The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 28 April 1910, Page 677

The Family Circle

A PUZZLE It has always been a puzzle to me ■ What sailors sow when they plough the sea. Does coffee go with the roll of a drum? And why is a speaking likeness dumb ? What was it that made the window blind ? Whose picture is put in a frame of mind ? When a storm is brewing, what does it brew ? Does the foot of a mountain wear a shoe? How long does it take to hatch a plot? Has a school of herring a tutor or not? Have you ever perused a volume of smoke? Can butter be made from the cream of a joke? Who is it that fixes the teeth of a gale? To a king who reigns why shout ‘ O hail ’ ? With a powder puff is one’s mind made up? Does a saucer go with a misery cup ? Can you fasten a door with a lock of hair? Did a bitter wind ever bite you, and where? Who is it that paints the signs of the times? Does the moon change her quarters for nickels and dimes? What tune do you play on the feelings, pray? And who is it mends the break of day? And say I’ll admit this is quite absurd When you drop a remark, do you break your word? Can a rope be made out of ocean strands? Have the silent midnight watches hands? Can you cut a log with a wise old saw? Does the cup that cheers cry, ‘ Hip hurrah ’ ? Can money be tight when change is loose? Now what in the name of thunder’s the use Of going through college and taking degrees When we’re posed by such plain little problems as ‘ these ? THE FIRST TEMPTATION One Saturday evening, when Susan went, as usual, to farmer Thomson’s inn to receive the price of her mother’s washing for the boarders, which amounted to five dollars, she found the farmer in the stable yard. He was apparently in a terribly rage with some horse dealers, with whom he had been bargaining. He held in his hand, an open pocket-book, full of notes, and, scarcely noticing the child as she made her request, except to swear at her, as usual, for troubling him when he was busy, he handed her a bank note. Glad to escape so easily, Susan hurried out of the gate, and, then, pausing to pin the money safely in the folds ' of her shawl, she discovered that he had given her two bills instead of one. She looked aroundnobody was near to share her discovery, and her first impulse was joy at the unexpected prize. buy mother a new cloak with it, and she can give her old one to Sister Mary, and then Mary can go to Sunday school with me next winter. I wonder if it will not buy a pair of shoes for Brother Tom, too?’ . At that - moment she remembered that he must have given it to her by mistake,- and therefore she had no right to it. But again the voice of the tempter whispered : ‘ He gave it, and how do you know that he did not intend to make you a present of it? Keep it, he will never know it, even if it should be a mistake, for he had too many bills in that great pocket-book to miss one.’ While this conflict was going on in her mind between good and evil, she was hurrying home as fast as possible. Yet, before she came in sight of her home, she had repeatedly balanced the comforts the money would buy against the sin of wronging her neighbor. , e As she crossed the little bridge over the narrow creek b l f -° u® 4 er mothers door, her eye fell upon a rustic seat ' W i J an £ !? er m .her had often occupied, and where only the day before, her mother had explained to her these words of Scripture: Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do you even so to them.’ cTva Startled, m if a trumpet had sounded in her ears she turned suddenly round, and, as if flying from some unseen pen!, hastened along the road with breathless speed gate she found herself once more at Farmer Thomson’s : ‘ What do you want now- ?’ asked the’ gruff old fellow as he saw her again at his side. ’ . ‘fir, you paid me-two bills instead of one,’ said she trembling in every limb. ’ ‘Two bills, did I? Let me see. Well, so I did- hut did you just find it out? Why did you not bring it back sooner?’ K Susan blushed and hung her head. t ‘ You wanted to keep it, I suppose,’ he said. ‘Well I am glad your mother was more honest than you, or I would have been five dollars poorer and none the wiser ’ , , , My mother knows nothing about it, sir’ said - * I brought it back before I went home ’ feusa «-

tears rolHn c “own lO W d ,f , the , oMId - a » d . «« he saw the distress pitting Us i ck ® eks > hi! seemed touched by her quarter dollar aSd offered it to POCket he dre "' ° ut * to be paid-for 1 chine S’t "TT She *- t ‘ I do not ™sh think me dishonest sir fl^'indeed'lt wish you would not tion. Oh, si? if v,' S mdeed ’ xt was a great temptawanting the common comfort 6F f e “ those you love best how hard it is aTwa°v n s to do ° f i lfe ’ you would know others do unto us ’ unto others as we would have a lightened heart’ and*throng returned to her home with useful life she ' o " g “«• SENSIBLE SO Mother was asked whv it was I tl ? at nos. girls were so proficient in home wort Lr , her S irls were pertains to good housewifery He? S ’ f kln S> and all that my children work wX me y fror??L r T as : <][ have let and sat in a high chair hpJruT th txiae T hey ™ere babies mixed bread Ofcourse twfV baked P iea or but that was the wav tliev iA?? y bothered me for dough, is where mothers generally fail 1 ?’ e .X ery thing. And that the children off in Mother room or respect-tliey put ‘Out of their wav whereas these i;++i Send them out to play, right . along. % ‘jittTo girls learnefho”*? 11 * b taUgb m this way. They had H++i o J>la b T to . make pies bowl, and their pies were hit? a *- ins and . a Hny mixing mine. When I made bread S« S exact imitation of in tl\eir pans, and their tinv hi/™/* 80 made bttle loaves could be! When I iroTedthev^- 8 we e as nice as they my ironing table. So if 7 .1“ lron on a chair beside They worked along with me and &U my work ’ pleasure for me as for them and +W° ften w ? s as muck company. Amgng their tovs fnr T? 7 • V ! ere a Ways lively presents were these tiny imitation C bristmas or birthday as mentioned above- also /Sli £ ° f my cullnar tools tuba, wringers, washboa?ds° aid the like™’ Zd°K"’ tilT they were like the real article +l.l if+l 4, nd the nearer were suited. When I marl a ill- 6 b ®,j er the little girls watch the proceedings- when I rnnL-A^ Uddl +i’- * bey bad bo or pickled they helped meto Z Vv? + anyt hmg, or canned result of this is that 11 Q °• wl ? at the y could. The in getting home from some mel+l/’ 1611 “ other ”is late is very tired or indisposed what « g or call, .or when she that these little girls not vet in +f 0 ™ f ° + rt Xt 18 to know meal as quickly and neatly and dof+i U te T S ’ can get a as the most experienced and n n in / an , as cheerfully or fifty.’ 1 need and capable housekeeper of forty AN ACTIVE mind The Student a„d”te thiXTrevel^ very few of us want Solitude all +/ Q /i ol,tl,d< v„ However, good friends, the tiesoffamily lit f’ • We all ne ® d conversations of the neighbor. 7 Rut ?+ d • glV t and Catch quite alone that we turn Tatters Tl? - xt 18 wbn we are we get a big, broad view of life /hen we lw m , lnds > when ?; ir work, dwell upon the tenderness of fT 7 Plan ’ direct those who love us. A few moments If thosG A e , Jove and solitude, fifteen minutes with a good book r(able ’ restful with good music— are moments snen’t Ben I .minutes and education. When vou p-mw oa fP® n t in self-culture like to be by yourself you will c-a • interesting that you bod, will want you tote with b them! n 6reStlng that THE CAT AND THE MONKEY same family. One”day a” 1 they werlffadk' liVC * the th ? saw some chestnuts roasting in a hot "'fheSt^ is » good r thing ttaTyou^ lav 1 ave e such e ale d pawe r f °N 1S - • « out th y t T e d fe pa T art claws. You use' your Taws °L/ y clu “ B y S „fte.“ d P “ n “* ‘he^utf^d^rshi 0 .,^ e d «}™st her paws cat p T „tee k^„St „, a “S'as the for her dinner the chestnSS tier" all Z„ SS was read y had eaten every one of them &U gone i the monkey What is the meaning of the expression- ‘rr ■ paw for some one else ’ ? * P ession . He is a cat’s COMPLIMENTARY drill™ 6 badi?rt y haT ed oartarw y 0 a " d ~* through an excitable nature, shouted indignan?!,™? ST^SLf

£ You knock-kneed, big-footed idiots, you are not worthy of being drilled’ by a captain. What you need is a rhinoceros to drill you, you wretched donkeys. ■ Then, sheathing his sword indignantly, he added: ‘Now, lieutenant, you take charge of them.’ ~EASILY SETTLED The fire policy on a lady’s house— a big one— was brought to her by the agent. .■ . . . non j ‘There it is, madam, he said, the premium is £2O. ‘Oh how unfortunate ! ’ cried the property owner. ‘My bank account is a little low. Tell the company to let ‘it stand, and deduct it from what they 11 owe me when the house is burnt down 1J - WILLING TO OBLIGE The insurance agent looked in at the door, and seeing a man seated at the desk thought he would take the opportunity of trying to get him insured. *« * ‘he advan- ‘ Would you mind me showing one or two of the advantages you would have by insuring with our company. doS ‘ Not at all,’ said the man, I should be highly deligllThe agent began, and after having fully described all the advantages of his company to the best of his ability, he S < a And now, sir, can 1 have the pleasure of putting your nam ‘I’m a?r y aid b °not,’ ’said the man. ‘ You see, I wasn’t* thinking of getting insured at all; the fact of the matter is I’m S an insurance agent myself, and I thought I might get a few hints from you, that s all. Good-day. , - Collapse of aspiring agent. FROM » EXAM ” PAPERS The following answers are taken from a number collected by a teacher in the Topeka schools: ‘ A blizzard is the inside of a hen. . , Oxygen is a thing that has eight sides. ‘The cuckoo never lays its own eggs. , A mosquito is a child of black and white parents. PAPER IN JAPAN In Japan paper is made into umbrellas and wearing apparel which, strange as it may seem, are astonishingly durable’ as well as being cheap. The pnrikslia men near paper raincoats, which last a year or more with constant use Oiled tissue paper is used as wrapping paper. It is tanned with the Unented j nice of green P—. Tea sacks, strong and durable, are made of this page ■ Tobacco pouches and pipe cases are made fiom leather paper ’ which is strong and at the same .time soft and Suable Paper pots, pans, and plates are in common use in Japanese households, as are. similar articles made of enamel or delph in Europe. FAMILY FUN A TREE AND PLANT CONTEST. This is .an attractive contest for a limited number of tree Rm we W ear to keep us warm? Fir. Which do ships prefer in storm:— Which shows what lovelorn maidens do?—1. me. And in the hand which carry you/—J aim. And which is it that the pastcralists fear . —Locust. , And from their pipes men shake:— Which tree is it bad boys dislike to see.— P ,lfh - Which like a man, bright, dapper, and neat: Spume. And on which do children like to play. Beech. To which tree turn we for goods to wear and stuff to burn? Cottonwood. , ' , c , Now divide you one tree more, you ve part of a dress ■and part of a door?—Hemlock. Which tree is never seen alone.—l ear. . - And which one is a bright, warm tone*?—Cherry. ; And which in church doth office hold?—Elder. Which is a town in Ireland?—Cork. - For this one do not look so far, which tells " bat charming people are? Poplar. . ~ , Which one will allay the pain if promptly rubbed on bruise or sore?—Witchhazel. it „n The mason doth use which tree to make his wall straight as can be?—Plum. 1 0 Which tree on calendars do you find. — Date. Which is a joke told many times?—Chestnut. And on our feet we’ll wear which tree?— -