"Was Minerva married?" asked one of the little girls.

"No, my child," said the spinster, with a smile; "Minerva was the Goddess of Wisdom."—E.T.


There once was a lonesome, lorn spinster,

And luck had for years been ag'inst her;

When a man came to burgle

She shrieked, with a gurgle,

"Stop thief, while I call in a min'ster!"

SPITE

Think twice before you speak, and then you may be able to say something more aggraviting than if you spoke right out at once.