As when round the hushed arena's dust a swoon-like silence

floats,

While the Coliseum's victor o'er his dying foeman gloats, And as breaks the sudden plaudit from a hundred thousand

throats.

Thus arose the voiceful tumult--thus, with loud and sudden swell,

Up from all those swaying thousands rose the shout no king might quell:

"Cæsar, he hath spoken bravely! Claudius, he hath spoken well!"

Not unmoved the brow of Cæsar--it hath lost the Claudian frown;

And a tear upon his royal cheek is slowly trickling down: Never purer gem than Pity's tear enriched a monarch's crown!

Yet he speaks in anger's accents: "Ho! advance the fasces now!

Lictors! close ye round the scorner! Ha! barbarian, smilest thou?

There is one beneath whose glances even thy haughty soul shall bow!"

Thus spoke Claudius, and the soldiers, opening round the curule chair,

Half revealed a form majestic mid the lictors bending there,Half revealed a stately woman, mantled by her radiant

hair.

Flashed the captive's eye with sunlight, burned his cheek with new-born life

Hope, and fear, and doubt, and gladness, held by turns their eager strife

Then two hearts and voices mingled, murmuring, "Husband!" answering, "Wife!"

THE GUIDE POST.

In winter, once, an honest traveler wight
Pursued his road to Derby, late at night;
'Twas very cold, the wind was bleak and high,
And not a house nor living thing was nigh;

At length he came to where some four roads met,
(It rained too, and he was completely wet,)
And being doubtful which way he should take
He drew up to the finger-post to make

It out--and after much of poring, fumbling,
Some angry oaths, and a great deal of grumbling,
'Twas thus the words he traced-" To Derby-five."
"A goodly distance yet, as I'm alive!”
But on he drove a weary length of way,
And wished his journey he'd delayed till day;
He wondered that no town appeared in view,-
The wind blew stronger, it rained faster too,-
When to his great relief he met a man:
"I say, good friend, pray tell me, if you can,
How far is't hence to Derby?" 'Derby, hey!
Why zur, thee be'est completely come astray;

This y'ant the road." "Why zounds, the guide-post showed
"To Derby, five'-and pointed down this road!"
"Ay dang it, that may be, for you maun know,
The post it war blown down last night, and so
This morn I put it up again, but whether,
As I can't put great A and B together,
The post is right, I'm zure I cannot zay-
The town is just five miles the other way."

HE TRIED TO TELL HIS WIFE.

If there is one thing more than another calculated to throw a man into a gnashing-of-the-teeth and tearing-ofthe-hair condition, it is his attempt to give the wife of his bosom an account of some ordinary affair. He be gins with:

Oh, my dear, I must tell vou something Jack Bur roughs told me to-day while

Where did you see Jack Burroughs? answered the wife.

Oh, we went to luncheon together, and

How did you happen to go to luncheon together? Well, we didn't exactly go out together. I met Jack at the restaurant, and

What restaurant?
Calloway's, and Jack

How did you happen to go to Calloway's? I thought you always lunched at Draper's?

I nearly always do, but I just happened to drop into Calloway's to-day, along with Jack, and ————

Does he always lunch at Calloway's?

I'm sure, my dear, that I don't know if he does or not, It makes no earthly difference if

Oh, of course not. I just wondered if he did, that's all. Go on with your story.

Well, while we were eating our soup, Jack-
What kind of soup?

Oxtail. Jack said that

I thought you disliked oxtail soup?

Well, I don't care much about it, but

How did you happen to order it if you didn't care for it?

Because 1 did. But the soup has nothing to do with the story.

Oh, of course not. I never said that it did. I don't see why you should get cross over a simple question. Go on.

Well, while we were eating our soup, Lawrence Hildreth and his wife came in, and

They did?

I have just said so.

Well, you needn't be so cross about it.

They came in, and

Is she pretty?

Pretty enough. Jack bowed, and

Does he know them?

Well, now, do you suppose he would have bowed if he hadn't known them? I declare if I

How was she dressed?

How should I know? I never looked at her dress

What I was going to tell you was that

Did they sit near you?

Yes, at the next table. And while they were order. ing Jack said that they

Couldn't they hear him?

Do you suppose that Jack would have no more sense

than to let them hear him talking about them? Look here, now

James, if you can't tell a simple little incident without getting into a passion, you'd better keep it to yourself What did Jack say?

He said that Mrs. Hildreth's father was opposed to the match, and

How did he know that?

Great Cæsar! There you go again!

James, you will please remember that it is your wife to whom you are speaking, sir!

No other woman could drive me raving, distracted, crazy, asking silly questions about

James!

Every time I try to tell you anything you begin, and you

James I do not propose listening to any such insulting remarks, and

You never listen to anything. That's the trouble. If— When I ask you a simple question you

I'd say "simple!" You've asked me a million simple questions in the last half hour, just because I was going to tell you that Jack Burroughs said that

I do not wish to know what Mr. Jack Burroughs said, if you cannot tell it respectfully. I shall have my dinner sent to my room, since it is so painful for you to eat with an idiot!

And the much-injured wife retires scornfully, while her husband narrowly escapes an attack of apoplexy.

ENCORE! ENCORE!

"Encore! encore!"

Though the danger's past,

And the woman is safe

On her feet at last

Though the ropes are swinging

High over the net,

And swinging and clinging

And trembling yet

So near to the gas

And its dazzling light,
Right over the mass

At a terrible height!
The people are calling
Their sickly refrain;
The leap was appalling-
They'll have it again!
When once they see danger

They're bound to want more!
66 Encore! encore !

Encore encore!"

"Encore! encore!"

She has heard the cry,
And she's climbing once more
To the platform high-
So near to the gas

And its dazzling light,
Right over the mass,
At a terrible height!
From bar to rope,

And from rope to bar,
With many a hope

That the end's not far,
She's swinging and clinging,

Not daring to pause,
While the people are singing
Their song of applause!
There's a gasping for breath
In the poisonous air,
A warning of death,

And a look of despair!
There's a cry near the roof,
Then a thud on the floor!
And the people go silently
Out at the door.-
Go silently shrinking
Away from the hall,
Not speaking, but thinking
Of somebody's fall!-

Of a woman who died

In response to the roar,
"Encore! encore!

Encore! encore!"