intains our great North European family in its position of
undisputed superiority over the rest of mankind, and which in its purest
form is today the bulwark of Old England. It is needless to say to an
educated audience that the term "Teuton" is in no way connected with the
modern German Empire, but embraces the whole Northern stock, including
English and Belgians.

In the Northern religion, Alfadur, or the All-Father, was a vague though
supreme deity. Beneath him were among others Woden, or Odin, practically
the supreme deity, and Woden's eldest son Thor, the God of War. Asgard,
or heaven, was the dwelling-place of the Gods, whilst Midgard was the
earth, or abode of man. The rainbow, or bridge of Bifrost, which
connected the two regions, was guarded by the faithful watchman
Heimdall. Woden lived in the palace of Valhalla, near the grove of
Glasir, and had as messengers to earth the Valkyries, armed, mailed and
mounted virgins who conveyed from the earth to Asgard such men as had
fallen bravely in battle. Only those who fell thus could taste to the
full the joys of paradise. These joys consisted of alternate feasting
and fighting. At Woden's feasts in Valhalla was served the flesh of the
boar Sehrimnir, which, though cooked and eaten at every meal, would
regain its original condition the next day. The wounds of the warriors
in each celestial combat were miraculously healed at the end of the
fighting.

But this heaven was not to last forever. Some day would come Ragnarok,
or the Twilight of the Gods, when all creation would be destroyed, and
all the Gods and men save Alfadur perish. Surtur, after killing the last
of these Gods, would burn up the world. Afterward the supreme Alfadur
would make a new earth or paradise, creating again the Gods and men, and
suffering them ever after to dwell in peace and plenty.

THE UNITED AMATEUR

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE UNITED AMATEUR PRESS ASSOCIATION

VOLUME XV GEORGETOWN, ILL., APRIL, 1916 NUMBER 9

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC CRITICISM

=The Brooklynite= for January contains one of Rheinhart Kleiner's
characteristic poems, entitled "A Mother's Song". Mr. Kleiner's command
of good taste, harmony, and correctness requires no further panegyric
amongst those who know him; but to the more recent United members who
have not yet read extensively in our journals, his work may well be
recommended as undoubtedly the safest of all amateur poetical models for
emu