Once rather a strange thing happened whilst they were riding together. A man on horseback suddenly joined them—rather as though he were waiting for them. She thought Cyril changed colour and looked angry; and he said to her at once— “Ride on, Sheila. I will join you almost at once. I have a little business to talk over with this gentleman.” Sheila did as she was bid. She rode ahead; but she heard the voices of the men behind in argument, and what sounded rather like disagreement. At least, the other man seemed angry. Sometimes he spoke quite loud and roughly, and once Sheila heard him say— “Is that the heiress you are riding with, then?” But she could not hear Cyril’s reply; and when he came back to her, his face was pale and very much clouded over. “Is anything the matter, Cyril?” she asked. But he tried to laugh as he answered in an off-hand way— “Oh, we all have our little worries, Sheila! It’s nothing much! It’s nothing to bother over! I’ve squared the fellow for the present. He won’t trouble us again; and don’t you say anything about this to anybody! It’s nothing to anybody but myself!” (_To be continued._) VARIETIES. “MOTHER” IN FOURTEEN LANGUAGES.—Here are fourteen varieties of the word “Mother,” all bearing a distinct resemblance—Anglo-Saxon, Modor; Persian, Madr; Sanscrit, Matr; Greek, Meter; Italian, Madre; French, Mère; Swedish, Moder; Danish, the same; Dutch, Moeder; German, Mutter; Russian, Mater; Celtic, Mathair; Hebrew, Em; Arabic, Am. DON’T BE INDISCREET.—An indiscreet girl does more harm than an ill-natured one, for the latter will only attack her enemies and those she wishes ill to, but the other injures indifferently both friends and foes. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.—Coolness and absence of heat and haste indicate fine qualities. A gentleman makes no noise; a lady is serene.—_Emerson._ THE GREATEST EVENT IN LIFE.—Marriage is the greatest event in life. It is also a new beginning of life. It is a home for the lonely, a haven of rest for those who have been too much tossed by the storms of life. It is the best and most lasting thing. It is heaven upon earth to live together in perfect amity and disinterestedness and unselfishness to the service of God and man until our life is over.—_Jowett._ WORDS FOR MUSIC.—Too much thought in words intended for music has a disturbing and over-weighting effect. Music does not only deepen emotion, it sometimes obscures the meaning. Hence the poet must meet it with a concession. The most effective words for songs are simple, slight, lucid, with unity—a simple idea worked out to one climax. AVARICE.—A neighbour once refused another the loan of his well. The latter was thus compelled to sink one himself, and in so doing he tapped his neighbour’s spring, so that his neighbour’s well ran dry. Thus avarice ofttimes defeats itself and benefits its enemy. THE PLEASURES OF BEE-KEEPING. BY F. W. L. SLADEN. PART I.