The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1922, Page 45

The Family Circle

STRENUOUS ELOCUTIONIST. Once there was a little boy, whose name was Robert Reese And every Friday afternoon he bad to speak a piece. So many poems thus he learned that soon he had a store Of recitations in his head and still kept learning more. And now this is what happened: He was called upon one week, And totality forgot the piece ho was about to speak! His brain was cudgelled. Not a word remained within his head! And so he spoke at random, and this is what he said: "My Beautiful, my Beautiful, who standest proudly by, It was the schooner Hesperus—the breaking waves dashed • high. _ . Why is the Forum crowded? What means this stir in Rome? Under the spreading chestnut tree there is no place like home! "When freedom from her mountain high called ' Twinkle, little star,' Shoot if you must this gray old head, King Henry of Navarre! Roll on, thou deep and dark blue castled crag of Drachenf els; My name is Norval, on the Grampian Hills, ring out wild .bells. "If you are waking, call me early, to be or not to be, The curfew must not ring to-night; 0 Woodman, spare j " that tree! 'Charge, Chester, Charge! On Stanley, on! and let who will be clever, The boy stood on the burning deck, but I go on forever!" His elocution was superb, his voice and gestures fine His schoolmates all applauded as he finished the last line. "I see it doesn't matter," Robert thought, ''what words I say, So long as I declaim with oratorical display!" EARLY MARRIAGES LIKELY TO PROVE A BLESSING TO YOUNG MEN. The sooner a young man meets the girl he respects and loves, and marries her, the better, generally speaking (says Father Martin J. Scott, S.J.) An early marriage well made is a great blessing to a young man. But never keep •constant company with a girl whom you do not hope to marry. It is wrong for many reasons. First of all, it is not fair to a good girl; and that is the only kind of girl you will associate with, I know. It gives her false hopes and keeps her from other prospects. •Suppose someone should act thus with your sister! In the second place, company keeping is dangerous unless it is inspired by the reverence and true love which leads to marriage. Protracted company-keeping is the source of great evils. If, after honorable association with a girl for a reasonable time, you realise she will not make you a good life's companion, cease your attentions to her. Otherwise you raise expectations of marriage in her, and you incur, moreover, the danger of undue familiarity by your longl drawn-out company-keeping. J Look for something more than looks in the girl whom you hope to make your wife. Observe her traits, her dis- :! . position, and, above all, her normal and ordinary conduct. - 'When you meet a girl who conforms to your character and whose love you may win, the sooner you marry her the better. !'*;■: Marriage v steadies a young man, gives him ambition, X - and removes him from the temptations which beset the path | •of the average youth. Unless you have family obligations ;■: ; which stand in the way of marriage or intend to embrace ,^safeguarded by a good marriage. V v

OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND THE FLOWERS. How many of our boys and girls when they look at the beautiful flowers think of Him who gave them to us? Many of the fairest blossoms show by their names that there was an ago when tho Giver of the flowers was remembered, but that was long before chrysanthemum shows (says an exchange). Tho lily in all lands is associated with thoughts of Our Blessed Mother, whether it is the lovely Annunciation Lily, tho fleur-de-lis or the sweet lilies of the valley, which in some lands are thought to be Our Lady's tears. A bunch of wild snowdrops seem prettier for the altar if they are called "Candlemas bells." Legends tell us that flowers sprang up along the Blessed Virgin's way through life, and is it any wonder? The hazel tree, it is said, blossomed for Mary when she visited Elizabeth, and the daffodils formed a path for Gabriel when he came to the humble house of Nazareth. You all know the orchid which bears the name "Our Lady's Slipper," and how much more graceful is that name than its other, "mocassin flower." The primrose has a significant name among the Germans; they call it "Frauen Schlussel," "Our Lady's Key,"' because it opens the gate of spring. In France the spearmint is "Our Lady's Mint," and the dainty blue speedwell is in England called "Mary's. Rest." In Nazareth the little children call briony "Our Lady's Vine," and the holly tree is "Mary's Tree." You are all familiar with the delicate maiden-hair ferns, but do you know they are often termed "Our Lady's Tresses" ? Across the sea, the strawberry and the cherry are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. There is a plant known as "Our Lady's Bedstraw," and there is a species of primula which has been styled "Our Lady's Candlestick," while "Our Lady's Nightcap" is a common name'for the morning: glory. To give these names, full of lovely meaning, to the flowers, shows that Our Blessed Mother was close to the minds and hearts of the people in the early ages, and far from evincing too great familiarity, their simple faith filled their hearts with sweet and loving reverence. THE FEW. The easy roads are crowded, And the level roads are jammed, The pleasant little rivers With tho drifting folks are crammed, But off yonder where it's rocky, Where you get a better view, You will find the ranks are thinning And the travellers are few. Where the going's smooth and pleasant You will always find the throng, For the many, more's the pity, Seem to like to drift along. But the steeps that call for courage, And the task that's hard to do ' In the end result in glory For the never-wavering few. —Edgar A. Guest. NUTS TO CRACK. Why does a miller wear a white hat?— cover his head. What is it that we value more than life, fear more than death, the rich man wants it, the poor man has it, the miser spends it, the spendthrift keeps it, and when we die we take it with —Nothing. What is that which by losing an eye has nothing left but a nose? —Noise. Why is it right for B to come before Because he must Be before he can C. Why is the letter T like Easter Because it's the last of Lent. What seven letters did old Mother Hubbard use when she looked into the cupboard?— I, C, U R M T. What is. the difference between, a Dutch dude and a piece of stovepipe One is a silly Hollander and the other is a hollow cylinder. When is a schoolmaster like a man with one eye?— , When he has a vacancy for a pupil.

Why is a leaky barrel like a coward ?—Because it runs. When is a bonnet not a bonnet?— it becomes a pretty woman. HIS LIMIT REACHED. After coming in from a 20-mile "hike" the officer in command of a negro company said, before dismissing them, "I want all the men who are too tired to take another hike to take two paces forward." All stepped forward except one big, husky six-footer. Noticing him, the officer said; "Well, Johnson, do you wish to take another hike?" "No, sah!" answered Johnson. "All's too tired to even take dem two steps." THE PAINTER'S LOGIC. A plumber and painter were working in the same house. The painter arrived late, and the plumber said to him: "You're late this morning." "Yes," said the painter, "I had to stop and have my hair cut." "You didn't do it in your employer's time, did you?" said the plumber. "Sure, I did," said the painter; "it grew in his time." SMILE RAISERS. Mr. A.: "This is a very healthy town. My father died here at 85, and my grandfather died at 140." Mr. B.: "One hundred and forty?" Mr. A.: "Yes. High Street." ' " 2 Music Teacher: "What do you mean, Miss Juno, by speaking of Dick Wagner, Ludie Beethoven, Charlie Gounod, and Fred Handel?" Pupil: "Well, you told me to get familiar with the great composers." Kg "Have you a Charles Dickens or a Nathaniel Hawthorne in your home, madam?" inquired the book agent. "No," said the angry housewife, "we have not. I suppose, as usual, you've pot the house mixed up with the boarding-house next door." "Father," said Jemmy, "what's the meaning of transatlantic?" "I told you before," shouted the father, "that trans means across." "Then, I suppose, transparent means a cross parent," said Jemmy. "Go to bed, like a good boy," said his father. "Grandpa," asked James, "wouldn't you be glad if I saved a shilling for youP" "Certainly, my boy," said grandpa, delighted at this evidence of budding business ability. "Well, I saved it all right," said James. "You said if I brought a good report from my teacher you would give me a shilling, but I didn't." The class had been told beforehand by their master: "Don't answer unless you are certain your answer is correct." "Now, tell me," said the inspector, "who was the mother of the great Scottish hero, Robert Bruce?" He pointed to the top boy, then round the class. There was no answer. Then at last the boy who was standing at the foot of the class held up his hand. "Well, my boy," said the inspector, encouragingly, "who was she?" "Please, sir, Mrs. Bruce."