ind,
He fell into discourse with him, and thus
The dialogue they held comes down to us.
_Saint_.--Tell me what brings you, gentle youth, to Rome?
_Youth_.--To make myself a scholar, sir, I come.
_St_.--And when you are one, what do you intend?
_Y_.--To be a priest, I hope, sir, in the end.
_St_.--Suppose it so; what have you next in view?
_Y_.--That I may get to be a canon too.
_St_.--Well; and what then?
_Y_.-- Why then, for aught I know,
I may be made a bishop.
_St_.-- Be it so,--
What next?
_Y_.-- Why, cardinal's a high degree;
And yet my lot it possibly may be.
_St_.--Suppose it was; what then?
_Y_.-- Why, who can say
But I've a chance of being pope one day?
_St_.--Well, having worn the miter and red hat,
And triple crown, what follows after that?
_Y_.--Nay, there is nothing further, to be sure,
Upon this earth, that wishing can procure:
When I've enjoyed a dignity so high
As long as God shall please, then I must die.
_St_.--What! must you die? fond youth, and at the best,
But wish, and hope, and may be, all the rest!
Take my advice--whatever may betide,
For that which _must be_, first of all provide;
Then think of that which _may be_; and indeed,
When well prepared, who knows what may succeed,
But you may be, as you are pleased to hope,
Priest, canon, bishop, cardinal, and pope.
* * * * *
ST. PHILIP NERI, born in Florence, Italy, in 1515. Went to Rome in
1533, where he founded the "Priests of the Oratory," and where he died
in 1595.
TRIPLE CROWN, the tiara; the crown worn by our Holy Father, the
Pope.
Use correctly in sentences the words _canon, cannon, canon._
NOTE.--It will prove interesting if one pupil reads the first six lines
of the selection, and two others personate St. Philip and the Youth.
The whole selection might be given from memory.
* * * * *
_73_
mag' ic
sta' mens
de sert' ed
pet' als
pic' tures
dis cour' aged
liq' uid
sat' is fied
per se ver' ance
THE WATER LILY.
There was once a little boy who was very fond of pictures. There were
not many pictures for him to look
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