EXCELSIOR.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 9, Issue 349, 16 January 1918, Page 7

EXCELSIOR.

(By P. J. Gould in the "Children's Book of Moral Lessons.") "I shall never be able to do it; never," said a young Greek, as lie wandered up and down on the seashore near Athens. "What is the matter?" asked an old man, who hud noticed his despairing face. "I tried to make a speech, to the people of Athens, but, tvhen I stammered and got short of breath, the crowd laughed at mc, and interrupted m© with their shouts and jeers. I shall never become an eloquent speaker." "Do not be a coward," replied the old man; "you might talk as nobly as the groat Pericles (Per-i-clees) if you tried. You must train yourself—exercise yourself." The young Greek's name was Demosthenes (De-mos-then-ees). He made np his mind to tight with his trouble, and master it. He would even make, the trouble greater oa purpose, la his mouth he placed little pebbles, and then, standing in a lonely place by the sea, he would struggle to pronounce hjs words as clearly as he could. He would gaze at the blue ocean, and ad'irewi :t as if it were a mob of Athenians. At other times he would run up a hill, and cry, as plainly as possible, some euch words as: "By earth, By all the fountains, Streams, and floods." Or, in a eort of underground chamber, he would spend his days, and people who passed would smile as they heard him talking loudly to himself. He would stand before a mfrror of poliohed metvl, •o that ho might watch if Lie action*