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FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS .- FAMILY PASTIMES.

The Great Rebellim. By John Minor Botts. 1 vol., 12 mo. New York: Harper & Brothers.- The author of this work, a prominent politician of Virginia, took the side of the Union, during the late war, and now narrates what he calls the secret history, rise, progress, and failure of secession. He also vindicates his own political career. The book will be perused, with great interest, by numerous readers. Jennie June's American Cookery-Book. 1 vol., 12 mo. New York: American News Company.- Nearly all the receipts in this book have been tested by the author, Mrs. J. C. Croly, popularly known to the literary world, and to thousands of readers, as Jennie June. It is really an excellent work of its kind. Our Artist in Peru. By G. W. Carleton. 1 vol., 12 mo. New York: Carleton. This is an elegant little volume, with fifty humorous engravings, from drawings by Mr. Carleton himself. It is not often that a man is both artist and publisher: and it is even rarer to find him excel, as Mr. Carloton does, in both capacities. Martyria; or, Andersonville Prison. By A. C. Hamlin. Illustrated by the author. 1 vol., 12 mo. Boston: Lee & Shepard. This is a sad, sad story, yet one which, for the truth of history, required to be told. Let us hope that no such tale will ever have to be rehearsed again. The volume is very handsomely printed. Saratoga. An Indian Tale of Frontier Life. 1 vol., 12 mo. Philada: T. B. Peterson & Brothers.- The scene of this novel lies principally at Saratoga, in the eventful year of 1787. The story is full of incident, and the interest is well maintained. The Sanctuary. By G. W. Nichols. 1 rol., 12 mo. New York: Harper & Brothers.-This is a spirited tale of the late civil war, written by the author of " The Story of the Great March." The volume is handsomely printed and illustrated. That Good Old Time; or, Our Fresh and Salt Tutors. By Vieux Moustache. 1 vol., 16 mo. New York: Hurd & Houghtom.-A capital story for boys ; the scene laid at Cape Cod. The book is printed and illustrated with taste. Utterly Wrecked. By Henry Morford. 1 vol., 8 vo. New Fork: American News Company.- A new novel, by a popular American author; a cheap edition, in double-column octavo. Kissing the Rod. By Edmund Yates. 1 vol., 8 vo. New York: Harper & Brothers.- A reprint of a late English novel. Mr. Yates always makes his stories interesting. The Racefor Wealth. By Mrs. J. II. Riddell. 1 vol., 8 vo. New York: Harper & Brothers.-A new novel, by that popular writer, the author of " George Geith."

the means before described, in order to finish your feat cleverly, convey the card, privately, to the top of the pack; get all the other cards even with each other, but let the edge of your top card project a little over the rest ; hold them between your finger and thumb, about two feet from the table, let them drop, and the top card (which must be, as we have said, the one drawn) will fall with its face uppermost, and all the rest with their faces toward the table. TO TELL THE NAME OF A CARD THOUGHT OF.- Desire any person to draw seven or eight cards from the pack, and think of any one ofthem. When he returns them to you, place them at the bottom of the pack; but to prevent this from being noticed, attract the company's attention, by saying that as you intend throwing the cards on the table, it may be suspected that you will watch the eye of the party, to see which card he fixes upon, but to prove that this is not the case, you say you will turn your head aside; during this time you have continued shuffling the cards, but in such a manner that you do not remove the cards, which are at bottom, from their places ; you then take five or six cards off the top of the pack, and throw them on the table, face upward, asking if the card thought of is among them. Whilst the person is looking over these, you, secretly, take one card from the bottom of the pack, and place it on the top when he says that his card is not in the first parcel, take off five or six more, (including the card which you have taken from the bottom,) and throw them on the table in the same manner as you did the former, taking care, as you turn your head away, to ascertain the card drawn from the bottom, as should he say that his card is in the second parcel, you immediately know that the card brought from the bottom was his; but, while he is looking at the second parcel, remember to bring another card from the bottom to the top of the pack, as, when all eyes are fixed upon those on the table, a favorable opportunity is afforded of doing so unperceived. You proceed in this manner, bringing one up, and throwing out five or six for examination, until the card has been seen ; when, knowing which it is, you may make use of the Tourn-over, the Nerve Feat, or any other you please, to make it known.

FAMILY PASTIMES. UNIVERSAL BIOGRAPHY.-This game may be played by any number of persons. One, by arrangement, is to leave the room. Meanwhile, the rest, with the knowledge of one another, are each to fix on some celebrated character. The absent person is then admitted, and is to address the following questions to each, beginning at the right: 1. What countryman was he? 2. What was his calling? FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS. 3. For what is he chiefly memorable? THE NERVE FEAT.-Force a card, and when the person Suppose Robert Fulton be fixed upon, the answers may who has taken it puts it in the pack, let him shuffle the be:-1. An American. 2. An inventor and navigator. 3. cards; then look at them again yourself, find the card, and For bringing steam to perfection in propelling boats. Or place it at the bottom ; cut them in half; give the party suppose Edmund Burke, the replies may be :-1. An Engthat halfwhich contains his card at the bottom, and desire lishman. 2. A statesman. 3. For his essay on the Sublime him to hold it between his finger and thumb just at the and Beautiful. It must be borne in mind that the last corner; bid him pinch them as tight as he can; then question will require some decided and not general answer, strike them sharply, and they will all fall to the ground, { which must refer to some particular act, event, or thing. except the bottom one, which is the card he has chosen. If, from the answers to the queries, the questioner is enThis is a very curious feat, and, if well done, is really abled to guess the character referred to, he or she must astonishing. It is a great improvement of this feat to put pronounce it, and should it be correct, takes the seat ofthe the chosen card at the top of the pack, and turn the cards one questioned, who must then leave the room, the others face upward, so that, when you strike, the choosing party's each furnishing themselves with a fresh character. The new questioner is then admitted, and puts the same three card will remain in his hand, staring him in the face. THE TURN-OVER FEAT -When you have found a card queries, always commencing with the person sitting on the chosen, which you have previously forced, or any card right-hand of the previous questioner (so that all may thus that has been drawn, and which you have discovered by be questioned in turn.)