Thousands of men breathe, move and live, pass off the stage of life and are heard of no more Why? They did not a particle of good in the world, and none were blessed by them as instruments of their redemption; not a word they spoke could be recalled, and so they perished-their light went out in darkness, and they were not remembered more than the insects of yesterday. Will you thus live and die, oh, man immortal? Live for something! Do good and leave behind you a monument of virtue that time can never destroy. Write your name in kindness, love and mercy on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with, year by year, and you will never be forgotten. No; your name, your deeds, will be as legible on the hearts you leave behind as the stars on the brow of the evening. Good deeds will shine as brightly on the earth as the stars of heaven. THE BALLAD OF BABY BELL. ADAPTED FROM T. B. ALDRICH. [To be recited in a tender, sympathetic manner.] Have you not heard the poets tell The gates of Heaven were left ajar; Wandering out of Paradise, She saw this planet, like a star, Hung in the glistening depths of even Its bridges running to and fro, O'er which the white-winged angels go, She touched a bridge of flowers-those feet They fell like dew upon the flowers, Then all the air grew strangely sweet; Into this world of ours. It came upon us by degrees, We saw its shadow ere it fell, The knowledge that our God had sent His messenger for Baby Bell. We shuddered with unlanguaged pain, And all our hopes were changed to fears, And all our thoughts ran into tears, Like sunshine into rain. We cried aloud in our belief, "Oh, smite us gently, gently, God! She only crossed her little hands, We wove the roses round her browWhite buds, the summer's drifted snowWrapped her from head to foot in flowers] And thus went dainty Baby Bell Out of this world of ours! THE SNAKE IN THE GRASS. J. G. SAXE. [In a descriptive vein.] Come, listen awhile to me, my lads, Come listen to me a spell! Let that terrible drum For a moment be dumb, For your uncle is going to tell A youth that loved liquor too well A clever young man was he, my lads, He began to decline, And behaved like a person possessed The temperance plan is the best. One evening he went to the tavern, my lads He went to the tavern one night! And drinking too much Rum, brandy, and such, The chap got exceedingly "tight,” What your aunts would entitle a "fright." The fellow fell into a snooze, my lads- And acts very queer; My eyes, how he shivers and shakes And raves about great horrid snakes! 'Tis a warning to you and to me, my ladsA particular caution to all, Tho' no one can see The viper but he To hear the poor lunatic howl How they crawl All over the floor and the wall! The next morning he took to his bed, my lads, Next morning he took to his bed; You have heard of the snake in the grass, my lads, Of the viper concealed in the grass; But now you must know Man's deadliest foe Is a snake of a different class! Alas! 'Tis the viper that lurks in the glass! ́· POP. [With humor and vivacity.] And there they sat, a popping corn, John Styles as fat as any ox, And Susan as fat as butter. And there they sat and shelled the corn, Then Susan she the popper shook, And then they shelled, and popped, and ate, All kinds of fun a-poking, While he haw-hawed at her remarks, And she laughed at his joking. And still they popped, and still they ate- |