rying. In his old
age Sir Walter Scott found that a publishing firm he was connected with
was heavily in debt. He refused to take advantage of the bankruptcy law,
and sat down with his pen to make good the deficit. Though he wore out
his life in the struggle and did not live to see the debt entirely
liquidated, he died an honored and honorable man.

I call no fight a losing fight
If, fighting, I have gained some straight new strength;
If, fighting, I turned ever toward the light,
All unallied with forces of the night;
If, beaten, quivering, I could say at length:
"I did no deed that needs to be unnamed;
I fought--and lost--and I am unashamed."

_Miriam Teichner._

TIMES GO BY TURNS

One of the greatest blessings in life is alteration. The ins become
outs, the outs ins; the ups become downs, the downs ups; and so on--and
it is better so. We must not get too highly elated at success, for life
is not all success. We must not grow too downcast from failure, for life
is not all failure.

The lopped tree in time may grow again,
Most naked plants renew both fruit and flower;
The sorriest wight may find release of pain,
The driest soil suck in some moistening shower;
Time goes by turns, and chances change by course,
From foul to fair, from better hap to worse.

The sea of Fortune doth not ever flow;
She draws her favors to the lowest ebb;
Her tides have equal times to come and go;
Her loom doth weave the fine and coarsest web;
No joy so great but runneth to an end,
No hap so hard but may in fine amend.

Not always fall of leaf, nor ever Spring;
Not endless night, yet not eternal day;
The saddest birds a season find to sing;
The roughest storm a calm may soon allay.
Thus, with succeeding turns God tempereth all,
That man may hope to rise, yet fear to fall.

A chance may win that by mischance was lost;
That net that holds no great takes little fish;
In some things all, in all things none are crost;
Few all they need, but none have all they wish.
Unmingled joys here to no man befall;
Who least, hath some; who most, hath never all.

_Robert Southwell._

TO-DAY

The past did not behold to-day; the future shall not. We must use it now
if it is to be of any benefit to mankind.

So here hath been dawning
Another blue day;
Think, wilt thou let it
Slip useless away?

Out of Eternity