made into mummies
in Egypt, but they were not preserved by such costly means as those I
have mentioned. After they had been embalmed, they were wrapped up as
well as the means of their relatives would allow, and were placed in
tombs and vaults, sometimes with but one coffin, and sometimes without
any.

In many cases the mummy was not buried at all, but kept in the house
of the family, so that the friends and relatives could always have it
with them. This may have been very consoling to the ancient Egyptians,
but to us it seems a truly mournful custom.

And it is by no means distressing to think, that though the people who
may be in this country three thousand years hence may possibly find
some of our monuments, they will discover none of our bodies.

TAME SNAKES.

[Illustration]

We have often heard of the tamed snakes belonging to the
serpent-charmers of India and Africa, but it is seldom that the
harmless serpents of civilized countries have been domesticated. But
the common snake, sometimes called the garter-snake, which harmlessly
shows its dark green and yellow colors among the grass and bushes, has
been tamed and has shown quite a fair amount of respect and affection
for its human friends.

A French writer relates that he knew a lady who had a snake which was
so tame that it came when it was called, followed its mistress about,
climbed up into her lap, and gave many signs of knowing and liking
her. It would even swim after her when she threw it into the water
from a boat. But this last feat proved fatal to it, for once swimming
thus and endeavoring to keep up with the boat, the tide became too
strong for it, and it was carried away and drowned.

I am very much afraid that that lady did not deserve even as much
affection as the snake gave her.

The boys and girls in France sometimes amuse themselves by getting up
a snake-team.

[Illustration]

They tie strings to the tails of two common harmless snakes, and then
they drive them about, using a whip (I hope gently) to make these
strange steeds keep together and go along lively.

It is said that snakes which have been played with in this way soon
begin to like their new life, and will allow the children to do what
they please with them, showing all the time the most amiable
disposition.

There is nothing very strange in a tamed snake. Toads, tortoises,
spiders, and many other unpromising animals have been known to show a
capacity for human c