d of heart, is always first. The man who
is merely rich or sheltered or proud is not even a good second.

Cleon hath a million acres, ne'er a one have I;
Cleon dwelleth in a palace, in a cottage I;
Cleon hath a dozen fortunes, not a penny I;
Yet the poorer of the twain is Cleon, and not I.

Cleon, true, possesses acres, but the landscape I;
Half the charm to me it yieldeth money can not buy,
Cleon harbors sloth and dullness, freshening vigor I;
He in velvet, I in fustian, richer man am I.

Cleon is a slave to grandeur, free as thought am I;
Cleon fees a score of doctors, need of none have I;
Wealth-surrounded, care-environed, Cleon fears to die;
Death may come, he'll find me ready, happier man am I.

Cleon sees no charm in nature, in a daisy I;
Cleon hears no anthems ringing in the sea and sky;
Nature sings to me forever, earnest listener I;
State for state, with all attendants, who would change?
Not I.

_Charles Mackay_.

THE PESSIMIST

Most of our ills and troubles are not very serious when we come to
examine the realities of them. Or perhaps we expect too much. An old
negro was complaining that the railroad would not pay him for his mule,
which it had killed--nay, would not even give him back his rope. "What
rope?" he was asked. "Why, sah," answered he, "de rope dat I tied de
mule on de track wif."

Nothing to do but work,
Nothing to eat but food,
Nothing to wear but clothes
To keep one from going nude.

Nothing to breathe but air
Quick as a flash 'tis gone;
Nowhere to fall but off,
Nowhere to stand but on.

Nothing to comb but hair,
Nowhere to sleep but in bed,
Nothing to weep but tears,
Nothing to bury but dead.

Nothing to sing but songs,
Ah, well, alas! alack!
Nowhere to go but out,
Nowhere to come but back.

Nothing to see but sights,
Nothing to quench but thirst,
Nothing to have but what we've got;
Thus thro' life we are cursed.

Nothing to strike but a gait;
Everything moves that goes.
Nothing at all but common sense
Can ever withstand these woes.

_Ben King_.

From "Ben King's Verse."

A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED

There are irritating, troublesome people about us. Of what use is it to
be irritating in our turn or to add to the trouble? Most offenders have
their better side. Our wisest course is to find this and upon the basis
of it build up a bet