ommodations. The greenhouse he next built
was a more novel and elegant conservatory, and might rightly be styled
the first Crystal Palace.

It was just at this time that the word had gone out over all the earth
that its nations were invited to a great World's Fair at London. And now
a very serious question came up about the building in which to house
them. The committee, of course, decided on a structure of orthodox brick
and mortar, and then began a fierce war in the papers with regard to the
project. How would their beautiful Hyde Park be spoiled by letting loose
in it such an army of shovellers, bricklayers, hewers, and all manner of
craftsmen! What a spoiling of its ornamental trees, and what a cutting
up of its smooth drives by the heavy carts loaded with brick and mortar
enough to build a pyramid!

Mr. Paxton read in the _Times_ these many objections, and the thought
flashed through his mind that they could all be removed by building on
the plan of his lily-house. A succession of such structures enlarged and
securely joined together would produce just such a building as was
wanted. All could be prepared in the great workshops of the kingdom, and
brought together with almost as little noise and confusion as was
Solomon's great Temple.

The building committee were hard to convince. They were joined to their
idols of brick and mortar. But good Prince Albert, and Sir Robert Peel,
and Mr. Stephenson, the engineer, were all on the side of iron and
glass, and at last they won.

Such a beautiful fairy-like structure as went up, almost like Aladdin's
palace, by New-Year's Day, 1851, the world had never seen. The great
lily had, all unconsciously, accomplished a wonderful work. Over and
over again has its crystal house been copied, and not the least
beautiful of such structures is our own grand Centennial Main Building.

THE MISHAPS OF AN ARAB GENTLEMAN.

The Orientals differ in many respects from the Europeans and Americans
in their customs and manners, their dress, and the furniture of their
houses. The dress of the men consists of a red cap, wide baggy cloth
trousers, silken girdle, and a jacket. The houses in Syria are
invariably built of stone, and in the south of Palestine entirely so.
The floors of the rooms are paved with marble or granite. At the
entrance of every room is a space of several feet square, paved with
figured marble, and never carpeted, generally used as a receptacle for
shoes and slippe