The Scallop Charley must have read about before his uncle gave it to
him, for pilgrims to the Holy Land, many hundred years ago, used to wear
it, as a badge on their hats or caps. It has two valves, like the
oyster, which are united by a strong and very elastic hinge. It has also
a strong muscle, by which it can, as it pleases, open its valves or
keep them tightly shut. It helps to move itself about by rapidly opening
and closing its shell. It is found in the European seas and all along
the southern coasts of England.
[Illustration: SCALLOP.]
[Illustration: NAUTILUS]
"Here, Charley," said uncle Brown, "is a very beautiful shell for you,
called the Nautilus. The animal is very plentiful in the Mediterranean
Sea. It has several arms, which, people used to think, it stretched out
like the sails of a ship, and so skimmed over the water in its shell.
But this is a mistake, for it covers its shell with these arms, and in
fact makes the shell by a secretion from them. It pushes itself through
the water by throwing water from a tube, which it has.
"The shell is always elegant, but the colors of the living animal are
very beautiful."
"Oh uncle," cried Charley, "what wonderful and nice things you have
told me? Can I find such things in books."
"Certainly, you can," replied the uncle, "for it is there I got most of
what I have told you."
"Then," said, Charley, "I mean to read all the books, telling about
these things, that I can get, if father will let me, for I should like
to do that better, than to be a farmer or a merchant. Do you think,
uncle, father will be willing, that I should study and go to college,
like our minister Edward?"
"Why my lad," replied the uncle, "your father and I can manage it, if
you will be a good scholar and a well behaved boy. But remember, that in
order to do this, you cannot be idle and careless and too fond of play,
but you must be very industrious and study hard, for a good many years,
to be a good scholar, and you must also be careful of what you do and
say, and keep out of the company of mischievous and bad boys, or their
example will lead you astray and make you as bad as themselves. Do you
think you have resolution and perseverance enough for all these things?"
"I hope so uncle," answered Charley, "and I believe so. Certainly I'll
try."
"Well, my boy, let us see you try. It will be three or four years,
before you will be old enough to go to college, but you are old enough
to begin to study now, in order to get ready to go. Now is the time to
form regular and industrious habits of study. Just at present, you had
better go on and form a pretty good Museum, and I will bring you some
more birds and shells for the purpose, and some books, that will tell
you much more about them than what I have."
How Charley found his Museum useful in improving his mind; and how he
went to college, and became a very distinguished scholar we will relate
to our young readers on some future occasion.
[Illustration]