Immortality.

Why are the stars , which ' round the midnight throne Of heaven hold their nightly jubilee , So far beyond our finite being shown To mock us with their glorious majesty ? Why do bright forms of beautylike sweet

, dreams , Present themselves to view , and then depart ; Leaving affection ' s thousand strong , deep streams To flow in Alpine torrents to the heart ?

Beyond this world our destiny will be , In realms where rainbows never fade away , Where stars , like islands , slumber on the sea , And bright forms in our presence ever stay , Freemason .

Chippings.

Chippings .

A DOZEN FRIED . I was out late one night , said Squills , so I took home a dozen fried . If Mrs . Squills has one weakness stronger than another it is for a dozen friednice and brown and

, not too much batter . I set the pacificators down on the outside mat , so as not to burst too gorgeously on her all at once , but directly I got into the room I knew there was something up . Mrs . Squills had p iled up all the pillows

in a heap and was propped np , reading . " Good evening , my dear . " Mrs . Squills replied not . She is a woman of a good deal of natural dignity , said Squills , when she ' s getting up steam . The silence was becoming oppressive , so I

remarked in tones that were deferential : " Lodge kept unusually late , my clear . " I thought this was a good time to introduce the dozen fried , said Squills , but the storm burst . " So you went to the prize fihtMr .

g , Squills V I pledge you my sacred word and honour , said Squills , the baby could have knocked me down with a feather . Nature , overshocked , failed to sustain the legs of her Squills , and I sat down .

" Went to what , my dear 1 " Don't prevaricate , Mr . Squills . In the depths of your degradation , be a man . How did I come to know it ? That is my business , Mr . Squills . I know it , and that ought to be enough for you .

" How can you sit there and look me in the face 1 " I wasn ' t looking her in the face , said Squills , far from it . " And not sink through the floor into the front parlourMr . Squillsis a miracle .

, , A nice lot of friends you ' ve picked up . Mr . Benjamin McLooney and Mr . Patsy 0 'Allen . How do I know their names ? I read the newspapers . How should I know 1

" The next thing you'll be a stakeholder , sir , or a second . Bother ? No bother about it , sir . Where's the difference I should like to know , between you paying five dollars and"You didn't pay five dollars ? Don ' t tell me you didn't . And there ' s Tom wants

new boots . What ? You think you are getting the booting . Don ' t cause me to despise you , Mr . Squills , under such circumstances . And Gussy wants a winter bonnet to match her dress , and the house wants painting next spring , and all the

coals not in , and the pew rent is due , and Charlie ought to have a quarter ' s dancing , and—what ' s that ? You got in for a dollar ? What ?"

You should have heard that " what ?" said Squills . " Do you dare sit there and tell me that you sneaked your way into a clog fight for a dollar ! It wasn ' t a dog fight ? Yes , sneaked is the word , Mr . Squills ; defrauding those poor fellows who were trying to make a few dollars to support their families . I should be ashamed . Oh , that the mother of children should live to hear that her

husband had sneaked his way into a clog fight for a dollar . " It was too much for her , said Squills , and she sunk back in among the pillows . If ever there was a moment in the story of a woman's wrongs , when a dozen fried could be introduced as atonement for the

past and indemnity for the future , said Squills , that moment had arrived . I placed a dozen fried before her , and said affectionately , " Fanny !" She looked around and said : "Squills ! "