Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl! How wonderful sweet you sing! O let us be married,—too long we have tarried,— But what shall we do for a ring?” They sailed away for a year and a day To the land where the Bong tree grows And there in a wood, a piggy-wig stood With a ring at the end of his nose,— His nose, With a ring at the end of his nose. “Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for a shilling Your ring?” Said the piggy, “I will.” So they took it away and were married next day By the turkey who lives on the hill. They dined upon mince and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon, And hand in hand on the edge of the sand They danced by the light of the moon,— The moon, They danced by the light of the moon. —_Edward Lear._ I would not enter on my list of friends, Though graced with polished manners and fine sense, Yet wanting sensibility, the man Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. —_William Cowper._ MAKING EXCUSES. A young American who had broken an appointment with Dr. Franklin, came to him the following day prepared to make his peace with an apology. He was making a tiresome excuse when Dr. Franklin stopped him, saying, “My dear boy, say no more. You have, indeed, said too much already. For he who is good at making an excuse, is seldom good at anything else.” —_Benjamin Franklin._ EXTREMES. I. A little boy once played so loud That the Thunder, up in a thunder-cloud, Said, “Since _I_ can’t be heard, why then, I’ll never, never thunder again!” II. And a little girl once kept so still That she heard a fly on the window-sill Whisper and say to a lady-bird,— “She’s the stillest child I ever heard!” —_James Whitcomb Riley._ THE WAY TO BE HAPPY. How pleasant it is at the end of the day, No follies to have to repent; But reflect on the past and be able to say, That my time has been properly spent. When I’ve done all my work with patience and care, And been good and obliging and kind, I lay on my pillow and sleep away care, With a happy and peaceable mind. But instead of all this, if it must be confessed, That I careless and idle have been, I lay down as usual and go to my rest, But full discontented within. Then, as I don’t like all the trouble I’ve had, In future I’ll try to prevent it, For I never am naughty without being sad, Or good—without being contented. —_Jane and Ann Taylor._ [Illustration] BUTTERCUPS AND DAISIES.