t is
ancient, and the traditionary sacredness which surrounds this
particular custom, prevent them from openly forbidding its
continuance. They have introduced, however, laws and rules which
infringe sadly its original proportions, and which, in many instances,
are made the instruments of oppression.

WOMEN IN SAVAGE LIFE.

The division of labour between the man and wife in Indian life is not
so unequal, while they live in the pure hunter state, as many suppose.
The large part of a hunter's time, which is spent in seeking game,
leaves the wife in the wigwam, with a great deal of time on her hands;
for it must be remembered that there is no spinning, weaving, or
preparing children for school--no butter or cheese making, or a
thousand other cares which are inseparable from the agricultural
state, to occupy her skill and industry. Even the art of the
seamstress is only practised by the Indian woman on a few things. She
devotes much of her time to making moccasons and quill-work. Her
husband's leggins are carefully ornamented with beads; his shot-pouch
and knife-sheath are worked with quills; the hunting-cap is garnished
with ribbons; his garters of cloth are adorned with a profusion of
small white beads, and coloured worsted tassels are prepared for his
leggins. In the spring, the corn-field is planted by her and the
youngsters, in a vein of gaiety and frolic. It is done in a few hours,
and taken care of in the same spirit. It is perfectly voluntary
labour, and she would not be scolded for omitting it; for all labour
with Indians is voluntary.--_Schoolcraft's Indian Tribes_.

LANGUAGE OF THE LAW.

If a man would, according to law, give to another an orange, instead
of saying, 'I give you that orange,' which one would think would be
what is called in legal phraseology 'an absolute conveyance of all
right and title therein,' the phrase would run thus:--'I give you all
and singular my estate and interest, right, title, and claim, and
advantage of and in that orange, with all its rind, skin, juice, pulp,
and pips, and right and advantages therein, with full power to bite,
cut, suck, and otherwise eat the same, or give the same away, as fully
and as effectually as I, the said A. B., am now inclined to bite, cut,
suck, or otherwise eat the same orange or give the same away, with or
without its rind, skin, juice, pulp, or pips, anything heretofore or
hereinafter, or in any other deed or deeds, instrument or i