on the simplicity of truth the stamp of crudity. False life must be supported by cunning, and to the cunning villain the open candor of simple truth seems puerile and contemptible. But the logic of final results proves that the exact reverse of this proposition is true. Cunning wins for a time, but in the end open candor will crush it. There is very little room in nature for intrigue. There is a boldness and directness in all natural developments that ought to inspire the soul of candor with confidence. Cunning builds high walls and secretes vast treasures, but in the end the walls tumble down and simple truth walks over the crumbled barriers and tramples under its feet the hoarded treasures. Faith in the ultimate triumph of truth makes life sublimely placid. To rely upon cunning for success makes the strenuous life, and buries thorns where the head of the schemer is pillowed.

But in the world of to-day cunning and deception and the strenuous life, which they tend to develop, are the usual conditions of that success which is measured by wealth and preferment. In politics the door to success is practically closed to the man who refuses to stoop to intrigue and deception. There are perhaps only two men of political influence before the American public to-day who have not, in order to gain prestige, found it necessary to smirch their characters by the practice of base expedients. One of these has been forced to the front by the force of circumstances, and the other has won by a superb magnetism. In the field of finance cunning is equally necessary. Scan the list of million winners, and you will see an array of human foxes. Simple truth, with its faith in the good, never won a million. Of course the truth will triumph in the end. But it will triumph in its own way. If we expect it to come into the possession

of millions by placidly pursuring the even tenor of its way, we shall be disappointed. The dove cannot be expected to win in a "rooting" match with a hog. It may have a much higher destiny than the hog, but to compete with him successfully at his own game is impossible. There are thousands of men who are too indolent or too stupid to compete successfully for wealth and position in the present strenuous attitude of organic humanity. These are prone to effect a holy horror of the strenuous man who succeeds. Mr. Stupidity sits for awhile with folded hands, and consoles himself with the thought that truth must triumph, and that trickery is running fast to its downfall; but he is still poorly fed and his raiment is a reproach to the eye. He holds out bravely for a time, but in the end he gets so hungry for the oil of fatness, which comes not spontaneously to his desolate wailings, that he loses his faith in the triumph of truth and becomes a very cheap rascal at last. Of course the tricksters are continually being caught. They lose and suffer. But the booty of which they are despoiled does not fall to the poor wailer who sits and howls at untoward conditions. Neither does it fall to the lot of the negatively honest. It is snatched up by others of the strenuous crowd. The fact is, your simple-hearted votary of truth and righteousness has little use for wealth, and is never found with itching palms. He does not expect great wealth, neither does he cherish an ambition for worldly honor, and he is seldom disappointed.

A. P. Barton, Esq.,

Dear Sir and Bro.:

Boston, Mass., March 10, 1906.

As a literary man and contributor to many Journals throughout the world, I must say that THE LIFE is a most welcome guest in my office.

Fraternally and Loyally,

GILBERT P. BROWN.

"The Athens of the West."

The Commencement at the Missouri University furnished a delightful little outing for the Editors of THE LIFE Magazine.

The University has over 2200 students this year I am told, and to be there one would suppose as much. Stephens College, for Women, in the same city, and Christian College, together with the University help to give this very wooded, solid, beautiful town the honor it well deserves, of being called the Athens of the West.

Stephens College has the most beautiful grounds -full of immense forest trees, shrubs, vines, bluegrass. Since my three years sojourn there, the limiting fence has melted away as people's ideas of personal freedom improved, so the girls can wander away down past the forbidding evergreens, out of the limits and into Broadway, if they are inclined. We never touched that fence, or ventured past the evergreens in our lives! We only passed through the gates upon church going days.

I heard some one still calling Christian College "Christian Female" College, and I wondered why they had not evoluted out of that most unbecoming term, also. Why not say, "Female Christian College." That term should not be applied to woman. Such epithets should be consigned to cattle pens and stock raisers. Let them say, "Woman's College" or "Christian Woman's College" or "College Woman's Christian" any thing most, but "female."

Since the sexes are born and bred together in the family, I think it the most natural and the most beneficial way to educate the people together, and not pecify whether they be men or women. It is the mentality that is educating, not the sex. Let us put no limitations on the mind.

We were met at the depot by Mrs. Linnie Ames, the charming comrade of L. D. Ames, one of the University Faculty, and we were delightfully entertained. Out on the porch we could hear the happy songs of almost all the old birds, who seemed to be doing their best also to give us a happy reception; the mocking birds doubtless had been in good practice for some time. Then the field larks with their high-soaring, mild, searching notes, peculiarly pleasing, was appendixed by the curt, familiar expression of the quail -"Bob White"-over and over, until we came to the conclusion that Bob surely must be lost for good. It reminded us of a little while ago when the birds used to own the fields and meadows, and there were no miserable guns around!

The University has undergone great improverлent, in its ground and buildings, if not in its curriculum. There are thirty buildings, in all, ten departments, and 158 officers and teachers. In the Academic department this year, the Valedictorian is a woman. They publish "The Missouri Alumni Quarterly" which can be had by writing to the "University Publisher," Columbia, Mo.

I witnessed my first base ball engagement, and enjoyed it. I was pleased to find the game much less strenuous than I had supposed. (after having come upon a base-ball gang-one day when riding in a carriage and not hunting such things-and in which there was rough playing and a man badly hurt just as we came up). They told me the Kansans had been beating the Missourians, and though I am a little of both, I helped Missouri, and she won; they stood Missouri 7 to Kansas 0.

The wife of the President of the University is one of the prettiest, noblest looking woman I have ever seen, and they all assure me she is as charming as she

seems. In the Banquet Hall we met many acquaintances. Governor Folk and his lady were there, also some other of the State officials, and the president of University, Mr. Jesse and Mrs. Jesse. The Banquet was all our hearts could wish and more than we could possibly consume, in the way of viands. There were some fine talks, and some not so fine College Yells and songs down at the far end of the gymnasium hall, and "every body enjoyed himself."

I met one of my class-mates-Mrs. Dearing-formerly "Mamie Matthews" the girl with the wonderful memory in recitations. She is still young, much the same girl, her hair still black, and her brown eyes flashing and keen, and with the old kindly beam in them.

"Josie", she said, looking straight at me, with a half smile playing on her full Cupid-brow lips, “I remember one remark you made in the class which astonished me, as I had never supposed it would do to question anything an author said in a bound text-book; you had objected to some statement, and when reminded that the author said so, you coolly remarked, 'I disagree with the author on that point.' It had not occurred to me that it would do to disagree with the author."

Mrs. Ames took me to the University Auditorium to see an interesting theatrical conducted by the students of the graduating class. the valedictorian taking the part of Leading Lady, I believe. And I ain wondering that they do not have theater buildings, so that gifts of this nature might be cultivated and encouraged also.

Ralph made several sketches of the University and grounds, some of which appear in this number of THE LIFE. C. J. B.

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