176. Four sundowners called at a station and asked for rations. “Well,” said the manager, “I have a job that will take 200 hours to complete; if you want to do it, you can divide the work and the money among yourselves as you see fit.” The sundowners agreed to do the work on these conditions. “Now, mates,” said the laziest of them, “it’s no good all of us doing the same amount of work. Let’s toss up to see who shall work the most hours a day, and who the fewest. Then let each man work as many days as he does hours a day.” This was agreed to; but the proposer took good care that chance should designate him to do the least number of hours of work. How were the 200 hours put in so that each man should work as many hours as days, and yet no two men work the same number of hours? 177. On multiplying a certain number by 517 a result is obtained greater by 7,303,535 than if the same number had been multiplied by 312. How much greater still would be the result if 811 were the multiplier instead of 312? A “CATCH.” 178. Six ears of corn are in a hollow stump. How long will it take a squirrel to carry them all out if he takes but three ears a day? NUMBER 7. The number 7 has always been considered the most sacred of all our figures. Its prominence in the Scriptures is very remarkable, from Genesis--where we read that the seventh day was consecrated as a day of rest and repose--to Revelations--where we find the seven churches of Asia; seven golden candlesticks; the book with seven seals; the seven angels with seven trumpets; seven kings; seven thunders; seven plagues, &c., &c., its frequent occurrence is most striking. The Ancients paid great respect to the seven mouths of the Nile. The seven rivers of Vedic India; seven wonders of the world; seven precious stones; seven notes of music; seven colours of the rainbow, &c., &c. The “Lampads seven that watch the Throne of Heaven” led the Chaldeans to esteem the unit 7 as the holiest of all numbers, thereupon they established the week of seven days, and built their temples in seven stages. The temples and palaces of Burma and China are seven-roofed. In modern times this number has kept up its reputation. Shakespeare paid special regard to it; the “seven ages” and every multiple of it is supposed to be a critical or important period in one’s life. A modern philosopher as follows apportions-- MAN’S FULL EXTREME. 7 years in childhood, sport and play, (7) 7 years in school from day to day, (14) 7 years at trade or college life, (21) 7 years to find a place and wife, (28) 7 years to pleasure’s follies given, (35) 7 years to business hardly driven, (42) 7 years for some wild-goose chase, (49) 7 years for wealth, a bootless race, (56) 7 years of hoarding for your heir, (63) 7 years in weakness spent and care, (70) And then you die and go--you know not where.