tist runs thus: One day, a man called to see some
of his pictures, and asked him what he mixed his colors with. The
painter answered, "With brains, sir--with brains!"--Yours,

FRANK R.M.

* * * * *

Columbia, S.C.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: Our schoolma'am told us the other day that it is
generally best to use short words instead of long words in writing
or speaking, and she gave us a verse to copy as a specimen. She
said that it was written by a man who was perfect master of seven
languages, knew six others very well, was at home with another
eight, and read with a lexicon four more,--in all twenty-five
different languages; and although he could use tremendously long
words when he chose, yet he made a point of using short ones, even
though they were old and odd and not in common use. I send you a
copy of the verse, and I think he might have done much better if he
had used longer and more forcible words.--Yours truly,

STELLA G.

"Think not that strength lies in the big round word,
Or that the brief and plain must needs be weak.
To whom can this be true that once has heard
The cry for help, the tongue that all men speak
When want or woe or fear is in the throat,
So that each word gasped forth is like a shriek
Pressed from the sore heart, or a strange wild note
Sung by some foe or fiend. There is a strength
Which dies if stretched too far or spun too fine,
Which has more height than depth, more breadth than length.
Let but this force of thought and speech be mine,
And he that will may take the sleek fat phrase,
Which glows and burns not, though it gleam and shine--
Light but not heat--a flash, but not a blaze!"

Long words are not always the most "forcible," Stella,--nor, on the
other hand, are they always to be avoided. Sometimes the best word for
expressing our meaning may be long to spell, but easy to understand;
and, again, a word may be short and yet fail to tell exactly what we
wish to say. The verse you copy is not a convincing example of the
power of short words, although it shows that much may be done with
them. Frequently a word is chosen for its rhythmic quality--the
pleasantness and ease with which its sound fits in with the
context--rather than because it is long or short. Mr. Longfellow's
poem, "The Three King