y. Late discoveries have shown that it is one of the longest
rivers in the world, rising among the high mountains of Africa, and fed
by immense lakes. In Egypt it overflows its banks every year, and covers
the land with a rich deposit of mud. On its shores are the ruins of the
strangest of all architecture, the works of the ancient
Egyptians--immense, grand, awful. They are the largest of all buildings.
St. Paul's Cathedral, in London, or the Cologne Cathedral, or even St.
Peter's, at Rome, would be lost in the vast circuit of the columns of
Luxor and Karnak. As one passes them by moonlight on the smooth stream,
they seem, it is said, the palaces of giants. One temple was a mile and
a half in circumference. The Pyramids exceed all other buildings in
strength, height, and durability. Some of them are four or five thousand
years old.

[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.]

Very tasteful ornamental covers for the first volume of HARPER'S YOUNG
PEOPLE, which will conclude with No. 52, issued October 26, 1880, are
now ready, and will be sold for thirty-five cents, or forty-eight cents
if sent by mail, postage prepaid. These covers are not self-binding, but
any book-binder will put them on for a small charge.

* * * * *

We wish to call the attention of those of our readers engaged in making
exchanges to the great importance of careful and clearly written
addresses. We receive proofs daily of the neglect of this essential
point. In Post-office Box No. 46 we printed a letter from a
correspondent anxious to make an acknowledgment of a pretty mineral, but
who was unable to do so because she "could not make out the name" of the
sender. Another correspondent, whose correct address was printed in full
in Our Post-office Box, received a letter on which the only correct
portion of the direction was his own name and the city in which he
lived, the name and number of the street, and even the State, being
entirely wrong. That he ever received it at all is a proof of the great
experience and skill of Uncle Sam's Post-office Department. Now such a
very careless method of direction might result in the loss of valuable
minerals, stamps, or other specimens.

Other correspondents report having received letters without name or
address of any kind, and yet the sender expected to be answered, and was
no doubt disappointed, as he was probably unaware that he had omitted a
very important part of his lette