e's, and turned his sword into a ploughshare.

As for Daniel,--he gave up the sea and took a wine-shop.

Those four people are now still alive; and if Bertha and Daniel did
not marry, their children have,--though it was rather lowering to
those grand young ladies and gentlemen, Bertha's children.

Those four, when they meet and clapper their friendly old tongues,
can hardly believe that once upon a time they were all at sixes and
sevens,--and that Ernest himself was once in that very place a
Prisoner of War.

THE "WASHING OF THE FEET," ON HOLY THURSDAY, IN ST. PETER'S.

Once more the temple-gates lie open wide:
Onward, once more,
Advance the Faithful, mounting like a tide
That climbs the shore.

What seek they? Blank the altars stand today,
As tombstones bare:
Christ of his raiment was despoiled; and they
His livery wear.

Today the puissant and the proud have heard
The "mandate new":[1]
That which He did, their Master and their Lord,
They also do.

Today the mitred foreheads, and the crowned,
In meekness bend:
New tasks today the sceptred hands have found;
The poor they tend.

Today those feet which tread in lowliest ways,
Yet follow Christ,
Are by the secular lords of power and praise
Both washed and kissed.

Hail, ordinance sage of hoar antiquity,
Which She retains,
That Church who teaches man how meek should be
The head that reigns!

[Footnote 1: _Mandatum Novum_:--hence the name of "Maundy Thursday."]

* * * * *

PHYSICAL COURAGE.

The Romans had a military machine, called a _balista_, a sort of
vast crossbow, which discharged huge stones. It is said, that, when
the first one was exhibited, an athlete exclaimed, "Farewell
henceforth to all courage!" Montaigne relates, that the old knights,
in his youth, were accustomed to deplore the introduction of
fencing-schools, from a similar apprehension. Pacific King James
predicted, but with rejoicing, the same result from iron armor.
"It was an excellent thing," he said,--"one could get no harm in it,
nor do any." And, similarly, there exists an opinion now, that the
combined powers of gunpowder and peace are banishing physical courage,
and the need of it, from the world.

Peace is good, but this result of it would be sad indeed. Life is
sweet, but it would not be sweet enough without the occasional relish
of peril and the