came Chang,
   Who read the same; but peering closer, he
   Spied in a corner what Ching failed to see—­
   The words, “This tablet is erected here
   By those to whom the great Goh-Bang was dear.”

4.  So on the appointed day—­both innocent
   As babes, of course—­these honest fellows went,
   And took their distant station; and Ching said,
   “I can read plainly, ’To the illustrious dead,
   The chief of mandarins, the great Goh-Bang.’”
   “And is that all that you can spell?” said Chang;
   “I see what you have read, but furthermore,
   In smaller letters, toward the temple door,
   Quite plain, ’This tablet is erected here
   By those to whom the great Goh-Bang was dear.’”

5.  “My sharp-eyed friend, there are no such words!” said Ching. 
   “They’re there,” said Chang, “if I see anything,
   As clear as daylight.”  “Patent eyes, indeed,
   You have!” cried Ching; “do you think I can not read?”
   “Not at this distance as I can,” Chang said,
   “If what you say you saw is all you read.”

6.  In fine, they quarreled, and their wrath increased,
   Till Chang said, “Let us leave it to the priest;
   Lo! here he comes to meet us,” “It is well,”
   Said honest Ching; “no falsehood he will tell.”

7.  The good man heard their artless story through,
   And said, “I think, dear sirs, there must be few
   Blest with such wondrous eyes as those you wear: 
   There’s no such tablet or inscription there! 
   There was one, it is true; ’t was moved away
   And placed within the temple yesterday.”

Definitions.—­1.  Near-sight’ed, seeing at a short distance only.  Chop’sticks, small sticks of wood, ivory, etc., used in pairs by Chinese to carry food to the mouth.  Tab’let, a small, flat piece of anything on which to write or engrave.  In-scrip’tion, something written or engraved on a solid substance.  Op’tics, eyes.  Palm, the reward of victory, prize. 2.  A. M., an abbreviation for the Latin ante meridian, meaning before noon. 3.  Man-da-rin’, a Chinese public officer. 5.  Pat’ent, secured from general use, peculiar to one person.

LXX.  THE WAY TO BE HAPPY. (159)

1.  Every child must observe how much more happy and beloved some children are than others.  There are some children you always love to be with.  They are happy themselves, and they make you happy.

2.  There are others whom you always avoid.  They seem to have no friends.  No person can be happy without friends.  The heart is formed for love, and can not be happy without it.

3. “’Tis not in titles nor in rank,
’Tis not in wealth like London bank,
To make us truly blest. 
If happiness have not her seat
And center in the breast,
We may be wise, or rich, or great,
But never can be blest.”

4.  But you can not receive affection unless you will also give it.  You can not find others to love you unless you will also love them.  Love is only to be obtained by giving love in return.  Hence the importance of cultivating a good disposition.  You can not be happy without it.