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Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 28

Children's Corner.

Halioora, tbe Mormaid. Little Halicora Cetacea lived in the Mediterranean Sea, near the soath coast of Italy. ' She went to Miss Delphina's school, with other nice little mermaids, and learned how to' knit seaweed lace, and how to do up her hair becomingly, and many other useful things.' Mios Delphina had a good deal of trouble with her pupils, for sometimes they were very full of mischief. They ÜBed to bring oysters' to school in their pockets, and eat them alyly, and some of the pupils had a perfect passion forjpinkand purple jelly-fish, though Miss Delphina forbade them to eat sweetmeats : and others used to bring their pet sea-horses with them, and play with them in the class, which kept Mias Delphina always scolding. The merboys, too, gave her trouble, for they hid among the rocks, and threw sting rays and sea-eggs at the mermaids, making them jump and shriek and drop stitches. Then Miss Delphina would unchain Cephalopterua, and set him at the boys. Cepha lopterus waa a large devil-fish, which Miss Delphina kept aa a watoh-dog, and when he laid hold of a merboy, that boy was sorry. But merboys were not the only troubles that Miss Delphina had ; there wore great rude dolphins and porpoises and sharks and swordfiah, and other sea creatures, and, worse yet, there were land creatures, too, which came to annoy her. One day, while the knitting class were at work, there suddenly descended an awful monster right before them. It waa a diver ia a diving auitjcWith along air-pipe leadißg from the top of his head to the surface of the water, and any creature quite so ugly, not even the oldest mermaid, not even Miss Delphina, had ever seen. Every mermaid shrieked, dropped her knitting, and hid,behind the rocks.'. The diver was looking for a place to lay the submarine cable ; he walked about, getting his feet entangled in the knitting work, mixing up every one's ball, and pulling out rows and rows of stitches. This was too much. Miss Delphina called to the oldest and bravest mermaids to come to the rescue, and told Halicora to unchain Cephalopteroa. Then they all rushed at the diver, Halicora with the devil-fish firafc. The diver only gave one look— that was enough ;he gave, such a pull at his cord that his friends up in the boat thought he was dying, and hauled him up in a twinkling, and the mermaid a never saw him again. Halicora waa the brightest and prettiest of all Misa Delphina's mermaids, and after th 9 showed herself to be so quick and brave in setting Cepbalopterus at the diver, Misa Delphina said she might go up on land to bring down the offerings from the fiahermen. These offerings were fruit and flowers left on the shove for the mermaids, because the fishermen believed they would send them good luck in fishing, and a safe return from their voyages, if presents were given them ; so every week a large basketful was left on the shore, and some of the older mermaids usually went up just at dawn and brought it down. On the shore lived a very good fisherman named Pietro Monaldi, whoge little boy, Leonardo, need to gather the fruit and flowers, and leave them for the mermaids. Leonardo had always longed to see a mermaid, though his father said they were invisible; and he had often watched on the shore at dawn, bat b»d never

been able to catch a glimpse of one until Hah" cora came up. Perhaps Halioora had forgotten that she had to seize the basket and instantly plunge into the water, or perhaps she felt too curious to be quite obedient. At any rate, when she saw a nice black-oyed boy peeping from behind a rock, she did not hurry away, but eaid— ' Goed morning. Ia this the offering I am to take V Leonardo came from behind the rock, and bowing politely, said, • Yea ; and I am 'Nardo Monaldi, at your service,' •And ia it you who brings us these nice things?' asked Halicora. 'It iß,' answered 'Nardo. 'And I beg you will take care of my father, who ia now out fishing.' Halicora thought she had never seen such a handsome, well-behaved boy. She was sure he would never hide and throw things at hia cousins the way her cousins, Manatua and Rytinua Cfitacea, threw ating-raya at the mermaids. •Tell me your father's name, and he shall be taken care of,' she said. . , By the time 'Nardo had told his father's name, and the names of aeveral other good fishermen who lived near, Halicora saw the sun rising; so Bhe said good-bye, promising to come again. When Bhe went home she wrote notes to all her relations, the Cetaceans and Sirenidiana, telling them to be particularly careful of Pietro Monaldi, as he was a good man and a friend of hera; and as Halicora was dearly beloved by every one, all her relations promised to look out for Pietro Monaldi, and send bim plenty of fish. After that, Halicora and 'Nardo became very well acquainted, and told each other a great deal about the land and sea, and Halicora became quite cortain that no merboy ever could be so pleasant and good as i 'Nardo. One beautiful morning she told him there waa going to be a fearful utorm, and that bis father ought not to go out in his boat. •I will tell him you have told me,' said 'Nardo.

' No, no ; if you tell him you have seen me, I can never come again,' said Halicora, for she had warned him when they first met not to speak of her. So 'Nardo only told hia father that there would be a terrible storm— that the wjnd and waves had whispered it to him. Bat his father laughed at him for a silly dreamy boy, and went out in his. boat with the other fishermen. The storm came— a terrible storm— just as Halioora had said, and the fishing-boat was wrecked, and all the men in it were drowned, except 'Nardo's father. Halicora had helped him to swim, had lifted him ont of the waves, and brought him a piece of the wrecked boat to hold upon. Pietro thought the piece of board came by a lucky accident ; but Halicora was holding it, and she brought him safely to land just at dawn* 'Nardo was on the shore, waiting in great anxiety for the boat to come baok. When he saw Halicora helping his father, he forgot her warning, and exclaimed, 'Thanks, dear Halicora. See, father, the good mermaid has helped you.' But his father saw nothing— only those who are young and truly good can see the mermaids ; so Fietro only saw the waves and the piece of wood which he had floated upon. But he was very glad and thankful that he was Bayed, and so was 'Nardo. . The next day 'Nardo carried a large basketful.of the finest fruit he could find, and waited on the shore for Halicora. Ah soon as she came he exclaimed.

',Dear Halicora, how good yon ore 1' 'You are good too, 'Nardo/ said Halicora j 1 and I am sorry I must leave yon.' 'Oh ! Halicora, why muit you leave me?' aßked 'Nardo. , 'Because you spoke my name aloud,' said Halicora. 'My father heard you, and he says their* can be no friendship between land and Bea people j bo I must go up to the Arctic Sea, among the ice and polar bears,* to stay with my aunt Rytina Borealia until I forget you.' Then she eaid good-bye, and went down into the! water, and 'Nardo never ?aw her again. He often goes to the shore, hoping sh« may have come back ; but though the other mer. maids come and take the offering, Halicora has never returned, and bo 'Nardo Knowß that she has not forgotten him.— E. Mailer, in Harper's Young People.