CONCLUSIVE REASONING. A little boy asked his mother how many gods there were. A younger brother answered: "Why, one to be sure." "But how do you know that ?" inquired the other. "Because," answered the younger, "God fills every place, so there is no room for any other." TRUE STANDARD OF A MAN. Were I so tall, as to reach the pole, The mind's the standard of the man.-Pope. TOYS OF THE MILLION. So millions are swift with the glare of a toy ; HONESTY AND INDEPENDENCE. Let honesty be as the breath of thy soul, and never forget to have a penny, when all expenses are paid; then shall thy soul walk upright, nor stoop to the silken wretch, because he has riches, nor pocket abuse, because the hand which offers it, wears a ring set with diamonds.-Franklin. A SECRET KNOWN TO FEW. It is a secret known to few, yet of no small use in the conduct of life, that when you fall into a man's conversation, the first thing you should consider is, whether he has a greater inclination to hear you, or that you should hear him.—Addison. SLANDER. No; 'tis slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue PHILOSOPHICAL HAPPINESS. Philosophical happiness is to want little and enjoy much; vulgar happiness is to want much and enjoy little. VALUE OF REPUTATION. Good name, in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse, steals trash: 'tis something, nothing : Robs me of that which not enriches him, THE FAVOR OF MEN. O momentary grace of mortal man, Which we more hunt for than the grace of God! Who builds his hope in air of your fair looks, Ready with every nod to tumble down Into the fatal bowels of the deep.-Shakspeare. PRAISE AND FLATTERY. Fair PRAISE is sterling gold-all should desire it- STANZAS TO THE MOON.-F. W. R. 1. SINCE ev'ry poet has address'd a song 2. The Sun is lord of all the earth, I know, Yet somehow I feel more inclined to be 3. When in his glorious beaming car on high, My hand before my dazzled eyes I place, 4. But thou, dear Moon! whene'er thy face I meet, Thy placid features I delight to greet; My joys and griefs securely I confide, Nor am obliged my shamefaced eyes to hide. 5. If without him fair fruits would deck the trees, 6. But thou, fair lady of the diamond bow! 7. What should I do, but that I'd thee to tell, In sleepless nights-thou know'st the reason well;Patient thou hearest all I say to thee, And though a lady, yet can secret be! NO LORDS AND LADIES.-N. P. WILLIS. 1. THE life of a commoner in England is one of inevitable and daily eclipse and mortification-nothing but the force of early habits and education making it tolerable to the Englishman himself, and nothing at all making it in any way endurable to a republican of any pride or spirit. 2. You naturally say: "Why not associate with the middle classes, and let the aristocracy go to ruin?" but individually sending people to ruin, is of no use, and the middle classes value yourself and each other only as your introduction to them is arisocratic, or as their friends are approvable by an aristocratic eye. There is no class free from this humiliating weakness. of 3. The notice of a lord will at any time take the wind out your sails when a lady is in the case; your tailor will leave you half-measured to run to my lord's cab in the street; your doctor will neglect your fever for my lord's cold; your friend will breakfast with my lord, though engaged particularly to you; and the out-goings, and in-comings, the sayings and doings, the stupidities, impudencies, manners, greetings, and condescensions of lords and ladies, usurp the conversation in all places, and to the interruption or exclusion of the most grave or personal topics. 4. Understand us, we grudge no respect to dignities or authorities. Even to wealth as power, we are willing to yield the wall. But we say again, that a republican spirit must rebel against homage with anything human with which it never can compete, and in this lies the only distinction (we fervently hope) which will ever hedge in American aristocracy. 5. Let who will get to windward of us by superior sailing -the richer, the handsomer, the cleverer, the stronger, the more beloved and gifted-there was fair play at the start, and we will pay deference and duty with the promptest. But no lords and ladies, Mr. President, if you love us. SLYDER DOWNEHYLLE.-JOSEPH C. NEAL. 1. "How happy I'll be to-morrow!" exclaimed little Slyder Downehylle, in anticipation of Christmas,-" O, how happy I shall be to-morrow!" 66 Couldn't you contrive to be happy a little now?" replied uncle John, who had learned somewhat to distrust anticipation and its gorgeous promises. 2. "Happy now, uncle John!" retorted little Slyder Downehylle, rather contemptuously,-"happy now! what with, I should like to know-what shall I be happy withnow? Where are the cakes, the candy, the pies—where the hobby horse that somebody's going to give me-and all the Christmas gifts? How I wish to-morrow was here! What a long day-what a long evening-what a great while I've got to sleep!" 3. Little Slyder Downehylle became quite cross, and uncle John whistled. Twenty-four hours afterwards, little Slyder Downehylle was still more cross; he had been happy with candy, with cakes, and with pies, until he was very uncomfortable indeed; he had been happy with toys, until he had quarreled with his little companions, and strewed the room with broken playthings; he had been happy with his hobby horse, until he got a fall. 4. "O, what a stupid day!" said little Slyder Downehylle. "I wish to-morrow would come-I'll be so happy at aunt Betsy's." It is unnecessary to intrude at aunt Betsy's, for the events there were of a character strongly resembling what had already occurred. Little Slyder Downehylle went to bed in tears. 5. It was always so with the unfortunate Slyder Downehylle. Throughout life he wanted something to be happy with; and, strangely enough, it universally occurred, that, when he had obtained the thing, it did not prove to be exactly the thing he wanted. His expectations were never re |