ABOU BEN ADHEM

"Forgive my enemies?" said the dying man to the priest. "I have none. I've killed them all." This old ideal of exterminating our enemies has by no means disappeared from the earth. But it is waning. "Live and let live" is a more modern slogan, which mounts in turn from mere toleration of other people to a spirit of service and universal brotherhood. Love of our fellow men -has humanity reached any height superior to this?

BOU BEN ADHEM (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:-
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,

"What writest thou?"-The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still; and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

THIS WORLD

Leigh Hunt.

There is good in life and there is ill. The question is where we should put the emphasis.

THIS

HIS world that we're a-livin' in

Is mighty hard to beat;
You git a thorn with every rose,

But ain't the roses sweet!

Printed in and permission from "The Atlanta Constitution."

Frank L. Stanton.

Howell,

GRAY DAYS

By reckoning up the odds against us and ignoring the forces in our favor, we may indeed close the door of hope. But why not take matters the other way about? Why not see the situation clearly and then throw our own strong purpose in the scales? In the course of a battle an officer reported to Stonewall Jackson that he must fall back because his ammunition had been spoiled by a rainstorm. "So has the enemy's," was the instant reply. “Give them the bayonet." This resolute spirit won the battle.

ANG the gray days

H The deuce-to-pay days!

days!

The feeling-blue and nothing-to-do days!
The sit-by-yourself-for-there's-nothing-new
When the cat that Care killed without excuse
With your inner self's crying, "Oh, what's the use?"
And you wonder whatever is going to become of you,
And you feel that a cipher expresses the sum of you;
And you know that you'll never,

Oh, never, be clever,

Spite of all your endeavor
Or hard work or whatever!
Oh, gee!

What a mix-up you see

When you look at the world where you happen to be! Where strangers are hateful and friends are a bore,

And you know in your heart you will smile nevermore! Gee, kid!

Clap on the lid!

It is all a mistake! Give your worries the skid!
There are sunny days coming

Succeeding the blue

And bees will be humming

Making honey for you,

And your heart will be singing

The merriest tune

While April is bringing

A May and a June!

Gray days?

Play days!

Joy-bringing pay days

And heart-lifting May days!

The sun will be shining in just a wee while

So smile!

Permission of the Author.

Griffith Alexander.

From "The Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger."

LAUGH A LITTLE BIT

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"; a little laughter cures many a seeming ill.

Η

TERE'S a motto, just your fit-
Laugh a little bit.

HB Laugh

When you think you're trouble hit,
Laugh a little bit.

Look misfortune in the face.

Brave the beldam's rude grimace;
Ten to one 'twill yield its place,
If you have the wit and grit
Just to laugh a little bit.

Keep your face with sunshine lit,
Laugh a little bit.

All the shadows off will flit,
If you have the grit and wit
Just to laugh a little bit.

Cherish this as sacred writ-
Laugh a little bit.

Keep it with you, sample it,

Laugh a little bit.

Little ills will sure betide you,

Fortune may not sit beside you,

Men may mock and fame deride you,
But you'll mind them not a whit

If you laugh a little bit.

Edmund Vance Cooke.

From "A Patch of Pansies,"

G. P. Putnam's Sons.