own table; and when Merry Christmas sat down on the hearth there was such a glow in the pine chips, and such a light in the tallow candle, and such a brightness through all the room which came out of Merry Christmas and had s nothing to do with either fire or candle that the three at the table rejoiced like birds or babies without understanding why.

"How is this?" thought the king; and then, looking again more sharply, he spied written on everything in the little room, "We give of what we have to-day to whoever needs, and trust to God for to-morrow."

"Oh," said Merry Christmas, chuckling, "no preventive like that against Moth and Rust!" But the king went home sorrowful, for he was very rich.

1. What did Steme's brothers do? Explain how each could perform his work. Why did his father not like Steme?

2. Where do you first discover the author's trick of misspelling "Steme"? How do you spell it? Does "Steme" work for us today? How? Where?

3. What younger brothers of his now drive automobiles, ships, and factory wheels?

4. What does "Moth and Rust" stand for? What should the king have learned in the cottage? If we take Merry Christmas's advice can we save "Steme" a great deal of labor? Explain your

answer.

THE

THE MICE AND THE WEASELS

HE Weasels and the Mice waged perpetual warfare with each other in which much blood was shed. The Weasels, however, were always the victors. The Mice thought the cause of their frequent defeats was their lack of army leaders and army discipline. Accordingly, they s chose from among themselves the Mice most renowned for their family descent, strength, and counsel, to say nothing of courage in battle and knowledge of the tactics of war. With this done the army was properly disciplined. Then the herald Mouse proclaimed war by challenging the ic Weasels to open combat.

The newly chosen generals bound their heads with straw, that they might be more conspicuous to all their troops. Scarcely had the battle commenced, however, when a great rout overwhelmed the Mice, who scampered off as fast as 15 they could to their holes. But the generals were not so successful in making their escape, because of the straw ornaments on their heads. All the officers to the last mouse were captured and eaten by the Weasels.

The more honor the more danger.

Æsop's Fables.

20

A LITTLE LAUGHTER

'Twas the saying of an ancient sage that humor was the only test of seriousness, and seriousness of humor. For a subject which would not bear jesting was suspicious; and a jest which would not bear a serious examination was certainly false wit.

SHAFTESBURY.

273

S. H. R. SIXTH - 18

A DUTCH GOVERNOR

BY WASHINGTON IRVING

Washington Irving (1783-1859) was the first American author to gain international fame as a writer. His first book that won him a reputation was his Knickerbocker's History of New York, from which the following extract is taken. It was supposed to be the writing of an old Dutchman, Diedrich Knickerbocker. It is a queer mixture of fact and nonsense, of history and broad humor.

TH

HE renowned Wouter (or Walter) van Twiller was descended from a long line of Dutch burgomasters, who had successively dozed away their lives and grown fat upon the bench of magistracy in Rotterdam and who s had comported themselves with such singular wisdom and propriety that they were never either heard of or talked of-which, next to being universally applauded, should be the object of ambition of all magistrates and rulers.

There are two opposite ways by which some men make To a figure in the world: one by talking faster than they think, and the other by holding their tongues and not thinking at all. By the first, many a smatterer acquires the reputation of a man of quick parts; by the other, many a dunderpate, like the owl, the stupidest of birds, comes 15 to be considered the very type of wisdom.

This, by the way, is a casual remark which I would not for the universe have it thought I apply to Governor van Twiller. It is true he was a man shut up within himself, like an oyster, and rarely spoke except in monosyllables; 20 but then it was allowed he seldom said a foolish thing. So