loving to every one, and always obedient to her parents. And every night before she went to sleep she prayed with all her heart that God would make her wise and good. However, the "great scholar" began to look down on dear little Rose and to give himself fine airs of superiority. One

day when she came in great delight to show him a picture book which her godmother had given her, he was so haughty and disagreeable that the poor child was almost ready to cry.

"Yes, Rose," said he, "I will look at your pictures, but really I ought not to associate with you any more, for I am a very much better scholar than you are. I can change a common fraction to a decimal and you cannot, can you ?" "No, of course I can't," said Rose, laughing. “You know that I am just going to begin Division."

"Well, do you know the difference between an independent proposition and a dependent proposition?"

"No, our teacher explained that the other day but I didn't quite understand and I have forgotten."

"You shouldn't forget. But you can at least tell me the names of the states in the valley of the Mississippi."

Rose was silent. Her geographical knowledge did not yet extend to the valley of the Mississippi.

"Oh, dear," she exclaimed at last, "what is the matter with you to-day? We are not in school. Don't talk about studies, but come and see my picture book. It is full of beautiful stories."

"No," answered Leon haughtily. "I don't think I can play with you any more, for as you yourself must acknowledge, I am far superior to you.”

Then poor little Rose began to weep bitterly. She loved her playmate dearly, and it certainly is hard to lose a friend on account of the independent proposition or the valley of the Mississippi. She was still looking imploringly at him