FIRST THE BLADE

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO · DALLAS

ATLANTA · SAN FRANCISCO

MACMILLAN & CO., Limited

LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA

MELBOURNE

THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd.

TORONTO

FIRST THE BLADE

A COMEDY OF GROWTH

CLEMENCE DANE

Author of “Regiment of Women”

First the blade, then the ear, after that

the full corn in the ear.

St. Mark 4.28

New York

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

1918

By CLEMENCE DANE

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Set up and electrotyped. Published, March, 1918

Each man to himself and each woman to herself, is the word of the past and present, and the true word of immortality;

No one can acquire for another—not one,

Not one can grow for another—not one.

The song is to the singer, and comes back most to him,

The teaching is to the teacher, and comes back most to him,

The love is to the lover, and comes back most to him,

The gift is to the giver, and comes back most to him—it cannot fail,

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And no man understands any greatness or goodness but his own, or the indication of his own.

Walt Whitman.

FIRST THE BLADE