C. Y. P. R. U.
You could not possibly find a prettier bit of verse than this to learn by heart or to copy in your book of choice quotations, even though you hunted through great volumes. It is by Lord Houghton (Richard Monckton Milnes), and we are sure he had some dear child in his mind's eye when he wrote it:
A fair little girl sat under a tree,
Sewing as long as her eyes could see;
Then smoothed her work, and folded it right,
And said, "Dear work, good-night, good-night."
Such a number of rooks came over her head,
Crying, "Caw, caw," on their way to bed;
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
"Little black things, good-night, good-night."
The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed,
The sheep's "Bleat, bleat," came over the road,
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
"Good little girl, good-night, good-night."
She did not say to the sun, "Good-night,"
Though she saw him there, like a ball of light;
For she knew he had God's time to keep
All over the world, and never could sleep.
The tall pink fox-glove bowed his head,
The violet courtesied, and went to bed,
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said, on her knees, her favorite prayer.
And while on her pillow she softly lay,
She knew nothing more till again it was day—
And all things said to the beautiful sun,
"Good-morning, good-morning; our work is begun."
Did you ever wonder where the word etiquette came from? In former times it was the custom in France on occasions of ceremony, or at fêtes and festivals, to give each guest a little slip of paper, on which was written the order of the proceedings, and some rules for the conduct of the company. Then, if things were properly done, they were said to be done by ticket. After a while the word etiquette, being a convenient one, was brought into use in English. It is a short word for describing how to do things in the right way.
There is no charge for the publication of exchanges. Birds' eggs and fire-arms are prohibited as articles of exchange.
We would call the attention of the C. Y. P. R. U. this week to "Burning the 'Toro'," by Mrs. Helen S. Conant, and to the conclusion of the heart-rending story of Wager Island by Mr. James Payn. Then we hope the boys will all read and profit by the "A Fourth-of-July Warning."