ed.

The three sisters lived long, and yet two hundred ages are gone since
the earth received them into its bosom. Yet still upon that island in
the dark sea of night abideth in love the moon-god with his bride.
Atua hath been good to her, for he hath given her eternal youth, as he
giveth to all wives that do truly love and serve their husbands. It is
for us to see that pleasant island wherein Kaulualua liveth; it is for
us to see that when Marama goeth abroad to hunt or to fish his
moon-lady sitteth alone and maketh moan, and heedeth not her fires; it
is for us to see that when anon he cometh back she buildeth up those
fires whereon to cook food for him, and presently the fires grow
brighter and the whole round moon island is lighted and warmed thereby.
In this wise an exceeding fair example is set unto all wives of their
duty unto their mates.

When the sea singeth to the sands, when the cane beckoneth to the
stars, and when the palm-leaves whisper to sweet-breathed night, how
pleasant it is, my brown maiden, to stand with thee and look upon that
island in the azure sea that spreadeth like a veil above the cocoa
trees. For there we see the moon-lady, and she awaiteth her dear lord
and she smileth in love; and that grace warmeth our hearts--your heart
and mine, O little maiden! and we are glad with a joy that knoweth no
speaking.

LUTE BAKER AND HIS WIFE EM

The Plainfield boys always had the name of being smart, and I guess
Lute Baker was just about the smartest boy the old town ever turned
out. Well, he came by it naturally; Judge Baker was known all over
western Massachusetts as the sage of Plainfield, and Lute's mother--she
was a Kellogg before the judge married her--she had more faculty than a
dozen of your girls nowadays, and her cooking was talked about
everywhere--never was another woman, as folks said, could cook like
Miss Baker. The boys--Lute's friends--used to hang around the back
porch of noonings just to get some of her doughnuts; she was always
considerate and liberal to growing boys. May be Lute would n't have
been so popular if it had n't been for those doughnuts, and may be he
would n't have been so smart if it had n't been for all the good things
his mother fed into him. Always did believe there was piety and wisdom
in New England victuals.

Lute went to Amherst College and did well; was valedictorian; then he
taught school a winter, for Judge Baker said that nobody could amount
t