"I am not so certain of that," said the Mule. "I have noticed your kind and ever see some of myself in them. Your star is in the distance." The Boy answered by smelling a flower and listening to the song of a bird. The Mule looked at him and said: "He is all tenderness and care. The true and the beautiful have robbed me of a kinsman. His star is near." Said the Boy: "I approach my star." "I am not so certain of that," interrupted the Hog. "I have noticed your kind and I ever see some of myself in them. Your star is a delusion." The Boy answered by painting the flower and setting the notes of the bird's song to music. The Hog looked at the boy and said: "His soul is attuned by nature. The meddler in him is slain." "I can all but touch my star," cried the Boy. "I am not so certain of that," remarked the Snake. "I have watched your kind and ever see some of myself in them. Stings are nearer than stars." The Boy answered by meditating upon the picture and music. The Snake departed, saying that stings and stars cannot keep company. The Boy journeyed on, ever led by the star. Some distance away the Mule was bemoaning the presence of his heels and trying to rid himself of them by kicking a tree. The Hog was dividing his time between looking into a brook and rubbing his snout on a rock to shorten it. The Snake lay dead of its own bite. The Boy journeyed on, led by an ever inviting star. THE NEGRO AND THE AUTOMOBILE A white man wished to sell an old-time negro an automobile. To this end he took him a spin around the town. Soon something was in the way, and that "honk-honk!" warning was sounded. "Boss," said the negro, "I don' see no wil' geese 'roun' heah." As the automobile increased its speed the negro braced himself with his feet and gripped the seat with both hands. "Is the machine running too fast?" asked the white man. "I don' keer how fast you runs, but I does objects ter flying," said the negro. The automobile was stopped and the white man got out. The "works" continued with that "chook-er-chook" sound. The negro, seeing that the wheels were not moving, sprang out excitedly. "Will you buy the automobile?" asked the white man. "No, suh," said the negro. "I don' buy no thing lack dat whut flies when hit's running, an' whut runs when hit's standing still. No, suh! Good-by! I'se gone!" FAITH IN THE WHITE FOLKS It was night, and Elm Street was dimly lighted. From a negro eating-house that opened into the street came sounds of harsh voices and the rattling of pans. Rachel, the mulatto, who believed everything a white person did or said, and who tested all information with: "Did de white folks say so?" was tugging at her little grandson, who was selling papers. "I can't sell papers here, grandma." "Why, son?" "The folks in the eating-house won't let me." "Did de white folks say so?" "No, ma'am. This route was given to another boy." "Did de white folks do it?"