Life and Literature Part 143

It is not so much what you say, As the manner in which you say it; It is not so much the language you use, As the tones in which you convey it.

W

1993

PALACE AND SWEATSHOP.

A lady sits in her boudoir Languid with leisure's disease, World-weary and worn with ennui-- Society fails to please; She craves fresh scenes more alluring But where is anything new?

She's tired of luxury's gilding, Weary of nothing to do.

Her life seems empty and useless, A played out, frivolous game, Where fawning counterfeits friends.h.i.+p And love is only a name; Heart-sick she sulks in seclusion And scans in mental review, Her social realm and the follies She knows are weak and untrue.

Thus over her life she ponders, Scorning, rebellious in vain, Till impelled by social custom She resumes her mask again; Her world must not find her sighing-- She brilliantly plays her part, And bravely the queen of pleasure Smiles still with an aching heart.

Nearby, but a few blocks distant From plenty's palatial homes, There is a contrasting picture Of strenuous life in the slums; A pale girl toils in a garret, From dawn till the sunset's glow, And the sweat-shop wolf is prowling For aye in the street below.

St.i.tch, st.i.tch all day without ceasing, Knowing no rest or delay.

Humanity pleads for mercy-- * * * * *

--_Margaret Scott Hall._

1994

OUR WANTS.

We are ruined, not by what we really want But by what we think we want; Therefore never go abroad in search of your wants; If they be real wants, They will come home in search of you; For he that buys what he does not want, Will often want what he cannot buy.

--_Colton._

1995

_The Source of Wants._--It is not from nature, but from education and habits, that our wants are chiefly derived.

--_Fielding._

1996

He cannot provide for the wants of others, whose own are numerous and craving.

--_Plutarch._

1997

A BEAUTIFUL CHERRY TREE.

When George Was.h.i.+ngton was a boy, a beautiful cherry tree was killed in his father's garden, by some violent hand stripping its bark. Mr.

Was.h.i.+ngton said he would not have taken five guineas for the tree, and he would like to know the offender. Shortly after, seeing George with an axe in his hand, he asked him if he knew who had killed the cherry tree. George hesitated for a moment, then said, "I cannot tell a lie, father, I cannot tell a lie. I cut it with the hatchet." "Come to my arms," said his father; "you have paid for it a thousand times." Such an act of heroism in telling the truth he valued more than a thousand cherry trees.

1998

Hundreds would never have known _want_ if they had not first known _waste_.

--_Spurgeon._

1999

He who plays with dollars in his youth, will be apt to have to beg for farthings in his age.

--_Hone._

2000

When you take out, and do not put in, expect to reach the bottom.

--_Modern Greek._

2001

EXPLANATION OF THE WATER-CURE.

About three-fourths of the weight of the human body consists of water; and as it is constantly being thrown off by the skin, lungs, etc., it requires to be continually renewed, and water is therefore an essential alimentary principle, and more necessary to our existence than even solid food.

--_Dr. Turnbull._

2002

I am glad to find your great wealth has not changed you. "Well,"

responded Mr. Preston, "it has changed me a trifle. I'm eccentric where I used to be impolite, and delightfully sarcastic where I used to be rude--so they tell me."

--_Detroit Tribune._

2003

Extreme wealth brings excessive care; for the average man a moderate competence is best.