A WHOLE AFTERLIFE

of the veriest toil and the most honorable career never wholly expunged the blame which attached to him in both her mind and the minds of her people.  It was so foolish in him!  One little speech, and long years of bitter pride-wounding would have been averted.  The young woman would have married him, just as quickly, for it is easy to make terms before marriage in this country.  Do not promise to do things which depend more on events than on yourself.  Do not promise to love your future wife always.  She may prove unworthy of it.  You may prove incapable of it.

INWARDLY MAKE UP YOUR MIND

to ennoble yourself so that your affections will solidify.  The companionship of a woman will do much to help you.  Promise little by word of mouth—­everything by actions.  Then, as your days come and go, your character constantly comes more fully into the light, and that light is one of broad, pleasant, humanly love.  Your wife will be sure to live happily, for you have built within her mind no extravagant expectations.

LOOK AT A CIRCUS POSTER!

See the absurd and ridiculous promises made upon it!  Why do they dare so to humbug the people?  Because, in no other way could they get people to ride ten or twelve miles through a summer drouth to hand over their money to the man who is anxious to get it!  Here is a man in a chariot, with tigers plunging under his rein like the rays from the sun.

[Illustration:  COURTSHIP.

     “New hope may bloom, and days may come. 
     Of milder, calmer beam,
     But there’s nothing half so sweet in life,
     As love’s young dream.”]

Here is a pyramid of elephants four elephants high!  Here is the acrobat in the midst of the smoke and blaze of an Armstrong cannon, beginning some flight to a far-off trapeze, or swing, in the air!  It is somewhat different inside.

THE CHARIOT OF TIGERS

is an enlarged rat trap with two sleepy, disgusted overgrown cats in it—­cats which do not thrive well in this cold land, and which do not smell any too sweet and clean.  The pyramid of fine-looking picture-elephants is an ugly live elephant or two standing on a beer-keg or two, which is a wonderful feat for elephants, of course, but not an entertaining one to human sight-seers; and as a final swindle, the cannon act is a man on a spring disguised as a wooden cannon, who is thus hoisted a few feet into the air, where he catches hold of his swinging bar and completes the usual act of an “aerial acrobat.”  “Fi on’t!” as Hamlet says; “reform it altogether!”

DO NOT “BILL YOURSELF TOO STRONGLY”