best way to sell a bond, he just looked at me, an' what do you
think he said--what _do_ you think he said, Mrs. Lathrop?"

Mrs. Lathrop hung far out over the window-sill--her gaze was the gaze of
the ever earnest and interested.

Susan stood below. Her face was aglow with the joy of the affluent--her
very voice might have been for once entitled as silvery.

"He said, Mrs. Lathrop, he said, 'Miss Clegg, why don't you go down to
the bank and cut your coupons?'"

THE TWO PRISONERS

BY CAROLYN WELLS

Once upon a time there were two Prisoners at the bar, who endeavored to
plead for themselves with Tact and Wisdom.

One concealed certain Facts prejudicial to his Cause; upon which the
Judge said: "If you had Confessed the Truth it would have Biased me in
your Favor; as it is, I Condemn you to Punishment."

The other stated his Case with absolute Truth and Sincerity, concealing
Nothing; and the result was that he was Condemned for his Misdemeanors.

MORALS:

This Fable teaches that Honesty is the Best Policy, and that the Truth
should not Be spoken at All Times.

A MODERN ADVANTAGE

BY CHARLOTTE BECKER

One morning, when the sun shone bright
And all the earth was fair,
I met a little city child,
Whose ravings rent the air.

"I lucidly can penetrate
The Which," I heard him say,--
"The How is, wonderfully, come
To clear the limpid way.

"The sentence, rarely, rose and fell
From ceiling to the floor;
Her words were spotlessly arranged,
She gave me, strangely, more."

"What troubles you, my little man?"
I dared to ask him then,--
He fixed me with a subtle stare,
And said, "Most clearly, when

"You see I'm occupied, it's rude
To question of my aims--
I'm going to the adverb school
Of Mr. Henry James!"

THE RAGGEDY MAN

BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

O the Raggedy Man! He works fer Pa;
An' he's the goodest man ever you saw!
He comes to our house every day,
An' waters the horses, an' feeds 'em hay;
An' he opens the shed--an' we all ist laugh
When he drives out our little old wobble-ly calf;
An' nen--ef our hired girl says he can--
He milks the cow fer 'Lizabuth Ann.--
Aint he a' awful good Raggedy Man?
Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!

W'y, The Raggedy Man--he's ist so good
He splits the kindlin' an' chops the wood;
An'