s, dynamite bombs, and electrical
apparatus."

The Citizen and the Snakes

A Public-Spirited Citizen who had failed miserably in trying to secure a
National political convention for his city suffered acutely from
dejection. While in that frame of mind he leaned thoughtlessly against a
druggist's show-window, wherein were one hundred and fifty kinds of
assorted snakes. The glass breaking, the reptiles all escaped into the
street.

"When you can't do what you wish," said the Public-spirited Citizen, "it
is worth while to do what you can."

Fortune and the Fabulist

A Writer of Fables was passing through a lonely forest when he met a
Fortune. Greatly alarmed, he tried to climb a tree, but the Fortune
pulled him down and bestowed itself upon him with cruel persistence.

"Why did you try to run away?" said the Fortune, when his struggles had
ceased and his screams were stilled. "Why do you glare at me so
inhospitably?"

"I don't know what you are," replied the Writer of Fables, deeply
disturbed.

"I am wealth; I am respectability," the Fortune explained; "I am elegant
houses, a yacht, and a clean shirt every day. I am leisure, I am travel,
wine, a shiny hat, and an unshiny coat. I am enough to eat."

"All right," said the Writer of Fables, in a whisper; "but for goodness'
sake speak lower."

"Why so?" the Fortune asked, in surprise.

"So as not to wake me," replied the Writer of Fables, a holy calm
brooding upon his beautiful face.

A Smiling Idol

An Idol said to a Missionary, "My friend, why do you seek to bring me
into contempt? If it had not been for me, what would you have been?
Remember thy creator that thy days be long in the land."

"I confess," replied the Missionary, fingering a number of ten-cent
pieces which a Sunday-school in his own country had forwarded to him,
"that I am a product of you, but I protest that you cannot quote
Scripture with accuracy and point. Therefore will I continue to go up
against you with the Sword of the Spirit."

Shortly afterwards the Idol's worshippers held a great religious ceremony
at the base of his pedestal, and as a part of the rites the Missionary
was roasted whole. As the tongue was removed for the high priest's
table, "Ah," said the Idol to himself, "that is the Sword of the
Spirit--the only Sword that is less dangerous when unsheathed."

And he smiled so pleasantly at his own wit that the provinces of
Ghargaroo, M'gwana,