40 EGGS IN LITERATURE. 
The fables of the woman who killed the hen 
that laid golden eggs, and of the milkmaid 
counting her chickens before they were hatched 
or even she had exchanged her milk for eggs, 
are full of sound philosophy. 
The egg stories among the rhymes of Mother 
Goose are many. Some lke that of Humpty 
Dumpty are told to children all over the world, 
in nearly every tongue spoken by man. 
It is difficult to trace much real history in the 
literature of eggs, though one event in America’s 
history is closely connected with an egg story. 
The story of Columbus and his critics is too 
well known to need rehearsal. Any who wish 
to review it are referred to Washington 
Irving’s Life of Columbus. 
There is, however, in the Pacific Ocean an 
island whose past history may be said to be in- 
closed in an egg-shell. 
This is Easter Island, two thousand mies 
west of Chili. It is remarkable for its sculp- 
tured stones which are said to be the work of 
the “butterfly king.” After the departure of 
