The simple life she truly leads, She loves her small domestic labors; In spring she plants her garden seeds And shares the product with her neighbors. By _Books and Authors_ now I see In literature she's made a foray: "The Yellow Shadow"--said to be "A crackerjack detective-story." CAPTAIN BROWN Bluff Captain Brown is somewhat queer, But of the sea he's very knowing. I scarcely meet him once a year-- He's off in search of whales a-blowing. For fifty years--perhaps for more-- He's sailed about upon the ocean. He thinks that if he lived ashore He'd die. But this is just a notion. Still when the Captain comes to port With barrels of oil from whales caught napping, He'll pace the deck, and loudly snort, "This land air is my strength a-sapping. "I call this living on hard terms; I wish that I had never seen land; I wish I were a-chasing sperms Abaft the nor'east coast of Greenland." Yet on his latest cruise, 'tween whales The Captain wrote a book most charming. It's called--and it is having sales-- "Some Practical Advice on Farming." T.H. SMITH Tom Henry Smith I long have known Although he really is a hermit-- At least, Tom Henry lives alone, And that's what people always term it. Tom Henry never is annoyed By fashion's change. He wears a collar Constructed out of celluloid. His hats ne'er cost above a dollar. Tom loves about his room to mess, And cook a sausage at the fireplace. It doesn't serve to help his dress-- Grease spatters over the entire place. Tom Henry likes to read a book, And writes a little for the papers, But scarcely ever leaves his nook, And takes no part in social capers. Now Tom has penned a book himself. I hope he'll never feel compunctions! Its title is--it's on my shelf-- "Pink Teas and Other Social Functions." RUTH JONES I've found the Joneses pleasant folk-- I've watched them all their children fetch up. Jones loves to have a quiet smoke-- _She's_ famous for tomato catchup. Ruth is their eldest--now fifteen, A tallish girl with pleasing features. Each school-day morn she can be seen As she trips by to meet her teachers. A serious-minded miss, you'd say, Not given much to school-girl follies. She still sometimes will slip away To spend a half-hour with her dollies. She's learned to sweep, to sew, to bake-- She's quite a helpmate to her mother. On Saturday she loves to take The go-cart out with little brother. At writing now she bids for fame-- Her book a great success is reckoned. "By Right of Flashing Sword," its name, A strong romance of James the Second. THE LOST WORD BY JOHN PAUL