The Hard-shell Sloth

The oyster is tho most quiescent of animáis, for once placed in its bed it never stirs therefrom. Itdoes not even get up for its meals, but lazily lies with open mouth to catch whatever may drift within the reach of its gills. It is intensely domestic in its habits, it is truc, but its indolence is so constitutional that, unlike all its brother bivales, it will not even pay the slightest attention to the appearance of its home, but jit3t goos on adding and extending without order or symmetry until it becomes Ihat vvorst-looking old shell of a place ever seen. It is to the oyster s credit, however, tliat it is by no nieans Pharisnical, and though its exterior is unprepossessing to a degree, its internal decorations are a wonder of irridescent beauty. But Ihis, as the good wives say, is "more by hap thanby cunning," and when by its secretions it has made to itself a "gem of purest ray serene," it is too dila'ory to bedeck itself therewith and keeps it in a ilabby pocket like Mother Gamp's tintil some pickpocket of a diver robs it of its only jewet. The oyster is an imsympathetic, unintelligent thing, too. Ño amount of kindness wil] tame it and no amount of instruction wil] teaeh it to stand up. The educated oyster is a delusion and, the whistling oyster is a fraud. By., stupid, lazy and unlovely thought it is, the oyster lias one quality which co mterbalances all these dcfects. It i; a popular and nutritioiis árdele of fooi. .. A Trenton, N. J., rubber comp.iny has manufactured for irain elevator in the west what is said to be the largest belt ever made in America. Itjs692 feet long, a yard wide, and woighs" 000 pounds,