in the mind of God
Ere world or star or sun began.
Say rather, with your fellow man,
"I grub; I burrow in the sod."
Life is not life that does not flame
With consciousness of whence it came--
Say not, "I live!"

_Angela Morgan._

From "The Hour Has Struck."

A POOR UNFORTUNATE

Things are never so bad but they might have been worse. An immigrant
into the South paid a negro to bring him a wild turkey. The next day he
complained: "You shouldn't shoot at the turkey's body, Rastus. Shoot at
his head. The flesh of that turkey was simply full of shot." "Boss,"
said the negro, "dem shot was meant for me."

I

His hoss went dead an' his mule went lame;
He lost six cows in a poker game;
A harricane came on a summer's day,
An' carried the house whar' he lived away;
Then a airthquake come when that wuz gone,
An' swallered the lan' that the house stood on!
An' the tax collector, _he_ come roun'
An' charged him up fer the hole in the groun'!
An' the city marshal--he come in view
An' said he wanted his street tax, too!

II

Did he moan an' sigh? Did he set an' cry
An' cuss the harricane sweepin' by?
Did he grieve that his ol' friends failed to call
When the airthquake come an' swallered all?
Never a word o' blame he said,
With all them troubles on top his head!
Not _him_.... He clumb to the top o' the hill--
Whar' standin' room wuz left him still,
An', barin' his head, here's what he said:
"I reckon it's time to git up an' git;
But, Lord, I hain't had the measels yit!"

_Frank L. Stanton._

From "The Atlanta Constitution."

THE TRAINERS

To Franklin, seeking recognition and aid for his country at the French
court, came news of an American disaster. "Howe has taken Philadelphia,"
his opponents taunted him. "Oh, no," he answered, "Philadelphia has
taken Howe." He shrewdly foresaw that the very magnitude of what the
British had done would lull them into overconfidence and inaction, and
would stir the Americans to more determined effort. Above all, he
himself was undisturbed; for to the strong-hearted, trials and reverses
are instruments of final success.

My name is Trouble--I'm a busy bloke--
I am the test of Courage--and of Class--
I bind the coward to a bitter yoke,
I drive the craven from the crowning pass;
Weaklings I crush before they come to fame;
But as the red star guides across the night,
I