hat the oaken figures on its back would show to
much better advantage, by the aid of a little varnish.

"And I have had a complaint in this joint," continued the chair,
endeavoring to lift one of its legs, "ever since Charley trundled his
wheelbarrow against me."

"It shall be attended to," said Grandfather. "And now, venerable chair, I
have a favor to solicit. During an existence of more than two centuries,
you have had a familiar intercourse with men who were esteemed the wisest
of their day. Doubtless, with your capacious understanding, you have
treasured up many an invaluable lesson of wisdom. You certainly have had
time enough to guess the riddle of life. Tell us poor mortals, then, how
we may be happy!"

The lion's head fixed its eyes thoughtfully upon the fire, and the whole
chair assumed an aspect of deep meditation. Finally, it beckoned to
Grandfather with its elbow, and made a step sideways towards him, as if it
had a very important secret to communicate.

"As long as I have stood in the midst of human affairs," said the chair,
with a very oracular enunciation, "I have constantly observed that
JUSTICE, TRUTH, and LOVE, are the chief ingredients of every happy life."

"Justice, Truth, and Love!" exclaimed Grandfather. "We need not exist two
centuries to find out that these qualities are essential to our happiness.
This is no secret. Every human being is born with the instinctive
knowledge of it."

"Ah!" cried the chair, drawing back in surprise. "From what I have
observed of the dealings of man with man, and nation with nation, I never
should have suspected that they knew this all-important secret. And, with
this eternal lesson written in your soul, do you ask me to sift new wisdom
for you, out of my petty existence of two or three centuries?"

"But, my dear chair--" said Grandfather.

"Not a word more," interrupted the chair; "here I close my lips for the
next hundred years. At the end of that period, if I shall have discovered
any new precepts of happiness, better than what Heaven has already taught
you, they shall assuredly be given to the world."

In the energy of its utterance, the oaken chair seemed to stamp its foot,
and trod, (we hope unintentionally) upon Grandfather's toe. The old
gentleman started, and found that he had been asleep in the great chair,
and that his heavy walking stick had fallen down across his foot.

"Grandfather," cried little Alice, clapping her hands, "you must dream