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 1 
 
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 . .*.»i4-,>»«««*^ . 
 
 SBLBOT 
 
 Social 
 
 Readings 
 
 SI'EISrOEi. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This age of speed— displays « need 
 That people read — and then indeed 
 One well nwy plead—" take special heod 
 
 What reading matter," 
 
 Some readings sought— really are not 
 Best can be got— nor such as ought 
 Laiyely Inwrought— with good seed thought 
 Broadcast to scatter. 
 
 Publishers ask— *' What's to be done 
 
 If buyers will the solid shun ? 
 
 '< Demand's for fun 'Twill have the run " 
 
 For mirth folks look. 
 
 " Rich tho't !" was hied— "wit fun ! " replied 
 "Combine (" was cried— "let both abide, 
 And both be plied— the field is wide" 
 
 The hint wa took. 
 
 Placed side by side- taste's not defied 
 Let neither chide— neither need hide, 
 80 we complied- the task is tried 
 
 And HBU's the book. 
 
SPENCE'S 
 
 SELECT 
 
 SOCIAL READINGS 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 Lecturer Prohibitory League^ (Canada); Editor ''Spends Selections,* 
 " International Readings^* etc, 
 
 SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR 
 
 Jlea^ant. JwfitabU, goml Ctttertaintnentg. 
 
 (THIRD SERIES.) 
 
 "A merry heart doeth gooA."— Solomon. 
 "Nature's mirth is cordial against disorders of spleen, wherefore sportiveness is 
 ' not oondemnable, if it transgress not in quantity, quality or season." 
 
 TORONTO : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY fVM. WARWICK. 
 
 1879. 
 
519959 
 
 TORONTO 
 
 PUBLIC 
 
 LIBRARIES 
 
 central libraty 
 literature 
 
 Entered according to Act of 
 Parliament of Canada, in the year 
 one thousand eight hundred and 
 seventy-nine, by W. Warwick, in 
 the OlHce of the Minister of Agri- 
 culture. 
 
 Sos.g 
 
 5 6 IS 
 
 Dudley & Bini.vs, 
 
 PRINTERg, 
 COIiBORKE ST., TORONTa 
 
 SEP 2 8 1966 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Success of foraier series, and to supply a still further 
 felt want, have been promptings in favor of issuing the 
 present volume. 
 
 To keep up with the growing taste for variety, and 
 infuse just enough of the mirthful^ have been special aims 
 in this collection. Particular care has been taken to incor- 
 porate richly suggestive thought, pure sentiment and eleva- 
 ting idea, intermingling Christian wisdom with hearty, good, 
 social frolic. A large proportion of the pieces are original, 
 the rest rare, and picked with great painstaking from exten- 
 sive fields. A very versatile variety, well adapted to the 
 purpose, in small bulk, will be found in this book, taking- 
 for granted that the intention is accomplished. 
 
 JACOB SPENCE. 
 
 Toronto, March, 1879. 
 
^ 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 11 
 
 Page. 
 
 A Benedict to a Bachelor 3' 
 
 AGospelEcho * 74 
 
 A Sudden Cure •... "o 
 
 Alphabet of Excellencies 93 
 
 All's Well that Ends Well 95 
 
 Almost Sublime iiS 
 
 Another Springtime 7^ 
 
 Anxious Lover's Echo lOO 
 
 As You WillHavelt 88 
 
 A Small Misapprehension 89 
 
 A Talk With Myself 60 
 
 A Very Hard Man Ill 
 
 Baffled Search for Orthodox Baptism 54 
 
 Brudder Julius Caesar Sermonizing 40 
 
 Call to the Conflict 69 
 
 Choice of Life Partners i 86 
 
 Circumstances Alter Cases 91 
 
 Colored Debate 93 
 
 Comparative Pleasures 26 
 
 Cunning Countermated 1 16 
 
 Divine Bestowals 88 
 
 Divine, Design, Delight . 70 
 
 Duty, Beauty, Blessing 29 
 
 Earth's Angels *. 65 
 
 Facing the Fierce Fiend 44 
 
 FightltOut... 63 
 
 Fortitude Amid Trials 104 
 
 Giving and Living 105 
 
 Grannie's Meetin' Folk Notion 57 
 
 Happy Moments 32 
 
 Han's Baby ; 14 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Vll 
 
 Page. 
 
 Heaven's Beacon Light 28. 
 
 'He Liveth Long who Liveth Well 25 
 
 Heroine Huldah 51 
 
 Imaginary Evils 92 
 
 Intuitiv -! Aspirations 9 
 
 Intellectual Cultivation 96 
 
 Interrupted Table Talk 98 
 
 Impersonal Preaching 124 
 
 James King's Sermonizing 38 
 
 Keeping His Distance. . % 12 
 
 Knowledge Increaseth Usefulness. .'. loi 
 
 Law of Love 62 
 
 Laconic Courtships 87 
 
 Lay of the Light ; 11 
 
 Like a Child 23 
 
 Liquordom Lexicon 103 
 
 Longing for a Longer Line 71 
 
 Loved the Birds 35 
 
 Loved Objects and Love 78 
 
 M ighty Truth 1 26 
 
 Most Unsatisfactory Reports 124 
 
 Model Proclamation . » 13 
 
 Mr. Snider's Temperance Experience 87 
 
 Mrs. Hardcastle's Hard Case 9c 
 
 ^^Never Despair 77 
 
 Not Liking to Hear Him 64' 
 
 On the Bright Side 85 
 
 One Duty at Once 59 
 
 Paramount Points of Piety 56 
 
 Pithy Brevities 114 
 
 Pig Dignity 118 
 
 Poetic Perceptions ' 46 
 
 Premature Quarrel 106 
 
 Present Time Only Available 99 
 
 Progress Unbounded 75 
 
 Real Regrets and- Rejoicings , 29 
 
 Remarkable Rough Repentance , 36 
 
 Ridiculous Extremes 90 
 
f 
 
 i I 
 
 I ' 
 
 VIU 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 • Right or Wrong Roads 113 
 
 Science of Sure Success 97 
 
 Sea Shore at Night-Fall 22 
 
 Shall the Drink Trade Drive On ? 116 
 
 Silver Tone Souicss 72 
 
 Singularly Complimentary 89 
 
 Singular Sundries I15-125 
 
 Some Oratorical Flights and Flounderings 45 
 
 Some Advantages of Nonsense 15 
 
 Sowing and Reaping 1 12 
 
 Strong, Brave and True : 81 
 
 Suicide Extraordinary 122 
 
 The Beautiful 83 
 
 The Bright Side the Right Side 33 
 
 The Castles We Build in the Air 34 
 
 The Cheerful Heart 96 
 
 The Coming Day 58 
 
 The Great and the Small 97 
 
 The Glass of Gin 119 
 
 The Worship of Nature 80 
 
 The Wind-Harp lo 
 
 Three Words of Strength 102 
 
 Thrilling Rescue 48 
 
 Tam Scott's Exercises 17 
 
 Transposition Treasonable 120 
 
 Two That Come Only Once 68 
 
 Use of Life 66 
 
 Very Foolish Resolves ., 20 
 
 Very Poor Directions , 121 
 
 Very Fine Drawn Theory, and If So. , 52 
 
 Vicissitudes , 86 
 
 Water- Wheel Solemn Soliloquy. jn 
 
 Weather Judge Pleased 42 
 
 WhatisThis Life? [ ^ 
 
 While You May 109 
 
 Widder Green's Last Words .*..*] ,6 
 
SPENCE'S 
 
 Select Readings. 
 
 -—^ 
 
 INTUITIVE ASPIRATIONS. 
 
 A little brown seed in the furrow, 
 
 Was still in its lowly bed ; 
 While violets blue and lilies white, 
 
 Were whispering overhead. 
 They conversed of glories strange and rare, 
 
 Of glittering dew and floating air, 
 And beauty and rapture everywhere, 
 
 And the seed heard all they said. 
 
 The little brown seed in the darkness, 
 
 And so close to the lilies feet ; 
 Yet far away from the gladsome day, 
 
 Where life seemed so complete. 
 In heart it up-treasured every word. 
 
 And longed for the life of which it heard ; 
 For the light that shone and the air that stirr'd, 
 
 In that world so wondrous fair ; 
 Still wond']:ing and thinking can I ever be there, 
 
 And in such high ecstacies have any share. 
 
 This poor little brown seed in silence. 
 
 So in-thrilled with a strange unrest ; 
 A warm new heart beat tremblingly, 
 
 In its hampered heaving breast. 
 With its two small hands clasped as in prayer, 
 
 It lifted them up in the darkness there ; 
 Up ! up through the sod to the sun and air, 
 
 The firm folded hands up press'd. 
 

 lO 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 li 
 
 Oh little brown seed in the furrow, 
 
 At last you have pierced the mould ; 
 And quivering with a life intense, 
 
 Your beautiful leaves unfold. 
 Like wings outspread for upward flight, 
 
 And slowly moving up into the light ; 
 Your sweet bud opens till in heavens sight. 
 
 You wear a bright crown of gold. 
 
 Oh ! aspiring soul, seed immortal, 
 
 Here so dark, so earth-confined ; 
 In thy intuitions instinctive. 
 
 Of heavenward aspiring mind. 
 Still upward, press on in thy might. 
 
 On, on to thy high birthright ! 
 Till crowded in the long'd for light, 
 
 Earth's darkness is left behind. 
 
 i' 
 
 THE WIND-HARP. 
 
 BY F. E. WEATHERLV. 
 
 I set my wind-harp true attuned, 
 
 And a wind came out from the south ; 
 Soft, soft it blew with gentle coo. 
 Like sweet words from maiden's mouth. 
 Then like the stir of angels' wings. 
 It gently touched the trembling strings; 
 And Oh ! my harp gave back to me, 
 Its wondrous heavenly melody. 
 
 I set my wind-harp true attuned. 
 And a raging storm blew loud ; 
 From the icy north it hurried forth, 
 And dark grew sea and cloud. 
 It wildly screamed down mountain's height, 
 It smote the quivering chords with might ; 
 Yet still my harp gave back to me, 
 Its tender heavenly melody. 
 
 Ah, me ! that such a heart were mine, 
 
 Responsive, tuned and true ; 
 When all was glad, when all was shine, 
 
 Or when storms of sorrow blew. 
 
 fi'i. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 That so 'mid all the fret and strife, 
 The jarring undertones of life ; 
 My life might rise to God, and be 
 One long harmonious symphony. 
 
 II 
 
 LAY OF LIGHT. 
 
 When first the broad tent firmament. 
 
 Arose on its airy spars, 
 I pencilled the hue of its matchless blue. 
 
 And spangled it round with stars. 
 
 I painted the flowers in the Eden bowers, 
 
 And their leaves of living green ; 
 And mine were the dyes in the sinless eyes, 
 
 Of Eden's early queen. 
 
 When the waves that burst o'er the world accursed. 
 
 Their work of wrath had sped ; 
 And the Ark's lone few, the tried and true. 
 
 Came forth from among the dead. 
 
 Then with wondrous gleams of my braided beams. 
 
 Mild I bade their anxieties cease ; 
 As I wrote on the roll of the storm's dark scroll, 
 
 Heaven's covenant of peace. 
 
 The wild flower in the waste by my love embraced, 
 
 As the rose in the garden of kings ; 
 At the chrysalis bier of the worm I appear, 
 
 And lo ! the gay butterfly wings. 
 
 Equal favor I show to the lofty and low, 
 
 On the just and the unjust I descend ; 
 E'en the blind whose vain spheres roll in darkness and tears. 
 
 Feel my smile as the smile of a friend. 
 
 If such the glad worth of my presence on earth, 
 
 Though fitful and fleeting the while ; 
 What glories must rest on the home of the blest, 
 
 Ever bright with the Deity's smile. 
 
 Abridged from W. P. Palmer, 
 
rf 
 
 13 spence's select readings. 
 
 KEEPING HIS DISTANCE. 
 
 Satan is reported as at times having made several strange 
 bargains with human beings. In most cases these trans- 
 actions have turned out sadly to the disadvantage of the 
 human party. Yet, however unreliable as to fulfilment of 
 terms upon the whole, the father of lies mostly gets the 
 credit of abiding strictly by any terms of agreement into 
 which he has been led to enter, or it might be more correct 
 to say into which he has led others to enter, as according 
 to accounts, he is mostly set forth as the proposer of the 
 terms of the bargain. 
 
 One condition or consideration in nearly every instance 
 on record binds the unfortunate dealer with the devil to 
 the final surrender of his soul, but there are also reported 
 exceptions, and in the instance here narrated there does not 
 appear to have been any s ich matter of bargain. 
 
 The account is that the arch enemy had for many long 
 years been trying his utmost skill in vain, to get a pious old 
 couple to quarrel. His ambition was intensely fired to 
 accomplish this dire design, and perseveringly he had tried 
 all his most reliable, infernal schemes in vain. But not to 
 be defeated, the evil one concluded that his only remaining 
 chance of success now lay in the employment of some less 
 suspected or more efficient earthly agency. The desired 
 agent he forthwith secured in the person of a known, vile, 
 tale-bearing old woman, who was willing at once to under- 
 take the deed for the small consideration of a pair of new 
 shoes, to be given her when she had fairly initiated the 
 desired quarrel, and on such terms her services were at once 
 accepted. The difficult deed having at length been very 
 effectually managed by her, fully up to the terms on her 
 part, she accordingly demanded the stipulated payment, 
 and to receive the same, she came in person to the place 
 appointed, where, as had been agreed, she was to have the 
 said shoes passed into her possession by the veritable 
 devil himself 
 
 Having arrived at the appointed place of meeting, there 
 promptly she discovered moving towards her on the outer 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 13 
 
 end of a very long pole thrust through a whole in the high 
 strong fence the proposed pair of good looking shoes. 
 
 " Why ! " exclaimed she " How is this ? " " How is 
 this ? " chuckled back the fiend from the other side of the 
 fence. . " Vou may guess how is this ! Don't you suppose 
 I know enough not to venture nearer, or do you suppose I 
 would let come nearer to me than the length of this 
 ample pole any one found capable of the job you have just 
 done ? " 
 
 I. FRY. 
 
 MODEL PROCLAMATION. 
 
 The Mayor of Galesburgh was requested by the devout 
 portion of his citizens to issue a proclamation, ordering a day 
 of thanksgiving and prayer. 
 
 Mayor West accordingly caused to be posted up and in- 
 serted in the local journal the announcement, in terms, which 
 to his thinking would meet the bearings of the case : 
 
 " I do therefore commend and order to the good people 
 of Galesburg, that on that day (hereby set apart for the pur- 
 pose) they lay aside all secular employments, and assemble 
 in their respective places of public worship, and there de- 
 voutly offer praises and prayer, giving thanks for mercies, and 
 seeking pardon for our past sins, and asking to be kept in 
 future from sinning generally, and from violating the laws, 
 either physical, moral, or municipal ; and while we pray to 
 be protected from the ravages of disease, pray also that the 
 hearer of prayer, will be pleased to influence us to abate every 
 nuisance, clean «vcry yard, remove every species of filth, and 
 every cause that is likely to produce sickness and unpleasant- 
 ness, believing that he is willing to help those who manifest 
 a disposition to help themselves, and not asking him to dis- 
 pense with sanitary laws to save them trouble on the work- 
 ing days." 
 
 The writer, who deemed this copy of document, woithy of 
 being placed on record as precedent and pattern for sanitary, 
 sensible Thanksgiving day proclamation , remarks on the 
 
 j^^' 
 
14 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 h5 
 
 I 
 
 i! , 
 
 t|! 
 
 directions given as to the devotional exercises, a healthy 
 prayer was that, with a solid chunk of common sense in it — 
 perhaps improvable by a little polish, but as orthodox in doc- 
 trine, and with a fair smack of the pious and practical. In 
 fact almost a model proclamation which ought to have been 
 respected. 
 
 HAN'S BABY. 
 
 So help me gracious, efery day 
 
 I laff me vild to saw her vay 
 
 My schmall young baby dries to blay. 
 
 Dot funny leetle baby. 
 
 Vhen I look of dhem leetle toes, 
 Und saw dot funny leetle nose. 
 Den efery day I saw her grows. 
 
 So more like his Fader baby. 
 
 Sometimes dare gomes a leetle schquall, ^ 
 Dots vhen her vindy vind vill crawl 
 Righd in his leetle stchomak schmall. 
 
 Dots too bad for der baby. 
 
 Den ven him shing at night so schveet 
 
 Und gorry-barrik den must ead, 
 
 Und I must chump sphry on mine feet. 
 
 To help dot leetle baby. 
 
 Him bulls mine nose and kiks mine hair, 
 Und grawls me ofer eferywhere, 
 Und slobbers me— but vol I care. 
 
 Dot vas my schmall young baby. 
 
 Be round my head that litde arm 
 Vas schquosen me so nice und warm, 
 O ! may der nefer goom some harm 
 
 To dot schmall leetle baby. 
 
.':. 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 15 
 
 SOME ADVANTAGES OF NONSENSE. 
 
 Nonsense is neither chargeable with being true or false. 
 Two great properties of nonsense which are always essential 
 to it^ give it such peculiar advantage that it is incapable of 
 being contradicted. It stands on its own basis like a rock 
 secure against all attacks of would-be assailants. The major 
 and minor are of equal strength. It's assertions are not to 
 be invalidated. Its questions admit of no reply. You can- 
 not find out what to approve or particularly disapprove. If 
 it affirms, you cannot lay hold. If it denies you cannot re- 
 fute. There are greater depths, obscurities, intricacies and 
 perplexities in a real elaborate utterance of nonsense than in 
 the most abstruse and profound statements of any theolo- 
 gical essay of any school of divinity. Imagination, too, has 
 great domain for play in the sphere of nonsense. 
 
 Both the subject and the object being evidently the same 
 in substance, nonsense ; the critic must find his art utterly at 
 fault ; and even evil-eyed envy fails to formulate a feasible 
 charge of any failure of purpose in the production. 
 
 The absurd as such, exists, not in the true nature of non- 
 sense, while the incongruous is really the strictly consistent, 
 and the more discordant, the more correctly harmonious may 
 it be accounted. 
 
 In real nonsense even the rules of grammar may be set at 
 naught, yet the precepts of nonsense not at all transgressed 
 — Nay ! rather so doth the composition approximate to 
 perfection. 
 
 The short step said to intervene between the sublime and 
 riduculous even here appears to <//j-appear ! In the most 
 deliberate assertions of nonsense — mist and mistify assert 
 the place of lucid statement and unimpeachable perspicuity, 
 while ahead of the very wise exultingly dashes the otherwise. 
 
 The resolute reviewer profoundly puts down his glasses 
 and majestically pronounces " the whole production a tissue 
 of pure unadulterated unmitigated^ sheer nonsense" and the 
 over-delighted author, still admiringly and exultant, answers, 
 ''just so:' 
 
i6 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 in 
 
 M 
 
 Thus it is the especial fortune of nonsense to surely and 
 amply realize its own most exalted ideal, you may say, 
 "pshaw ! nonsense,'' and you very properly draw forth the 
 ever ready and correct response, " exactly." 
 
 Mind, to swing like the pendulum back and forth, seems, 
 And the stronger the force to the further extremes. 
 So to have ample sweeps and in wisdom sweep wide, 
 Dash at times to extremes on the opposite side. 
 
 WIDDER GREEN'S LAST WORDS. 
 
 I'm goin* to die says Widder Green, 
 
 I'm goin' to quit this earthly scene ; 
 
 It isn't no place for me to stay, 
 
 In sitch a world as it is this day ; 
 
 Sitch works and ways is too much for me, 
 
 When nobody can't let nobody be. 
 
 The girls is flounced from top to toe, 
 
 An* that's the hull o' what they know ; 
 
 The men is mad on bonds an' on stocks. 
 
 An' swearin' an' shootin' an' pickin' locks ; 
 
 I'm real afraid I'll be hang'd myself, 
 
 If I am not soon laid on my final shelf. 
 
 There isn't a creature but knows this day, 
 
 I never was counted lunatic any way ; 
 
 But since crazy people all go free, 
 
 I'm dreadful afraid they'll hang up me ; 
 
 There's another thing too that's pesky hard. 
 
 When I can't go into a neighbors yard — 
 
 To say * how be ye ? ' or borrow a pin. 
 
 But what the papers 'II have it in ; 
 
 And then the next day the whole world will read, 
 
 It's a plaguey way to be bothered indeed : 
 
 " We're pleased to say that Wider Green, 
 
 Took dinner on Tuesday with Mrs. Keen ,» ;" 
 
 And " our worthy friend Miss Green, has gone 
 
 Down to Barkhamhed to see her son ; " 
 
 Great Jerusalem can't one at all stir, 
 
 Without a risin' some feller's fur ? 
 
 There isn't no privacy — so to say. 
 
 No more nor if it was the judgment day ; 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 And then as for meetin' — I want to swear, 
 
 That whenever I put my head in there ! — 
 
 "Why even old hundred is spiled and done, . 
 
 Like every thing else under the sun. 
 
 It used to be solemn an' steady an' slow, 
 
 Praise to Heaven from people below ; 
 
 Now it goes most like a gallopin' steer, 
 
 High diddle diddle, there and here ; 
 
 No real respect for th' Almighty above. 
 
 No more'n ef he was hand and glove — 
 
 With all the creatures he ever made, 
 
 And all the tricks that forever was play'd. 
 
 Then preachin' too — but here I'm dumb. 
 
 But I tell you what 1 would like it some — 
 
 If good ol' parson — Nathan Strong, 
 
 Out o' his grave would come along. 
 
 An* give us a stirrin' taste o' fire, — 
 
 An' judgment, an' justice, is my desire ; 
 
 It isn't all love an' sickish sweet, 
 
 That makes this worl' nor t'other complete. 
 
 —But la I'm ol', I'd better be dead, 
 
 When the world's a turnin' over my head ; 
 
 Crazy creatures a murderin' round. 
 
 Honest folks better be under the ground ; 
 
 So fare-ye-well to this mortal scene. 
 
 Wont no more be pestered with Widder Green. 
 
 17 
 
 TAM. SCOTT'S EXERCISES. 
 
 Many years ago a shepherd and family lived it Tweeds- 
 mair. His wife had business to Peeble's fair, but not being 
 able to make the distance in a day, she went the night 
 before, and stopped with an old acquaintance, who was in 
 the habit of holding family worship, which in those parts 
 was generally termed " exercises." Tibby, who had not 
 been accustomed to such a practice at home, was so well 
 pleased therewith that she finally resolved to have the same 
 " keepit up in her ain hoos for the time to come." Accord- 
 ingly, when she had transacted her other business, she 
 went to the man who kept the book stand and made 
 enquiry, " Hae ye ony exercise buiks ? " " Yes, plenty," 
 

 i8 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 replied the dealer, "but what de ye want we't?" he 
 enquired. " Deed " says Tibby, I'm just gawn te tak it 
 hame an' get oor Tam to mak exercises to me an' the 
 weans. 
 
 The man was not over half satisfied as to what she 
 really wanted. However, he put up the book for her, to- 
 gether with a pair of spectacles, for she said " Tam was na 
 sae gude at seein' noo as formerly (puir body."). Having 
 secured the exercise book and the specs, Tibby went on 
 her way and reached her * ain hoos ' in safety. 
 
 When Tam came home at night, and after she had re- 
 sponded to his " Weel Tibby ye've got hame frae the fair," 
 and she had retailed several items of general news she 
 commenced the task of introducing the subject of the book 
 with " Eh ! mon ! I was at oor freen Sandy Camerons a' 
 neicht. An' are they a' weel ? " says John, " Aye, but 
 that's what they ar* ye may say uncd weel, — an they have' — 
 Oh ! they have the reel reight thing there. O, Tam ! they 
 hae family exercises, an' its nae the thing that ye an' me 
 
 hae been sae lang thigether an' nae hain exercises tae 
 
 An' I'm determined this neicht afore ye sleep that ye mak 
 them tae me an' the weans." 
 
 This appeared rather stem for Tam all at once, who was 
 entirely unacquainted witli such matters, although such 
 ignorance was rather uncommon among shepherds even 
 in those parts, who were generally known as a pious and 
 intelligent class. 
 
 " Wee'll no fash the nicht. We'll consider aboot it, an' 
 see aboot it after a wee," said Tam meditatively. 
 
 " Nae consider ava, just get aboot it at once," replied 
 Tibby promptly and resolutely. I have bought the buik 
 for the virra purpose, an' a pair o* specs, an' a' thigither 
 come — tome / — my guid man ! nae refusal ! " 
 
 Tam, sore against his will, was induced to get on the 
 specs, and with book in hand to proceed according to the 
 plain instructions therein contained, thus : 
 
 " Fall into ranks ! (A pause.) 
 
 Tibby speaks earnestly — "Noo bairns sit ye roun' yer 
 faither, he's gaun tae mak exercises. Whisht ! Whisht ! 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 19 
 
 Tarn again speaks (in strong voice) 
 
 " Turn to the left ! " 
 
 Tibby interposes, "Bairns stan' up at yer faithers left 
 han' an* be guid, whisht ! deye hear," (say awa noo Tam.) 
 
 Tam once more gives the words "quick-march." 
 
 Tibby somewhat confused, mutters " my ! what's that 
 ava ? » 
 
 "Right about wheel ! " (shouts Tam.) 
 
 Tibby earnestly exclaims — " Deer forgiee rne ! — ^Weans 
 gang roon about the wheel — (But a dinna understan' this 
 exercise o' oors.") Say awa Tam. Whihst bairns ! 
 
 Tam clearly pronounces " shoulder erms ! " 
 
 Tibby reaches for the tangs meditatively saying " what 
 an awful wye o* exercise this ! — Guidness guide us, the 
 mons witchet ! — ^Tam can ye no get doon on yer knees an* 
 pray for yer wife an' weans like yer honest freen Sandy 
 Cameron ? — That was na the wye he did it ava, a canna 
 understan' this fur exercises 1 " 
 
 At length Tam got down on his knees, but not up to 
 what ought to come next, he (as a prelimenary) cleared his 
 throat — repeatedly scratched his head and finally began : 
 
 " O O ! " (and then turning to Tibby, half 
 
 whispered) " I dinna ken what to say." Tibby earnestly 
 responds " Dear men will ye no say awa, have ye no the 
 buik." Tam once more intently looking on the book almost 
 shouted " Aye I hae it noo — Whor hae we to gang te ? " 
 
 " Where ? " whispered Tibby, " Where the draggon 
 shud ye gang but ben to bed wi yer wife and weans ! — ' 
 Will ye no say awa there ? Bless me ! will ye say awa \ " 
 
 But Tam being now come to a total stand still (or kneel 
 still), and at a loss for anything to come next — in utter 
 despair turns another time to the book, and turns over a 
 new leaf and cries out in a commanding voice " Present ! — 
 Fire!" 
 
 Tibby now positively in little less than a rage starts to 
 her feet and cries out " Tam are ye mad — Tam what dae ye 
 mean ? " 
 
 *• Its a' in the buik ! " retorted Tam, vigorously scratch- 
 ing his (apparently confused) head. Its the wye it's in the 
 buik certain I 
 
 i 
 
flO 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 "Wed I'm sure " (said Tibby), " if it be a exercise buik 
 it munna be a guid yen." " We'd better defer't (said Tam), 
 Had we no till we get better acquaint we't ? " Tibby rather 
 reluctantly agreed— saying " We may|get mair intae th' wye 
 o' 't after a wee,"— and they defer't. Tibby ultimately, 
 next fair, procured exchange of the military exercise book 
 for one of family devotional exercises, and as tradition re- 
 cords, Tam and Tibby and the weans, happily kept up the 
 more Christian exercise. 
 
 VERY FOOLISH RESOLVES. 
 
 Wise advisers have often warned the inexperienced 
 against rasli^ promises. Persons making vows ought care- 
 fully to consider beforehand, and, as far as possible, pro- 
 vide for contingencies. It often happens to short-sighted 
 mortals, that unforeseen circumstances may place the promis- 
 er in a very awkward plight, if bound to a certain course of 
 action without due regard to consequences ; and yet, some- 
 times, to be under the most absolute binding resolution is 
 by far the safest, (sometimes, however, not so). 
 
 The little occurrence here narrated is one of those where 
 protnises were made without mature deliberation. 
 
 Miss Mary Sanderson had seen so much distasteful to 
 her fancy in schoolmasters in general, and in regard to the 
 whole race of the Irish indulged a most cordial antipathy ; 
 and then, red-haired men she detested j so that whenever 
 contemplating matrimony it seemed sufficiently settled to 
 be dismissed without serious consideration, yet, to make as- 
 surance doubly sure, that she might never have her lot in 
 life cast in connexion with any of these three objectionable 
 sorts of husbands, Miss Sanderson saw fit to put it in the 
 solemn form of obligation, and vow that come or go what 
 would she would never seriously entertain proposals of mar- 
 riage under any circumstances from any young man, how- 
 ever suitable in other respects, be he a schoolmaster, 
 or be he red-headed, or be he Irish — she wouldn't have him/ 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 ai 
 
 Time wore on, and it is recorded on reliable tradition 
 that more than one applicant for her heart and hand had 
 been martyr to Mary's rash vow. But, " Relentless time, it 
 wouldn't wait." 
 
 The years kept numbering up, and the eligible young men 
 were not becoming more numerous — indeed, rather the re- 
 verse. And so by and by, in calm reflection, Mary reluc- 
 tantly decided to drop off one of her stern resolves, having 
 come to think that should the next anxious sigh and good 
 offer come from the heart and lips of a schoolmaster, " it 
 wasn't so unworthy a calling," only let him not be of the de- 
 testible country or the horrid color of hair ; and yet, strange 
 to say, with all this condescending liberality on her part, 
 somehow the right young men didn't come round. 
 
 Whatever could be the matter ? Now would she, could she, 
 yet fuither modify her vow? — perhaps dispense with and 
 strike off" one more of the three fixed conditions, and if so, 
 which of them? She would wait yet a little longer; "pa- 
 tience and perseverance often overcome difficulties"; (yet 
 even this does not always apply). Ultimately, however, the 
 knotty question was compromised in this way, simply that 
 the next time a seeming good offer came along, it might be 
 just as wise to ask no particular questions as to the nation- 
 ality y and. furthermore, suppose the interview took place in 
 not very clear light, the exact shade of hair need not be too 
 closely scrutinized. Wasn't there an art to bring hair to al- 
 most any color desired ? In fact, she could see there were 
 far higher considerations than these minor matters. 
 
 The record further is, that one fine morning Mary did 
 
 finally find herself the fond stepmother of Mr. Phelim O'- 
 Hanayan's little family — good Phelim being a schoolmaster 
 and a genuine, fiery-headed son of the Green Isle, and it is 
 certified that she efficiently aided him in the discharge of 
 his arduous teaching Uities. 
 
 Now, moreover, sedate Mrs. O'Hanayan seriously advises 
 all silly young people never to make thoughtless vows, 
 and if they have done so, why, to be sure, a rash promise is 
 better broken than kept. 
 
m\ 
 
 I; 
 
 33 SPENCE's select READINGS. 
 
 SEA SHORE NIGHTFALL. 
 
 Slow falls the night ; 
 
 The tender light 
 Of stars grows brighter and more bright ; 
 
 The lingering ray 
 
 Of dying day 
 Sinks deeper down and fades away. 
 
 Now fast, now slow, 
 
 The south winds blow, 
 And softly whisper, breathing low ; 
 
 With gentle grace 
 
 They kiss my face, 
 Or fold me in their cool embrace. 
 
 Where one pale star 
 
 O'er waters far, 
 Droops down to touch the harbor bar, 
 
 A faint light gleams, 
 
 A light that seems 
 To grow and grow till nature teems 
 
 With mellow haze ; 
 
 And to my gaze 
 Comes proudly rising, with its rays 
 
 No longer dim. 
 
 The moon ; its rim 
 In splendor gilds the billowy brim. 
 
 I watch it gain 
 The heavenly plain ; 
 
 Behind it trails a starry train- 
 While low and sweet 
 The wavelets beat 
 
 Their murmuring music at my feet 
 
 Alone I stand ; 
 
 On either hand 
 In gathering gloom stretch sea and land ; 
 
 Beneath my feet. 
 
 With ceaseless beat, 
 The waters murmur low and sweet. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 'Tis sacred ground ; 
 
 A peace profound 
 Comes o'er my soul. I hear no sound, 
 
 Save at my feet 
 
 The ceaseless beat 
 Of waters murmuring low and sweet. 
 
 — W. W. E. 
 
 LIKE A CHILD. 
 
 Playing there in the sun, 
 
 Chasing the butterflies, 
 Catching his golden toy. 
 
 Holding it fast till it dies ; 
 Singing to match the birds. 
 
 Calling the robins at will, 
 Glancing here and there. 
 
 Never a moment still — 
 
 Like a child. 
 
 Going to school and back. 
 
 Learning to read and write. 
 Puzzled over his slate. 
 
 Busy from morn till night, 
 Striving to win a prize. 
 
 Careless when it is won. 
 Finding his joy in the strife. 
 
 Not in the thing that's done. 
 
 Like a child. 
 
 Busy in eager trade. 
 
 Buying and selling again, 
 Chasmg a golden prize. 
 
 Glad of a transient gain ; 
 Always beginning anew. 
 
 Never the long task o'er, 
 Just as it used to be — 
 
 The butterfly before. 
 
 Like a child. 
 
 Seeking a woman's heart. 
 Winning it for his own. 
 
 Then, too busy for love, 
 Letting it turn to stone. 
 
 
24 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 I! 
 
 «' 
 
 
 Sure of his plighted truth, 
 What more had a wife to ask ? 
 
 Is he not doing for her 
 Each day his daily task ? 
 
 Like a child. 
 
 A child to pine and complain ! 
 
 A child to grow so pale ! 
 For want of some foolish words 
 
 Shall a woman's faith fail ? 
 Words ! he said them once — 
 
 What need of anything more ? 
 Does one who has entered a room 
 
 Go back and wait at the do^or? 
 
 Like a child. 
 
 Baby Mary and Kate 
 
 Never dare climb his knee ; 
 Motherly arms are open — 
 
 " Father is busy, you see." 
 Too busy to stop to hear 
 
 A babble of broken talk, 
 To mend the jumping-jack. 
 
 Or make the new doll walk. 
 
 Like a child. 
 
 So busy that when death comes 
 
 He pleads for a little delay. 
 If not to finish his work. 
 
 At least a word to say — 
 A word to wife and child, 
 
 A sentence to tell the truth. 
 That he loves them now at the last, 
 
 With the passionate heart of youth. 
 
 Like a child. 
 
 The kisses of Death are cold, 
 
 And they turn his lips to stone ; 
 Out of the warm, bright world 
 
 The man goes all alone. 
 Do angels wait for him there 
 
 Over the soundless sea ? 
 He goes as he came, a helpless wight. 
 
 To a new world's mystery. 
 
 Like a child. 
 
SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 25 
 
 ti 
 
 a 
 
 HE LIVETH LONG WHO LIVETH 
 WELL. 
 
 He liveth long who liveth well ! 
 
 All other life is short and vain ; 
 He liveth longest who can tell 
 
 Of living most for heavenly gain. 
 
 He liveth long who liveth well ! 
 
 All else is being flung away ; 
 He liveth longest who can tell 
 
 Of true things truly done each day. 
 
 Be wise and use thy wisdom well ; 
 
 Who wisdom speaks must live it too ; 
 He is the wisest who can tell 
 
 How he both lived and spoke the True. 
 
 Be what thou seemest, live thy creed, 
 Hold up to earth the torch Divine ; 
 
 Be what thou prayest to be made, 
 Let the great Master's step be thine. 
 
 Fill up each hour with what will last ; 
 
 Buy up the moments as they go ; 
 The life above when this is past 
 
 Is the ripe fruit of life below. 
 
 Sow Truth if thou the true would reap ; 
 
 Who sows the false shall reap the vain ; 
 Erect and sound the conscience keep, 
 
 From hollow words and deeds refrain. 
 
 Sow love, and taste its fruitage pure ; 
 
 Sow peace, and reap its harvest bright ;. 
 Sow sunbeams on the way and moor, 
 
 And find a harvest-home of light. 
 
 Sow wisdom's seed, and heavenly joy 
 Even on this desert earth will spring, 
 
 Blest efforts thou dost thus employ 
 Will blessed increase surely bring. 
 
 Sow all day long, O who can tell 
 Returns in future yet to come. * 
 
 He liveth long who soweth well 
 For golden heavenly harvest home. 
 
 ii 
 
 ll 
 ' W 
 
 
fi 
 
 ' i 
 ■ I 
 
 26 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 COMPARATIVE PLEASURE. 
 
 On a wild, wintry night, a vessel laden with an immortal 
 cargo labors and heaves in the swelling storm. Driven 
 helplessly by the fury of the elements, she strikes and 
 crashes on the fatal rock. The shrieks and wails of the per- 
 ishing are borne ashore on the swift wings of the wind, sig- 
 nals of distress are hoisted, and a piercing appeal for help 
 is made. But the man in charge of the life-boat declines to 
 attempt any help. He has too much regard for his own 
 ease to expose himself to such a storm. Influenced by 
 narrow, selfish thoughts, he sits by his fireside, where he 
 may hear, without feeling, the fury of the storm. The 
 piercing shrieks of the shipwrecked mingle with the howl of 
 the storm, but he hears unmoved. He cares not who per- 
 ish, so that he is safe. Our deepest nature is stirred ! Our 
 hottest indignation burns ! Terms too severe cannot be 
 found to express detestation of selfishness so base and in- 
 diflerence so dastardly. 
 
 But now turn from him to the other man, who no sooner 
 hears than he nobly braces himself to the perilous task, 
 and exclaims, " Help ! Help ! ! If human means can save, 
 they shall be saved !" And away he rushes amid the swell 
 of the seething sea, manfully battling with the raging ele- 
 ments, risking his own to rescue the life of others. There 
 can be no question raised as to which is the higher style of 
 man. But not only in the point of noble daring done may 
 these two type characters be contrasted. Look at them in 
 regard to real happiness. Has the selfish man who declin- 
 ed the task out of regard for his own comfort secured the 
 end he sought ? Does he find himself at ease, contented 
 and composed? Has he by avoiding that risk secured 
 happiness ? While apparently calm, warming himself by his 
 own fire, is he not distressed with the painful consciousness 
 of having ignominiously declined a noble service ? Does 
 he not feel a power within severely reproaching him with 
 mean cowardice and selfishness ? Does he not feel, too, he 
 has fairly incurred the reproaches of others ? Is it not true 
 of him that, conscious of having lost both comfort of mind 
 
( 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 27 
 
 'I !! 
 
 and the respect of the public, he spends his anxious time in 
 vainly wishing (perhaps regretting) — a thousand times wish- 
 ing he had had the courage to address himself to the peril- 
 ous toil, so as to have averted (if not the calamity of others), 
 yet from himself the tempests of reproach with which he is 
 pitilessly beaten from within as well as without. 
 
 But now turn to again contemplate the noble and gener- 
 ous man. What joyous ieelings beat high and strong in hig 
 heroic bosom. Even while struggling with wind and waves, - 
 he has within him the feeling that he is doing a brave and 
 philanthropic act, and that very consciousness makes him 
 happy amid the perilous rocks and while defying the yawn- 
 ing ocean. What a tide of joy floods his earnest soul as he 
 lifts from the wave-beaten rock the first perishing one ! 
 How does that tide of gladness rise and swell as he bravely 
 hands up from the wreck each saved one in succession, un- 
 til the last is rescued and saved ! What a climax his joy 
 reaches when he stands up amid the shouts of spectators, 
 the tears and joy of relatives, and the benedictions of the 
 saved ones ! 
 
 Then who would not choose the lot of the generous one, 
 whose heart promptly responded to the wail of distress, and 
 who, actuated by noble impulses, makes earnest efforts for 
 the happiness of otliers, although at much personal incon- 
 venience and risk ? Is not the noble, unselfish desire lead- 
 ing to disinterested, even toilsome action, in doing all we 
 can to promote the happiness of others, sure to succeed at 
 least in realizing increase of happiness to ourselves ? True, 
 we cannot know beforehand exactly the amount of risk or 
 toil to be encountered, but the benevolent heart chooses 
 rather to look at the desirable end aimed at, and being 
 urged on by the higher nature, secures also the certain and 
 substantial joy. 
 
 Now in experience amply understood 
 The luxury, the real bliss of doing good. 
 
 — {Selected^ modified /) 
 
 i 
 
 t 
 
 m 
 
 -m 
 
 k ■■fil 
 mi 
 
 .Sil 
 
 ;Jl,; 
 
a8 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 HEAVEN'S BEACON LIGHTS. 
 
 ■f 
 
 With shining beams from beacons high 
 Sending afar their friendly hght, 
 
 When night falls on the earth the sea 
 All round the coast seems twinkling bright. 
 
 The sailor's eyes, as if in prayer, 
 
 Turn unto them for guiding ray 
 If storms obscure their radiance there 
 
 Mariners helpless grope their way. 
 
 When night falls on the earth the sky 
 Astounding seems a boundless main. 
 
 Who knows what voyagers sail there, 
 Or names the ports they seel: or gain ? 
 
 In that vast deep expanse of space 
 Rushing in speed and distance far, 
 
 Beyond our thinking's resting place 
 Or sounding line by coasting star. 
 
 Through the vast universe abroad 
 Move messengers on errands bent, 
 
 Fulfilling high behests of God, , 
 On bliss-promoting deeds intent. 
 
 In this great mission's solemn race. 
 In this vast journey scarce aware 
 
 Of our small planet's name or place 
 Revolving in the lower air. 
 
 Are not those suns as beacons set 
 
 To guide the voyagers that go 
 From universe to universe 
 
 Our little world above below ? 
 
 Bless'd indication ! Thought how glad ! 
 
 An awe most rapturous it stirs 
 From point to point — His beacons shine, 
 
 God wills to save His mariners. 
 
 (Altered from) 
 
 H. S. S. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 29 
 
 ■: r i 
 
 REAL REGRETS AND REJOICINGS. 
 
 Alas ! the evil which we fain would shun 
 
 Too oft we do and leave the wished for good undone. 
 
 Our strength to-day 
 Becomes to-morrow weakness prone to fall, 
 Forgetful poor unprofitable servants all. 
 
 Oh ! how we stray ! 
 
 When looking backward through our youth and prime 
 Behold we spectres of our misspent time, 
 
 And through the shade 
 Of funeral cypress planted thick behind 
 We hear reproachful whispers on the wind 
 
 From seasons fled. 
 
 Yet who while looking so o'er by-past years 
 But feels his eyelids wet with grateful tears. 
 
 If he hath been 
 Permitted weak and sinful as he was 
 To cheer and aid in some enobling cause 
 
 His fellow men ? 
 
 If he hath helped the wretched or let in 
 A ray of sunshine on dark cell of sin. 
 
 If he hath lent 
 Strength to the weak and in the hour of need 
 Over the suffering heedless of his creed 
 
 Or hue hath bent. 
 
 Blest he who looking backward and with hope before 
 Assured that woe and sin a sacred lore 
 
 Can bid depart. 
 He hath not lived for nought, but gives 
 The praise to Him by whom he moves and lives 
 
 With thankful heart. 
 
 ■ n 
 
 J 
 
 ' j:;f 
 
 a 
 
 I 
 
 DUTY, BEAUTY AND BLESSING. 
 
 Duty, beauty, blessing. 
 
 Ever found together. 
 
 Surely realizing, 
 
 Sunshine any weather. 
 
 m 
 
 i4; 
 
30 
 
 spence's select readings 
 
 Highly appointed union, 
 
 Beauty, joy, employment. 
 
 Imparting bliss, receiving, 
 
 Maketh lifes enjoyment. 
 
 Earthly, heavenly beauty, 
 
 Always aideth bliss, 
 
 Connected still by duty, 
 
 In such a world as this. 
 
 Dark region sorrow stricken, 
 
 Affords a field immense ; 
 
 Of possibilities for joys, 
 
 When troubles are intense. 
 
 f i; 
 
 t ..i.; 
 
 Some beauty to create. 
 
 This happiness t' enjoy ; 
 
 Bliss to communicate. 
 
 Is earth's most bless'd employ. 
 
 United these essential. 
 
 Beauty, bliss, duty, ever 
 
 In harmony of being, 
 
 Impossible to sever, 
 
 O never may this trio. 
 
 For which earth's heart is panting ; 
 Be in the dim experience. 
 
 Of heav'n aspirants wanting, 
 
 Some part to take delightsome. 
 Such privilege is ours ; 
 
 In work of beauty joyous. 
 
 Employing human powers. 
 
 Beauty and bliss may even. 
 
 In brighter climes above. 
 
 Connect with happy duty, 
 
 In acts of earnest love. 
 
 Ineffably resplendent. 
 
 In heaven's refulgent light ; 
 
 May beings ever glorious. 
 
 Mould forms of beauty bright. 
 
 H 1 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 31 
 
 Then, though some forms of duty, 
 On earth be left behind ; 
 
 Progresseth still the beauty, 
 
 In bliss of higher mind. 
 
 Still may the sure connexion. 
 Eternally endure ; 
 
 When saints have reached the region. 
 Where beauty is mature. 
 
 1 ' 
 
 oy. 
 
 ht. 
 
 A BENEDICT TO A BACHELOR. 
 
 Don't tell me " you haven't got time "- - 
 
 That other things claim your attention ; 
 There's not the least reason or rhyme 
 
 In the wisest excuse you can mention. 
 Don't tell me about " other fish," 
 
 Your duty is done when you lauy 'em ; 
 And you never will relish the dish, 
 
 Unless you've a woman to " fry 'em." 
 
 You may dream of poetical fame, 
 
 But the story may chance to miscarry j 
 The best way of sending one's name 
 
 To posterity, Charles, is to marry. 
 And here I am willing to own — 
 
 And soberly thinking upon it — 
 I'd very much rather be known 
 
 Through a beautiful son than a sonnet. 
 
 Don't be frightened at querulous stories. 
 
 By gossiping grumblers related. 
 Who argue that marriage a bore is. 
 
 Because they've known people mis-inated. 
 Such fellows, if they had their pleasure. 
 
 Because some " bad bargains " are mftde. 
 Would propose, as a sensible measure. 
 
 To lay an embargo on trade ! 
 
 Then, Charles, bid your doubting good bye. 
 And dismiss all fantastic alarms ; 
 
 111 be sworn you've a girl in your eye. 
 That you ought to have had in your arms ; 
 
 ■it 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 11*' 
 It 
 
 1 
 
^'i .. 
 
 i " 
 
 3a spence's select readings. 
 
 Some beautiful maiden— God bless her ! 
 
 Unencumber'd with pride or with pelf ; 
 Of every true charm the possessor, 
 
 And given to no fault — but yourself. 
 
 To Procrastination be deaf ; 
 
 (A caution which came from above) 
 The scoundrel's not only " the thief 
 
 Of time," but of beauty and love. 
 Then delay not a moment to win 
 
 A prize that is truly worth winning : 
 Celibacy, Charles, is a sin. 
 
 And sadly prolific of sinning. 
 
 I could give you a bushel of reasons 
 
 For choosing the " Double estate : " 
 It agrees with all climates and seasons, 
 
 Though it may be adopted too late. 
 To one's parents 'tis (gratefully) due : 
 
 Just think what a terrible thing 
 'T would have been, sir, for me and for you, 
 
 If ours had neglected the ring. 
 
 Don't search for an " angel " a minute ; 
 
 For suppose you succeed in the sequel, 
 After all, the deuce would be in it, 
 
 For the match would be mighty unequal. 
 The angels, it must be confessed. 
 
 In this world are rather uncommon ; 
 And allow me, dear Charles, to suggest, 
 
 You will be better content with a woman. 
 
 HAPPY MOMENTS. 
 
 We have all our happy moments — there are countless streams of bliss 
 Flowing down from heaven to cheer us e'en in such a world as this, 
 Like sunny gleams in April bursting through surrounding showers, 
 And gladd'ning every heart with news of summer's hours. 
 Life hath many happy moments, from beside a mother's knees, 
 When our spirits were like aspen leaves that bend with every breeze, 
 Till that second childhood, when the heart has faded like the hair, 
 And a world of pleasure lies conceal'd within our easy chair. 
 
spence's select readings. 33 
 
 What thousands, too, unheeded pass we easily might win, 
 Would we but open wide our hearts, and let the wand'rers in — 
 Would we but watch the fleeting things, and seize them as they fly. 
 And gaze upon both sides of life with calm unbiass'd eye. 
 But, alas ! a moment's impulse often leads our hearts astray, 
 And, forgetting former good, we blame the evil of to-day, 
 Nor think how 'jft the darkest nights the brightest mornings bring, 
 And that if wp liad no winter we could scarce enjoy the spring, 
 i'' 
 
 'Tis a sin to say this world hath more of sorrow than of joy — 
 That there is no trace of Eden left, no gold without alloy, 
 While nature opens wide her stores, when all who seek shall find, 
 And while our thoughts are. free to roam 'mid pure delights of mind. 
 While fancy's wings are yet uncheck'd, and hope, life's pioneer. 
 Brightens our path with gleams of light from many a distant sphere — 
 While memory wanders by those spots where early streamlets flow. 
 Hoarding for us the gems we pass'd so swiftly long ago — 
 
 While love, our purest, holiest dream, is o'er our senses flung. 
 
 The idol of the poet's song, the theme of every tongue. 
 
 Whose name is like a talisman, through all our after years. 
 
 To touch the sweetest springs of life, and moisten them with tears, — 
 
 How happy must he be who, after years of doubt and pain. 
 
 Returns to find the unalter'd heart of her he loved again, 
 
 And hears her low confession of a flame pure as his own. 
 
 Oh I that hour might for an age of dreariest yesterday atone ! 
 
 And last, not least, what joys are there in friendship's name implied ! 
 Friendship, so scorn'd by frigid hearts because by them untried ; 
 Perhaps they took the counterfeit to be the precious gem. 
 And one of earth's brightest stars shines all in vain for them. 
 Oh ! what a glorious world were this if men would but forgive 
 The trifling faults of brother- men, and in communion live ! — 
 Earth yet might be a paradise, in spite of cynic sneers. 
 And happy moments be forgot in rounds of happy years. 
 
 That time will come, if there be truth in what our Bibles say, 
 Though we may moulder in the dust long ere that blissful day. 
 The workings of the world foretell to all who choose to hear. 
 That soon a holier dynasty shall rule this lower sphere ; 
 When mind, emerging from its shwjud, shall prove oppression's bane. 
 And moral force predominate o'er sword, and gun, and chain — 
 When sympathy's untainted stream through every heart shall flow. 
 And men be happy while they strive to make each other so. 
 
 45 : 
 
34 spence's select readings. 
 
 THE CASTLES WE BUILT IN AIR. 
 
 There were builders strong on the earth of old, 
 
 To-day there are planners rare ; 
 But never was temple, home, nor hold 
 
 Like the castles we built in air. 
 We piled them high through the long lone hours. 
 
 By a chill hearth's flickering brands. 
 Through the twilights heavy with wintry showers 
 
 That found us in stranger lands. 
 
 The store was small and the friends were few 
 
 We own'd in those building days ; 
 But stately and fair the fabrics grew 
 
 That no gold of earth could raise : 
 For time was conquered and fortune moved. 
 
 Our wishes were builders there, 
 And, oh ! but there gather'd guests beloved 
 
 To the castles we built in air. 
 
 No place v/as left for the bonds and fears, 
 
 For the lore so sagely small. 
 Of this gaining world that wears our years 
 
 Away in its thankless thrall. 
 Once more we stood in the lights that crossed 
 
 Our souls on their morning track. 
 And, oh ! that we had not loved or lost. 
 
 But ever the dream comes back ! 
 
 It was joy to pause by the pleasant homes 
 
 That our wand'ring steps have pass'd. 
 Yet weary looks through the woodbine blooms 
 
 Or the wreathing vines were cast. 
 But there fell no age and there rose no strife. 
 
 And there never was room for care. 
 Where grew the flowers of our dreaming life 
 
 By the homes that we built in air. 
 
 Oh ! dark and lone have the bright hearths grown 
 
 Where our fond and gay hearts met. 
 For many have changed, and some are gone. 
 
 For we build the blithe homes yet. 
 As men have built in the date tree's shade 
 
 Ere Egypt raised her fanes — 
 Ere a star was named, or a brick was laid 
 
 On the old Chaldean plains. 
 
SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 Even thus have they framed their towers of thought 
 
 As the ages came and went, 
 From the fisher boy, in his Shetland boat. 
 
 To the Tartar in his tent. 
 And some that beyond our azure say 
 
 There are realms for hope and prayer. 
 Have deemed them but ling'rings by the way. 
 
 These castles we built in air — Frances Brown. 
 
 35 
 
 f 
 
 1 1 
 
 LOVED THE BIRDS. 
 
 " Dost love the birds ?" I asked my love. 
 
 Her liquid sparkling eye, 
 Beamed brighter as I leaned above, 
 
 To catch the soft reply. 
 
 I love them all, my very soul 
 
 They stir with rare delight ; 
 And Joy'd was I she did extol. 
 
 What charm'd my ear and sight. 
 
 " Sweet is their song," I said, " at morn. 
 
 And sweet it is at noon. 
 Sweet when on evening breezes borne. 
 
 It charms our honey moon. 
 
 "And which my love do you like best. 
 
 The bobolink or dove. 
 Blue jay or wren or sweet red breast. 
 
 Which most delights my love ? " 
 
 She paused a space in charming doubt, 
 
 Then in soft passion pale. 
 Through parting lips came rippling out. 
 
 In accents odd, " The quail." 
 
 The quail sings not ! (surpressing words), 
 
 Though oft he whistles free ; 
 " Choose love," I said, " amongst the birds, 
 
 Songster of lawn or tree." 
 
 Then as she saw my soul recoil, 
 
 "Forgive me love," she cried, 
 " I fear that thou prefer'st a broil,. 
 
 So be it stew'd or fried." 
 
 'i; 
 I M 
 
 ii 
 
 1 
 
 
 14 
 
5} 
 
 1 I 
 
 I) '.! 
 
 * • 
 
 llil 
 
 36 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 Again suspense o'ercast her brow, 
 Might be a sculptor's boast, 
 
 While she replied in accents low, 
 " / /ove them best on toastP 
 
 REMARKABLE ROUGH REPENTENCE. 
 
 The remote early history of the far west settlement sup- 
 plies many curious subjects for study. That age producing 
 some very singular characters peculiarly adapted to carry on 
 the special missionary work then and there to be accom- 
 plished. Those notable times were rich in rare incidents, 
 worthy of record. Camp meeting occasions were always 
 regarded with immense interest as times for making extra 
 energetic onslaught on the enemy. 
 
 For calling together the straggling forces for service a large 
 tin horn (the sound of which could be heard reverberating 
 a long way in the forest) was used as " church going bell " 
 to collect the company to worship. A robust brother of 
 strong lungs having charge of the signal horn, was expected 
 to attend to the duty at the proper time. 
 
 The record runs that when a certain revivalist of celebrity 
 took up the signal horn (owing to a most profane plot suc- 
 cessfully carried out), finding the horn heavy, and hard 
 to make go, . to summon the worshippers to service after 
 dinner, the excited brother drew a deep long breath and lo ! 
 — he blew a strong blast of soft soap over the astonished 
 part of the congregation already collected together before 
 him. 
 
 It is mentioned by the narrator who gives this " item," 
 that the blowing brother was so righteously wroth at this 
 vile practical joke, that he cried out with a loud voice : — 
 
 " Brethering, I have passed through many trials and trib- 
 ulations both before and since I entered the Kingdom, but 
 nothing ever near like this. I have served in the ministry 
 for many years, and in all this time was never provoked 
 enough to utter a profane word, or form a violent purpose — 
 but I'll be cussed if I can't whip the fellow that soaped that 
 
SPENCE S SELECT READINGS. 
 
 37 
 
 horn, and when I catch him I mean that his ears shall tingle 
 with something he may understand more fully than threats 
 of perdition." 
 
 The service proceeded prosperously, and the circumstance 
 bad almost faded from the minds of most of the company, 
 when, two days after the soaping of the horn, a tall swarthy 
 villainous looking desperado strolled on the grounds and 
 with an air of reckless unconcern leaned against a tree, lis- 
 tening to the preacher's eloquent exhortation to repentence. 
 After a while the hard-looking individual seemed interested, 
 ultimately affected, and manifestly in deep distress, took • 
 humble position on the anxious seat and commenced groan- 
 ing " in the very bottom of his soul." 
 
 The brother walked down and attempted to console the 
 afflicted penitent. 
 
 No consolation would he let near him. " No, I am too 
 great a sinner," he said, " far too wicked to ever find mercy." 
 
 " Oh," said the preacher, " there is pardon for the vilest." 
 
 " No," persisted the poor wretched man, " I'm too wicked," 
 there was no mercy for him. " Noy no mercy" he insisted, 
 
 " Why, what crime have you committed ?" enquired the 
 preacher. " Have you robbed or stolen ?" 
 
 " Oh ! worse than that," he said. 
 
 " What then ? Have you been a drunkard and slandered 
 some unoffending person." 
 
 " Oh, worse than that. Worse thmn that " Again more 
 desperately groaned the despairing one. 
 
 " Murder is it ?" gasped the now horrified preacher. 
 
 " Aye, worse than that, or thatj or that," groaned the 
 smitten sinner. 
 
 The now still more excited preacher at once commenced 
 puH'ng off his outer garments, exclaiming violently : 
 
 " Here, Bro. Cole, — here !" shouted he, " hold my coat. 
 I do verily believe in my soul, I have found the son of sin 
 that soaped that horn 1" 
 
 i 
 
 
 

 i 1 
 
 Z^ 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 I*, 
 
 I 
 
 JAMES KING'S PECULIAR SERMONIZING. 
 
 James was one of the emphatically '• peculiar people." 
 Intensely pious, immensely zealous, and earnestly anxious 
 to have all his Christian friends engaged in effort to have 
 every body else become Christian. James was considered 
 " simple " in the ordinary sense, but scarcely any one who 
 knew him doubted of his sincere piety. He had, however, 
 very " peculiar " notions, and often expressed them in re- 
 markably original style. 
 
 The text James oftenest quoted and applied with special 
 solemnity was, " Whosoever acknowledgeth me before men," 
 etc. And manifestly he had high appreciation of the duty 
 inculcated in " Let your light so shine," etc. 
 
 The subject, however, on which his notable genius was 
 made to appear in its amplest workings, was in what was 
 known as his *^ prodigal son sermon^ Here he attempted 
 what he seemed to regard as the great business of the 
 preacher, namely, to give hearers the additional particulars 
 which they might wish to know, and which the original par- 
 able taken as a narrative did not fully supply. He had, 
 moreover, a strong prejudice against what he charged as 
 the fault of several popular preachers. " getting their sermons 
 out of books." 
 
 James undertook to describe the comfortable mansion of 
 the prodigal's father ; the happy home, and strict discipline 
 of the house ; some of the rules, particularly one forbidding 
 any of the members being late out at night — the younger 
 son didn't like this. Then the large amount of value he 
 received as his dividend. Then many interesting incidents 
 of his long journey (here p.^.ssed over), and graphic life 
 sketches of some of his riotous companions, until his poverty 
 became such as compelled him to the swine feeding. Here 
 are brought out the extremes of the prodigal's woe-begone 
 condition ; his funds all wasted, clothes worn to rags, body 
 badly delapidated, health bad^ character bad^ feelings bad^ 
 prospects bad, connections bad, so uniformly bad all the 
 items that made up his condition, so bad I so horribly badi 
 that (and this he seemed to see as the climax of the wretched 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 39 
 
 '■11! 
 
 young man's misery) there was not a dectnt girl in the 
 country would turn her head to look at the side of the road 
 where he walked. 
 
 The mighty power of imagination comes then into the 
 very minute detail of particulars in connection with the 
 blessed return. James rather censured the stupidity of some 
 preacher who had ventured to suggest that the fatted calf 
 had been kept for several years^ fattening all the time since 
 the son's departure, in hopes of his return. But he believed 
 that the great feast had many other varieties of young fowl 
 besides the calf. 
 
 Then that " other son in the sulks " comes in for a scath- 
 ing censure as envious, overbearing, and hardly as like his 
 father after all, as the young scapegrace. But the personal 
 appearance of the father as well as his heart tenderness may 
 be regarded as the master piece production of imagination 
 which must vindicate James' clear claim to originaUty. 
 
 The loving parent is described as " a little old man, blind 
 of an eye." This, it is suggested, may be reasonably inferred 
 from the recorded fact that he saw his son " afar off." 
 
 Then the touching meeting — the son hobbling along, the 
 old man's light-footed race, and the fall on the stiff but now 
 bent neck, and " the talk of ihem two on the way home. 
 Oh ! the home ! the home I and the joy ! and this only the 
 little porch to the great eternal home !" 
 
 James (many a time referred to as ^^ poor James ") is gone 
 to that home which his attempts to describe, after all sim- • 
 pleton as he was, may be about as right as some more cor- 
 rectly worded would-be descriptions. His figures got mixed 
 up with his feelings. It was his " Father's home. Brighter 
 than the sun but not dazzling. No clouds and so no rainy 
 but rainbow, and saints shall reis^ as kings and priests — 
 that's the kind of reign !" He had met, he said, one wise 
 advice in a book outside of the Bible to some one who had 
 asked a curious question about the sort of place heaven is ? 
 The answer was to the effect that the best way by far to 
 secure the right knowledge wanted thereon, would be to live 
 so as to " make sure to get there, and see and find out cor- 
 rectly to the fullest satisfaction." 
 
 
 ©!i 
 
 
 f! !, 
 
 
 ■ '■ M 
 
 ■■:'M 
 
 \^-' 
 
il 1 
 
 40 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 James' efforts to comprehend the mysteries of grammar 
 were far from crowned with marked success. He felt dis- 
 posed to correct the speaker wl^o would say this «•, and 
 would have it, this are the two-mile stone, he said two were 
 plural. He was very charitably disposed, and willing that 
 people should have wide divergence of opinions on such 
 wide subjects as astronomy, etc., so as faith, love, and con- 
 duct ^coincided rightly. James said he had often seen and 
 heard of many good people having a hard struggle to get 
 through the world, but felt sure no one ever sticks fast in it. 
 " Only force your way," he would say, " face Zionward, on- 
 ward ! homeward !" 
 
 Of skill, of little worth, James little had, 
 But he had knowledge made his spirit glad. 
 He practiced well the precious truth he knew, 
 Fought the good fight, kept faith, got safely through. 
 
 It ' 
 
 BRUDDER JULIUS C^SAR SERMONIZING. 
 
 The good Brudder was so often perplexed with what he 
 had so often heard of (dividing a text) as a necessity towards 
 success in the art of preaching proper. But he had on the 
 other hand a strong persuasion that to " divide " a text was 
 to weaken it, and to this he entertained serious objections. 
 However thinking that system in sermon making was very 
 desirable he had by intense study discovered a plan of ar- 
 rangement or " making heads on his discourse " and his 
 mode of doing it had this important and peculiar advantage, 
 that whatever text he took he had now found the same 
 general heads would answer every time. 
 
 After the introduction, which could be always raised from 
 some immediate circumstance — he announced : " Now in 
 de firs' place I'se gwin to splain dis her tex ; second I's ar- 
 gufy de subjec ob de same ; furd I's bound to lustriiy de 
 obscurities ob de passage \ and in de fort and lass place I 
 puts on de powerful rousin's. 
 
 Good brudder Julius unfortunately had not learned to 
 read, and was obliged either to learn off his text, or some- 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 4i 
 
 times he got a reading Brudder to go with him to give out 
 the tex at meeting. 
 
 Now having his heads of discourse already prepared, he 
 did not see it so necessary to study up the portion before- 
 hand, moreover he had often found that when he did not 
 take time to think up what to have ready to say, and when 
 he came to want it he discovered itwasn'nt near so ready as 
 when it came to him first, so he thought he would try the 
 preaching without any previous preparation, accordingly as 
 preacher and reading brudder were going to appointment, 
 they held a conversation on the subject. 
 
 " Where be I gwin to read de tex dis time ? " Enquired 
 the assistant. 
 
 " In de Bible certain." Responded the preacher. 
 " Bui what be de ticklar place ? " 
 " All de same ebery tex good nuff." 
 " But dar de Kronickless ob great jaw-breakin' names, 
 wud tak big doctor ob de divinity to preach. How dafi " 
 " Neber you mind, you read de tex." 
 " Ob de long names. Eh ? " 
 
 " Berry well, de be good names. I want you readdt tex." 
 They proceeded accordingly, and when the proper time 
 arrived, reading brudder opened at the 22nd chapter of 
 Genesis, and read 21, 22 and 23 verses. 
 
 " Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemual 
 the father of Aram and Chased and Hazo and Pildash and 
 Jidlaph and Bethuel. . . . These eight Milcah did 
 bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother." ^ 
 
 On which Brother Julius proceeded. 
 " Now belobed we are bound to consider our mercies, and 
 our many blessins, jus' look den ! we hab our flocks and our 
 herds and our comforts, and our hearts filled wid food and 
 gladness. Mo'ning and eb'ning we can — yes ! one ob ye can 
 take out yer pail and milk our cows, and our wants are all 
 supplied But my brederen, in de days ob good ole Nahor 
 and Abraham, an' Buz an' Huz de case was different. 
 For as ye hav jis heerd " dees eight did milk a bear," see it 
 ook eight ob dem to milk a bear, and I bet dey didn't get 
 much at dat. How ought we to be countable, for we be a 
 libin in dis inligtenin age ob de world." 
 3 
 
 ,''H 
 
 X''A 
 
 ill 
 
 
42 
 
 SPFNCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 li! 
 
 ' 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 I' 
 
 WEATHER JUDGE PLEASED. 
 
 The only man I know, who is always pleased with the 
 weather is Judge Pitman. No matter what the condition of 
 the atmosphere, he is contented and happy, and willing to 
 affirm at any given moment, that the state of things is the 
 very best that can be desired. 
 
 In summer, when the mercury boiled among the nineties, 
 the judge would come to the front door with beads of per- 
 spiration standing out all over his red face, and would look 
 at the setting sky, and say " splendid ! perfectly splendid 1 1 
 Noble weather for the poor, and the ice companies and the 
 washerwomen ! I never saw such magnificent time for dry- 
 ing clothes. They dont shake up any such climate as this 
 in Italy. Bring my unibreller here Harriet, while I set out 
 on the steps and enjoy it." 
 
 In the winter, when the mercury should creep down 
 fifteen below zero, and the cold was intense enough to freeze 
 the inside of Vesuvius solid to the centre of the globe. 
 Pitman would sit out on the fence and exclaim. " By gra- 
 cious. Alder ! did you ever see such weather as this ? I do 
 like such an atmosphere, that freezes up your very marrow ; 
 it helps the coal trade, an' gives us such good skeetin,' so 
 don't talk of summer time to me, give me cold and give it 
 to me stiff." 
 
 When there was a drought, Pitman used to meet me in 
 the street, and remark in his charming manner. *' No rain 
 yet, I see, magnificent ! isn't it ? I do want my weather dry. 
 I want it with the damp left out. Moisture, it seems to me, 
 breeds fevers an' ague, an' ruins any boots. If there is any- 
 thing I despise, it's to carry about a troublesome umbrelle. 
 No rain for me if you please." 
 
 When it rained for a week and flooded the country, the 
 judge would drop in and observe, " I don't know how you 
 feel about this here rain, but it seems to me that the heavens 
 never drop blessings thick but when we have a long wet 
 spell, it makes the corn jump, an' cleans out the sewers, an' 
 keeps the springs from running dry. I wouldn't be paid to 
 live in a climate where there wasn't rain, put me on the 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 43 
 
 Nile country and I would die in a week ; soak me through 
 to the inside of my bones, and I begin to feel as if life was 
 bright and beautiful, and worldly sorrow of no account. 
 
 Then on a showery day, when the sun shone brightly out 
 one moment, and the next the rain poured in torrents, the 
 judge has been noticed to stand at his window, exclaiming, 
 " Harriet, if you had asked me now how I liked the 
 weather, I'd 'ave said, just as it is coming this day. What 
 I want, is weather that is beautifully streaked, like a nice 
 piece of fat and lean bacon, a little shine and a little rain, 
 mix 'em up an' give us plenty of both, an' I'm your man." 
 
 The judge is always particularly happy in a thunderstorm. 
 One day after the lightning had knocked down two of his 
 best apple trees, and splinf^red them into fragments, and 
 the storm had torn his chimney to pieces, I went over to 
 see him, and found him standing by the prostrate remnants 
 of trees. He at once pleasantly remarked, " did you ever 
 know of a man having such luck as this ? i was just thinkin* 
 to chop down them two trees to-morrow, and that chimney 
 never draw'd well — I had a mind to have it rebuilt ; an' that 
 gorgeous old storm has almost fixed things just the way I 
 I want 'em ; put me in a real thunderstorm an' let the 
 lightnin' play around me an' I am at home ; I'd rather have 
 one out an' out storm that would tear the bowels out of the 
 American continent, than a dozen of your dribblin' waterin' 
 pot showers. If I can't have a rippin' roarin' storm, I 
 don't want any ! Let it be deserving the name of storm^ 
 then I say storm be it. 
 
 Finally it is reported (but this is doubted). That one 
 day the judge was on his roof, and in the act of fixing a 
 shingle, when a tornado lifted him off, carried him a quarter 
 of a mile, and dashed him with such terrible force against a 
 fence that his leg was broken. As they carried him home 
 he opened his eyes languidly, and said. " Immortal Moses ! 
 what a storm that was ! When it does blow it suits me if it 
 blows hard^ I'd give both legs if we could only have a squall 
 up to that every day. I — I — I ; " and then he felt too weak 
 to explain his intense admiration of a real hurricane. 
 
 % 
 
 I 
 
 m 
 
44 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 if 
 
 u 
 
 FACING THE FIERCE FIEND. 
 
 A youth of thoughtless daring mood 
 Before the''dark soothsayer stood, 
 
 And made the rash demand, 
 I've come he said, to see the worst 
 Of all the infernal powers accursed. 
 
 The chieftain of that band." 
 
 " And hast thou nerve enough "i " now said 
 Tnat gray old wizard, o'er whose head 
 
 The stormy years had rolled. 
 " And wilt thou risk to view," he cried. 
 ** The fell foul fiend that Heaven defied, 
 
 Art thou indeed so bold ? " 
 
 '• Say, darest thou with unshrinking gaze 
 Sustain, rash youth, the withering blaze 
 
 Of that unearthly eye 
 That blasts where'er it lights— The breath 
 That like the simoon scatters death 
 
 On all subject to die. 
 
 Darest thou confront that fearful form 
 That reigns in ruthless whirlwind stonn 
 
 The reckless raging revel, 
 The terrors of that wrathful brow. 
 High angel once, but ruined now. 
 
 Dost thou dare face the devil ? " 
 
 " I dare," the desperate youth replied, 
 And stepped firm to the wizard's side. 
 
 In fierce and frantic glee, 
 Unblanched his cheek, and firm his limb, 
 " No petty juggling fiend, but him. 
 
 Himself I want to see ! " 
 
 " In all his gorgon terrors clad. 
 
 His worst, his fullest form ! " The lad 
 
 Rejoined in reckless tone. 
 " Have then thy wish ! " the old man said. 
 And sighed and shook his hoary head, 
 
 With many a bitter groan. 
 
 He drew the mystic circle's bound 
 With skull and crossbones dire around. 
 
 As in death's picture shown. 
 
li 
 
 » 
 
 SPENCE S SELECT READINGS. 
 
 He trod the mystic circle there, 
 
 And muttered many a backward prayer, 
 
 That sounded like a curse. 
 He comes I " cried he with wild grimace, 
 The foulest of Appolyon's race. * 
 Then in the startled youthful face 
 
 He dashed an empty purse ! 
 
 45 
 
 ■ % 
 
 
 SOME ORATORIAL FLIGHTS AND FLOUN- 
 
 DERINGS. 
 
 Instances are on record of high aims and exalted asph-a- 
 tions for celebrity as orators, falling so flat as to attain to 
 almost as extensive notoriety of another kind. 
 
 A would-be preacher, notable at least for one essential 
 element of the successful public speaker, confidence, once 
 discoursing on the " expansive and extensive " character of 
 the human mind, said, " Yes, my intellectual friends, the 
 mind of man is so superior in its expansiveness, that it can 
 soar from satchellite to satchellite, from seraphene to sera- 
 phene, and from cherrybeam to cherrybeam, and from thence 
 to the centre of the doom of heaven, and yet be only start- 
 ing on the threshold of the immensity of its indubitable 
 flights." 
 
 An original orator once put into his sermon, " Could I 
 place one foot upon the sea and the other upon the Georgian ' 
 Sidus, dip my tongue into the livid lightnings and throw my 
 voice into the mighty bellowing thunder, I would wake the 
 world with the loud command, ' Repent ! turn ! seek sal- 
 vation !' " 
 
 An ambitious friend, admiring that as extra sublime in 
 the pulpit, tried to take the same flight, saying, "Could I 
 place my one foot on —upon — ah, — the sea — ah ! — and the 
 other one — a-hom — on Georgehim Sediwis — ah, a-hem — 
 I'd howl round this little world, — ah, a-hem " — and here he 
 lost the elevated thread of his discourse. 
 
 \M 
 
 'iJJv 
 
 m 
 
46 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 A modern preacher of considerable popularity, among 
 many other fanciful pictures drawn for the entertainment of 
 his audience represented " an angel of light running on a 
 rainbow with a great basket of stars in each hand." 
 
 Another of good descriptive power, preaching about 
 heaven and its wonderful glory, and to show off the absurdity 
 of Swedenborg's ideas on the subject — drew a graphic 
 picture of the Swedenborgian heaven with its " beautiful 
 fields, fine horses, cows, handsome ladies, all the effulgent 
 elegance and gorgeous adornments and luxuries," etc. 
 
 In the midst of his glowing description, a good old sister 
 quite carried away with the magnificent scene, went into 
 raptures and shouted, " Glory ! glory ! glory I ^^ 
 
 A witness declares the preacher was so thoroughly dis- 
 concerted, that he paused, seeming hardly to know what next 
 to attempt, until the good brother on the stand behind him 
 came promptly to his relief and cried out to the excited 
 shouter : 
 
 ** Hold on there, sister — ^you are shouting over the wrong 
 heaven." 
 
 POETIC PERCEPTIONS. 
 
 i^ 
 
 i; 
 
 Sometimes one says, " I should like to understand poetry ; 
 I do like to read and repeat it, but I cannot tell what it 
 means." Dear friend, some things go under the title of 
 poetry which are incomprehensible to us all, to wise and 
 foolish alike. But the way to understand true poetry — that 
 of nature, at least — is to love the beauty of which it is the 
 picture and the song. The best poetry is simple and nat- 
 ural as life itself; and by listening to the sweet voices which 
 are always floating unheeded on the air, you will feel what 
 it is through all your being. Oiily keep eye and heart open, 
 and never let it be possible for you to scorn or neglect the 
 least thing that God has made. Look for poetry, and you 
 will find it everywhere — in the fairy-cup moss under your 
 feet in the wood-land footpaths, in the song of the robin, in 
 the patter of the rain on the roof, in the first rosy cloud on 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 47 
 
 of 
 
 the horizon at dawn, and the last that fades out in the west 
 at sunset. For poetry is written all over the earth by a 
 Divine hand, before it can get into books. The Creator is 
 the great poet. All that is beautiful to eye or ear is His 
 hand-writing. Wherever a bud opens, a rivulet slips along 
 its pebbly path, or a leaf-shadow dances in the sunshine, 
 there He has written a poem which He meant should be 
 read with delight, by every intelligent being. The poet im- 
 patient of the lower spheres of scientific investigation in his 
 efforts to read farther, takes unrestrainedflight into immensity. 
 Fancy tries its powers to picture forms of beauty and sub- 
 limity — the minute and the stupendous are brought to view. 
 Poetic perception revels in the grandeur of the combina- 
 tions and formations of omnipotent active fancy. " Can 
 man imagine more than God can do ?" The captivated 
 mind yields to these exquisite beauties as images of the 
 true, and accepts them as at least partially representing the 
 works of the Almighty. " The invisible things being seen 
 by the things that are made." 
 
 Imperial sky and blushing rose 
 
 Their sacred mystery disclose — 
 
 The source or life which gives the power 
 
 To the broad sky and glowing flower. 
 
 Immortal life pervades the whole : 
 
 A mystic, thinking, planning soul 
 
 Embraces air, the sea^ the land. 
 
 The farthest star, the grain of sand ; 
 
 Infinite in the sun's far whirl, , 
 
 Infinite in the tendril's curl. ^ 
 
 Surveying only fraction ends 
 
 Of systems which all thought transcends. 
 
 Strong reason reels and mind is mute, 
 
 The infinite beyond and the minute. 
 
 While from what now with awe we see, 
 
 We turn to what is yet to be. 
 
 Take flight beyond all systems seen. 
 
 All that hath yet discovered been. 
 
 Or worlds by telescope pursued, 
 
 Or dwarf bewildered fancy view'd. 
 
 Onward in space, onward in time. 
 
 In views poetic, high, sublime. 
 
 I' 
 
 I' 
 
 : %\ 
 
48 spence's select readings. 
 
 Poetic ardor roams at large 
 And new creations takes in charge. 
 Of time and ^pace regardless quite, 
 Ordains, perceives, by its own light. 
 On high discovery intent, 
 Imperative commands consent. 
 
 Creation has but reached its morn, 
 
 But yesterday the suns were born. 
 
 The cosmic morning's growing blaze 
 
 Rolls outward o'er chaotic maze ; 
 
 The foam of new creations pours 
 
 In light along night's silent shores, 
 
 Drives back the line with rhythmic beat 
 
 Where chaos and creation meet, 
 
 Each bubble of the spreading zone 
 
 A solar system like our own. 
 
 Through drifting aeons grows the tide 
 
 Of morning, spreading far and wide. 
 
 While dazzled thought sinks helpless back. 
 
 Follows in vain the morning's track, 
 
 Then turns in faith to that great Son, 
 
 The unknown, comprehending One, 
 
 Who, from His uncreated place. 
 
 Pours universes into space. 
 
 Of order, force, of life, of God, 
 
 Epitomized in this green sod. 
 
 While suns this Life of life obey, 
 
 Man as obedient as they ; 
 
 Ever would soar to greater height, 
 
 See broader skies and clearer light. 
 
 Draw nearer to the central Power 
 
 Which kindles stars, and paints the flower. 
 
 THRILLING RESCUE. 
 
 Hark ! Hark ! the bugles stirring note. 
 And hark that ringing cheer. 
 
 This is the cavalry parade. 
 The grandest of the year. 
 
 Loud neigh and snort of pawing steed, 
 And clash and flash of steel. 
 
 Resounding shout of stern command, 
 And martial music's peal. 
 
SPENCE'S SZt.ECT READINGS. 
 
 49 
 
 The morning sun with splendor gilds 
 
 The grand and brilliant sight, 
 And thrice ten thousand gleaming blades 
 
 Flash back the dazzling light. 
 
 Behold in eager loyal haste 
 
 To greet the imperial train ; 
 A gallant squadron of hussars 
 
 Sweeps swiftly o'er the plain. 
 
 Hark ! from amongst the gazers on, 
 
 A wild heart rending cry ; 
 In anguish, terror and dismay, 
 
 The startled cro-^^d espy 
 
 An infant innocence at play. 
 
 Heedless of danger bold ; 
 Fearless in front of charging host, 
 
 A child scarce three years old. 
 
 On comes the troop with headlong rush, 
 
 That lights a startled world 
 As meteor flash or crashing bolt 
 
 P'rom lowering storm cloud hurled. 
 
 A shudder of horror thrills the throng, 
 
 As they madly gallop by ; 
 For the warning cry has come too late, 
 
 The dear little one must die. 
 
 The mother shrieks in wild despair, 
 
 For she feels her darling's pain ; 
 Her crushed heart aches at each dreadful blow 
 
 The hard hoofs beat her brain. 
 
 To a brave hussar in the foremost line 
 Comes the thought of a daring plan, 
 " Tis a dangerous deed, but it may succeed ; 
 I ought, I must, I can." 
 
 Forward he bends, one strong hand grasps 
 
 Firmly the twisted mane : 
 Nor trusted stirrup nor girth nor strap 
 
 Yield to the sudden strain. 
 
 •'} 
 
 I 
 
 ill 
 
 11 
 
5° 
 
 SPENCEi's SELECT READINGS. 
 
 ll 
 
 His tall plume trails in the rising dust, 
 
 As he swings by his charger's side, 
 He seizes the child, yet the rushing rank 
 
 Is unbroken, as on they ride. 
 
 Heaven aids the arm that the strong heait nerves 
 
 Dashing on, the horses go. 
 But the brave man bears the rescued child 
 
 Safe on his saddle bow. 
 
 Now sorrow and sobs are exchanged for joy ; 
 
 And shouts that rend the air ; 
 The long line halts, salutes, and stands 
 
 Before the imperial pair. 
 
 And royalty hastes to joyfully join 
 
 In the plaudits so well won ; 
 To honor the hero, and greet the praise 
 
 Of a deed so nobly done. 
 
 While the echoing shouts of wild applause 
 
 Ring back from distant hills. 
 Yet a happiness greater higher — delight 
 
 The brave man's bosom fills. 
 
 His rich reward is the glad love light 
 
 That kindles her tearful face 
 And pallid brow, as the mother clasps 
 
 Her babe in her fond embrace. 
 
 That fervent look of unuttered joy ; 
 
 Those grateful tears that start, 
 And the tremulous, deep, " God bless you sir !" 
 
 That bursts from her heaving heart. 
 
 F. S. S. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 5» 
 
 m 
 
 HEROINE HULDAH. 
 
 " That storm is fierce," said the fisher old, 
 " And the wind is wild," the fisher said, 
 
 The rocks are sharp and the shore is bold, 
 Out round the point of Marblehead. 
 
 But not a pilot ventured out, 
 
 So fierce was the storm, the wind so wild ; 
 The daring pilot, swarthy and stout. 
 
 Still thought of home, and his wife and child. 
 
 So the fisher waited by the shore, 
 
 Beholding the waves and the breakers' din. 
 Observing at dark 'midst that tempest's roar, 
 
 The gallant ships come dashing in. 
 
 " There is no pilot at sea to-night," 
 Said Abner Jackson, the sailor's son. 
 
 While over the water appeared the light, 
 And booming crash : 'twas the signal gun. 
 
 Up spoke Huldah, the fisher's wife. 
 Stern, stout and brave, of the fishing coast, 
 
 " Where is the pilot ? every life 
 Is saved if he only is at his post." 
 
 " Mercy, they are fetching past the land. 
 On to the point, they'll strike the rock," 
 
 Cried a voice in terror, close at hand ; 
 Then shriek, and crash, and rending shock. 
 
 " Man the life-boat !" No one stirred. 
 
 Over the din of the wind and wave. 
 Over the tempest's strife was heard 
 
 " Save !" but what human hand could sa\e ? 
 
 Clinging madly to the wave-washed deck, 
 Men and women in wild despair. 
 
 Sent this wild pleading from off the wreck. 
 Shuddering forth on the startled air. 
 
 Then spoke forth Huldah the fisher's wife, 
 "Is there no man will to save them dare, 
 
 Will ye so worthless, risk no life. 
 
 While they plead so in their wild despair ? 
 
 1: 
 
 i^; 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
52 
 
 i 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 " Shame ! is it so ? then a woman's hand 
 Shall do the deed ye dare not try ! 
 
 Who will go with me from off the land ?" 
 "I will !" "and I !" "and I !" "and I !" 
 
 There they stood in the evening light, 
 Down to the boat with oars in hand, 
 
 Five brave women — a braver sight 
 Seldom is seen by sea or land. 
 
 Up spoke gruffly, old fisher Ben, 
 
 Hardy old Triton of the sea, 
 " Man that boat ! Such sight, my men. 
 
 Never on earth was seen by me. 
 
 " All we can do at worst is die. 
 
 And that is much better," old Triton said, 
 " Than to live as cowards beneath the eye 
 
 Of the daring women of Marblehead." 
 
 Out past the point, where mountains high. 
 Crested billows in foam fierce toss'd. 
 
 Sometimes plain on the starry sky, 
 Sometimes to sight entirely lost. 
 
 Round the point, on the dashing waive 
 They reach the rock and gain the wreck. 
 
 Every life they came to save. 
 Safe is taken in time from the deck. 
 
 And now strain hard, the land is near. 
 Each hand presses a bending oar. 
 
 Shout, companions, cheer, ho, cheer — 
 Shout, for they all have reached the shore. 
 
 VERY FINE DRAWN THEORY, AND IF SO. 
 
 A thoughtful theorizing philosopher declares as a fact, 
 that a little microscopic insect, far too small for unassisted 
 human sight to discover uasking in the summer sun rejoic- 
 ing in its new found power, and fluttering unobserved in 
 the air, by each flap of its invisible wings sets atmospheric 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 53 
 
 wu/elets in motion that shall radiate and not cease until 
 they have stirred at least the whole of the atmosphere en- 
 compassing the earth. 
 
 So the thoughtful philosopher saith, then if so, 
 
 Little wavelets of bliss, or vibrations of woe 
 
 If small influence flood may so far forward flow. 
 
 And but once put in motion still onward must go, 
 
 *Tis well worth one's while to have ever in mind. 
 
 To keep on raising ripples of right gladsome kind. 
 
 That the world's joyous wavelets may rush on and increase, 
 
 So that overpowered, woeful commotions must cease. 
 
 Sad vibrations of sorrow long wide on earth moving, 
 
 Must recede then before active wavelets of loving. 
 
 And so forced olif to regions remote, far in space, 
 
 May not find in earth's biiss-moving atmosphere place. 
 
 O Benificent Father, permit me the joy, 
 
 Thus to counter-thrill evil, my powers to employ, 
 
 Constant wavelets of love o'er earth's troubled expanse, 
 
 And th^ pure and the happy still so to advance, 
 
 As to somewhat from evil disturbances free it. 
 
 Thus to happify somewhat, my privilege be it, 
 
 Unceasingly making my small contribution. 
 
 Amid sad commotion and seeming confusion. 
 
 To continually keep earnest moving in this. 
 
 Passing out on high mission some wavelets of bliss. 
 
 
 ; 1 
 
 1:?: 
 
 THE BRIGHT SIDE THE RIGHT SIDE. 
 
 Oh ! let's look if we can to the bright side. 
 Though the dark one seem nearest us still. 
 
 For be sure that the bright is the right side. 
 If it helps us through sorrow and ill. 
 
 Though the cloud that has threatened to blind us 
 When we hoped to have seen it go past, 
 
 It will not be the worse if it find us 
 Still trying to hope to the last. 
 
 
54 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 Oh, the heart that with ardent endeavors, 
 Still hopes in the midst of its woes, 
 
 Is the heart of a hero, and ever 
 Makes sunny the path where it goes. 
 
 Then each cloud, though it angrily lowers, 
 
 Has a silvery lining beneath. 
 And the thorns that lie hid in the flowers. 
 
 Do but brighten the tints of the wreath. 
 
 So let's look while we can at the bright side. 
 Though the dark one seems nearest us still. 
 
 For surely the bright is the right side, 
 For it helps us through sorrow and ill. 
 
 ii 
 
 BAFFLED SEARCH FOR ORTHODOX BAPTISM. 
 
 The chief pastime in which Rev. Mr. Erksine indulged 
 was playing on the violin. Indeed, so addicted to the use 
 of this instrument was he, that some people believed he 
 must have composed his sermons to his tunes, and several 
 curious incidents are on record connected with Bro. Erk- 
 sine's peculiar fancy for such music. It is related on the 
 good authority of tradition that a poor man of a neighbor- 
 ing parish, having a child to baptize, came to the conclusion 
 not to employ his own clergyman. Rev. A. Strong, with 
 whom he was at issue on some points of orthodoxy, but to 
 have the baptism performed by some minister of whose 
 doctrines y^w^ gave more favorable report. 
 
 With the infant in his arms, therefore, and accompanied 
 by the proper compl'ement of old and young friends, he 
 proceeded to the manse of Rev. A. Drummond, a reputed 
 sound divine, a distance of some few miles, and anxiously 
 inquired if " the clergyman was at hame ?" 
 
 •' No, he's no jist in the noo," answered the servant lass ; 
 " he's doon the burn, fishin', but I can cry him in." 
 
 " Ye needna fash nair gie yersel' the trouble," replied the 
 rather excited and wearied parent, quite shocked at this ac- 
 
 )i 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 55 
 
 count of the minister's habits. ; " nane o' your fishin' minis- 
 ters is tae baptize ony bairn o' mine." 
 
 Off then once more trudged the sorely disappointed man 
 followed by his whole distressed train to the residence of 
 another clergyman, at the distance of several fatiguing miles 
 further on. Here inquiring " if the minister was at hame ?" 
 the lass o' the hoos answered : — 
 
 " Deed sir ! he's no at hame the day ; he's been oot syne 
 sax o'clock i' the morn awa' shootin,' an* I dinna think ye 
 need be waitin' fir him neither, fir he'll be sae din oot when 
 he comes in that he'll no be able to be at his duties, let be 
 baptizin' weans !" 
 
 " Did ye say a/a/V ^ e?" cried the man in a tone ex- 
 pressive of indignan^ ooom, " wad I wait, dae ye think, tae 
 haud up my bairn before a minister that gangs oot at sax i' 
 the morn tae shoot God Almighty's creatures ? Nae ! nae ! ! 
 I'll awa' doon tae guid Mr. Erksine at Dunfarlin,' if it was 
 twice as far there ; he'll no be oot neither fishin' nor shootin', 
 I'll be bound fir him !" 
 
 Another time the whole (now tired out) baptismal train 
 set off the long farther distance, sure that the " faither o' 
 the Secession," although then not a settled minister, would 
 at least be engaged in no unclerical sports or outlandish 
 practices to render him incapable of performing the sacred 
 ordinance of " baptism o' the bairn." 
 
 On al last arriving at the Rev. Mr. Erksine's manse which 
 they did rather late in the evening, the anxious parent, on 
 rapping at the door, anticipated that even he might not be 
 " at hame " any more than his brethren, " but if awa' certain 
 it wad be on some very proper performance of ministerial 
 duty." Anticipating such misfortune, he ventured by way 
 of enquiry to say, as he hesitatingly addressed with almost 
 a sly smile, the trim-like lass that answered his application, 
 " The minister '11 no be at hame ! or," hinted he, ^'' yer lad 
 wadna be playin' ye at that gait on the fiddle," (which he 
 distinctly heard sounding from within). 
 
 " Yes, the minister is at hame," quickly responded the 
 lass, ** mair by token ye can hear him playin', honest mon, 
 
 " 
 
 % 
 
 f 
 
56 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 l! 
 
 he aye tak's a tune at neight afore gaun to bed. An* share 
 there's nae Uad^ o' mine can play that gait, /'w share \\ 
 wad be somethin' to hae ony o' them as could ^^ 
 
 " Eh ! thot the minister ?" cried the now bewildered, 
 fairly done out fathelr, in a degree of astonishment and 
 horror transcending all he had expressed or experienced on 
 either of the former occasions, " if it hae come to this \ — if 
 he plays the fiddle ! what may the rest o' them no dae? — 
 weel, weel, I fairly gie them up a'thegither ; I hae travelled 
 the hail lang day in search o' a godly minister, an* niver 
 mon met wi* mair disappointments in a day's journey. I'll 
 tell ye what, gude wife," he said, turning to the disconsolate 
 party behind him, " we'll just awa' roun aboot back to oor 
 ain sedate minister after a' ! If he's nae a'tliegither soun in 
 doctrine (and it's true he's nae) but let him be what he likes 
 in orthodoxy, I niver did ken him to fish, or shoot, or play 
 the fiddle in a' his days. Sae we'll jist let him baptize the 
 puir bairn his ain way. Wha kens the certainty o' opinions ? 
 But waes me ! sic practices I — a fiddler minister ! — what 
 next may become o' orthodoxy !" 
 
 PARAMOUNT POINTS OF PIETY. 
 
 To pray unto God continually, 
 To learn to know Him rightfully, 
 To serve Him alway holily, 
 To love Him alway steadfastly, 
 To praise Him alway worthily, 
 To trust Him alway faithfully, 
 To obey Him alway willingly. 
 To accept His blessings thankfully, 
 To bow to His will submissively. 
 To await His providence patiently ; 
 To use my neighbor honestly, 
 To resist temptation sternly, 
 To fight against evil courageously, 
 To persevere in duty persistently, 
 To guard my lips consistently. 
 
I'! J 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 To aid in relieving misery, 
 To honor one God in Trinity, 
 The Father in His majesty, 
 The Son in His humanity, 
 The Holy Ghost's benignity, 
 The ever blessed Deity, 
 To have faith, hope and charity. 
 To look for Heaven's felicity, 
 To count this life but vanity — 
 Be points of Christianity. 
 
 57 
 
 K* fi 
 
 [Modified from old author.] 
 
 GRANNIE'S MEETIN' FOLKS NOTION. 
 
 Dear old grannie is with us no longer, 
 Her hair, that was white as the snow. 
 
 Was smooth settled one morning for ever 
 On her head ly>ng quiet and low. 
 
 Her spent hand left the Bible wide open, 
 
 To show us the road she had trod. 
 With waymarks distinctly to tell us 
 
 The path she had gone up to God. 
 
 Not great other learning had grannie. 
 She guess'd not the path of the stars, 
 
 Nor ought of the comet's wide cycle, 
 Or of Nebula's dim distant bars. 
 
 But she knew how the wise men adoring. 
 
 Saw a star in the east long ago. 
 And had learned how the first Christmas anthem. 
 
 Came down to the Shepherds below. 
 
 And she too had a test I remember. 
 
 For people whoe'er they might be, 
 Whenever we spoke of the strangers 
 
 Around, or far over the sea, 
 
 Of " Laura," and " Lizzie," or "Jennie ;" 
 
 Or stately old " Essiby Oakes," 
 She listened, then whispered // softly, 
 
 " My dear, and are these meetin' folks f" 
 
58 spence's select readings. 
 
 When our Johnnie went off to the city, 
 With merchants whom all the world knew 
 
 To be sober and honest great people, 
 For dear grannie this all would not do, 
 
 Till she pulled Johnnie's sleeve in the twilight. 
 To be certain before he had gone, 
 
 And he smiled as he heard her sage question, 
 " Are you sure they are meetifi folks, John ?" 
 
 And when Minnie returned home from somewhere. 
 Having left heart and happiness there, 
 
 I saw her close kneeling by grannie. 
 With dear old wrinkled hands in her hair. 
 
 Then amid the low sobs of the lover. 
 
 Came softly the tremulous tone, 
 ** He wasn't like meetin! folks> Minnie, 
 
 My dear child, you are better alone." 
 
 Still, 'midst various knarl'd knotty questions. 
 As in choosing a husband or wife, 
 
 Dear old grannie would always put her-ovat, 
 Regarding relations in life. 
 
 And while now from the corner we miss her, 
 And we hear that reminder no more. 
 
 Still distinct, unforgotten, the echo 
 Comes back from the far away shore. 
 
 Until sophistry slinks in the corner. 
 
 Though charity high has her due, 
 Yet we eel if we want to meet grannie, 
 
 'Twere best to be meetirC folks too. 
 
 in 
 
 THE COMING DAY. 
 
 Day braver bards have dared to sing 
 Far off seem hours that swiftly bring 
 Yet while they wait with folded wing. 
 Forward, their glowing flush they fling. 
 Yes ! cheerful omens gild the skies. 
 For hopeful hearts and peering eyes, 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 59 
 
 Bright truth full-orbed hasteth to rise, 
 Long looked for by the good and wise. 
 The coming day earth yet must see, 
 Else wherefore should this longing be. 
 This heart aspiring to be free ? 
 Index of looming liberty. 
 The hopeful eye is victory, 
 The holy thought is prophecy ; 
 Glad we dare believe it near. 
 Lei us aid to bring it here. 
 
 Haste welcome day when o'er the expectant f arth 
 Unclouded truths effulgent orb shall pour 
 Bright universal rays of heavenly birth, 
 And one glad song shall peal from every shore. 
 Then from the fane of holy light sublime 
 Shall sacred peace with deepening current flow 
 In streams of wide expanse, thro' ev'ry clime ; 
 And calmly bright, beneath the ethereal glow, 
 Reflect the scenes above, upon its breast below. 
 
 
 'III 
 
 » ONE DUTY AT ONCE. 
 
 One, by one, thy duties wait thee, 
 Put thy strength, entire to each, 
 
 Let, not future dreams elate thee. 
 Learn thou first what these can teach. 
 
 One, by one, thy griefs shall meet thee, 
 Treat them not as armed band, 
 
 One will fade, while others greet thee, 
 Passing shadows o'er the land. 
 
 Look not at life's long sum-sorrowj 
 See how small each sep'rate pain 
 
 Heaven to help thee for each morrow, 
 Then for next begin again. 
 
 One by one, bright gifts from Heaven ; 
 
 Joys come to thee here below, 
 Take them thankfully when given, 
 
 Nor reluctant let them go. 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 f-1 
 
6o 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 Do not linger sad, regretting, 
 Nor for passing ills despond. 
 
 Nor thy present woi k forgetting, 
 Look too eagerly beyond. 
 
 Hours are golden links, God's token 
 Reaching heaven one by one, 
 
 Take heed, lest the chain be broken. 
 Ere thy pilgrimage be done. 
 
 Each pearl period, fleeting slowly, 
 Has its task to do or bear, 
 
 Lum'nous for thy crown, and holy. 
 Only set tack gem with care. 
 
 A TALK WITH MYSELF. 
 
 
 BERNARD BARTON. 
 
 As I walked by myseK, I talked to myself. 
 
 And myself replied to me ; 
 And the questions myself then put to qiyself, 
 
 With their answers, I give to thee. 
 Put them home to thyself, and if unto t! yself, 
 
 Their responses the same should be. 
 Oh ! look well to thyself, and \ eware of thyself. 
 
 Or so much the worse for thee. 
 
 What are Riches ? Hoarded treasures 
 
 May, indeed, thy coffers fill ; 
 Yet, like earth's most fleeting pleasures, 
 
 Leave thee poor and heartless still. 
 
 What are Pleasures ? When afforded 
 
 But by gauds which pass away, 
 Read their fate in lines recorded 
 
 On the sea-sands yesterday. 
 
 What is Fashion ? Ask of Folly, 
 
 See her worth can best express. 
 What is moping Melancholy ? 
 
 Go and learn of Idleness. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 6i 
 
 What is Friendship ? If well founded, 
 Like some beacon's heavenward glow ; 
 
 If on false pretensions grounded, 
 Like the treacherous sand below. 
 
 What is Love ? If earthly only, 
 
 Like a meteor of the night ; 
 Shining but to leave more lonely 
 
 Hearts that hailed its transient light : 
 
 What are Hopes? But gleams of brightness, 
 Glancing darkest clouds between ! 
 
 Or foam-crested waves, whose whiteness 
 Gladdens ocean's darksome green. 
 
 What are Fears ? Grim phantoms, throwing 
 Shadows o'er the pilgrim's way. 
 
 Every moment darker growing. 
 If we yield unto their sway. 
 
 What is Mirth ? A flash of lightning. 
 
 Followed but by deeper gloom. 
 Patience ? More than sunshine brightening 
 
 Sorrow's path, and labor's doom. 
 
 What is Truth ? Too stern a preacher 
 For the prosperous and the gay ! 
 
 But a safe and wholesome teacher 
 In Adversity's dark day. 
 
 What is Time ? A river flowing 
 
 To Eternity's vast sea, 
 Forward, whither all are rowing. 
 
 On its bosom bearing thee. 
 
 What is Life ? A bubble floating 
 
 On that silent, rapid stream ; 
 Few, too few its progress noting. 
 
 Till it bursts, and ends the dream. 
 
 Can these truths, by repetition. 
 Lose their magnitude or weight ? 
 
 Estimate thine own condition. 
 Ere thou pass the final gate. 
 
 in 
 
 -: 
 
 Sft> 
 
u 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 Hast thou heard them oft repeated, 
 
 Much may still be left to doj 
 Be not by profession cheated ; 
 
 Liv'e — as if thou knewest them trug. 
 
 As I walked by myself, I talked to myself. 
 
 And myself replied to me ; 
 And the questions myself then put to myself, 
 
 With their answers, I've given to thee. 
 Put them home to thyself, and if unto thyself 
 
 Their responses the same should be,. 
 Oh ! look well to thyself, and take heed to thyself, 
 
 And much the better for thee. 
 
 LAW OF LOVE. 
 
 Keep pouring forth the oil of love. 
 It will not fail until 
 
 TAou ailesi vessels to provide 
 Which it may bounteous fill. 
 
 But if at any time you cease 
 Outgoings to provide, 
 
 The very founts of love so full 
 Forthwith are parched up dried. 
 
 Make outlets for the flow of love 
 Where it may broadly run, 
 
 Love still hath overflowing streams 
 To fill them every one. 
 
 So must we share if v/e would have 
 This blessing from above 
 
 Ceasing to give — cease to possess 
 Such is the law of love. 
 
 R. C. J. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 63 
 
 FIGHT IT OUT. 
 
 A particularly interesting little girl, sone would say shrewd 
 or smart little one, sat at the table and took quite as large 
 a share in the table talk as might be considered consistent 
 with the possession of a large share of bashfulness. The 
 company consisting of about equal numbers male and 
 female, every one seemed so like having a partner only 
 one gentleman, a guest at the house, appearing somewhat 
 lonely as there didn't appear to be a spare lady present. 
 The little Miss rather pertly proposed the inquiry to Mr. 
 Johnston 
 
 ** Where is your wife ? " ' 
 
 The abrupt form of interrogation direct, taking Mr. J. 
 rather by surprise, along with the awkward fact that he and 
 the partner of his life had quarrelled and separated, and 
 this unfortunate affair being known to the present company 
 the embarrassed man stammered out the simple plain truth 
 
 ^ " I don't know." 
 
 " Don'tknow" responded his youthful innocent tormenter. 
 
 " And why don't you know ? " 
 
 Finding no chance of escape from the interrogation under 
 all the circumstances, he concluded to make a clean breast 
 of the matter and have it over at once. So bracing him- 
 self up to the task with all the calmness he could command, 
 "Well the truth is we don't live together," and anticipating - 
 a natural further inquiry as to the why and whereforfe, he 
 proceeded to explain : — " We thought as we couldn't agree 
 we'd better not try and so we agreed not to agree." ' 
 
 When he got so far it was evident he had not yet got 
 through with the ordeal. He stifled a groan as the dear 
 child began again (earnestly looking over towards her 
 parents and back) " can't agree ? Then why don't you fight 
 it out like as pa and ma do ? " 
 
 The embarrassment had crossed the table. Pa and ma 
 exchanged glances of momentary horror, then the clonds 
 dispersed, and no doubt the company, felt impressed with 
 
 I 
 
64 
 
 spence's select readings 
 
 the conviction which the interesting little girl will be con- 
 vinced of some day too — that it does not do well always to 
 talk of everything, at every time, and before everybody. 
 
 NOT LIKING TO HEAR HIM. 
 
 I do not like to hear him pray 
 
 Who loans for tv enty-five per cent. 
 For then I think the borrower may 
 
 Be pressed to pay for food and rent. 
 And in the book we all should heed. 
 
 Which' says the Ifinder shall be blest 
 As sure as I have eyes to read 
 
 It does not say " take interest." 
 
 I do not like to hear him pray 
 
 On bended knees about an hour 
 For grace to spend aright the day, 
 
 Who knows his neighbour has no flour ; 
 I'd rather see him go to mill 
 
 And buy the luckless brother bread. 
 And see his children eat their fill, 
 
 And laugh beneath their humble shed. 
 
 I do not like to hear him pray 
 
 " Let blessings on the widow be !" 
 Who never seeks her home to say, 
 
 " If want o'ertakes you, come to me." 
 I hate the prayer so loud and long. 
 
 That's offered for the Orphan's weal. 
 By him who sees him crushed by wrong, 
 
 And only with the lips doth feel. 
 
 I do not like to hear her pray. 
 
 With jewelled ear and silken dress, 
 Whose washerwoman toils all day, 
 
 And then is asked to " work for less." 
 Such pious shavers I despise ; 
 
 With folded hands and face demure. 
 They lift to heaven their " angel eyes," 
 
 And steal the earning from the poor. 
 
SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 I do not like such soulless prayers ; 
 
 If wrong, I hope to be forgiven ; 
 No angel's wing them upward bear — 
 
 They're lost a million miles from heaven 
 I cannot like long prayers to hear, 
 
 And studied from the lips depart , 
 Our Father bends a ready ear, 
 
 Let words be low ; he hears the heart. 
 
 65 
 
 EARTH'S ANGELS. 
 
 Why come not spirits from the realms of glory, 
 
 To visit earth, as in the days of old — 
 The times of sacred writ and ancient story — 
 
 Is heaven more distant ? or has earth grown cold ! 
 
 Oft have I gazed when sunset clouds, receding, 
 Waved the rich banners of a host gone by. 
 
 To catch the gleam of some white pinion speeding 
 Along the confines of the glowing sky. 
 
 And oft, when midnight stars in distant chillness 
 Were calmly burning, listened late and long : 
 
 But nature's pulse beat on in solemn stillness. 
 Bearing no echo of the seraph's song. 
 
 To Bethlehem's he?r was their last anthem given. 
 When other stars before The One "rew dim ? 
 
 Was their last presence known in Peter's prison ? 
 Or where exulting martyrs raised their hymn ? 
 
 And are they all within the vail departed ? 
 
 There gleams no wing along the empyrean now ; 
 And many a tear from human eyes has started, 
 
 Since angel touch has calmed a mortal brow. 
 
 No ! earth has angels, though their forms are moulded 
 But of such clay as fashions all below ; 
 
 Though harps are wanting, and bright pinions folded. 
 We know them by the love-light on their brow. 
 
66 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 I have seen angels, by the sick one's pillow ; 
 
 Theirs was the soft tone and the soundless tread, 
 Where smitten hearts were drooping, like the willow, 
 
 They stood " between the living and the dead." 
 
 And if my sight, by earthly dimness hindered. 
 Beheld no hovering cherubim in the air, 
 
 I doubted not — for spirits knew their kindred — 
 They smiled upon the wingless watchers there. 
 
 There have been angels in the gloomy prison : 
 In crowded halls ; by the lone widow's hearth ; 
 
 And where they passed, the fallen have uprisen — 
 The giddy paused — the mourner's hopes had birth. 
 
 Oh, many a spirit walks the world unheeded, 
 That, when its veil of sadness is laid down, 
 
 Shall soar aloft, with pinions unimpeded. 
 And wear its glory, like a starry crown. 
 
 USE OF LIFE. 
 
 Though we climb fame's proudest height. 
 
 Though we sit above afar. 
 
 Where the thrones of triumph are ; 
 Though all deepest mysteries be open to our sight, 
 
 If we win not by that power 
 
 For the world another dower — 
 If this great Humanity share not in our gain. 
 
 We have lived our life in vain. 
 
 Though we revel in sweet dreams ; 
 
 Though with poet's eye we look 
 
 Full on Nature's open book. 
 And our spirits wander, singing with the birds and streams ; 
 
 If we let no music in 
 
 To the world of grief and sin — 
 If we draw no spirit heavenward by the strain. 
 
 We have lived our life in vain. 
 
 Though our lot be calm and bright ; 
 
 Though upon our brows we wear 
 
 Noble grace, and beauty rare, 
 And the hours go swiftly, singing in their flight ; 
 
spence's select readings. 67 
 
 If we let no glory down 
 Any darkened life tv crown — 
 If our .grace and joyance have no ninistry for pain, 
 We have lived our lire in vain. 
 
 Though for weary years we toil ; 
 
 Though we gather gems and gold 
 
 From the mines of wealth untold, 
 Though from far off shores of ocean we have brought the spoil ; 
 
 What at t>; 2 last is won 
 
 If we hear not God's " Well done ? " 
 If the world's want and sorrow be not lessened by our gain, 
 
 We have lived our life in vain. 
 
 Though we be, in heart and hand, 
 
 Mighty with all foes to cope. 
 
 Rich in courage and in hope. 
 Fitted as strong laborers in the world to stand — 
 
 If with these we right no wrong 
 
 What avails it to be strong ? 
 If we strengthen not the weak, raise not the bowed again 
 
 We have lived our life in vain. 
 
 To the giver shall be given ; 
 
 If thou wouldest walk in light. 
 
 So make other spirits bright, 
 Who seeking for himself alone e'er entered heaven ? 
 
 In blessing we are blessed, 
 
 In exertion find our rest. 
 If we bend unto the world's work, heart, hand, brain, 
 
 We shall not have toiled in vain. 
 
 How sad it is that some human beings breath, move, 
 exist and pa -s off the stage of life, and are heard of no 
 more. 
 
 Why is it so ? 
 
 They did no good in the world — none were blessed by 
 them. Not a word they spoke could be recalled as of any 
 value and so they perished, their light went out in utter 
 darkness. They are not remembeted more than the insects 
 of yesterday. Will you not rather resolve to live for some- 
 thing ? Do some good and so leave behind you a 
 monument of virtue which time can never destroy. Write 
 
 ifi 
 
 
 11 
 
68 
 
 SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 your name in kindness, love and mercy on human hearts 
 and your deeds and records will be as legible on those you 
 leave behind, as the stars on the brow of the evening. 
 Good deeds will shine as brightly, and more enduringly, and 
 serve a blessed purpose. 
 
 Live to enjoy and to impart, 
 
 Employ your head, your hands, your heart. 
 
 Selfishness is utter loss ; 
 
 Life's most perfect joy and good, 
 
 Ah ! how few have understood, 
 Only one hath proved it — ^and He died upon the cross ; 
 
 Taking on Himself the curse, 
 
 So to bless the universe. 
 If we follow in his footsteps in the pathway straight and plain, 
 
 We shall not have lived in vain. 
 
 TWO THAT COME ONLY ONCE. 
 
 Along life's paths are set 
 
 Dark waymarks of regret ; 
 Yet flowers spring up anon, 
 And many things once gone. 
 
 Will often come again. 
 
 Rich laden, are life's hands, 
 While hope too, smiling stands 
 Dispensing gifts to all. 
 Though careless hands let fall, 
 But to be fiU'd again. 
 
 Of summer's joyous sun, 
 
 Earth hath not only one 
 Of all her cheerful blooms. 
 There is not one that comes. 
 
 And never comes again. 
 
 Nor flow of ebbing tide, 
 Nor rain to fountain dried ; 
 Nor dew to thirst v grass, 
 But * two ' things go, alas ! 
 
 That never come again. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 Time, may most griefs remove ; 
 Turn bitterness to love ; 
 
 Bring fruits from labours cross'd ; 
 
 But opportunity lost — 
 
 Cometh never again ! 
 
 Smiles, may to tearful eyes, 
 
 And blue, to clouded skies ; 
 And hope, to saddened hearts, 
 But youths once comes- -departs ! 
 And never comes again ! 
 
 69 
 
 CALL TO THE CONFLICT. 
 
 Sound aloud the deep toned clarion, 
 Let its notes be clear and long ; 
 
 Right, with sword drawn for the contest 
 Takes the field against the wrong. 
 
 Hold aloft the glorious banner, 
 
 Let it float against the sky, 
 And with truth's bright blade uplifted 
 
 In the strength of the Most High. 
 
 Let no heart quail in the onset — 
 
 All above, around, beneath ; 
 Countless eyes the strife are watching 
 
 Through the war cloud*s dusky wreath. 
 
 Side by side, in phalanx valiant 
 In the God of battles strong ; 
 
 Grapple with fell rampant error 
 In the serried ranks of wrong. 
 
 Through which clouds, with thunder laden 
 Darken o'er the source of day ; 
 
 Though fierce forked fiery lightning 
 Flash and dart around the way. 
 
 Echoed loud above the thunder 
 Let the watchword 'Victory' sound, 
 
 And amid the jagged lightnings 
 Inch by inch still gain the ground. 
 
70 spence's select readings. 
 
 Deep entrenched in hoary bulwailcs, 
 Error and his prisoners see ; 
 
 Scale the ramparts, strike the ensign^ 
 Set the wretched captives free. 
 
 Not till then the waiting scabbard 
 May receive the trusty steel ; 
 
 Not until earth's groaning millions, 
 Freedom's bounding pulse may feel. 
 
 Now is on us rush of battle, 
 Now the clash and din of war ; 
 
 Armies coming to the conflict 
 Forces gathering from afar. 
 
 Down-trod hearts with anguish bleeding, 
 Human nature held in thrall ; 
 
 Myriads waiting for redemption 
 Marshall at the trumpet call. 
 
 Lo ! on distant dim horizon 
 
 Faintly glimmering through the night, 
 Shines the star " hose rising glory 
 
 Truth's triumphal march shall light. 
 
 And e'en now in far off murm'rings 
 O'er the future's restless sea ; 
 
 Faith doth catch a premonition 
 Of earth's glorious jubilee. 
 
 (Modified J. E. H.) 
 
 DIVINE DESIGN IS DELIGHT. 
 (giving gladness in grace and nature.) 
 
 Behold wide creation ! Remark the repletion 
 Of gladsome designs ; of Divine ordination, 
 
 Here so densely surrounded, by bpunty unbounded ; 
 Benevolent Being, — 'tis seen must have founded, 
 
 Hark ! glad harmony cheers the listening ears, 
 'Tis munificence toned in the music of spheres. 
 
SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 7« 
 
 While heaven's bright display, and " day unto day," 
 Announce Divine glory which none can gainsay ; 
 
 The sweet light, the soft rain, God doth not restrain. 
 And His word sets forth goodness, in accents as plain ; 
 
 Earth and heaven proclaim, the ineffable name, 
 And the gospel of grace, full re-echo's the same. ' 
 
 His infinite might, who dwelleth in light, 
 Maketh glad who submit, for His statutes are right. 
 
 Provisions still proving, benevolence moving 
 
 , The will, and commands, of the lawgiver loving, 
 
 AH joyous displaying, refuting, gainsaying. 
 There is misery only to the disobeying. 
 
 Glad creation combines, stretching forth love's bright lines 
 And in gospel Heaven's special companion outshines. 
 
 Showing forth Loving- Kind, the Infinite mind, 
 The Love and the " Light of the world," unconfined. 
 
 Ample evidence high, earth's air and sky 
 Proclaims mercy Infinite, over all nigh. 
 
 As we farther explore. Goodness outshines more ; 
 
 The God of all grace, we in all things adore. 
 Transparent in nature, in every feature 
 
 Joy, gladness and " gospel to every creature," 
 All sweetly agreeing, intelligence seeing. 
 
 Design for delight is the order of being. 
 
 S. 
 
 LONGING FOR A LONGER LINE. 
 
 Let me dive deep beyond far depths of science, 
 Urge on, keep pace with comets as they roll 
 
 On ! on ! through circling change and bid defiance 
 To hmits widening waves, and time's control. 
 
 Give me a longer line ! 
 
 Let me go down, beyond the mystic ocean, 
 Where coral wonders sleep, and pearls lie low, 
 
 And still profoundest reflect the ceaseless motion 
 Of the dark waves, that restless o'er them flow. 
 
 Give me a longer line ! 
 
72 SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 Let me seek out sources of hidden wonders, 
 Press on, explore earth's hoary mountain chains, 
 
 Go 'mid the lightnings, and where roll the thunders, 
 And grandeur power as mighty spirit reigns. 
 
 Give me a longer line. 
 
 My soul draws deep — its yearnings are immortal, 
 It needs a channel where no line hath been, 
 
 How inany a bark once bound for heaven's portal 
 Hath foundered on shallows or rocks between. 
 
 Give me a longer line ! 
 
 Give me a plummet weighty and unswerving, 
 Rift the dense vapors that around me roll 
 
 Oh ! let me fathom the domain and curving 
 Of that deep mystery the human soul. 
 
 Oh ! for this longer line / 
 
 Let me have line to reach utmost longings of creature 
 Let me explore life's kindling fountain fires 
 
 O let me fathom nearer to my nature, 
 Some real resting home of my desires. 
 
 Give me the longer line. 
 
 SILVER-TONE SOURCES. 
 
 Some good-hearted people stood by when a great church 
 bell was being cast, an 1 as the glowing fluid was entering 
 its mould they were privileged to cast in their contributions. 
 Thus were unknown quantities of silver coins cast into the 
 molten mass to sweeten the notes of the immense bell. 
 No list w >s kept of the donors, but as the bell is heard call- 
 ing to worship, though no ear distinguishes the vibrations, 
 the volume of sweet sound is made up of all these. 
 
 The great bell is but one of a million things to-day bless- 
 edly sweet and inspiring, while yet unrecorded to us are the 
 many sources of tiieir precious influences. Voices reach our 
 ears — great impulses stir our souls — lofty aspirings urge us 
 onward — the source of which only the Divine One may 
 
SPENCE S SELECT READINGS. 
 
 73 
 
 specify. The silver coin which had mingled in the mass of 
 social force was dropped in so quietly and disappeared so 
 quickly that none can search it out. The happy thought 
 comes back as the tones of that bell — the sweetest and most 
 precious and lasting influences in human life may have no 
 earthly register : the noble mind having power to rise in 
 simple majesty above sordid motives may not be quite con- 
 scious that this honest silvery ring is the outcome of the 
 sterling small coin by his godly mother cast into his child- 
 life. 
 
 Even so, as the molten mass of character is hourly run- 
 ning into form, there stand around those generous contribu- 
 tors, who cast in their precious treasure, holy example and 
 happy sentiment sweetly brightening and sweetly sanctifying 
 human life, so complex processes continually make up life, 
 character and power. Many quiet nameless ones on earth 
 are pouring the wealth of their life where it shall live in notes 
 of sublimity and joy long after their peaceful dust reposes in 
 silence. But the Divine Maker takes notes of all these 
 humble, honest efforts and services meant only for his eye. 
 
 Go on then good men and women, cast in your precious 
 coin. All will be recorded in celestial register. Go on 
 weary, worn, toiling ones, your services may win little notice 
 for a tedious time. Even yourselves cannot think your con- 
 tribution worthy of regard. Rest assured all the silver you 
 cast into human life will yet ring out clear and sweet eter- 
 nally — 
 
 Take ecu rage then ye humblest ones proceed 
 Drop in devout your small donations, 
 Each aiding to make up on earth the swelling sea 
 Of heavenly good immortal. 
 The great First Cause admits your hand and heart 
 To His creative aid in making bliss, 
 Your offering small contains the elements 
 Of which sweet sounds come forth undying. 
 Yes ! you may say, " Let there be silver tones." 
 Such mandate mild becomes omnipotent 
 What though no earthly record made or notice taken, 
 One eye benign admires one voice applauds. 
 
 HI 
 
 :- 
 
 :i 
 
 i^i 
 
 1 U 
 
 • 1 
 
p.^ 
 
 74 spence's select readings. 
 
 Thy lowly contribution tow'rds His holy purpose 
 Not one small genuine piece rests unreported 
 Thy seeming petty silver offering shall blend in the 
 
 fused mass, 
 Shall permeate the mighty sound sublime 
 And nng out clear its ample part 
 Swelling the volume ^pf the music of the spheres. 
 
 A GOSPEL ECHO. 
 
 True faith working by love to God and man, 
 Pray echo is not this the gospel plan ? 
 
 Echo — TAe Gospel plan. 
 
 Ought I my faith unfeigned constant show 
 By doing good to all both friend and foe ? 
 
 Echo— Both />7>«// and yS^tf. 
 
 But if false friends traduce and treat me ill, 
 Must I return them good and love them still ? 
 Echo — And love them still. 
 
 And will my heavenly Father give me power 
 Sufficient so to serve each trying hour ? 
 
 Echo — Each trying hour. 
 
 And may I still such Christian life employ * 
 To serve the lowly One the highest joy ? 
 
 Echo — The highest joy. 
 
 Why echo sure thy voice comes from above 
 So thou wouldst have me do nought but in love ? 
 Echo — Naught but in love. 
 
 Then since my high example leads the way, 
 Patient Til follow Him, still watch and pray. 
 
 Echo— ' Still watch and pray. 
 
 And while by faith I seek and try to live 
 Unfaltering this I know He strength will give. 
 
 Echo — He strength will give. 
 
 Amen ! with all my heart then be it so. 
 Now on to practice I'll directly go. 
 
 Echo — Directly go. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 75 
 
 PROGRESS UNBOUNDED. 
 
 Does the earth contain one spirit 
 
 Bowed despondent in the dust, 
 On the midnight of whose vision 
 
 Beams no star of hope and trust ? 
 
 Let that soul but pause and ponder 
 Op the works the past has done, 
 
 And an earnest bright and glorious, 
 For the Future shall be won. 
 
 For the soul must feel the stirring. 
 
 Of its destiny sublime, 
 Who but rightly views the Present, 
 
 With its earnest heart and mind. 
 
 Toiling in the earthly vineyard 
 Many bands have found a place ; 
 
 Some are nearing to the summit — 
 Some are at the mountain's base. 
 
 Progress is the stirring watchword 
 Cheers them upward to the height : 
 
 Canst thou pause and play the laggard, 
 With its glories full m sight ? 
 
 And while fair and broad and glorious 
 
 In our vision we can see, 
 Still the Future brightly stretching 
 
 Into far Infinity : 
 
 Who shall tell what bound or barrier 
 To improvement Heaven designed ? 
 
 Who sh£ill dare to fix the limits. 
 To the onward march of mind ? 
 
 Only He, who into being 
 
 Called the unfathomed human soul, 
 He for whom the hymn of Progress 
 
 Through eternity shall roll ! P.C 
 
76 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 ANOTHER SPRING TIME. 
 
 A small star-flower sprang up from earth, 
 
 Looked toward a field of rye ; 
 The thought came with its modest birth : 
 
 " That I might grow so high." 
 The rye-tops nodding in the wind 
 
 Were wishing, with a sigh. 
 That they might reach where outlined stood 
 
 The mountains 'gainst the sky. 
 
 • 
 
 The long grass waves, the summer days 
 
 Are stealing soft away : 
 The small i^ower grows ; the sun's warm rays 
 
 Have made it bright and gay. 
 A rain-drop fai?s from heaven's blue ; 
 
 The flower's half-closed eye 
 Looks up to see its own sweet self 
 
 Reflected in the sky. 
 
 " O bright form there in heaven set, 
 
 I longed to be the rye ; 
 I had not seen you higher yet — 
 
 To be like you I'd die." 
 An impulse wakens in its heart, 
 
 It fling: its wings on high. 
 And fondly hopes that they may reach 
 
 That fair star in the sky. 
 
 But softly falling to the ground. 
 They're scattered here and there. 
 
 And by another spring are found 
 The star-flowers ev'rywhere. 
 
 In our high aims most of us fall ; 
 But, trying day by day. 
 
 We sow, as did the little flower, 
 
 Good seeds along the way. 
 
 W. N. B. 
 
\ 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 \ 
 
 It 
 
 \ 
 
 NEVER DESPAIR. 
 
 Never despair ! The darkest cloud 
 
 That ever loomed will pass away ; 
 The longest ni^ht will yield to dawn, 
 
 The dawn will kindle into day ! 
 What if around the lonely bark 
 
 Break fierce and high the waves of sorrow, 
 Stretch every oar ! there's land ahead, 
 
 And thou wilt gain the port to-morrow ! 
 
 When fortune frowns and summer friends. 
 
 Like birds that fear a storm, depart. 
 Some, if thy breast hath tropic warmth, 
 
 Will stay and nestle round the heart ! 
 If thou art poor, no ioy is won. 
 
 No fi;ood is gained by sad repining ; ^ 
 Gems buried in the darkened earth 
 
 May yet be gathered for the mining ! 
 
 There is no lot, however sad. 
 
 There is no roof, however low. 
 But has some joy to make it glad. 
 
 Some latent bliss to soothe its woe ': 
 The light of hope will linger near 
 
 When wildest beats the heart's emotion — 
 A talisman when breakers roar, 
 
 A bright star o'er the troubled ocean. 
 
 The farmer knows not if his fields 
 
 With flood or drought or blight must cope ; 
 He questions not the fickle skies. 
 
 But ploughs, and sows, and toils in hope ; 
 Then up and strive, and dare, and do. 
 
 Nor doubt a harvest thou wilt gather — 
 A time to work, a time to wait. 
 
 And trust to Gop for genial weather ! 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 LOVED OBJECTS AND LOVE. 
 
 Pearls from the deep sea ; 
 
 Jewels from the mine ; 
 Gold from the red earth. 
 Which shall be thine ? 
 Oh, not the jewels of the earth ; 
 
 Nor pearls of all the seas, 
 I seek a treasure 
 Richer than these. 
 
 List, to the zephyrs 
 
 And the birds of the grove. 
 What is Nature's heartsease ? 
 Love ! love ! love ! 
 
 Man wins with toil and danger 
 
 The treasures of earth and sea ; 
 But to win a maiden's heart 
 
 A harder task may be ; 
 For love lies deeper 
 
 Than jewels or gold ; 
 And ah ! to rich too give away 
 To sacred to be sold. 
 Found like the air 
 
 Where the heart may rove, 
 Too free for hand to grasp it — 
 Love ! love ! love ! 
 
 I come not to beg love, 
 Or buy love of thee ; 
 Heart for heart, love for love- 
 Mine wilt thou be ? 
 Half hearts have we, man and woman. 
 
 Till love makes them one. 
 And sets it like a new world 
 Singing round the sun. 
 What makes all the rapture 
 
 Of the angels above ; 
 And every heart a heaven here ? 
 Love ! love ! love ! 
 
 

 spence's szlect readings. 
 
 WATER MILL SOLEMN SOLILOQUY. 
 
 Oh ! listen to the water mill 
 
 Its weighty lessons weigh, 
 As on its round of duty still. 
 
 Throughout the livelong day. 
 A solemn proverb comes to mind 
 
 And as a spell is cast. 
 The mill will never grind again 
 
 With water that is past. 
 
 The steady stream flows ever oh 
 
 Deep persevering still, 
 But never ^lideth back again 
 
 To workmg water mill. 
 Oh ! take the lesson to thy soul, 
 
 For ever clasp it fast ; 
 The mill will never grind again 
 
 With water that is past. 
 
 Oh ! press the proverb to thy soul, 
 
 Dear loving heart and true, 
 The golden years are gliding by 
 
 And life is passing too. 
 Ah ! learn to make the most of life, 
 
 Nor lose a precious day. 
 For time will ne'er return again. 
 
 Neglected, pass'd away. 
 Leave not the tender word unsaid. 
 
 Thy kindness sow broadcast. 
 The mill will never grind again 
 
 With water that is past. 
 
 Oh ! wasted hours of life that have 
 
 So swiftly drifted by. 
 The good we should and could have done 
 
 And passed without a sigh. 
 What might have been accomplished 
 
 By a single kindlv word ; 
 Thoughts conceived but ne'er expressed. 
 
 Perished unpen'd, unheard ; 
 Wait not until to-morrow's light 
 
 Beams brightly on thy wav 
 For all that thou canst call thine own. 
 
 Is in the present day. 
 
 19 
 
So 
 
 SPENCE'S SELECT *iEADINGS. 
 
 The fleeting now, to be improved 
 
 Will all be fled at last, 
 The mill will never g^ind again 
 
 With water that is past. 
 
 Work on, while yet the sun doth shine, 
 
 Work on, with strength and will 
 The stream may never useless glide 
 
 By busy water mill. 
 Oh ! love thy God and fellow man, 
 
 Self take to task with care 
 For time will come when thou must scan 
 
 Past errors past repair. 
 Soon will this flight of life be o'er, 
 
 And earth recede from view, 
 And heaven in all its glory shine 
 
 Where all's enduring true. 
 Ah then thou'lt see more clearly still 
 
 The proverb deep and vast. 
 The mill can never grind again 
 
 With water that is past. 
 
 D. C. M. altered. 
 
 THE WORSHIP OF NATURE. 
 
 BY J. G. WHITTIER. 
 
 The ocean looketh up to heaven, 
 
 As 'twere a living thing ; 
 The homage of its waves is given 
 
 In ceaseless worshipping. 
 
 They kneel upon the sleeping sand, 
 
 As bends the human knee, 
 A beautiful and tireless band, 
 
 The priesthood of the sea. 
 
 They pour their glittering treasures out, 
 Which in the deep have birth. 
 
 And chant their awful hymns about 
 The watching hills of earth. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 8i 
 
 The green earth sends its incense up 
 From every mountain shrine, 
 
 From every flower and dewy cup 
 That greeteth the sunshine. 
 
 The mists are lifted from the rills, 
 1.. ike the white wing of prayer ; 
 
 They lean above the ancient hills 
 As doing homage there. 
 
 The forest tops are lowly cast 
 O'er the breezy hills and glen, 
 
 As if a prayerful spirit passed 
 On nature as on men. 
 
 The clouds weep o'er the fallen world 
 
 E'en as repentant love ; 
 Ere to the blessed breeze unfurled, 
 
 They fade in light above. 
 
 The sky is as a temple's arch ; 
 
 The blue and wavy air. 
 Is glorious with the spirit march 
 
 Of messengers at prayer. 
 
 The gentle moon, the kindling sun, 
 
 The many stars are given 
 As shrines to bum earth's incense on 
 
 The altar-fires of heaven ! 
 
 STRONG, BRAVE— FIRM AND TRUE! 
 
 BY EDWARD D. HOWARD. 
 
 Be Strong and brave — be firm and true — 
 In whatsoe'er thou hast to do ; 
 When frutjk and rt£^Ai are with you, there 
 Must bo no moment for despair ! 
 
 If rugged seem the path you tread, 
 And Hope a doubtful glim'ring shed 
 Where, far before, the good you seek 
 Is hedged by many an Alpine peak, 
 
83 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 
 While frozen torrents rage between, 
 And yawning chasms intervene, 
 Oh, falter not — ^press on anew, 
 For truth and right be firm and true ! 
 
 If error triumph for a day. 
 And wrong achieve tyrannic sway — 
 If monstrous evils grow with years 
 Whose sap is human blood and tears — 
 
 If all your efforts seem to be 
 Like snow-flakes falling on the sea, 
 Which serve the darkening to swell. 
 And leave no whiteness where they fell — 
 
 If heart grow sick, and eyes grow dim, 
 And faintness seize the weary limb — 
 If blear-eyed, dull Despondency 
 Shall come where Hope was wont to be — 
 
 Oh, sound the must'ring spirit drum, 
 As once ye did when Hope was young ! 
 Bid all the glories of thy soul 
 Their banners on the night unroll ! 
 
 Call out the high resolves once more. 
 Which nerved to noble deeds before, 
 And wake the music which can thrill 
 Thy being with its rapture still ! 
 
 Plant firm amid the thorns thy feet — 
 Loud through the gloom thy cry repeat — 
 Swing upward still thy torch of flame, 
 And strike for truth and right the same ! 
 
 Though night and storms and foes surround, 
 And threat'ning clouds sink darkly down, 
 Onward and upward press anew. 
 To truth and right forever true I 
 
 

 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 THE BEAUTIFUL. 
 
 Thou can'st not clasp the beautiful 
 
 And call it all thine own, 
 The beautiful is given for all 
 
 And not for one alone ; 
 It is God's love made visible , 
 
 In earth, and sea, and sky, 
 A blessing wide as time and space 
 
 For every human eye. 
 
 The foam that crests the ocean-wave 
 
 And sparkles to the light,' 
 The star that gems the brow of mom 
 
 And glorifies the night. 
 The brook, the flowers, the leaf, the bird 
 
 Whatever glads the sight — 
 Is God's own loving gift to all, 
 
 The beautiful and bright. 
 
 And blessed 'tis, and beautiful 
 
 That there's one gift all have 
 Defies the cruel tyrant's power 
 
 And ban of wicked knave, 
 For spite of chains, the slaves can see 
 
 God's love is with him here, 
 In beauty's light, in beauty's joy. 
 
 And beauty's blessed cheer. 
 
 And God be praised ! forevermore. 
 
 For this. His blessed boon. 
 The beautiful — which all may share, 
 
 And none can share too soon ; 
 The beautiful which purifies 
 
 And leads us up to Him, 
 Who is its source, its life and light 
 
 Above these shadows dim. 
 
 83 
 
 :i 
 
 ■' 1 
 
 TO HAVE — GIVE I 
 
 To enjoy a thing exclusively is commonly to exclude 
 yourself from the true enjoyment of it To increase joy, 
 give away. 
 
84 
 
 SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 WHAT IS THIS LIFE. 
 
 'Tis a cloud then a sunbeam, a storm then a calm, 
 A strange medly immortal, and mortal I am 
 
 A smile, then a tear, then a laugh, then a sigh, 
 A tardy dull movement, yet swiftly sweeps by. 
 
 An up, then a down, then a joy, then a woe, 
 A love, then a hate, an embrace, then a blow, 
 
 A hope, then a fear, a desire, then a care, 
 A bright beam or dark frown, to alternately wear. 
 
 A light, then a gloom, now a fall, then a rise, 
 A short song of sweet mirth, then a concert of sighs, 
 
 A laugh of sure pleasure, then a chorus of woe, 
 A gush of delight, then heart's grief currents flow. 
 
 A want, then comes wealth, then honor, then shame, 
 A toil, and then ease, now a bad, then good name, 
 
 A tedium, a bustle, a tarr}% a haste, 
 A substance, 'tis sometime, a shaddow that's chased. 
 
 A barque on the billow of tempest toss'd sea 
 A captive in thraldom, that fain would be free, 
 
 A day's disappointment, a gleam of success, 
 A varying vane is this life ! nothing less. 
 
 A flower juist opening, a withered toss'd leaf, 
 A weary long pilgrimage, seeming so brief, 
 
 A brook's gentle babble, a torrent's wild roar, 
 A wave dashing on to eternity's shore. 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 ' 
 
 'Tis the seed of the future the fruit of the past. 
 The mould where past, present, and future are cast, 
 
 Joy, sorrow, good, evil, tranquility, strife. 
 Strange chequered relations, of various life, 
 
 While a mortal existence, an endless career. 
 Ardent reaching forth farther, while tarrying here, 
 
 A longfing instinctive, a vitality high. 
 Life being, life changing, life never can die. 
 
SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 85 
 
 
 ON THE BRIGHT SIDE. 
 
 There is many a rest in the road of life, 
 If we only would stop and take it ; 
 
 And many a tone of joy and love, 
 
 If the quarrelsome heart would make it. 
 
 To the sunny soul that's full of hope. 
 And whose dutiful trust ne'er faileth. 
 
 The grass is green, and flowers are bright. 
 Though the wintry storm prevaileth. 
 
 Better to hope, though the clouds hang low. 
 
 And to keep the eyes still lifted. 
 For the sweet blue sky will soon peep through, 
 
 When the ominous clouds are rifted. 
 
 There was never a night without a day. 
 Or an evening without a morning ; 
 
 And the darkest hour, as the proverb goes. 
 Is the hour before the dawning. 
 
 There is many a gem in the path of life, 
 Which we pass in our idle pleasure, 
 
 That is richer far tban the jewelled crown. 
 Or the miser's lioarded treasure. 
 
 Better to weave in the web of life 
 
 A bright and golden filling. 
 And to do God's will with a ready heart, 
 
 And hands that are swift and willing. 
 
 Than to snap the delicate texture threads 
 
 Of our curious life asunder. 
 And then blame Heaven for the tangled ends 
 
 And fret, and grieve and wonder. 
 
 DUTY AND RIGHT. 
 
 Whenever you know a thing is right, 
 Go and do it with main and might, 
 
 Ncr let one murmur fall ; 
 For duty makes as stem a claim 
 As if an angel called your name. 
 
 And all men heard the call. 
 
86 
 
 SPENCE'r SELECT READINGS. 
 
 CHOICE OF WIFE. 
 
 Enough of beauty to secure affection, 
 Of modest diffidence to claim protection, 
 Of docile mind, r.dmissive of correction. 
 And stored witli sirn' e^ and reason and reflection j 
 And every passir i held in due subjection, 
 Enough of sprgiuicness to cure dejection, 
 And > 'xU'} tnoagii -o keep beneath perfection, 
 Whc. "h i hnd, I'll make Aer mv selection. 
 
 CH.>iCF. OF HUSBAND. 
 
 Of beauty, jusl: cuough to bear inspection, 
 Of wisdom,' high, to keep in right direction. 
 Of candour, sense and wit a food selection, 
 And scorn such words, as " Keep her in subjection," 
 Or talk of weaker vessel's imperfection. 
 And should he vow sincerely strong affection, 
 I don't think I should plead for long reflection. 
 But when I meet with such in my connexion. 
 Let hxtaproposey I'll offer no objection. 
 
 VICISSITUDES. 
 
 One morning I rose 
 From sweet repose, 
 Put on my clo'se, 
 And out I goes. 
 Met one of my foes ; 
 Words straight arose. 
 And came to blows. 
 When down I goes, 
 Where the wdter flows ; 
 Soon I arose. 
 As you may suppose. 
 Gave him some blows. 
 Trod on his toes, 
 And pull'd his nose ; 
 And down he goes, — 
 And home I goes, — 
 Took off my clo'se, 
 And sought repose. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 87 
 
 LACONIC COURTSHIPS. 
 
 A thoughtful Scotchman, after mature deliberation, con- 
 cluded to marry, and having come to this conclusion, the 
 next to be decided on, was to make choice of a proper part- 
 ner. Having selected the lady and secured introduction he 
 said, "Weel, Janst, lass ! a hiv cam' ta the conclusion to 
 marry ye if ye hiv nae serious objection ?" " Mon, Jock," 
 replied Janet, "indeed a wad be very muckle obleeged to yc if 
 ye would." And he woo A — and wedded. 
 
 A lively Hibernian maid addressed her boy rather re- 
 proachfully, "An' are ye forgettin' me entirely now, Tim ?" 
 "Arrah ! yes, dear !" quickly responded Tim. •" Isn't that 
 what I'm afther these two years all the time, just ior-getting 
 ye, sure, if I only can get ye, darlint ! Isn't that the very 
 words entirely that I wanted to say, for getting ye ?" " Oh! 
 that's what ye mane, is it ? Now, but ye're the deep rogue! 
 you are" said Kitty slyly. " Ye would shtealy ye would! I 
 b'lieve in my heart! Thin whin ye're determined, I'll go 
 bail for ye, ye'll not be bate easy! An' no use try in' to hin 
 der ye!" So she wouldn't " tvj any more." 
 
 MR. SNIDER'S TEMPERANCE EXPERIENCE. 
 
 I did dhrink some lager peer, und ven I puts mine hand 
 'pon mine head, und der vas von great pain ; den puts 
 mine hand 'pon mine pody, und der vas von pig pain ; deii 
 puts mine hand in mine pocket und der vas shust noting. 
 Now makes practis no lager peer, und so I puts mine hand 
 'pon mine head, und der ish none pain ; und I puts mine 
 hand 'pon mine pody und der ish iio pig pain ; und I puts 
 mine hand in mine pocket, und der ish twenty-five toilars, 
 und so — now I shtay mid de demperance. 
 
 SOME necessary THINGS. 
 
 Essentials to happiness in this life are : something to do, 
 something to 1" I'e, and somethii.fjr to hope for. 
 
88 spence's select readings. 
 
 DIVINE BESTOWALS. 
 (G, Herbert t born isgjy died j6ja,) 
 
 When God at first made man, 
 Having a store of blessings standing by, 
 
 Let Us, said He, pour on him all We can. 
 Let the world's riches, which dispersed lie. 
 
 Contract into a span. 
 
 So strength first led the way. 
 
 Then beauty flowed, then wisdom honored pleasure, 
 When almost all was out, God made a stay, 
 
 Perceiving that alone of all his treasure, 
 
 Rest at the bottom lay. 
 
 Then if I should (said He) 
 
 Bestow this jewel on My creature. 
 He might adore My gifts, instead of Me, 
 
 And rest in Nature— not the God of Nature, 
 
 And both should losers be. 
 
 Let him have all the rest ; 
 
 But keep them with repining restlessness, 
 Let him be sick and weary, so, at least 
 
 If Goodness lead him not, yet Weariness 
 
 May toss him to my breast. 
 
 AS YOU WILL HAVE IT. 
 
 Such various fare, earth's field supplies. 
 Gleaners can gather, woe or bliss ; 
 
 All parties, suited fools or wise, 
 'Tis taste is everything in this. 
 
 The good we fail to gather up. 
 
 Ceases to us to be the real ; 
 We drink just as we fill our cup. 
 
 Selection, so secures ideal. 
 
 In storing, then is all thf; art, 
 To strict eliminate with care ; • 
 
 Our stock of ills, within the heart 
 Are ills — because we hoard them there. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 89 
 
 SINGULARLY COMPLIMENTARY. 
 
 " Which of the preachers do you like best — the Rev. Mr. 
 Smith or — Green?" enquired Mr. Johnston of neighbor 
 Burns. 
 
 " Mr. Smith, most decidedly" replied Burns. 
 
 " And how is that ?" asked Johnston, " for I never thought 
 there was much in Parson Smith's sermons." 
 
 " That's exactly how it comes to be as I have told you," 
 answered Burns. "The truth is, I greatly dislike all 
 preaching, and Smith's comes the nearest to none at all, of 
 any I ever heard, and so dislike it the least — or give it the 
 preference." 
 
 He might perhaps stand a chance against the Rev. 
 Theodore Broodbent, as candidate for the chaplaincy of a 
 certain jail, who was strongly recommended for that situa- 
 tion, on the ground that, having been successively the min- 
 ister of several churches, he had marvelously succeeded in 
 preaching them all empty, or nearly so, and in this case 
 ought to have the appointment, as very likely to turn out to 
 be the right man in the right place. 
 
 : i 
 
 A SMALL MISAPPREHENSION. 
 
 An old couple who had lived long without seeming to 
 feel as if they required the services of the minister, at last, 
 when in sickness, sent for him. The good clergyman when- 
 he entered expressed his surprise at being sent for now by 
 persons who in health had never applied to him. The 
 afflicted woman was more deaf than her old man who sat 
 at her bed-side. The minister asked : 
 
 " Whatever ' induced you ' to send for me ?" 
 
 The old lady raised herself up, keenly to listen to the 
 minister's words, but failing to catch the exact expression 
 she earnestly asked to be informed. Her old man, who 
 had not quite correctly caught the sound, replied in a very 
 loud and distinct voice : 
 
 " He asks : * What-ihe deuce ^ made you send for him ?" 
 6 
 
90 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 MRS. HARDCASTLE'S HARD CASE. 
 
 Poor woman, .ehe had no -doubt her share, but she firmly 
 believed that s!ie had inr more than a fair divide of the 
 troubles of life. Hard labour and s«re trouble she had 
 come to regard as her unfortunate, unavoidable hard lot. 
 Incessant work was her fate. Toil after toil without inter- 
 mission, and as heartily did Mrs. H. indulge in as incessant 
 lamentation. It almost seemed as if her chief comfort con- 
 sisted in giving expression to her sorrows, hardships and 
 vexations. Hard work she had ; and hard lament she made 
 accordingly. 
 
 Once on a time, a kind friend ventured on an attempt to 
 soothe by the expression of confidciice and assurance, that 
 yet in the deep silence of the grave, there would be even 
 quiet, and rest for her in that long sleep. 
 
 •" declared .jmphatically, she didn't really expect it, for 
 ,\j •.»;^ '.fraid that when her death would come /<i/<? that 
 verily believed — that the resurrection would be 
 tdrl . ,xt morning. 
 
 RIDICULOUS EXTREMES. 
 
 In fact, I cannot be led seriously to believe, that any man 
 could be found so intensely parsimonious, as that the reason 
 he sits in the farthest back pew in church, is to save the 
 interest on the small sum he gives, for the time the collectors 
 are coming round that longer distance. 
 
 Again, I cannot be brought to think that any human voice 
 could be found so coarse, as that a body could really grate a 
 nutmeg on it. 
 
 Once more, it never looked reasonable to me, to be told 
 that any man should be so out and out ugly, as that his 
 looking into a thick plate looking-glass would break it ; o\ 
 a woman so sour, as that looking into any ordina-y liqu 
 would make it vinegar. I must regard such affirmations as 
 ridiculous. Exaggerations, and nothing else ! 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 9« 
 
 CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES. 
 
 The other day, while a Vicksburger was riding toward 
 Jackson, he saw a long-haired young man si^ti' m 
 a roadside fence. There was such an air of desoiuiion 
 about the countryman, that the Vicksburger drew rein and 
 inquired : 
 
 " What ails you, young man ?" 
 
 " Nothing," was the meek reply. 
 
 " But is any one dead ?" 
 
 " Hain't heard of anybody but old Matthews — and he 
 went off two months ago." 
 
 " Are you sick ?" 
 
 " I feel kinder bad." 
 
 " Well, you look bad. In fact, you're the worst looking 
 man I've seen since the close of the war." 
 
 " I was all right till a month ago," said the young man, 
 looking still more solemn. 
 
 ** What happened then ?" 
 
 " A woman went back on me." 
 
 " Did, eh ? Were you engaged ?" 
 
 " I'd hung around there a year or so, and we'd hugged 
 and loved and hooked fingers. If that isn't being engaged, 
 then I don't know." 
 
 " And she backed out ?" 
 
 *' Yes." 
 
 " Well, I've been through the mill myself. I had a 
 woman go back on me in that way, three months ago, and I 
 didn't lose a bit of sleep over it." 
 
 "You didn't?" 
 
 " No, sir." 
 
 " But then," sighed the young man, as he hitched along 
 the rail, " the woman you loved didn't own sixteen mules, 
 and have a clean one hundred bales of cotton to sell ! 1 
 guess, eh ? Circumstances alter cases." 
 
 m 
 
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92 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 IMAGINARY EVILS. 
 
 Let to-morrow take care of to-morrow — 
 
 Leave things of the future to fate ; 
 What's the use to anticipate sorrow ? 
 
 Life's troubles come never too late ! 
 If to hope overmuch be an error, 
 
 ' Tis one that the wise have preferred ; 
 And how often have hearts been in terror 
 
 Of evils that never occurr'd ! • 
 
 Have faith — and thy faith shall sustain thee — 
 
 Permit not suspicion and care 
 Wi^h invisible bonds to enchain thee, 
 
 But bear what God gives you to bear. 
 By his Spirit supported ^nd gladden'd, 
 
 Be ne'er by * forebodings ' deterr'd ; 
 But think how oft hearts have been sadden'd 
 
 By fear of what never occurr'd. 
 
 Let to-morrow take care of to-morrow. 
 
 Short and dark as our life may appear. 
 We may make it still darker by sorrow — 
 
 Still shorter by folly and fear. 
 Half our troubles are half our invention ; 
 
 And often from blessings conferr'd 
 Have we shrunk, in the wild apprehension 
 
 Of evils that never occurr'd. 
 
 ALPHABET OF EXCELLENCIES. 
 
 Affability, 
 
 Bravery, 
 
 Caution, 
 
 Decision, 
 
 Enthusiasm, 
 
 Fidelity, 
 
 Gratitude, 
 
 Humility, 
 
 Industry, 
 
 Joyousness, 
 
 Kindness, 
 
 Liberality, 
 
 Manliness, 
 
 Naturalness, 
 
 Obedience, 
 
 Patience, 
 
 Quietness, 
 
 Reserve, 
 
 Self-possession, 
 Truthfulness, 
 Unsuspiciousness, 
 Virtue, 
 
 Watchfulness (and) 
 X— 1 (excel) 
 Y- -s (wise) 
 Z 'ed (h) ead 
 (Excel — wisehead). 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 93 
 
 COLORED DEBATE. 
 
 The " Colored Debating Society " of Mount Vernon, 
 Ohio, must have had some very interesting meetings this 
 winter. Happening to pass through Mount V. about 
 Christmas-time, I was invited to one of the " debates," and 
 went. The object of the argument on that particular even- 
 ing was the settlement at once and forever, of the question, 
 " Which am de mightiest, de pen or de swoard ?" 
 
 Mr. Laftikins said about as follows : ** Mr. Chaarman, 
 What's de use ob a swoard unless you's gwyne to war ? Who's 
 hyar dat's gwyne to war ? I isn't, Mr. Morehouse isn't, 
 Mrs. Morehouse isn't, Mr. Newsome isn't ; I'll bet no feller 
 wot speaks on de swoard side has any ideer ob gwyne to 
 war. Den what's de use ob de swoard ? I don't tink dere's 
 much show for argument in de matter." 
 
 Mr. Lewman said : " What's de use ob de pen 'less you 
 knows how to write ? How's dat ? Dat's what I wants to 
 know. Look at de chillun ob Isr'l — wasn't but one man 
 in de hole crowd gwyne up from Egypt to de Promis' Lan' 
 cood write, an' he didn't write much. [A voice in the audi- 
 ence, "Wrote de ten comman'ments, anyhow, you bet." 
 Cheers from the pen side.] Wrote 'em ? wrote *em ? Not 
 much ; guess not ; not on stone, honey. Might p'r'aps cut 
 'em wid a chisel. Broke 'em all, anyhow, 'fore he got down 
 de hill. Den when he cut a new set, de chillun ob Isr'l 
 broke 'em all again. Say he did write 'em, what good was 
 it ? So his pen no 'count nohow. No, saar. De swoard's 
 what fotched 'em into de Promis' Lan', saar. Why, saar, 
 it's ridiculous. Tink, saar, ob David a-cuttin' off Golian's 
 head wid a pen, saar ! De ideer's altogedder too 'posterous, 
 saar. De swoard, saar, de swoard mus' win de argument, 
 saar." 
 
 Dr. Crane said : " I tink Mr. Lewman a leetle too fas'. 
 He's a-speakin' ob de times in de dim pas', when de mind 
 ob man was crude, an' de mind ob man was in de ruflf state 
 an' not tone down to de refinement ob cibilized times. Dey 
 wasn't educated up to de use ob de pen. Deir ban's was 
 only fit for de ruff use ob de swoard. Now, as de modern 
 
 i 
 
94 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 poet says, our swoards rust in deir cubbards, an' peas, sweet 
 peas, covers de Ian'. An' what has wrot all dis change ? 
 De pen. Do I take a swoard now to git me a peck ob sweet 
 taters, a pair ob chickens, a pair ob shoes ? No, saar. I 
 jess take my pen an' write a order for 'era. Do I want 
 money ? I don't git it by de edge ob de swoard ; I writes 
 a check. I want a suit ob clothes, for instance — a stroke 
 ob de pen, de mighty pen, de clothes is on de way. I's 
 done." 
 
 Mr. Newsome said : " Wid all due 'spect to de learned 
 gemman dat's jus' spoke, we mus' all agree dat for smoovin' 
 things ofi an' a-levdllin' things down dere's nothing equals 
 de swoard." 
 
 Mr. Hunnicut said : " I agrees entirely wid Mr. New- 
 some ; an' in answer to what Dr. Crane says, I would jess 
 ask, what's de use ob drawin' a check unless you's got de 
 money in de bank, or a-drawin' de order on de store, unless 
 de store truss you ? S'pose de store do truss, ain't it easier 
 to sen* a boy as to write a order ? If you got no boy 
 handy, telej^raf. No use for a pen — not a bit. Who ebber 
 heard of Mr. Hill's pen ? Nobody, saar. But his swoard, 
 saar — ae swoard ob ole Bunker Hill, saar — is known to 
 ebbery chile in de Ian'. If it hadden bin for de swoard ob 
 ole Bunker Hill, saar, whaar'd we niggers be to-night, saar ? 
 whaar, saar ? Not hyar, ;>aar. In Georgia, saar, or wuss, 
 saar. No cuUud man, saar, should ebber go back, saar, on 
 de swoard, saar." 
 
 Mr. Hunnicut's remarks seemed to carry a good deal of 
 weight with the audience. After speeches by a number of 
 others, the subject was handed over to " the committee," 
 who carried it out and " sot on it." In due time they re- 
 turned with the following decision : 
 
 *' De committee decide dat de swoard has de most pints 
 an' de best backin', an' dat de pen is de most beneficial, an' 
 dat de whole ting is about a stan'-ofif." 
 
 VARIOUS PROPULSION. 
 
 The old style of clubbing people into heaven, is (thank 
 Mercy) going out of favor. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 
 
 A friend of mine was married to 9. scold, 
 To me he came, and all his troubles told. 
 Said he, " Sihe's like a woman raving mad." 
 Alas ! my friend, said I, that's very bad ! 
 " No, not so bad," said he : " for with her, true, 
 I had both house and land, and money too." 
 
 That was well, said I ; 
 
 " No not so well," said he ; 
 
 " For I and her own brother 
 
 Went to law with one another ; 
 
 I was cast, the suit was lost. 
 
 And every penny went to pay the cost." 
 
 That was bad, said I ; 
 
 " No, not so bad," said !ie ; 
 
 " For we agreed that he the house should keep, 
 
 And give to me four score of Yorkshire sheep ; 
 
 All fat, and fair, and fine, they were to be." 
 
 Well, then, said I, sure that was well for thee ? 
 
 95 
 
 f 
 
 P, £ 
 
 " No, not so well," said he ; 
 " For, when the sheep I got. 
 They every one died of the rot." 
 That was bad said I ; 
 " No, not so bad," said he ; 
 " For I had thought to scrape the fat 
 And keep it in an oaken vat. 
 Then into tallow melt for winter store." 
 
 Well, then, said I, that's better than before ? 
 
 " 'Twas not so well," said he ; 
 
 " For, having got a clumsy fellow. 
 
 To scrape the fat and melt the tallow, 
 
 Into the melting fat the fire catches, 
 
 And, like brimstone matches, 
 
 Burnt my house to ashes." 
 
 That was bad ? said I ; 
 No ! not so bad," said he : " for, what is best. 
 My scolding wife has gone among the rest." 
 
 u 
 
96 
 
 SPENCE S SELECT READINGS. 
 
 INTELLECTUAL CULTIVATION. 
 
 " One fountain is there, whose deep-lying vein has only 
 just began to throw up its silvery drops among mankind — a 
 fountain which will allay the thirst of millions, and will give 
 to those who drink from it peace and joy. It is knowledge ; 
 the fountain of intellectual cultivation which gives health to 
 mankind — makes clenr the vision, brings joy to his life, and 
 breathes over his soul's destiny a deep repose. Go and 
 drink therefrom, thou whom fortune has not favored, and 
 thou wilt soon feel thyself rich ! Thou mayest go forth into 
 the world and find thyself everywhere at home ; thou canst 
 cultivate in thy own little chamber ; thy friends are ever 
 around thee, and carry on wise conversations with thee ; 
 nature, antiquity, heaven, is accessible to thee 1 The indus- 
 trious kingdom of the ant, the works of man, the rainbow, 
 and music-records, offer to thy soul equsff^ hospitality." 
 
 M. B. 
 
 THE CHEERFUL HEART. 
 
 It is not essential to the happy home that there should 
 be the luxury of the carpeted floor, the softly cushioned 
 sofa, the soft shade of the astral lamp. These elegancies 
 gild the apartments, but they reach not the heart It is 
 neatness, order, and a cheerful heart which make home that 
 sweet paradise it is so often found to be. There is joy, as 
 real, as heart-felt by the ^cottage fireside, as in the most 
 splendid saloons of wealth and refinement The luxuries 
 and elegancies of life are not to be despised. They are 
 to be received with gratitude. But their possession does 
 not insure happiness. The sources of true joys are not so 
 shallow. The cheerful heart, like the kaleidescope, causes 
 most discordant materials, to arrange themselves in harmony, 
 beauty and joy. 
 
 Leave the rich to pomp and splendour 
 
 Happiness they cannot render. 
 
 Let the miser heap his hoard. 
 
 Mirth shall bless the social board. H. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 97 
 
 SCIENCE OF SURE SUCCESS. 
 
 Blow, whenever you blow, your own horn 
 
 So people can understand 
 That you are a sharp, and wont be a at 
 
 In society's great brass band. 
 
 Put on the airs of an eight-key'd flute, 
 Though you be but a penny whistle ; 
 Show o^ when you can, as a garden rose, 
 If you're only a downy thistle. 
 
 Whether your reading be little or much. 
 Quote correctly, or else never quote ; 
 
 Polish bright your uppers, though down at heel; 
 And, sure never endorse a note. 
 
 Always firm advance, best foot, best hand ; 
 
 Bold hand, firm foot your own ; 
 And thus may you feast, on the fat of the land. 
 While timid enjoy the bare bone. 
 
 ll 
 
 THE GREAT AND THE SMALL. 
 
 The mountain and the squirrel 
 
 Had a quarrel, 
 And the mountain called the squirrel " a little prig." 
 Bun replied, " Well you are doubtless very big. 
 
 But all sorts of things and weather 
 Must be taken in together 
 To make up a year 
 
 And a sphere." 
 
 " And I think it no disgfrace, 
 
 Just to occupy my place. 
 
 If I'm not as big as you 
 
 Some things I can better do 
 
 You're not near so small as I, 
 
 Nor yet half so spry. But I must not deny. 
 That you do indeed make a very pretty squirrel track. 
 Talents greatly differ — all is wisely put 
 If I cannot cary forests on my back 
 Neither can you crack a nut. [Emerson 
 
98 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 iii 
 
 II 
 
 INTERRUPTED TABLE TALK. 
 
 The other evening the Rev. Mr. Philaeter sat down at 
 the tea table with a very thoughtful air and attended to the 
 wants of his family in a very abstracted manner. Presently 
 he looked up at his wife and said : 
 
 "The Apostle Paul— " 
 
 " Got a 'nawful lump on the head 'saftemoon," broke in 
 the pastor's son, " playin' base ball. Bat flew out of player's 
 hand when I was umpire and cracked me right above the 
 ear an' dropped me. Hurt? Golly!" and the lad shook 
 his head in dismal but expressive pantomime, as he tenderly 
 rubbed a lump that looked like a ball with hair on it. The 
 pastor gravely paused for the interruption and then resumed : 
 
 "The Apostle Paul—" 
 
 "Saw Mrs. O'Ghemine down at Greebaum's this after- 
 noon," said the eldest daughter (aiidressing her mother). 
 " She had on that same old everlasting black silk, made 
 over with a vest of tilluel green silk, coattail basque pattern, 
 overskirt made with diagonal folds in front, edged with deep 
 fringe ; yellow straw hat, with black velvet facing inside the 
 brim, and pale blue flowers. She's going to Chicago." 
 
 The good minister waited patiently, and then, in tones 
 just a shade louder than before, said : 
 
 " The Apostle Paul—" 
 
 " Went in swimmin' last night with Harrj- and Ben, Pop, 
 and stepped on a c^am-shell," exclaimed the youngest son ; 
 " cut my foot so I can't wear my shoe ; and please can't I 
 stay to home to-morrow ?" 
 
 The pastor informed his son, that he might stay away 
 from the river, and then resumed his topic. He said : 
 
 " The Apostle Paul says—" 
 
 " My teacher is an awful liar," shouted the second son : 
 " he says the world is as round as an orange, and that it 
 goes round faster than a circus man can ride. I guess he 
 hain't got much sense," 
 
 The mother lifted a warning flnger towards the boy, and 
 said " sh." Then father resumed : 
 
 " The Apostle Paul says—" 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 99 
 
 " Don't bite off twice as much as you can chaw 1" broke 
 out the eldest son, leproving the assault of his little brother 
 on a piece of cake. The pastor's face showed just a trifle 
 of annoyance as he said, in very firm, decided tones : 
 
 " The Apostle Paul says — " 
 
 " There's a fly in the butter 1" yelled the youngest hopeful 
 of the family, and a general laugh followed. When silence 
 was restored, the eldest daughter, with an air of curiosity, 
 said : 
 
 " Well, but pa, I really would like to know, what the 
 Apostle Paul said." 
 
 "Pass the mu tard," said the pastor absently, and the 
 session soon after adjourned. 
 
 PRESENT TIME ONLY AVAILABLE. 
 
 Seek not time when once 'tis past thee, 
 
 Tide or wind wait no man's pleasure, 
 Hoist up sail, while gale doth last thee. 
 
 Present speed is wisdom's leisure. 
 Let the fore-wit guide thy thought 
 
 After-wits are dearly bought ; 
 Lingering labours oft bring nought, 
 
 Good is best when soonest wrought. 
 
 Live for to-day, to-morrow is a dream, 
 We may not see its bright fulfilling ;' 
 
 But now, while duty's earnest voices chime 
 We will, with courage strong and willing 
 Live for to-day. 
 
 Beyond the gathering and the strewing, 
 
 I shall be soon, 
 Beyond the ebbing and the flowing. 
 Beyond the coming and the going, 
 
 I shall be soon. 
 
 Beyond the parting and the meeting, 
 I shall be soon ; 
 Beyond the farewell and the greeting, 
 . Beyond this pulse's fever beating, 
 I shall be soon. 
 
100 
 
 SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 
 ANXIOUS LOVER'S ECHO. 
 
 Lover. — Echo, mysterous ! pray to me declare, 
 Of what you're made or what you are ? 
 Echo. ^00 ! air. 
 
 L. 'Neath cliff, mid glen or hid in places high, 
 
 To lovers listening, oft' you lie ? 
 E. you lie, 
 
 L, But echo, surely you some secrets know. 
 Now softly wisper is this so ? 
 
 E. 
 
 ■ts so. 
 
 L, ,Then may I beg you aid me, answer kindly, 
 
 Tell me do most in love act blindly ? 
 E. Blindly. 
 
 L. But to sure win fair Phoebe may I ask you, 
 Just how if this don't too hard task you ? 
 
 E. task you. 
 
 L. Say what will certain turn the frisky honey 
 
 Into the toils of matrimony? 
 E. money. 
 
 L. But echo truly say, if e'er you saw. 
 So sweet a girl as Phcebe Shaw ? 
 E. eh / pshaw. 
 
 L. Has Phcebe not a lovely, heavenly brow, 
 
 Is it not pure as pearlr— as snow ? 
 E. Ass — no / 
 
 L. Her eyes so bright, were ever such a pair ? 
 
 Are stars more sparkling than they are ? 
 
 E' they are. 
 
 L. But come now say, thou saucy pert romancer, 
 
 Who is as fair as Phcebe — answer ? 
 E. Ann sir. 
 
 L. Echo thou'rt wrong, but can not so deceive me. 
 Her eyes eclipse the stars believe me. 
 E. Leave me, 
 
 ■ Modified from N. Y. O. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 101 
 
 KNOWLEDGE INCREASETH USEFULNESS. 
 
 There are many great discoveries yet awaiting the labors 
 of science, and with them also awaiting humanity many 
 additional proofs of Divine wisdom and benevolence. Who- 
 ever can trace one new fact, or exemplify one new instance 
 of Divine wisdom or benevolence in the system of nature, 
 shall not have lived in vain — but having added to the sum 
 of human knowledge has added to the evidence of the 
 great truths, upon which the happiness of time, and of 
 eternity depends. 
 
 Every science is the foundation of some art beneficial to 
 mankind. While we are led to see the beneficence of the 
 laws of nature, we are called upon also to follow the great 
 end of the Father of nature in thuir employment and appli- 
 cation. In every department of learning there is good to 
 be achieved. The age in which we are privileged to live 
 has given noble examples — science now finds its highest 
 glory in allaying the miseries, or in improving the condition 
 of humanity. 
 
 It is worthy of observation, that the power of scientific 
 benevolence is far greater than that of all others, to the 
 substantial and permanent welfare of society. The benevo- 
 lence of the opulent, however eminent it may be, perishes 
 with themselves. The advantages even of good govern- 
 ment are limited, and not unfrequently succeeded by different 
 counsels. But the beneficence of knowledge, is^'-of a kind 
 as extensive as the race of man, and as permanent as the 
 existence of society. 
 
 Whoever in the study of science has discovered a new 
 means of alleviating pain, Ci of remedying disease ; devised 
 a wiser method of preventing poverty, or of shielding mis- 
 fortune ; who has suggested additional means of increasing 
 or improving the beneficent productions of nature : has left 
 a permanent memorial, which shall communicate happiness 
 to ages yet unborn, and may be recognised as a lellow- 
 worker with the benevolent Creator. 
 
 To the wise and virtuous — whose moral attainments have 
 kept pace with his intellectual — who has employed his 
 
 S 
 
 I 
 
102 
 
 SPENCe'S SELECT READINGS. 
 
 1: 
 
 talent tO;the Divine glory and to the good of humanity — 
 there is presented the sublimest prospect mortality can 
 know. The future shall be more blessed progress in the 
 direction he has chosen to employ his rightly used powers, 
 and he has the joy co-operating with the Divine. Thus 
 continuous may human mind advance. 
 
 Behold as ages onward go, 
 
 The eternal steps of progress beats. 
 To the great anthem calm and slow, 
 Which God repeats. 
 
 That mandate high must all obejr. 
 
 His first propulsion from the night. 
 O wake and watch, the world is grey 
 
 With morning light. W. 
 
 THREE WORDS OF STRENGTH. 
 
 There are three lessons I would write — 
 Three words as with a burning pen — 
 
 In tracings of eternal light 
 Upon the hearts of men. 
 
 Have Hope. Though clouds environ now, 
 And gladness hide her face in scorn. 
 
 Put then the shadow from thy brow : 
 No night but hath its mom. 
 
 Have Faith. Where'er thy bark is driven — 
 The calm's disport, the tempest's mirths, — 
 
 Know this ; God rules the host of heaven, 
 The inhabitants of earth. 
 
 Have Love ; and not alone for one. 
 But man, as man, thy brother call, ^ 
 
 And scatter, like the circling sun, 
 Thy charities on all. 
 
 Thus grave these lessons on thy soul, — 
 Hope, Faith, and Love ; and thou shalt find, 
 
 Strength when Life's surges cease to roll 
 Light where thou else wert blind. 
 
 From the German. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 103 
 
 y— 
 
 can 
 
 the 
 
 rers, 
 
 'hus 
 
 LIQUORDOM LEXICON. 
 
 It is curious how large a number of words refer directly 
 to alcoholic liquors and their many various dire effects upon 
 humanity. We have among the names applied to those 
 persons who partake of the fiery fluids, such terms as : 
 Drunkard, soker, sot, carouser, tippler, toper, tosspot, 
 reveller, bacchanal, etc. 
 
 Then we have words for the condition of being affected 
 by intoxicants, as inebriation, insobriety, temulency, com- 
 potation, sottishness, fuddled, fresh, flush, flustered, over- 
 come, disguised, overtaken, mellow, groggy, top heavy, 
 light-headed, elevated, screwed, muzzy, muddled, nappy, 
 tipsy, touched, turned, boozy, potulent, heady, stretched, 
 strung, sprung, strained, cat-eyed, cut-up, lushy, maudlin, 
 bung-up, reeling, etc., to which may be added phrases as, 
 the worse for liquor, half-seas over, in one's cups, drunk as 
 a piper, as a fiddler, as a lord, or as an owl, under the 
 table, rather of the rather, somewhat limp, grog-witted, 
 overhauled, cappish, sottish, bibacious, liquorish, etc. 
 
 Of verbs we have quite a list, as tipple, tope, booze, swill, 
 guzzle, carouse, liquor, soak, swig, fuzzle, temulate, and the 
 terms anti-teetotal, intemperate, etc. 
 
 But when we come to names of drinks, especially some 
 that manifest adaptedness to express effects, we enter on a 
 field not to be explored, and can only take a running glance. 
 There seems a curious mass of wit and sad experience in 
 the designations, as cream of the valley, while the same gin 
 is named rot-gut, blue ruin, tangle-leg, or break-leg, making 
 one partaker as drunk as David's sow, or call it copus or 
 eye-water ; and as young bloods bemuse themselves there- 
 with, they feel dukeish, or when mixed half-porter and other- 
 wise compounded cooper, or drain, when doing a wetj or 
 wahoo bitters, going it on the glee, or the spree, on the 
 flare, or on the tear. 
 
 Slang supplies quite a profusion of epithets, for the drink 
 effects in the various shades, grades, degrees, relations and 
 complications. Begin by being balmy, hazy, spiffed and 
 
 :H 
 
I04 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 1 
 
 foggy ; but soon get on the batter, on the go, until having 
 got in the attic, off the nut, queerish, seen in the eyes, 
 elated, mooney, up-the-ladder, Jacobed, elevated, on the 
 beaver, obfuscated, tipt, fishy, lumpy, podgy, primed, doing 
 it brown, chalking it up, bemusing, buffy, bosky, allthereish, 
 in for the corinthianize, scommered, sleued, flared-up, 
 staved-in, paralyzed, breezy, kisky, frisky, on the freshet, 
 kiddyish, opened the sluices, sommat short, wobbleshoppy, 
 winey, on the wiffle-waffles, wet-whistle, on the wabble, 
 twisted, touched, tight, tobblelish, titley, three sheets in the 
 wind, feeling ploughed, plucked, corned, sewed, snuflfy, on 
 the ranton, the erand, coxy, toxy, we-wont-go-home-till- 
 morningish, getting up a barney, sky-wanocking, all mops 
 and brooms, prime vial, brace-spliced, jiggered, swampy, 
 summerized, perfectly regardless, etc 
 
 Many of the forms of expression seem to signify some- 
 what of a foreshading of disaster, and all indicate a charac- 
 teristic recklessness on the part of the perpetrator. 
 
 FORTITUDE AMID TRIALS. 
 
 Oh, never from thy tempted heart 
 Let thine integrity depart ; 
 When disappointment fills the cup, 
 Undaunted nobly drink it up ; 
 Truth will prevail, and Justice show 
 Her tardy honors sure though slow. 
 Bear on, bear bravely on ! 
 
 Bear on. Our life is not a dream. 
 Though often such its mazes seem ; 
 We were not born for lives of ease. 
 Ourselves alone to aid and please. 
 To each a daily task is given ; 
 A labor which shall fit for heaven : 
 When duty calls, let Love grow warm- 
 Amid the sunshine and the storm, 
 With Faith life's trials boldly breast. 
 And come a conqueror to thy rest. 
 Bear on, bear bravely on ! 
 
SPENCE S SELECT READINGS. 
 
 105 
 
 GIVING AND LIVING. 
 
 Constant the sun is pouring his gold, 
 
 On recipient worlds that beg and borrow ; 
 His warmth he squanders o'l summits cold, 
 His wealth on homes of want and sorrow ; 
 To withhold his rays of precious light, 
 Should bury himself in eternal night. 
 To give — Is to live. 
 
 The flower blooms, not for itself, nay all 
 Its joy is that which it freely diffuses ; 
 While of beauty and balm it is prodigal, 
 It lives in the life it sweetly loses ; 
 
 No choice for the rose but glory or doom, 
 
 'Tis exhale or smother — wither or bloom. 
 
 To deny — Is to die. 
 
 The sea lends silvery rain to the land, 
 
 The saphire streams give to the ocean ; 
 The heart sends blood to the brain of command, 
 The brain to the nerve its lightning motion : 
 Life ever inhaleth, and yieldeth breath. 
 Till the mirror is dry, and images death. 
 To give — Is to live. 
 
 There is death when the hand openeth not wijde, 
 
 To dispense a joy to human brother ; 
 Doubled is the joy of his life long ride. 
 Who in passing dispenseth joy .0 another ; 
 And many millions of lives are his, 
 Who holds the wide world, in his sympathies. 
 To deny — Is to die. 
 
 Well to disperse is wealth, joy, and strength. 
 Even if, for the Master's sake one loseth ; 
 He shall find a, hundred fold at length, 
 While he loseth forever, who to give refuseth ; 
 Even nations who grasp at union and peace, 
 At the cost of right shall their woe increase. 
 They save— A dark grave. 
 
io6 spence's select readings. 
 
 Throw gold to the far-dispersing wave, 
 
 And your good ship shall sail home with tons of treasure 
 Wide dispexAse comfort, all hardships brave, 
 ' And evenir^g ?.nd age shall pass with pleasure ; 
 
 Health fling to sunshine and wind and rain. 
 And roses will come to the cheek again. 
 To give — Is to live. 
 
 Then be generous dispensing thy bless'd employ, 
 
 Active dispersing, supplying still giving ; 
 Rushing beneficence constitutes joy, 
 Profusive imparting, essential to living ; 
 
 'Tis so ordered, existeth all vital creation. 
 Out-shedding, enjoying rich perfect repletion. 
 To give— /j to live. 
 
 PREMATURE QUARREL. 
 
 Married three months, and loving more, 
 Little possessed of earthly store, 
 Biddy and Pat, together sat. 
 In earnest chat, of this and that. 
 
 Discoursing plans for future joys. 
 And how to train their girls and boys ; 
 Devising many future measures 
 Of getting and disposing treasures. 
 
 The worldly goods they yet would own. 
 When wealth and family full grown. 
 In most their interests combined, 
 Quite one in heart — not quite in mind. 
 
 They could not just exactly see 
 Alike how all things ought to be- 
 Once, talking over subjects many. 
 Scarcely could they agree on any. 
 
 One knotty point, too hard to settle, 
 Seemed quite to irritate their mettle— 
 The furniture to fix in sight 
 Around their homely room aright 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 Each knew, most sure, to plan the best 
 The side on which should sit the chest ; 
 Bed, chair and stool, in proper place, 
 And how the " nest of drawers " should face. 
 
 Biddy declared " The drawers must stand 
 Front to the right and to her hand 
 Right fair fominst the winday-shure " — 
 Pat said "That they must face the do-or." 
 
 Biddy was firm, and Pat was stern ; 
 Both knew so well, neither would learn ; 
 Whatever else, known or known not. 
 For drawers each knew the proper spot. 
 
 'Twas more than matter of opinion — 
 'Twas tug for which should have dominion : 
 It seemed by strength, that they must test 
 And find who really knew the best. 
 
 Biddy waxed earnest, almost warm, 
 Cried, elevating her right arm — 
 " Ye spalpeen, ye ! what do ye know 
 About things being so and so." 
 
 Pat stormed — declared " The girl's a fool,** 
 And said " he felt and meant to rule : 
 The drawers he should, the drawers he could 
 Set in that spot — yes, that he would." 
 
 Furiously both determined stood 
 
 In resolute, unyielding mood ; 
 
 From words to blows, from blows to blood ; 
 
 All to no purpose, all no good. 
 
 No nearer seemed the chance of peace. 
 The storm looked rather to increase ; 
 The fight became too furious far — 
 In fact, beyond a " avii war." 
 
 Of truce, there seemed no indication. 
 No glimmering dawn of termination ; 
 No guessing consequences soon. 
 But at this point — so opportune — 
 
 167 
 
ieS*" spence's select readings. 
 
 Good F'ather Hagan chanced to stray, 
 Right at this juncture, just that way ; 
 And sorry was to see so early. 
 The couple loose their temper fairly. 
 
 Or, as some critics might construe it. 
 They used their temper up to do it. 
 " O fie " — cried Father Hagan — " fie ! 
 Come tell me all this trouble — why ? 
 
 What ! what has happened. What? come — hold ! 
 (Demanded now his reverence bold) 
 This is not going upon the plan 
 Ye 'greed to when I made you one. 
 
 Explain ! " he cried, " explain to me 
 Why such a fight, and let me see 
 If I can't get you to agree — 
 This really cannot — must not be." 
 
 " O Father," Biddy cried " O Father 
 
 Than live with such a brute I'd rather 
 
 Go beg my bit, and starve and die » 
 
 Than stay with him — I won't comply. 
 
 This treatment is so cruel bad. 
 Enough to set an angel mad." 
 Pat, quite as mad, " O father," cried, 
 " What to do with her ? I have tried 
 
 To make her, as she ought, t'obey. 
 
 But she will have her wilful way. 
 
 Your riverence, Biddy's by far the worst, 
 
 For if I struck strongest — sure she struck yfrj/." 
 
 Good Father Kagan, wanting light 
 On the commencement of the fight. 
 Cried " come now ! Tell me ! Tell me all — 
 How about the start of this outfall } 
 
 Come ! we must trace to the beginning 
 
 To find first fault, of this sad sinning." 
 
 "Twas the dravfers" cried Biddy, ** Drawers " cried Pat 
 
 ** Them drawers — the trouble all was that." 
 
spence's selfct readings. 109 
 
 ** He wants " screamed she " to have them stand 
 Facing the door at t'other hand. 
 What does he know about the like ? . 
 
 The most he knows, is how to strike. 
 
 And that he knows — I know too well — \ 
 
 As my poor battered bones can tell." 
 Sore puzzled is Father Hagan's wits, 
 Deliberately down he sits — 
 
 Bids both " be easy and explain 
 About the drawers, causing such pain. 
 What drawers can this be vexing so ? 
 Show me the ^^ drawers^^ so I may know — 
 
 So I at once, may place them right 
 
 And end this horrid, ugly fight." 
 
 " The chest of drawers" meekly gasp'd Pat, 
 
 As quite exhausted, down he sat. , 
 
 " We have not any means to get ; 
 But s'posed the like we might have yet — 
 Only we thought, may be, we should, ifable^ 
 Buy drawers^ after we'd got a tabled 
 
 MORAL. 
 
 This, the manifest moral. 
 
 Of premature quarrel ; 
 Confirm'd is the adage, still good, wise and true, 
 
 Both your joy and your peace. 
 
 You will vastly increase. 
 If you " never face trouble till trouble face you." 
 
 WHILE YOU MAY. 
 
 As surely as the evening comes 
 
 To close the eyes of day. 
 Will grief appear ; and so, my dear, 
 
 Be merry while you may. 
 
 We cannot say to joy, " Remain," 
 
 Nor unto grief, " Depart;" 
 The morning and the night must come 
 
 To every human heart. 
 
no 
 
 SPENCE'S SELECr READINGS. 
 
 And though the twilight hour dispels 
 
 The cheerful, sunny ray, 
 Shed not a tear, but oh ! my dear, 
 
 Be cheerful, while you may. 
 
 'Tis time enough to weep and mourn 
 
 When sorrow has its day ; 
 And you'll agree 'tis well to be ' 
 
 Right merry, while you may. 
 
 Along the shores the rushing tides 
 Have ceaseless ebb and flow ; 
 
 And through the years the seasons have 
 Their time to come and go. 
 
 Then let us make the best of life, 
 
 And if not always gay 
 Or full of joy, why shouldn't we 
 
 Be merry, while we may ? 
 
 A SUDDEN CURE. 
 
 A melancholy woman lay 
 
 In sickness on her bed. 
 And in a faint, and broken voice 
 
 To her sad husband said : 
 
 " Dear David, when my earthly form 
 Has turned to lifeless clay, 
 
 Oh ! wait and weep a little while, 
 Nor throw yourself away. 
 
 " I know a woman kind and true, 
 On whom you may depend, 
 
 Oh ! marry Arabella Jones- - 
 She is my dearest friend." 
 
 " Yes, Hannah, I have wanted long 
 
 To speak of this before ; 
 For Arabella Tones an' I 
 
 Have talked the matter o'er." 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 Ill 
 
 " Then you an' Arabella Jones 
 
 Have been too smart and sly ; 
 I tell you, David Wilkinson, 
 
 Pm not a-goin' to die !" 
 
 Her dark eyes flashed ; her strength returned, 
 
 She left her bed of pain ; 
 A week had scarcely passed away 
 
 When she was well again. 
 
 A VE?v HARD MAN. 
 
 A hard, close man was Solomon Ray, 
 Nothing of value he gave away ; 
 
 He hoarded and saved ; 
 
 He pinched and shaved ; 
 And the more he had, the more he craved. 
 
 The hard-earned dollar he tried to gain 
 Brought him little but care and pam ; 
 
 For little he spent. 
 
 And all he lent 
 He made it bring him, twenty per cent. 
 
 Such was the life of Solomon Ray ; 
 
 The years went by, and his hair grew gray, 
 
 His cheeks grew thin. 
 
 And his soul within 
 Grew hard as the dollar, he worked to wm. 
 
 But he died one day, as all men must. 
 For life is fleeting and man but dust. 
 
 The heirs were gay 
 
 That laid him away. 
 And that was the end of Solomon Kay. 
 
 They quarrelled now, who had little cared 
 For Solomon Ray, while his hfe was spared, 
 
 His lands were sold, 
 
 And his hard-earned gold 
 All went to the lawyers, as I am told. 
 
IZ3 
 
 SPENCES SELECT READINGS 
 
 Yet men will cheat, and pinch and save, 
 Nor carry their treasures beyond the grave ;, 
 
 All their gold some day 
 
 Will melt away, 
 Like the selfish savings of Soloman Ray. 
 
 SOWING AND REAPING. 
 
 Are we sowing seeds of kindness? 
 
 They shall blossom bright ere long, 
 Are we sowing seeds of discord ? ■ 
 
 They shall ripen into wrong. 
 Are we sowing seeds of honour ? 
 
 They shall bring forth golden grain, 
 Are we sowing seeds of falsehood? 
 
 We shall yet reap bitter pain. 
 Whatso'er our sowing be. 
 Reaping, we its fruits must see. 
 
 We can never be to careful 
 
 What the seed our hands sow. 
 Love from love is sure to ripen. 
 Hate from hate is sure to grow. 
 Seeds of good or ill we scatter 
 Heedlessly along our way ; 
 But a glad, or grievous fruitage 
 ^ Waits us at the harvest-day; 
 
 Whatsoe'er our sowings be. 
 Reaping, we its 'fruits must see. 
 
 " LARGE AND RESPECTABLE." 
 
 A newspaper having printed that " there was a large and 
 respectable meeting," etc., the reporter was called to ac- 
 count for the statement ; as the fact was that there was only 
 one other person besides himself present. But he insisted 
 that this report was literally true, for said he, " I was laige 
 and the other man was respectable, and truly we met." 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 RIGHT OR WRONG ROAD. 
 
 There's a way that leads up to ffoodness, 
 
 To heights that are most siiDlime, 
 Away from the fields of darkness, 
 
 The sorrowful haunts of crime ; 
 And as you begin life's journey, 
 
 A pause you're compelled to make, 
 For there are two roads before you, 
 
 And which are you going to take ? 
 
 There are comrades waiting to join you, 
 
 The noble, the good, the true, 
 The false, the worthless^ the vicious, 
 
 The evil ones not a few ; 
 And how can you choose among them ? 
 
 How can you stand up strong. 
 Without a God to help you 
 
 Decide between right and wrong ? 
 
 One step in the way of evil. 
 
 May fasten the tempter's spell. 
 Once taste of a proffered pleasure 
 
 And the thirst you may never quell. 
 With liberty, life, and manhood, 
 
 All that is gopd at stake. 
 There are two roads open before you, 
 
 And which of them will you take ? 
 
 113 
 
 1? 
 
 \(\ 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 id 
 ,c- 
 
 5e 
 
 CHEERFULNESS. 
 
 'Tis well to work with a cheerful heart. 
 Wherever our fortunes call ; 
 With a friendly glance, and an open hand, 
 And a gentle word for all. 
 
 Since life is a thorny and difficult path, 
 Where toil is the portion of man. 
 We all should endeavor, while passing along, 
 To make it as smooth as we can. 
 
1X4 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 PITHY BREVITIES. 
 
 Earnest efforts after excellence are never quite unavailing. 
 
 Hypocrisy is the* unintentional homage which vice ren- 
 ders to virtue. 
 
 ' The more virtuous people are, the more desirous are they 
 for improvement. 
 
 A sharp tongue seems to be the only edge tool that grows 
 keener by constant use. 
 
 Christianity does not destroy or even weaken true and 
 proper ambition, but properly regulates and rightly directs it. 
 
 Indolence and real happiness, never co-exist. Action is 
 the law of life, health, and enjoyment. 
 
 The more joy that we give, the more joyous we live. All 
 nature is made up of want and supply. All the enjoyments 
 of heaven and earth come under this universal law. 
 
 Be not all honey, least people lick thee up. Be not alto- 
 gether bitterness, least they spit thee out. 
 
 One way of discovering the value of money is to go and 
 try to borrow some. Another middling mode is when you 
 owe a small sum to a needy or greedy creditor, don't be able 
 to raise it, and try to put him off. 
 
 Ideas overloaded with great burden of words, are ill fitted 
 for long travelling. 
 
 Strict dealing may cool friendships, but loose dealing far 
 oftener converts friends into enemies. 
 
 Good qualities often crop out after one has been told 
 (though barely true) that one possesses them. 
 
 COMPANIONS OUGHT TO BE FRIENDS. 
 
 There are three companions, with whom you should 
 always keep on good terms. First, your Wife ; second, 
 your Stomach ; third, your Conscience. 
 
 To make these points clear, I refer you : first, to the 
 criminal calendar ; second, to the hospitals and lunatic 
 asylums ; and third, to the past experience of what you 
 have seen, read, or suffered. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 "5 
 
 SINGULAR SUNDRIES. 
 
 LOST FOR WANT OF A WIG. 
 
 The well-known eagle practice, in some parts of the 
 world, being to rise high in the air, and drop the tortoise on 
 a rock so as to prepare his victim for being devoured. It 
 is recorded that an eagle brought a renowned man's earthly 
 career to an abrupt termination, by dropping a tortoise on 
 his bald head ; mistaking, it is supposed, the shining poll 
 of the poet for a stone, 
 
 BOTH WAYS. 
 
 A sly old Scotchman, on marrying a very young wife, was 
 rallied by his friends, on the inequality of their ages. 
 " She will be near me," he replied, " to close my een." 
 " Weel," remarked another t)f the party, " I've had twa 
 wives, and they opened my een." 
 
 A clergyman's horse biting. 
 
 The horse bit his master. 
 
 How came it to pass ? 
 He heard the good pastor 
 
 Cry— *' All flesh is grass r 
 
 comparative ability. 
 
 The superiority of man to nature is continually illustrated 
 in literature, and in life. Nature needs an immense quantity 
 of quills to make a goose with ; but man can make a goose 
 of himself in five minutes with one quill. 
 
 mated and matched. 
 
 A man played dead with laudanum, etc., at his side, in 
 order to test his wife's affections. She, to test his vitality, 
 ran a cambric needle into his leg, and brought him to. 
 
 defeat and success. 
 
 Defeat in a good cause is but education — ^nothing but the 
 first step to something better — ^A teacher of how to conquer. 
 
ii6 
 
 SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 ! 
 
 i 
 
 CUNNING COUNTERMATED. 
 
 The husband of an old lady died without making his will, 
 for the want of which necessary precaution his estate would 
 have passed away from his widow, had she not resorted to 
 an expedient to avert the Idss of property. She concealed 
 the deati' of her husband, and prevailed on an old cobbler 
 her neighbor, who was, in person, somewhat like the de- 
 ceased, to go to bed at her house, and personate him, in 
 which character it was agreed that he should dictate a will, 
 leaving the widow the estate in question. 
 
 An attorney was sent for to draw up the writings. The 
 widow, who, on his arrival, appeared in great affliction at 
 her good man's danger, began to ask questions of her pre- 
 tended husband, calculated to elicit the answers she expected 
 and desired. The cobbler, groaning aloud, and looking as 
 much like a person going to give up the ghost as possible, 
 feebly answered, " I intend to leave you half oi my estate, 
 zxidil \S\m\i the poor old shoemaker^ who lives opposite, is 
 deserving the other half for he has always been a good 
 neighbor." 
 
 The widow was thunderstruck at receiving a reply so dif- 
 ferent from that which she expected, but dared not negative 
 the cobbler's will, for fear of losing the whole of the pro- 
 perty ; while the old rogue in bed — who was himself " the 
 poor old shoemaker living opposite," laughed in his sleeve, 
 and divided with her the fruits of a project which the widow 
 had intended for her own sole benefit. 
 
 SHALL THE DRINK TRADE DRIVE ON ? 
 
 It is recorded of Tullia, wife of Tarquinius, that she was 
 riding through the streets of Rome, when the body of her 
 father, weltering in his blood, was lying across the way. 
 Her charioteer reined up his horses about to stop, when the 
 unnatural daughter cried out at the top of her voice, "drive 
 ON." With crack of whip the fiery steeds dashed forward 
 
SPENCKS SKLliCT KliADlNGS. 
 
 117 
 
 over the lifeless body, spurting the blood upon the daughter's 
 dress. Yet this revolting act recorded is nut more heartless 
 than the acts of the thousands dealing out the deadly drink. 
 Dead men do not stop them, or live men going down to 
 shame and ruin. Point them to the wreck of manhood — , 
 beseech them to stop their heartless traffic. They cry out 
 in utter defiance of all solemn appeal and shocking sight, 
 
 " DRIVE ON !" . 
 
 . Every liquor trafficker in the land is plying his trade in 
 spite of entreaties and appeals more powerful than dead 
 men's mangled forms. 
 
 If this terrible business were only insult to the dead, it 
 might be borne, but the dire traffic lures, dashes down and 
 destroys the living, — degrades manhood, womanhood, and 
 everything noble — " Lamentation and mourning and woe " 
 ascend from the wretched families which these mangled 
 dead represent, and although hearing the long, loud, piteous 
 pleadings from one end of the land to the other, for the 
 dread liquor sellers to desist, they sell on still, bidding 
 high defiance to God and man, they cry " drive on !" 
 
 Pulpits interpose and plead ; prisons threaten ; officials 
 arrest ; courts condemn, and still the heartless dealers, defy- 
 ing all that is true and good, ignore all sacred sympathies 
 and still shout " drive on ! DRIVE ON ! !" Shall not 
 tens of thousands of stronger voices raise the counter cry, 
 DESIST, and all good citizens rising in their might for the 
 right, bring the dread carnage to a speedy and " perpetual 
 end." 
 
 Surely public indignation is yet far from up to the mark, 
 while the dire destruction is tolerated ! Surely, " there is a 
 cause." Let us then determinedly, in patriotic might, by 
 all available means, hasten the death of the deadly trade, 
 not by injury to any, but in the rescue of millions. 
 
 On the Almighty's arm rely, raise prohibition's banner high ; 
 And sure as heard the heaving sigh, sure soon to raise the victors* cry, 
 
 The joyous day is drawing nigh. 
 
ii8 
 
 sfence's select readings. 
 
 ALMOST SUBLIME. 
 
 The sun had just sunk superb behind the western hill-tops. 
 Twas effulgent twilight of such rare magnificence as might 
 well excite the oriental poets' extremest ecstacy. The 
 bright rays which mildly streaked the glowing horizon had 
 scarcely disappeared, earth and heaven seemed almost to 
 blend their beauties together. Yet we turn our entranced 
 attention, and lo ! 
 
 A female of indescribable loveliness, who had been but 
 one short week a blessed bride, having had the high happi- 
 ness of being led to the hymeneal altar by her most 
 devoted adorer, with fond and elevated anticipations of 
 future joy and felicity ; both realizing tl.at each belonged 
 to the other, they sat in a secluded apartment. Assuredly 
 now they were supremely happy, man and wife in such a 
 world of wondrous joy and beauty. 
 
 She slowly and gracefully moved her sylph-like form, 
 approached yet nearer to the partner of her bosom, exquis- 
 itely raised hei delicate hand, and energetically slapped his 
 frowning face with the wet dishcloth I 
 
 PIG DIGNITY. 
 
 Poor Billy Brown, while on a spree, 
 
 Was in a gutter laid. 
 A swine beside, easy and free. 
 
 His humble bed had made. 
 
 But small respect, as it would seem. 
 
 One entertained for other. 
 Though from appearance some might deem 
 
 Each near approached to brother. 
 
 As lowly they together lay 
 
 In heavy breathing sleep. 
 To either, lookers-on might say, 
 
 '•' What company you keep !" 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 But should uncertainty arise, 
 Which felt the most disgraced, 
 
 'Twas brought to issue on this wise, 
 By action of the beast, 
 
 Billy slept on, his muddy brain 
 . Of sober thought bereft ; 
 While in disgust and dire disdain, 
 The hog got up and left ! 
 
 119 
 
 THE GLASS OF GIN. 
 
 Gin ! gin ! a glass of gin. 
 
 What manifold monsters lurk therein. 
 Figures that make one loath and tremble. 
 Things all that's foul and fierce resemble, 
 
 Broods of furies, infernal kin, 
 
 Vampire of venom, demon of gin. 
 
 Gin ! gin ! a glass of gin. 
 Dram of Satan, substance of sin, 
 Fluid containing the fell 
 Alembics of hell. 
 
 Direst death's brother-attached twin, 
 Causing man's fall, lower than all, 
 Ghoul of perdition ! glass of gin ! 
 
 Glass of gin ! glass of gin ! 
 To all that is worst in existence akin. 
 Destroying in rage. 
 Regardless of age. 
 
 No monster so vile, of scale or fin, 
 Unfound are thy peers, throughout the long years. 
 Engulfing the millions, dire glass of gin. 
 
 Glass of gin ! glass of gin ! 
 Causing on earth such infernal din. 
 In most evils we trace 
 Familiar thy face. 
 
 In disease and delirium thy horrible grin. 
 In the wailing " Alas! " groaning out from the glass, 
 And visions of vengeful glass of gin. • 
 
120 spence's select readings. 
 
 4 
 
 Glass of gin ! glass of gin ! 
 In thee tremendous temptations begin, 
 And delusive dreams, 
 And elusive schemes, 
 Does morbid fancy in mockery spin. 
 
 Till time elopes with all golden hopes. 
 Then weary of life, its worry and strife, 
 Black visions are rife of a razor, a knife, 
 And ruin blue 
 
 Or blacker hue 
 Each castle iu air seized by dire despair. 
 Oh I in time beware 
 
 Of the drop of gin. 
 
 TRANSPOSITION TREASONABLE. 
 
 Two very different meanings can be had, depending on 
 how the lines are arranged in reading. A bachelor insists 
 on taking i}cit first and third lines of eac!i verse together, 
 and then the connecting second and fourth. 
 
 (^ust ttotice how reading it so alters the meaning.) 
 
 In wedded state may dismal dark appear — 
 
 May glory shine 
 Fitted to rouse, or hope, or boding fear, 
 
 So place each line. 
 
 MATRIMONY versus ACRIMONY. 
 
 That man must lead a happy life. 
 
 Who is directed by a wife. 
 
 Who's not in matrimonial chains, 
 
 Is sure to suffer for his pains. 
 
 Adam of old could find no peace. 
 
 Until he saw a woman's face ; 
 When Eve was given for a mate. 
 
 Then he was in the happy state. 
 
 In all the female hearts appear 
 
 Truth, darling of a soul sincere. 
 Hypocrisy, deceit and pride, 
 
 Ne'er known in woman to reside. 
 
SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 121 
 
 This is a world of grief and trouble, 
 
 The single man hath these all double. 
 But pleasures bright bestrew life's path 
 
 Of him who woman partner hath. 
 
 What tongue is able to unfold 
 
 Virtues in females we behold ? 
 The falsehoods that in woman dwell 
 
 Are almost imperceptible. 
 
 Who changes from his singleness, . 
 
 He's sure of perfect blessedness. 
 "Fooled be f the foolish man," I say, 
 
 " Who will not yield to woman's sway." 
 
 VERY POOR DIRECTIONS. 
 
 Bill Jones went along as well as he could without know- 
 ing the right turns of the road until he at last became 
 uncertain of his whereabouts, and where next ? When glad 
 to meet a big Dutchman he enquired the way to Mr. 
 Swackelhammers ? Obligingly the large man proceeded to 
 give profuse particulars. 
 
 *^ You shust valk de road up to de creek, an' down de 
 pridge, over up*shtreme, w'en you shust go on till you gum 
 do von road wat winds de woods around de school house 
 (but you don't take dat road.) Veil den you see you vill 
 go on till you meet a hog pen shingled mid straw — den you 
 turn de road around de field an' go on till you come to pig 
 red house. Den you turn dat house around de barn and 
 see a road dat goes up in de woods, den you don't take dat 
 road too. Den you go straight on an' de fust you meet is a 
 hay stack, and de next a barrack house. Veil, he don't 
 lifT dere too. Den you vill get a litle fiirder and see a 
 house on top off de hill, 'bout a mile an' a piece an' you ^o 
 in dere an' ax deole voman gif she stan' under Ingleish, sae 
 vill tell you bedder as I can know how to. 
 8 
 
122 
 
 spence's select readings. 
 
 SUICIDE EXTRAORDINARY. 
 
 A German is reported as having committed the rash act 
 for a reason decidedly extraordinary. His wife had grown 
 exceedingly stout, so as to destroy the grace and symmetry 
 of her person ; and he being gifted with a very keen sense 
 of the beautiful, her presence became to him a continual 
 eyesore. His ideas of proportion were so outraged beyond 
 endurance, that at last he came to the resolve to seek in 
 another world that loveliness which he despaired of ever 
 again in this world beholding personified in his wife. On 
 this remarkable circumstance is founded the following : 
 
 With mournful mien and down-cast eyes, 
 He left the city's jarring noise, 
 
 And sought a shady spot. 
 Where he might end without restraint. 
 His very tragical complaint. 
 
 And his unhappy lot. 
 
 Though the sweet birds in concert joined. 
 Their songs enlivened not his mind, 
 
 His grief was far too deep. 
 And though the charms of nature there 
 As Eden's bowers were rich and rare. 
 
 He laid him down to weep. 
 
 Then he arose and cried, " O grove, 
 Where oft I've whispered words of love, 
 
 Hark to my latest sigh. 
 Now crushed by my relentless fate, 
 I cannot longer hesitate. 
 
 Resolved I am to die !" 
 
 With that he drew the shining blade. 
 And deep incision madly made. 
 
 To let red current flow. 
 And thus, while life-blood ebbed away, 
 Did he his misery portray. 
 
 In dismal accents low : 
 
 " There was a time when, O my Mary, 
 
 Now cause of all my woe, 
 Thou wert as lovely as a fairy. 
 
 And graceful as a doe. 
 
SPENCE'S select readings. IJ3 
 
 " And oft beneath a moon-lit sky, 
 
 One arm thy waist imbound ; 
 But now both arms, howe'er I try, 
 
 Can reach scarce half-way round. 
 
 " Now too, thy comprehensive face, 
 
 Broad as the rising sun. 
 Thy monster form, devoid of grace, 
 
 Seems heavy as a tun. 
 
 " Some envious demon knowing that 
 
 I loved a form of beauty. 
 Conspired to make my wife so fat. 
 
 To drive me from my duty. 
 
 " As my wife's person amplified. 
 
 My love grew less and less. 
 And oh ! this blade with crimson dyed. 
 
 Confirms his full success. 
 
 " But ah, I feel my strength depart — 
 
 My senses reel and swim — 
 The chill is stealing on my heart — 
 
 My sight becoming dim. 
 
 " Yet still before my closing eyes, 
 
 Spreads her huge figure vast, 
 Rising in view, the shapeless size. 
 
 My spirit is aghast !" 
 
 His head fell back, his eye-lids closed, 
 And sundry salient signs disclosed, 
 
 That death had stilled his heart. 
 And thus in manhood's power and pride,' 
 A fine impassioned victim died, 
 
 A martyr to fine art. 
 
 " Absurd ! ridiculous !" — but hush ! 
 There's not a wretch to death doth rush, 
 
 Sooner than nature's season, 
 Noted in horrid record wide. . 
 
 No ! not a single suicide 
 
 Could name a better reason. 
 
 MORAL. 
 
 Some folks have lost hearty by far less griefs than that, 
 
 Of a purse fearful leariy or a partner too fat. 
 
 Griefs look'd full in the face, perhaps may be curable, 
 'Qni fondled ioo far, may become unendurable. — ^J.D, 
 
134 spence's select readings. 
 
 MOST UNSATISFACTORY REPORTS. 
 
 "Have you heard the wonderful story Mrs. Gad ?" enquired 
 Mrs. Malune excitedly. " Quite a startling discovery indeed 
 that was — if it can be true ?" 
 
 "Whatr responded Mrs. Gad, "do tell." 
 
 " But I promised not to — as long as I live/' answered 
 Mrs. Malone. 
 
 " But I'll never name it, never !" said anxious Mrs. Gad. 
 
 " Well if you believe it," confidentially whispered Mrs. 
 Malone. " Mr. Arthur Tait (you must surely have heard 
 of him) told his wife's sister, that her brother's wife's nephew, 
 whose oldest brother's stepdaughter, heard it reported, that 
 the account came from the captain of a clam ship which 
 had lately arrived, having just returned from the Fegee 
 Islands, and he has said that it is certified on good authority, 
 how the mermaids had crinolines made of shark skins — 
 now could you believe it ?" 
 
 IMPERSONAL PREACHING. 
 
 The young minister had come to preach, hoping for the 
 possibility of a call to the pastorate. He had brought 
 along three or four of his choice discourses. Anxious to 
 make a good impression, he thought that something might 
 depend on the selejction of a suitable subject. So before 
 entering, he ventured to make known to one of the church 
 officials that he had a mind to preach on " the evils of 
 avarice." To this there seemed rather a demur. Then 
 said he, I have here a sermon on ** pride." " I think," said 
 the office bearer " it would be better to take some other 
 subject." Then said the preacher, perhaps I had best take 
 the ** sin of drunkenness " as the theme ; to this, however, 
 there was yet more serious objection, as there were several 
 supporters of the church in the liquor trade, that would 
 " nevet " do. 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 "5 
 
 The youthful aspirant to popularity named on until his 
 list of available subjects becoming nearly exhausted, he 
 ventured to enquire, what might be a likely fitting theme ? 
 
 " Well " replied the church representative, " I think you 
 had best pitch into the mormons^ I don't think they have a 
 friend in these parts." 
 
 tenderly, cautious dito. 
 
 The coloured brother was asked, " Why don't you preach 
 to them against stealing ? " and promptly replied, " Oh ! I 
 couldn't do dat no how. Would trow a cole damp ober de 
 hole meetin." 
 
 SINGULAR SUNDRIES. 
 
 perfectly paradoxical. 
 Isn't it odd indeed that the more one contracts debt the 
 larger it becomes ? And that the same is true of it whether 
 one lets it run or stand ? 
 
 noteworthy distinction. 
 There is this great difference between happiness and 
 wisdom. He that thinks himself the happiest man, really 
 is so ; but he that thinks himself the wisest ^ is generally the 
 greatest/?^/. And would not be so fully a fool if aware of 
 the fact. 
 
 POOR SERMON — VERY. 
 
 A severe critic said that " A thousand such sermons as 
 he had just listened to, would have no natural adaptation or 
 tendency to — convert a mouse." 
 
 HOMELY application. 
 
 A sermon was preached in a parish church, from the text, 
 " Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." Amongst 
 the congregation was a female who was dull of hearing, and 
 on her return home she told, her husband that the reverend 
 gentleman had taken for his text " Except ye pay your rent, 
 you must all go on the parish." 
 
 MRS. p. LIKED PREACHING. 
 
 Being interrogated as to her attendance at church, she 
 declared that she " got particularly consolated by hearing 
 a populous minister dispensing with the gospel." 
 
 I 
 
126 
 
 SPENCES SELECT READINGS. 
 
 LIKES AND DISLIKES. 
 
 Said a man of a certain taste " I do not like to sec books 
 and religious papers crowding the table. I can hardly ever 
 find a glass of the drink that I like on such tables." 
 
 MEANS TOWARD END. 
 
 Physic, feasting, fretting, brandy, gin and betting, 
 
 Will wreck the strongest man alive. 
 But water, air, good diet, domestic peace and quiet,. 
 Will cause the weakest one to thrive. 
 
 MIGHTY TRUTH. 
 
 Granite rock is unsubstantial compared with solid thought. 
 Truth is eternal and unchangeable, and as sure to triumph 
 as stands the throne eternal. 
 
 It would be a mentally healthy exercise to analyze every 
 resolution we form —look at the wherefore in the light of 
 eternal truth — and be ready always to give a reason. 
 
 The purpose that cannot be resolved into intelligible 
 reasons is not worthy to be entertained. Right decision 
 begins in mental light — Truth in order to goodness. 
 
 " Smote by truth fall ancient errors — 
 Rear'd by might and propped by wrong ; 
 
 And earth wonders, when they perish, 
 That they stood the test so long." 
 
 FACT, FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 
 
 Eternal uncontrollable instincts and energies are abroad 
 and active. Majestic, mighty truth, love and right — work- 
 ing out holy purposes of joy for humanity. By the preva- 
 lence of these all heaven-approved causes on earth prevail. 
 
 The good begun shall onward go, 
 . And bliss abounding ever grow, 
 In mighty swelling widening flow 
 Of rushing; radiant, brightening glow. 
 
 
 {^''Of making many books) there is no 
 
 END. 
 
 ft 
 
spence's select readings. 
 
 137 
 
 Press Notices of Mr. Spence's Readings, etc. 
 
 Spence's Selections, Readings, Recitations, etc., is the title of a 
 really interesting and excellent work, edited by Jacob Spence, Secre- 
 tary of the Ontario Prohibitory Leac;ue. It is brim full of arguments, 
 anecdotes, facts, fun and statistics, poems and readings, bearing on the 
 great reform. Temperance Speakers will find this work exceedingly 
 valuable. — Canada Temperance Union. 
 
 By far the best of the kind we have yet seen. — Toronto H^itness. 
 
 This is a really excellent collection of Readings, Recitations, etc. It 
 is well adapted to meet the want of the times, and in full harmony with 
 the advanced sentiment on the Temperance and Prohibition Question. 
 — Herald of Progress. 
 
 International Readings, Recitations, and selections specially adapted 
 for Temperance and social gatherings, edited by Jacob Spence, Secre- 
 tary of the Ontario Prohibitory League, 12 mo. p. p. 300. Encouraged 
 by the success of his former series Mr. Spence has prepared anotner 
 volume. We congratulate him on its extensive circulation. Most of 
 the selections are of a lighter chtiracter, but most have a good moral 
 and some are of great beauty. — Canadian Methodist Magazine. 
 
 By Jacob Spence the energetic Secretary of the Ontario Prohibitory 
 League. His long connection with the Temperance cause has made 
 him intimately acquainted with its wants and this contribution will be 
 of ^reat service. — Northern Star. 
 
 We have great confidence in recommending this work. It will be a 
 valuable adaition to Temperance literature of the day. — New Dominion. 
 
 The selections are of a brief order, while a number of the best, 
 articles are original, as a whole it can be heartily commended. — Kingston 
 News. 
 
 It will be found admirably suited for gentlemen, who are in the 
 habit of giving readings, etc. The selections are of a superior character 
 and reflect credit upon Mr. Spence's taste. — Halton Herald. 
 
 Selections made by one very competent for the task. It is good 
 reading, and ought to be in great demand among temperance people, 
 to whom it cannot but prove a convenient aid in their campaign against 
 the enemy. — Mail^ Toronto. 
 
 The volume will be found well adapted to its purpose, and we 
 cordially wish for it a liberal circulation amongst the Temperance 
 organizations of our land. — Christian Guardian. 
 
 The third series is more adapted for general social enjoyment, 
 gatherings (and not so largely made up of temperance pieces.) Many of 
 the best articles are original. The collection is gleaned from a very ex- 
 tensive field, and with much care to secure the richest and rarest, in 
 . both the thought and mirth-prc^oking. 
 
Dominion Alliance, 
 
 FOR THE TOTAL SUPPRESSION OF THE 
 LIQUOR TRAFFIC IN CANADA, 
 
 PROHIBITORY PUBLIC A TIONS art aimtd to 
 aid in arousing fublic attention to the horrible ntUun 
 of the licensed drinhf in confidence that when seen in 
 its true, terrible bearings^ the ruinous trafiic shall not 
 be tolerated in a community entitled to the name of 
 dvUiud, 
 
 Over 100 pages Temperance and Prohibitory 
 reading mattet (a large variety) may be had for ten 
 centSf mailed free to any address in the Dominion oj 
 Canada or United Stales. 
 
 Over 1.000 pages will, on receipt of one Dollar, 
 be sent post paid. 
 
 Apply to 
 
 JACOB S PENCE, 
 
 Toronto, Out., Canada, 
 
 Residenee, Maple Ttrrtuit Parliament St.. 
 Ptibiicatiem oJiee,J» KimjcSt. East, Toronto. 
 
 (Prohibitory Publications a Specialty.) 
 
)