The longest way round, is the shortest way home.

Two school boys seek their home without delay
One goes around the road the usual way;
The other tries across the fields to go,
And in the ditch is mired from top to toe..

THESE two boys have just been let out of school, and are returning home. Their father's house is seen in the distance on the right, and between it and the school-house there is a large tract of marshy and miry ground. The elder brother shows his wisdom in going round in the old beaten path. But the younger brother, in his eagerness to get home first, takes a shorter ut across the marsh. He takes a pole with himn order to leap across the ditches he may find m his way. In leaping across one of them the

pole breaks, he falls into the ditch, and is mired nearly up to his neck in mud. It is unnecessary to state which boy got home first, or who made the best appearance after they got home.

The picture gives a very good idea of "short cuts" in general. Some people when they are sick, try short cuts to get well. Perhaps they cannot wait to try the effect of proper medicine, and so use that which is advertised to cure in the shortest time. A man of this stamp, who was was ailing, was recommended to take a cold bath and two pills daily for a week, but in order to get well in the shortest possible time, he took seven baths and the whole box of pills the first day.

Some persons try short cuts to wealth. They will not wait for the slow results of industry and economy. They would be rich in a day. Perhaps they will sell their farms for half price, and emigrate to some unhealthy spot to die in a short time, or break down there irrecoverably. Perhaps they buy up a large tract of land of some speculator who makes them believe that city lots will soon be wanted upon it. Some of the baser sort try to get the start of all others by making counterfeit money. But most of these people are doomed to disappointment. But if some of them should succeed in getting rich rapidly, they do not appear to know the worth of it, and it often goes as rapidly as it came.

Some try short cuts to knowledge. They are those who rush through books steam-boat like, and learn a new language in "six easy lessons."

They are far more familiar with the titles of books than with their contents. By cramming down a little of every thing, their minds get as it were the dyspepsia, and so injure or lose what little power of thinking they originally had. It is an old adage, and a true one, that "there is no royal road to learning.”

Some persons make short cuts in religious matters. They think it necessary to their well being hereafter to perform religious duties, but they do not like the idea of being so strict every day of their lives. Perhaps they hear a sermon once a week, but it must be very short. Perhaps they think they will be excused from the performance of many private duties by making some great donation to some benevolent object. The Mahomedan's short cut to Heaven, is to be killed in battle against the Infidels. The Tartars use praying machines. After all, there is but one way to attain future happiness, and that is pointed out in holy writ, so plain that a way-faring man, though a fool, need not err therein.

Every one thinks himself able to advise another.
Every one puts his fault on the times.

Evil comes to us by ells, and goes away by inches.
Evil communications corrupt good manners.

Evil is soon believed.

Evil that cometh out of thy mouth flieth into thy bo

som.

Example is better than precept.

Expect nothing from him who promises a great deal. Experience is good if not bought too dear.

Experience is the father of wisdom, and memory the mother.

Experience is the mistress of fools.

Face to face, the truth comes out.

Fain would the cat fish eat, but she's loth to wet her feet.

Faint praise is disparagement.

Fair words and foul play cheat both young and old. Fair words break no bone, but foul words many. Fall not out with a friend for a trifle.

Fame is a magnifying glass.

Fancy may bolt bran, and think it flour.

Far from court, far from care.

Faults are thick where love is thin.
Faults that are rich are fair.

Feed a pig, and you'll have a hog.

Feed sparingly, and defy the physician.

Few words are best.-Few words, many deeds. Few men will be better than their interest bids them. Fiddlers' dogs and fleas come to a feast uncalled. Fields have eyes, and hedges ears.

Fire is not to be quenched with tow.

Fire and water are good servants, but bad masters. First come, first served.-First creep, then go. Flattery sits in the parlor, when plain dealing is kicked out of doors.

Flight towards preferment will be but slow without some golden feathers.

Fling down the nest and the rooks will be gone.
Follow the river and you will get to sea.
Folly is the product of all countries and ages.
Fools and obstinate men make lawyers rich.
Fools are not to be convinced.

Fools build houses and wise men buy them.
Fools should not see half done work.

For that thou canst do thyself rely not on another. For want of a nail the shoe is lost; for want of a shoe the horse is lost; for want of a horse the man is lost.

The Brave suffer little, Cowards much.

Two boys are here beside some nettle leaves,
One boldly grasps them and no pain receives:
The other is afraid; he suffers much,

And loudly cries out at the slightest touch.

Two boys are represented as trying the experiment of touching a nettle. One of the boys has a brave and courageous disposition. He grasps the nettle with a firm and unflinching hand, and such is its nature that it will not sting him at all. The other boy, being rather cowardly, touches the nettle lightly with a tremulous hand, it stings him instantly and he cries out in pain.

It is said that "cowards die many times, but