odding, out of sheer good-nature,
at Minola.

Victor Heron sat down by Minola, and at once plunged into earnest talk.

TRIED AND TRUE.

Year after year we'll gather here,
And pass the night in merry cheer.
Through storm and war, o'er sea and land,
We'll come each year to Neckar's strand:
In war and storm, on land and sea,
To this our pledge we'll faithful be,
_And each to all be true_.

So sang three students one March night--
Without the storm wind blew,
Within were wine and warmth and light
And three hearts brave and true.

"To-morrow morn we all go hence,"
Said Wilhelm, speaking low.
"For Emil fights for Fatherland,
Franz o'er the sea doth go,

"And I in Berlin, with my books,
Will lead a scholar's life--
In toil, and war, and foreign land,
We thus begin the strife."

Three glasses then with Rhineland wine
Unto the brim were filled,
And to the sacred parting pledge
Each heart responsive thrilled.

Three years went by, and so the friends
Unto their faith were true,
And spent the night in merry song
And lived the past year through.

When came the fourth reunion night
Without the March wind blew,
Within were wine, and warmth, and light,
And one heart brave and true.

For Emil died for Fatherland,
And Franz went down at sea--
In war and storm, in life and death,
They said they'd faithful be:

And so Wilhem three glasses filled.
Of one he kissed the edge;
Two shadow hands the others raised--
The friends had kept their pledge!

SYLVESTER BAXTER.

ABOUT CIGARETTES.

Ten or fifteen years ago we rarely saw cigarettes in this country,
their use being confined to the few natives who had acquired the habit
during a residence abroad, and to foreigners, French, Italian, and
Cuban settlers, who followed the practices of their youth. So slight
was the general demand that, excepting in the large cities, cigarettes
were rarely found for sale. To-day there are probably few small towns
in the thickly settled portions of the country where cigarettes are not
readily obtained; while in the large cities the stores vie with each
other in giving us varied assortments of leading brands. Indeed, recent
statistics state that nearly thirty per cent. of the entire smoking
tobacco consumed in the United States