Should echo a foeman's tread.

Then hail to the broad-leaved Maple!
With her fair and changeful dress--
A type of our youthful country
In its pride and loveliness;
Whether in Spring or Summer,
Or in the dreary Fall,
'Mid Nature's forest children,
She's fairest of them all.

H. F. DARNELL

DAMON AND PYTHIAS

In Syracuse there was so hard a ruler that the people made a plot to
drive him out of the city. The plot was discovered, and the king
commanded that the leaders should be put to death. One of these, named
Damon, lived at some distance from Syracuse. He asked that before he was
put to death he might be allowed to go home to say good-bye to his
family, promising that he would then come back to die at the appointed
time.

The king did not believe that he would keep his word, and said: "I will
not let you go unless you find some friend who will come and stay in
your place. Then, if you are not back on the day set for execution, I
shall put your friend to death in your stead." The king thought to
himself: "Surely no one will ever take the place of a man condemned to
death."

Now, Damon had a very dear friend, named Pythias, who at once came
forward and offered to stay in prison while Damon was allowed to go
away. The king was very much surprised, but he had given his word; Damon
was therefore permitted to leave for home, while Pythias was shut up in
prison.

Many days passed, the time for the execution was close at hand, and
Damon had not come back. The king, curious to see how Pythias would
behave, now that death seemed so near, went to the prison.

"Your friend will never return," he said to Pythias.

"You are wrong," was the answer. "Damon will be here if he can possibly
come. But he has to travel by sea, and the winds have been blowing the
wrong way for several days. However, it is much better that I should die
than he. I have no wife and no children, and I love my friend so well
that it would be easier to die for him than to live without him. So I am
hoping and praying that he may be delayed until my head has fallen."

The king went away more puzzled than ever.

The fatal day arrived but Damon had not come. Pythias was brought
forward and led upon the scaffold. "My prayers are heard," he cried. "I
shall be permitted to die for my friend. But mark my words. Damon is
faithful and true; you will yet have reason to know that he has done his
utmost to