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WHAT THE BIRD SAID. “Oh, blindness to the future kindly given, “as one of those That each may fill the circle marked by Heaven ” foolish, well-oiled “How can you be sad, When I am so glad?” These writers attribute the cause of dispositions, who take the world easy, Sang birdie in a tree ; eat white or our bread brown, whichever “The spring has come ; happiness to our ignorance of fu¬ The winter has can be gone ; ture gotten with least thought or And we are happy and free.” events; but from my observation, starve on Della R ichardson. the sense of humor proves to be as trouble, and would rather a great a blessing to mankind as our penny than work for a pound.” WHAT THE BIRD SAID TO ME. ignorance of the future. Wre appreciate the humor in Shake¬ As I sat under a willow tree, While watching the misfortunes speare as found in the character, Friar A bird in the tree-top whispered to me, “ that Are you not weary, sweet maiden dear ? daily befall the members of the Lawrence, in the play of “ Romeo and For you seem to tremble with sorrow and fear.” human race, it is important to notice Juliet.” Romeo, as Shakespeare says, “Weary, birdie, how can that be? that persons whose natures are hu¬ only yesterday refused to be comfort¬ What is more sweet than your songs to me ? morous come ed because Rosaline did not return When drops of tears in my eyes you see, out of their troubles Then your sweet songs bring me' joy and glee.” sooner, if not much wiser, than those his love; but to-day, he loved Juliet, • “Would you not like to rove with me?” whose the daughter of his enemy, with all Said the little maid to the bird in the tree. temperaments are serious. So it the violence of his “Yes, but you know I would fly so high is well said that “There is certainly impulsive nature ; That you would say, ‘Soar nigh! Soar nigh !’ ” no defence or water proof garment or in other words, more than he had “Will you sing before your journey you take Across the rivers, deserts, and lake?'” against adverse fortune, which on the formerly loved Rosaline, if that were “Little maiden dear, do not fretme, please, whole is so effectual as a habitual sense possible. I’ll sing farewell as I float on the breeze.” of humor.” The Friar, after listening to the ex¬ “Farewell, little maid, I am gone at last, It is the humorist Till all the winter months have past.” who has the pow¬ planation of Romeo’s sudden change “Good-bye, little birdie, flying away, er to lead those who are burdened with of Where all the flowers are feeling, exclaimed, bright and gay.” “ What a deal of brine Rom E. Bill. the different trials of life, to forget for Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline ! a while their own troubles, and live How much salt water thrown away in waste, To season love that of it doth not taste! OUR MISSION. a for time the lives of others. This The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears. Thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears. “Tell me, softly sighing rose-bush, | is well shown by reading Irving’s Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit Giving fragrance to the air, ! broad humor in the Of an old tear that is not washed off yet.” Shall my life give out such sweetness History of New As dwells in thy blossoms fair ?” York, especially his description of We can easily see the quality of “I am but a simple rose:bush, Wouter Van humor, in different persons, but we Yet I have a work to do Twiller, the Dutch gov¬ ; find it difficult to define. The defini¬ ’Tis to brighten lives around me ; ernor, whom he describes as coming So the world will need you, too.” from a long line of Dutch burgomas¬ tion which seems to come very near “O that I might know my future! ” ters, who had it is the one given thus: “Humor is Sighs the school-girl of to-day ; successfully dozed away What shall be that my chosen mission ? their lives, and grown fat, upon the quality of the imagination which Tell me, nature, bright and gay. ” bench of gives to ideas an incongruous or fan¬ “ magistracy in Rotterdam, Life to you can be a mission Holland. These tastic turn and fends to excite Full of love and noble worth ; governors, he con¬ laugh¬ You can make the future better tinues, had conducted themselves with ter or mirth by ludicrous imagina¬ By your presence on the earth. ” such tions.” While it is Jeme R. Milton. singular wisdom, that they were usually employed in never either heard or talked of; which the promotion of hilarity and enter¬ We give above three of the attempts of the class humorously says, next to taining conversation, it is often made in English Literature to write a nature-poem. The Irving being the instrument or vehicle of sarcasm. imaginative mood was created by reading Louise universally applauded, should be the (’handler Moulton’s poem ,“ A Dialogue in Februa¬ In the case of Wouter Van ry.” object of ambition of all magistrates Twiller, and rulers; and again, that he was a Irving’s humor excites both laughter A TALK ON HUMOR, and ludicrous man shut up within himself like an imaginations. oyster, who rarely spoke save in mon¬ While It lias been said that partly upon watching the laboring class, to which the man’s ignorance of future eventsand osyllables, but never said a foolish greater part of the A fro- thing or was even known to American race upon laugh or belongs, and noting the partly his hope of a future state, smile during a longand prosperous life. sense al 1 his happiness in the presen t depends. happiness which the of humor We are Pope has said, newly impressed with the has imparted, even while doing the hardest “Heaven from all creatures hides the book of fate, power of humor by reading the subtle work, we may join the writer All loit the page prescribed their present state; humor shown in Irving’s description in saying that “ humor refreshes and and again, of Rip Van Winkle. He is described relieves the hard work of life.” 2 SPELMAN MESSENGER Again, wo have the declaration that we are as capable of mental and moral By invitation, Paul delivered a “true humor, like true art, never sug¬ improvement. wonderful address to the Athenians, gests that it has been well thought out Della M. Richardson, class of ’92. of which we, doubtless, have only an or exquisitely finished ; but it strikes abridgment in the 17th chapter of the vision as something born full Acts. No place in Athens was so PAUL AT ATHENS. grown or something conjured up by suited for a discourse upon the mys¬ a sudden fore¬ teries of happy magic, without "On the .F.geun shore a city stands, religion as the Areopagus or thought or effort.” Built nobly : pure the air ; and light the soil: Mars’ hill. There was everything Such is the humor Athens, mother of art and eloquence.” of the Negro. in the place to incline the listeners, so Athens is situated about five miles He never stops to think whether it far as- they were seriously disposed, to north-east ofthe Saron ic Gu 1 f. H istory will have a Shakespearian touch or a reverent and thoughtful attention. the fun of an says that she was founded by Oecrops, Irving, but it comes from As Paul stood upon Mars’ hill, he the 1556 B. at heart, aroused by the impulse of C., and that 400 B. C. had a better view of the she was objects of the moment. Thus it comes in her greatest glory and also forth, art, which stood around on every side. the most famous city of the world in brimming full of the life which it im¬ Within sight, on another hill, stood literature and art, but that in the time mediately imparts to others. the Parthenon, the glory of Athens, Some of the best humorists of the of Paul, she was no longer the political “called the noblest triumph of Gre¬ more enlightened race take for a theme capital, although she still remained cian architecture.” When the the spir¬ the humor of'the Negro, which helps literary center, not only of Greece, it of God had melted the hearts of to confirm the fact that “ Humor of but also ofthecivilized world. Athens many of the proud Athenians, this the best sort is a was also celebrated for the military personal quality.” beautiful temple became a Christian When we consider the fact that talent, learning, eloquence, and polite¬ church. On either side of Paul were the humorous ness of her inhabitants. quality, which is the buildings of renown ; and looking out natural gift of the Negro, has kept When Paul could no longer remain at upon them, he said these words, him from utter Thessalonica, lie “ despondency during passed into Berea, In temples made with hands the Deity does not his long term of oppression, that it is and on being compelled to leave Be¬ dwell.” the one trait that keeps him cheerful rea by the Jews, who were stirred Earthly beauty and words of hu¬ during these days of social warfare, with 'envy, he proceeded to Athens.

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