LIGHT LITERATURE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 2, 17 April 1880, Page 4

LIGHT LITERATURE.

ONE NEW YEAR'S CALLER, A man clad in the habiliments of a iramp knocked briskly on the back door of a Cincinnati residence on New Year's Day, and bowing low to the girl who made her appearance, said : 44 Th compliments of the season, failmaid, and may each recurring New Year "—" —

44 0h, go 'long!" said the girl, interrupting him.

44 1 am not the only man who has run <down at tho heel."

44 No, there were seven here ahead of .you this morning." 44 Seeing you keep open house, I presume they were admitted by the front door. But the back door is good enough lor me. lam not proud. You will observe I did not come in a carriage ; but no matter, lam hungry. I would like a /bite to eat."

" Wo havetft anything for you." " Don't be too sure of that until you Itnow who I am. You probably never lieard of people entertaining angels unawares." " Yes I have ; but I don't believe it." 44 Homer was a beggar." " He never got anything here, my good man." " Cervantes died of hunger." " He ought to have gone to work." " Diffenbacker had nineteen t ades, and starved to death with all of them. Howfiver, that is neither here nor there." "Try the boarding-house over the v/ay." % " Spenser died in want.* 1 "I know it. He depended on this sheoang for his victuals." 41 Tasso, Italy's celebrated poet " " Oh, I suppose he was shot." 41 He" was not ; but he was often hard pushed for a nickel. I mention these to prepare you for what is coming. lam the individual who first mentioned Grant for a third term."

" We are all solid for John Sherman," said the girl. The man walked slowly to the gate, paused, scratched his head, and turning once more to the femalf, said : 11 Wouldn't you give a future cabinet officer a cold potato ?" 14 Couldn't think of it." "What if the next Minister to the Court of St. James should ask for one ?" " He couldn't get it." " Very well, I will not withdraw my good wishes for the new year. I presume you are acting according to instructions. A man who is just entering upon the primrose path of politics can afford to be magnanimous."

And kissing his hand to the hardhearted housemaid, ho took his leave.

SHOULD COUSINS KISS?

Number three of a series ot prize questions promulgated by the London Whitehall Review is' "Should adult cousins, malo and female, bo allowed to lass each other?" Some of the answers received are as follows : Yes, because

Jacob, after having personated Esau, kissed his cousin Rachel as soon as he saw her, and their parents approved. Then they will care for it as little as grocers' boys do for sugar.

Shakspeare says, " Kiss me, sweet coz," and Tennyson says of himself and his " Cousin Amy" : " And our spirits rushed together at the touching of the lips." As a lady is concerned it must be considered a fair proceeding. If she is married it cannot be amiss. Brothers and sisters kiss, and their children should follow their example. " One touch of nature makes the whole world kin;" a kiss being a touch of nature they should kiss to make them still more akin. Family affection is a tender and beautiful plant which cannot be too carefully nurtured.