forelock he resolved to take;
And to the temple went at once, and read,
Upon the tablet, "To the illustrious dead,
The chief of mandarins, the great Goh-Bang."
Scarce had he gone when stealthily came Chang,
Who read the same; but peering closer, he
Spied in a corner what Ching failed to see--
The words, "This tablet is erected here
By those to whom the great Goh-Bang was dear."

4. So on the appointed day--both innocent
As babes, of course--these honest fellows went,
And took their distant station; and Ching said,
"I can read plainly, 'To the illustrious dead,
The chief of mandarins, the great Goh-Bang.'"
"And is that all that you can spell?" said Chang;
"I see what you have read, but furthermore,
In smaller letters, toward the temple door,
Quite plain, 'This tablet is erected here
By those to whom the great Goh-Bang was dear.'"

5. "My sharp-eyed friend, there are no such words!" said Ching.
"They're there," said Chang, "if I see anything,
As clear as daylight." "Patent eyes, indeed,
You have!" cried Ching; "do you think I can not read?"
"Not at this distance as I can," Chang said,
"If what you say you saw is all you read."

6. In fine, they quarreled, and their wrath increased,
Till Chang said, "Let us leave it to the priest;
Lo! here he comes to meet us," "It is well,"
Said honest Ching; "no falsehood he will tell."

7. The good man heard their artless story through,
And said, "I think, dear sirs, there must be few
Blest with such wondrous eyes as those you wear:
There's no such tablet or inscription there!
There was one, it is true; 't was moved away
And placed within the temple yesterday."

DEFINITIONS.--1. Near-sight'ed, seeing at a short distance only.
Chop'sticks, small sticks of wood, ivory, etc., used in pairs by Chinese
to carry food to the mouth. Tab'let, a small, flat piece of anything on
which to write or engrave. In-scrip'tion, something written or engraved
on a solid substance. Op'tics, eyes. Palm, the reward of victory, prize.
2. A. M., an abbreviation for the Latin ante meridian, meaning before
noon. 3. Man-da-rin', a Chinese public officer. 5. Pat'ent, secured from
general use, peculiar to one person.

LXX. THE WAY TO BE HAPPY. (159)

1. Every child must observe how much more happy and beloved some children
are than others. There are some children you always love to be with. They
are happy