KEEPING FAST.
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Sometimes demure MSolemin may be seen looking anxiously round on all sides, to ascertain, that he is not watched. The moment he thinks himself unobserved, he turns the corner of some of the Christian streets of Pera or Galata, and ascends the infdel hills Led on, as it were, by mere lis;lessness from one turn to another, the gentleman still advances, until perverse change brings him just opposite confec- tioner's or pastry-cook's shop. From sheer absence of mind he indeed steps in, but he buys nothing. Allah forbid! He only from pure curiosity examines various eatables laid out on the counter. He ham, dies, he weighs them, he asks their names their price, and their ingredients. What is this? what do you call that? where does the other come from? Thus sdiscour- sing to while away time, he by little and little reaches the inner extremity of the shop; and finding himself at the entrance of the recess. in which, by mere accident, happens to be set out, as if in readiness for an expected visitor, choice collation of all that can recruit an exhausted stomach -he enters it from mere thoughtlessness, and without the least attention. Without the least intention also, the pastry-cook. the moment he sees his friend slunk into the dainty closet, turns upon him the key of the door, and slips it into his pocket. Perhaps he even goes out on message. and half an hour or so elapses ere he re- members his unaccountable forgetfulness. lie, however, at last recollects his prison- CT, who all the while would have made a furious outcry, but has abs.ained, lest he should be suspected of having gone in for the purpose of tasting the forbidden fruit. The Greek unIocks the door with every expression of apology and regret ; the Turk walks out in hig dungeon, severely rebukes the vender of cakes, and returns home weaker with inanition than ever. But when the pastry cook looks into his re- cess to put things in order, he finds, by a wonderful piece of magic, the pies conden- sed into piasters, and the sugar plumbs transformed into sequins.

 The quarter of the Franks at Consta n,inople.

 Want cf Punctuality, in many cases amounts to robbery. A short time since at village in the neighborhood of London a committee of eight ladies who managed the concerns of an institution which had been formed for the relief of the neighbor- ing poor, agreed to meet on certain day at l2 o'clock, precisely. Seven of them attended punctually at the appointed hour: the eighth did not arrive till quarter of an hour after. She came in according to the usual mode. with 6 Pm very sorry to be be- hind in the time appointed, but really the tune slipped away, without my being sen- s'ble ot it; l hope your goodness will ex- cSse It." One of the ladies, who was a not appear clear to me that we oueht to ac- cept thy apology. Had myself only lost a

 quarter of an hour, it would have been

 merely thy own concern, but in this case

 the quarter must be multiplied by eight. as

 we each lost quarter, so that there have

 been two hours of useful time sacrificed b,

 thy want of punctuality."