Part 24 (1/2)

All hail to the broad-leaved Maple!

With her fair and changeful dress-- A type of our youthful country In its pride and loveliness; Whether in Spring or Summer, Or in the dreary Fall, 'Mid Nature's forest children, She's fairest of theraceful foreous branches The sunburnt reaper screen; 'Mid the dark-browed firs and cedars Her livelier colours shi+ne, Like the dawn of the brighter future On the settler's hut of pine

She crowns the pleasant hilltop, Whispers on breezy downs, And casts refreshi+ng shadows O'er the streets of our busy towns; She gladdens the aching eyeball, Shelters the weary head, And scatters her criraves of the silent dead

When winter's frosts are yielding To the sun's returning sway, And ar-woods away; The sweet and welling juices, Which for plenty, Which here waits honest toil

When sweet-toned Spring, soft-breathing, Breaks Nature's icy sleep, And the forest boughs are swaying Like the green waves of the deep; In her fair and budding beauty, A fitting emblem, she, Of this our land of promise, Of hope, of liberty

And when her leaves, all crimson, Droop silently and fall, Like drops of life-blood welling From a warrior brave and tall; They tell how fast and freely Would her children's blood be shed, Ere the soil of our faith and freedom Should echo a foeman's tread

Then hail to the broad-leaved Maple!

With her fair and changeful dress-- A type of our youthful country In its pride and loveliness; Whether in Spring or Summer, Or in the dreary Fall, 'Mid Nature's forest children, She's fairest of them all

H F DARNELL

DAMON AND PYTHIAS

In Syracuse there was so hard a ruler that the people made a plot to drive hi commanded that the leaders should be put to death One of these, named Damon, lived at some distance froht be allowed to go ho that he would then co did not believe that he would keep his word, and said: ”I will not let you go unless you find some friend ill come and stay in your place Then, if you are not back on the day set for execution, I shall put your friend to death in your stead” The king thought to himself: ”Surely no one will ever take the place of a man condemned to death”

Now, Damon had a very dear friend, named Pythias, who at once came forward and offered to stay in prison while Da was very iven his word; Damon was therefore permitted to leave for home, while Pythias was shut up in prison

Many days passed, the time for the execution was close at hand, and Da, curious to see how Pythias would behave, now that death seemed so near, went to the prison

”Your friend will never return,” he said to Pythias

”You are wrong,” was the answer ”Damon will be here if he can possibly come But he has to travel by sea, and the winds have been blowing the wrong way for several days However, it is much better that I should die than he I have no wife and no children, and I love my friend so well that it would be easier to die for hi that hewent away more puzzled than ever

The fatal day arrived but Daht forward and led upon the scaffold ”My prayers are heard,” he cried ”I shall be permitted to die for my friend But mark my words Damon is faithful and true; you will yet have reason to know that he has done his utalloping up at full speed, on a horse covered with foam! It was Damon In an instant he was on the scaffold, and had Pythias in his arms ”My beloved friend,” he cried, ”the Gods be praised that you are safe What agony have I suffered in the fear that er!”

There was no joy in the face of Pythias, for he did not care to live if his friendhad heard all At last he was forced to believe in the unselfish friendshi+p of these two His hard heartonly that they would be his friends, also

CHARLOTTE M YONGE

Honour and shame from no condition rise; Act well your part, there all the honour lies