ially mentioned in all forms of national prayer and
thanksgiving, as being a kind of neutral ground upon the Border.

Now puffing through Dunbar, past the Field of Preston-pans, and through
a district ever memorable in the history of Scotland, we reach the
modern Athens "Auld Reekie"--Edinburgh the Beautiful--where the "Flying
Scotchman" folds his wings and "flies" no more. His work is done this
journey!

A FORAGING EXPEDITION IN SOUTH AMERICA.

_By the Author of "How the Owls of the Pampas treated their Friends,"
&c._

On the branch of a gigantic tree in one of the South American forests a
young ant was reposing; he had been working hard all day, being a brisk,
spirited fellow, and so he was rather tired, and he lazily watched an
old relation of his own, who was slowly climbing the trunk towards him,
his fine white polished head glancing against the bark.

"Well, Long-legs," cried the young cousin, as his elder approached,
"where are you going at this late hour? I should have fancied that you
would have been asleep after all the trouble you had in marching
to-day."

[Illustration: "HE ... EXECUTED A LITTLE WAR-DANCE."]

"My dear Shiny-pate," said the old warrior, as he settled in a little
crevice and stretched out his tired limbs, while he rolled up a tiny,
tiny blade of grass for a would-be cigar, "I am the bearer of news."

"Why, what is the matter?" cried Shiny-pate anxiously, jumping up so
suddenly that he hit his poor little head sharply against a projecting
knob.

"Silly goose! nothing is the matter," answered his friend, "only you are
a little grander than you thought you were: you are promoted to be an
officer--a lieutenant, in fact; so now you can assist me on our
marches."

"Oh! Long-legs, is it really true?" exclaimed the young ant. "Am I to be
an officer, to march the men about, to lead them to glory?" and he tried
to shout "hurrah," but did not know how, so he only executed a little
war-dance on the branch of the tree, while his old friend looked on,
smiling grimly.

"Now I hope you will distinguish yourself, my child," said he
paternally, when Shiny-pate was tired of skipping about. "You will very
soon have an opportunity of showing your valour, for to-morrow we are
to undertake a dangerous expedition to a distant country, and your
courage will be tried."

So saying, he began creeping down the tree, disregarding the entreaties
of his young companion, to stay a little longer and tell