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2. Visit your companions. But beware that these are of the right sort. And invite them to visit you. A half-a-dozen or a dozen young people can form a useful and agreeable social circle in this way.

3. Buy a few good books-books of travel, historical and religious worksand read them carefully. Note down the most important facts and thoughts on paper, and try to commit them to memory. Make the contents of each book your own. Get your companions to join you in buying books. Each one can buy a work or two. By lending them to one another, each will have a few dozen books to read during the winter. Take religious papers-take the GUARDIAN, and read it. Above all, read your Bible. A few chapters carefully read every evening will fill your heart and mind with a precious fund of Divine truth-an everlasting possession.

THE BOMBASTIC GENTRY.

Few things are so disgusting as exhibitions of inflated greatness. A brainless dandy, his hat perched on one side of his head, swinging his cane, and exposing his jewelry and superfluous linen to view, standing at public places, mouthing his oaths, and affecting to look on every body as beneath him,next to an emetic, such a spectacle is, of all objects, the most sickening. The reputation of some great ancestor will give him a peg on which to hang his puny insignificance-an ancestor whose memory he dishonors by his lack of brains and character. Perhaps the troubled sea of politics has cast him up among its mire and dirt, and drifted him into an office for which he possesses a constitutional and acquired unfitness. But he happens to be in a state of blissful ignorance of his disqualifications. He blows and blusters like "Sir John Oracle," and loves to lord it over all his fellows. Really, one can scarcely refrain from expressing in his presence a supreme contempt for such an ineffable numskull.

At the late bathing season, one of these flatulent gentry walked up to the office of a sea-side hotel, and, with great flourish, registered his name,—and, in a loud voice, exclaimed, "I am Lieutenant Governor of "That doesn't make any difference," the landlord replied; "you'll be treated just as well as the others."

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OUR MEALS.

Grace to begin with. Our daily bread we get from God; likwise appetite and health to enjoy and use its nourishment. To thank Him for the gift, and to pray Him to sanctify it to our use and His glory, is a pious custom of all good and godly people. Eat healthy food. The solid bread of the Germans, and the savory roast beef of the Briton, are healthier and more nourishing than piles of cakes and pastries. Fruit, too, is healthy, and vegetables. Only do not eat too much of the latter. It costs the system more than it is worth. Physiologists say that beans make brains. If so, then a blessing on beans. Eat them, dear reader. For few mortals are troubled with a surplus of brains. During a hot engagement in Mexico, General Taylor said to one of his officers: "A few more grape, Captain Bragg." A few more beans, says the GUARDIAN to its friends.

Eat moderately. As an ancient author says: "We do not live in order to eat, but we eat in order to live." Some men literally gorge themselves to death. They eat till their eyes stand out with fatness. Fast livers," as they are sometimes called, who finish their eating and bodily life in less than half their days. Excessive eating, like excessive drinking, is all a habit. Gluttony is a sin, no less than drunkenness. Eat bread, beef, mutton, fowl, vegetables, and fruit moderately; if you can afford to buy them honestly, of course. If not, then eat the healthy food your industry and means will procure for you.

Take time for your meals. A meal is an important item in a man's life. He puts certain ingredients into his system, and it is important that they

should be put to their right place with proper care and precision. Take time properly to chew your food. The enjoyment of a meal is not derived from a gorged stomach, but from the taste of the palate. And this taste can be gra tified as well with a small as with a large quantity. Drink sparingly, while eating. My neighbor, Liquid, soaks every morsel he eats with tea, steaming hot. Every other bite of bread is followed by a quantity of tea. Nothing short of five and six large cups at a meal will satisfy him. He always com plains; is not a day without dyspepsia. He is always sallow, and always savage; thinks it strange that the hot tea does not cure him, while it is running the wheels of life down at the rate of five years in every six months.

Eat at the proper time. Only three times a day. Get a good, substantial meal for breakfast and dinner, if the Lord gives it to you. Stick to the old orthodox 12 o'clock dinner. Take a light supper-never later than 6 o'clock. Shun sausages, cakes soaked with lard, puddings, pies, and pastries of any kind, at supper, as you would shun the bilious fever or black vomit. Take your meals at home-your three meals-and then stop eating for the day, unless it be an apple or two. Flee from oyster suppers and midnight meals at "eating saloons.' They are a waste of health, money, and good morals. Spend your evenings at home, with your wife and children, your parents and their family. This will give you good digestion, sound sleep, and a conscience void of offence.

Do not eat in a state of excitement. Calm your mind and nerves for it. Think and speak of something pleasant. If you are a hard-worker, take a short respite from labor before you partake of your food. Do not rush back to work immediately after a meal. Whether you perform manual or mental work, this hurry will injure you. As a good Christian, try and earn your daily bread by honest industry; enjoy it with prudence, and with gratitude to God. Health is a great blessing-and the man is a great fool who barters it away for a mess of pottage-for a few minutes' gratification. God will punish his folly. He shall "not live out half his days." He shall have pain in this world, and worse pain in the world to come.

A ROBUST WOMAN.

Some people have an idea that robust health is unwomanly-unlady-like; that rosy cheeks and strength of limb and muscle are exceedingly unbecoming in the fair sex. Let us hear Fanny Fern. To be sure, Fanny belongs to the favored few. She was born in Maine -the State of tough trees and stalwart men and women. Of course, all our fair readers cannot claim such a descent. We cannot blame her for knowing where she hails from. She is verging towards sixty, and yet continues to possess tireless vigor. How she got by her iron constitution, let the following bit of her talk tell:

"How I rejoice in a man or woman with a chest-who can look the sun in the eye, and step off as if they had not wooden legs. It is a rare sight. If a woman has an errand round the corner, she must have a carriage to go there; and the men, more dead than alive, so lethargic are they with constant smoking, creep into cars and omnibusses, and curl up in a corner, dreading nothing so much as a wholesome exterior. The more tired they are, the more diligently they smoke, like the women who drink perpetual tea 'to keep them up.'

"Keep them up! Heavens! I am fifty-five, and I feel half the time as though I was just made. To be sure, I was born in Maine, where the timber and human race last; but I don't eat pastry, nor candy, nor ice-cream. I don't drink tea-bah! I walk—not ride. I own stout boots-pretty ones, too. I have a water-proof cloak, and no diamonds. I like a nice bit of beefsteak and a glass of water, and any body else that wants it may eat pap. I go to bed at ten and get up at six. I dash out in the rain, because it feels good on my face. I don't care for my clothes, but I will be well; and after I am buried, I warn you, don't let any air or sunlight down on my coffin, if you want me to get up."

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The Guardian.

VOL. XVIII.-DECEMBER, 1867.-No. 12.

THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF THE REVOLUTION.

BY JOSEPHI HENRY.

Near the centre of Prussian Saxony, where the Elbe sweeps westward towards the romantic region of the Hartz, stands the ancient city of Magdeburg. The Elbe here divides and forms an island which is occupied by one of the strongest fortresses in Europe. On both sides of the river are the city and its suburbs, themselves so strongly fortified as to be secure against any sudden attack. There is an air of antiquity about the place. Its legends extend back to the days of Charlemagne and his heroic paladins. In the great square, stand equestrian statues of the emperor Otho and his queens, that were erected nearly nine hundred years ago During the Middle Ages, the archbishop of Magdeburg was primate of all Germany; but a certain Martin Luther-who once sang for bread in the streets of the city-did much towards bringing him down from his high eminence. Indeed, Magdeburg was one of the first of German cities to receive the doctrines of the Reformation; and thirty thousand of its inhabitants were. on this account, compelled to seal their faith with their blood, when the city was taken by the ferocious Tilly.

For many generations, the fortress of Magdeburg has been in the possession of the Prussian government, and in its garrison are always found several thousand of the finest troops of Europe. Many of these, when not on duty, engage in various forms of manual labor: but-like the laborers at the second temple of Jerusalem-they may be said to work with one hand, while with the other they hold a weapon.

Here, on the 15th of November, 1730, was born Frederick William, Baron Steuben. He received, indeed, a much longer row of baptismal names; but as, in later years, he could see no good reason for sporting a whole alphabet of initials, he sensibly abstained from making use of more

VOL. XVIII.-23

than those we have just mentioned. His father was an eminent Prussian officer, who had distinguished himself in the service of the first Frederick.

His mother, of whom we know but little, was also of noble descent, and is said to have been a sincere Christian. The whole family were members of the Reformed Church, and were decidedly and devotedly attached to it.

In earliest infancy, young Frederick was transplanted into the kingdom of Christ by Holy Baptism; and as soon as he was able to learn, he was often reminded of his Baptismal privileges and obligations. So firmly were these great truths impressed on his memory, that, though he afterwards spent many years at the godless court of Frederick the Great, and many more amid the horrors of war, he never lost sight of the Baptismal covenant. Had he been a monarch, he might have said, with Louis IX. of France; "The three handsfull of water, given me in Holy Baptism, are of more value than all the jewels in my royal crown."

The young baron was born in a troubled age. Prussia had just said, "Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world!" France, Austria and Russia were determined that she should find no place to rest the fulcrum of her lever; and thus commenced that series of Titanic struggles which has lasted with occasional intermissions to the present day, and-the end is not yet?

Hence young Steuben became early acquainted with "grim-visaged war." His father, who was proud of his promising boy, took him with him on his Russian campaigns. At fourteen he was a volunteer, and at eighteen a cadet of the Prussian army. At intervals he pursued his studies, principally at the Jesuit colleges of Neise and Breslau.

It may, indeed, seem strange, that so staunch a Protestant as the elder Steuben should have committed the education of his son to the care of the Jesuit Fathers; but it is probable, that, while he appreciated the thorough mental training and the almost military discipline of these institutions, he knew full well that the heavy hand of Frederick would effectually repress the slightest tendency towards proselytism. At any rate, the young baron grew up a decided Protestant, and was received by Confirmation as a member of the Reformed Church.

The earlier years of Baron Steuben were spent in the service of “old king Fritz," who first raised Prussia to the rank of one of the great powers of Europe. He seems, too, to have been a favorite of the snuffy old hero; for he made him one of his aid de-camps, and admitted him into the select circle of young officers, whom he personally instructed in military tactics.

During the Seven Years War, Steuben fought gallantly in numerous engagements, was wounded at Prague, and taken prisoner by the Russians at Treptow. His confinement at St. Petersburg seems, however, to have been by no means unpleasant. The new sovereign, Peter III. was desirous that he should enter his service, but he preferred to return to Prussia. He made good use of his time, however, in strengthening the disposition to an alliance with Frederick, which then began to be entertained by the

Russian court.

On his return from Russia, our hero was received by the Prussian monarch with many tokens of satisfaction; but it would seem as though something had occurred shortly afterwards, which induced him to desire to leave

the service. This is not surprising, when we remember, that "old Fritz" was so parsimonious as to wear poorer clothes than his servants; and so testy, as often to break his cane on the backs of his officers.

After considerable difficu'ty, the Baron obtained his discharge from the Prussian service, and accepted the position of Grand Marshall at the miniature court of one of the lesser German potentates. Here he remained for ten years, varying the monotony of his duties by making extended journeys in company with his prince. At the end of this time he found, however, that the little court was getting too hot to hold him. The prince and his subjects were Roman Catholics, while Steuben was always an outspoken Protestant; and it was, therefore, but natural, that his intimate relations with the prince should be productive of much jealousy. Steuben discovered the storm while it was yet brewing, and prudently retired before it had reached its height. After spending some time at several of the German courts-the honored companion of princes-he determined in 1777 to pay a visit to some friends in England. In Paris, however, he made the acquaintance of Count de St. Germain, the French minister of war, and of Franklin and Deane, the American commissioners, who invited him to accept a commission in the army of the young republic. They all felt, that just such a drill-master as the Baron was needed, to bring order out of the chaos of the Continental army.

It was long before Baron Steuben could make up his mind to accept the invitation; but he had seen so much of the hollowness and corruption of courts, that he felt irresistibly drawn towards the struggling colonists. At last he set sail, in a vessel that was full of articles that were contraband of war. They had a long and dangerous voyage. The ship was three times on fire and the hatches full of gunpowder. Once the crew mutinied, and the passengers were compelled to quell the disturbance.

On the first of November, 1777, they arrived at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, whence the Baron and his suite were compelled to proceed on horseback to York, Penna., where Congress was then in session.

For a while, the Baron appeared much depressed-not understanding a single word that was spoken by the people-but when they arrived in Pennsylvania, he seemed like another man. The tones of his mother tongue fell like music on his ear. In Manheim, Lancaster Co., he f und an old caricature, with the motto; "A Prussian minds a Frenchman no more than he does a mosquito!" This the Baron laughingly declared to be a good omen, and ever afterwards continued in the best of spirits.

At York our hero was received with open arms, His recommendations were laid before Congress, and he himself directed, in the most complimentary manner, to proceed to Valley Forge, to report to General Washington.

We are not going to give an extended description of the condition of the army at Valley Forge when Steuben arrived. It was the climax of the mismanagement of the Revolution; and we all know how greatly the army suffered in its lonely cantonmen s among the hills.

He

Washington immediately appointed Steuben to the office of InspectorGeneral, and he at once set about the work of reorganizing the army. drilled the men almost incessantly, which he said, was good for them, as it kept them from freezing. In a few weeks the army was well drilled;

..

and, after this," says Lossing, "the Continental regulars were never beaten in a fair fight."

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