RAKINGS.

Northern Advocate, 8 October 1887, Page 5

RAKINGS.

MAN AND ETERNITY. Forin'd for less of joy than trouble, Man is hut a fleeting bubble On the boundless silent sea Of a dark Eternity. Bison from a wondrous whole, Fill'd with breath that's call'd a soul, Right and left and to and fro, As the waters onward flow, Underneath a changing heaven, O'er the wide and waste expanse, By the gates of Passion driven And the waves 9f Circumstance ; In despite of Reasbh given For tho Soul's deliverance, From the rule of wanton Chance ; Till, having floated for a space. The bubble bursts, nor leaves a trace On the tide or in the air Of its short duration there, Sinking in that silent sea, The Ocean of Eternity. Will that sea give up its dead ? Ask the shadows that have fled— They can tell thee, they alone. The mysteries of the great Unknown. , H. CHA_U__» J. LIKOH-01. Victoria. - '-'-■ The horned rattlesnake is endowed with the power of moving forward, backward, or sideways with equal facility. It is related that a German. naturalist went to Arizona, and one day came across a horned rattlesnake sunning himself on the top of a prairie dog's burrow. The naturalist had no stick, but was frantically eager to Becure the snake, which was retreating down the hole, so he pulled him out by the tail, and then sprang hack to avoid unpleasant consequences. The snake again started down and again was dragged out by the tail. This time the snake cocked one eye at tbe naturalist worked his under jaw in a significant manner, and went down tail first. The naturalist went home. "Your estate, " the trustee of a bankrupt observed to the person who was being " wound up, " " cannot possibly pay more than 3s. 6d. in the £to your creditors. " "It must be made to pay 55. ," replied the gentleman in difficulties, doggedly. " I never pay loss than ss. " " I tell you, " insisted the trustee, " that when every available asset has been realised it will be utterly impossible for us to declare a larger dividend than 3s. 6d. in the £. " " Now I'll just tell ybu"what it is," exclaimed, nothing daunted, the just aad upright bankrupt; " this estate's got to pay 55., aud not a penny less. Yes, sir. Sooner than offer such a mean dividend I'd-paj?. the balance out of my own pocket. *" * J ' Never interfere with a man who is sneezing, When so engaged he requires to devote ms whole attention to the business. "My dear,'' said a sentimental wife, " home, you know, is tho dearest spot on earth. " "Well yes , " said the practical husband, "it does cost about twice as much as any other spot. " " Lrw Without Lawyers '|' is the title to a new book. That's nothing strange. Lemon-, ode without lemons hasroen an old thing ever since picnics were inve-ftSa.'