of Hugh Miller from
establishing his claim to the Earldom of Crawford. The masons would
call out, "John, Yearl of Crawford, bring us anither hod o' lime."

The absence of a comma in a bill which passed through Congress years
ago cost our government a million dollars. A single misspelled word
prevented a deserving young man from obtaining a situation as
instructor in a New England college.

"I cannot see that you have made any progress since my last visit,"
said a gentleman to Michael Angelo. "But," said the sculptor, "I have
retouched this part, polished that, softened that feature, brought out
that muscle, given some expression to this lip, more energy to that
limb, etc." "But they are trifles!" exclaimed the visitor. "It may be
so," replied the great artist, "but trifles make perfection, and
perfection is no trifle." That infinite patience which made Michael
Angelo spend a week in bringing out a muscle in a statue, with more
vital fidelity to truth, or Gerhard Dow a day in giving the right
effect to a dewdrop on a cabbage leaf, makes all the difference between
success and failure.

The cry of the infant Moses attracted the attention of Pharoah's
daughter, and gave the Jews a lawgiver. A bird alighting on the bough
of a tree at the mouth of the cave where Mahomet lay hid turned aside
his pursuers, and gave a prophet to many nations. A flight of birds
probably prevented Columbus from discovering this continent. When he
was growing anxious, Martin Alonzo Pinzon persuaded him to follow a
flight of parrots toward the southwest; for to the Spanish seamen of
that day it was good luck to follow in the wake of a flock of birds
when on a voyage of discovery. But for his change of course Columbus
would have reached the coast of Florida. "Never," wrote Humboldt, "had
the flight of birds more important consequences."

The children of a spectacle-maker placed two or more pairs of the
spectacles before each other in play, and told their father that
distant objects looked larger. From this hint came the telescope.

Every day is a little life; and our whole life but a day repeated.
Those that dare lose a day are dangerously prodigal; those that dare
misspend it, desperate. What is the happiness of your life made up of?
Little courtesies, little kindnesses, pleasant words, genial smiles, a
friendly letter, good wishes, and good deeds. One in a million--once
in a lifetime--may do a heroic action.

Napoleon was a mas