The Paradox of Time

BY AUSTIN DOBSON

Time goes on, you say? Ah, no,
Alas, Time stays, we go;

Or else, were this not so,
What need to chain the hours,
For youth were always ours?
Time goes, you say? Ah, no!

Ours is the eyes deceit
Of men whose flying feet

Lead through some landscape low;

We pass, and think we see

The earth's fixed surface flee;

Alas! Time stays-we go!

Once, in the days of old,

Your locks were curling gold,

And mine had shamed the crow; Now, in the self-same stage, We've reached the silver age;

Time goes, you say? Ah, no!

Once, when my voice was strong,
I filled the woods with song

To praise your "rose" and "snow;"
My bird that sung is dead;
Where are your roses fled?

Alas! Time stays-we go!

See in what traversed ways,
What backward delays

The hopes we used to know;
Where are our old desires-
Ah! where those vanished fires?
Time goes, you say?-ah, no!

How far, how far, O sweet,
The past behind our feet

Lies in the even-glow!
Now, on the forward way,
Let us fold hands and pray;
Alas! Time stays-we go!

Old Mr. Rabbit*

BY JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS.

RER RABBIT en Brer Fox wuz like some chilluns w'at I knows un," said Uncle Remus, regarding the little boy, who had come to hear another story, with an affectation of great solemnity. "Bofe un um wuz allers atter wunner nudder, a-prankin' en a-pester'n 'roun', but Brer Rabbit did had some peace, kaze Brer Fox done got skittish 'bout puttin' de clamp on Brer Rabbit.

"One day, w'en Brer Rabbit, en Brer Fox, en Brer Coon, en Brer B'ar, an a whole lot un um wuz clearin' up a new groun' fer ter plant a roas'n'year patch, de sun 'gun ter git sorter hot, en Brer Rabbit he got tired; but he didn't let on kaze he 'fear'd de balance un um'd call 'im lazy, en he keep on totin' off trash en pilin' up bresh, twel bimeby he holler out dat he gotter brier in his han' en den he tak'n slip off en hunt fer cool place fer ter res'. Atter w'ile he come 'crosst a well wid a bucket hangin' in it.

"Dat look cool,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'en cool I speck she is. I des 'bout git in dar en take a nap,' en wid dat in he jump, he did, en he ain't no sooner fix hisse'f dan de bucket 'gun ter go down."

* From "Uncle Remus-His Songs and Sayings." D. Appleton & Co., New York.

"Wasn't the Rabbit scared, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.

"Honey, dey ain't bin no wusser skeer'd beas' since de worril begin dan dish yer same Brer Rabbit. He fa'rly had a ager. He know whar he cum f'um, but he dunner whar he gwine. Dreckly he feel de bucket hit de water, en dar she sot, but Brer Rabbit he feel mighty still, kaze he dunner w'at minnit gwineter be de nex'. He des lay dar en shuck en shiver.

"Brer Fox allers got one eye on Brer Rabbit, en w'en he slip off fum de new groun', Brer Fox he sneak atter 'im. He know Brer Rabbit wuz atter some projick er nudder, en he tuck'n crope off, he did, en watch 'im. Brer Fox see Brer Rabbit com to de well en stop, en den he see 'im jump in de bucket, en den, lo en beholes, he see 'im go down outer sight. Brer Fox wuz de mos' 'stonish Fox dat you ever laid eyes on. in de bushes en study en study, but he head ner tails ter dis kinder bizness. hisse'f, sezee:

He sot off dar don't make no Den he say ter

""Well, ef dis don't bang my times,' sezee, 'den Joe's dead en Sal's a widder. Right down dar in dat well Brer Rabbit keep his money hid, en ef 'tain't dat den he done. gone en' 'skiver'd a gole-mine, en ef 'tain't dat, den I'm a gineter see w'at's in dar,' sezee.

"Brer Fox crope up little nigher, he did, en lissen, but he don't year no fuss, en he keep on gitting nigher, en yit he don't hear nuthin'. Bimeby he git up close en peep down, but he don't see nuthin' en he don't year nuthin'. All dis time Brer Rabbit mighty nigh skeer'd outen his skin, en he fear'd fer ter move kaze de bucket might keel over en spill him out in de water. W'ile he sayin' his pra'rs over like a train er kyars runnin', ole Brer Fox holler out:

66

'Heyo, Brer Rabbit!

sezee.

Who you wizzitin' down dar?'

""Who? Me? Oh, I'm des a-fishin', Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee. 'I des say ter myse'f dat I'd sorter sprize you all wid a mess er fishes fer dinner, en so here I is, en dar's de fishes. I'm a-fishin' fer suckers, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"Is dey many un um down dar, Brer Rabbit?' sez Brer Fox, sezee.

De

"Lots un um, Brer Fox; scoze en scoze un um. water is naturally live wid um. Come down en he'p me haul um in, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"How I gwineter git down, Brer Rabbit?'

"Jump inter de bucket, Brer Fox. Hit'll fetch you down all safe en soun".

"Brer Rabbit talk so happy en talk so sweet dat Brer Fox he jump in de bucket, he did, en ez he went down co'se his weight pull Brer Rabbit up. W'en dey pass one nudder on de half-way groun', Brer Rabbit he sings out:

"Good-by, Brer Fox, take keer yo' cloze,
Fer dis is de way de worril goes;
Some goes up en some goes down,
You'll git ter de bottom all safe en soun,'

*

"W'en Brer Rabbit got out, he gallop off en tole de fokes w'at de well b'long ter dat Brer Fox wuz down in dar muddyin' up de drinkin' water, en den he gallop back ter de well, en' holler down ter Brer Fox:

"What then, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy, as the old man paused.

"In des 'bout half n'our, honey, bofe un um wuz back in de new groun' wukkin des like dey never heer'd er no well, ceppin'g dat eve'y now'n den Brer Rabbit'd bu'st out in er laff, en ole Brer Fox, he'd git a spell er de dry grins."

*As a Northern friend suggests that this story may be somewhat obscure, it may be as well to state that the well is supposed to be supplied with a rope over a wheel, or pulley, with a bucket at each end.

A Man's Requirements

BY ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.

Love me, sweet, with all thou art,
Feeling, thinking, seeing;
Love me in the lightest part,

Love me in full being.

Love me with thine open mouth
In its frank surrender;
With the vowing of thy mouth,
With its silence tender.

Love me with thine azure eyes,
Made for earnest granting;
Taking color from the skies-

Can Heaven's truth be wanting?

Love me with their lids, that fall
Snow-like at first meeting;
Love me with thine heart, that all
Neighbors then see beating.

Love me with thine hand, stretched out

Freely, open-minded;

Love me with thy loitering foot

Hearing one behind it.

Love me with thy voice, that turns
Sudden faint above me;

Love me with thy blush, that burns
When I murmur, Love me!

Love me with thy thinking soul,
Break it to love-sighing;

Love me with thy thoughts, that roll
On through living, dying.