e of the village
blacksmith. Let us try to live as honestly, as uprightly, and as
laboriously as he, so that one day we may deserve to hear the words,
"Well done, My good and faithful servants!" Let us try so to live that
each action of our lives shall be a good and shapely thing, a help and a
benefit to others, like the horseshoes made by the honest blacksmith are
to our four-footed friends.

GOLDEN LEGEND

The land of Germany has always been famous for its store of wonderful
songs and legends. Its poets of olden days, who were known as the
Minnesinger, used to wander round the country singing or reciting these
tales and everywhere they went they were sure of a warm welcome. The
"Golden Legend" is one of these old stories, and runs as follows:

Lucifer, who was once one of the good angels, had been cast out of
Heaven for the sin of pride. He gathered all the spirits of evil around
him and made himself their leader. His one desire now was to do harm to
all mankind and, by putting wicked thoughts into men's minds, make them
themselves do evil so that he might grieve the good angels and thus take
revenge for the punishment which had been inflicted on him.

Among other wicked deeds he sought to tear down the spire of Strasburg
Cathedral, but was defeated by the good spirits, who kept unceasing
watch and ward over the holy place. Baffled in this attempt, Lucifer
betook himself to a castle on the Rhine, the dwelling of young Prince
Henry of Hoheneck. Prince though he was, his lot was a most unhappy one,
for he was suffering from a deadly disease which the most famous
physicians had been unable to cure. Ill and restless, Prince Henry was
sitting alone at midnight in a tower of his castle, when suddenly there
came a flash of lightning, and Lucifer, disguised as a doctor, stood
before him.

"All hail, Prince Henry!" said the stranger.

"Who are you," asked the Prince, "and what may be your purpose in coming
hither?"

"I am a traveling physician," replied the cunning spirit, "and I can
cure all diseases."

"But not mine," said Prince Henry, mournfully. "I have consulted almost
every famous doctor, but the case is quite beyond their science. Even
the learned doctors of Salerno have sent me back word that they know of
no cure for a malady like this save one, which from its very nature is
impossible."

"What is this mysterious remedy?"

"Read, and you shall see," answered the Prince, handing Lucifer a scroll
o