THE Microscope. old 
the almonds, too, have a fine flavor. Plain taffy, even without 
the stick, is good, and always makes life’s burdens lighter, and a 
little easier on the shoulders. The cynic may smile in his lofty 
way at the sweet stuff, but give him a judicious taste and he will 
prove not such a bad fellow. We are all alike in our longing for 
sweet things. Without them the nerves soon begin to ache and 
the body to droop. The system seems to demand them, and 
the mental system has a similar need. It, too, welcomes that 
kind of taffy that comes not on a stick for a cent, but of good, 
true, honest, acceptable approval, free of cost, spontaneous, 
sweeter than sweet, perfumed and beautiful. 
An excellent piace for experimentation in its use is the saddle 
of a bicycle, with a small boy running beside the rider. Ata 
word, or even a glance, that small boy will begin to hurl epithets 
to curdle your blood and make your hair quiver at the roots ; 
but say to him: “ You are an excellent runner. You should 
cultivate those fine muscles of yours ;” give him a little taffy, and 
he humbles himself, he prostrates himself in the dust, he is your 
adorer and you in his sight are a superior being. 
Do not stint the taffy. It will not only make things sweet, 
but it will make them move easily. It is a good lubricant. 
Along about Christmas is a favorable time to make it, and to 
“spread it out in sheets to cool,” and to stick the almonds in it. 
It will then be ready for use during the whole year. We all like 
it. Ina recent letter its writer said in reference to a paper ina 
late number of THE Microscops, “It is worth a dozen years’ 
subscriptions.” And another: “It is the most sensible article I 
ever read on the subject.” That taffy was so sweet and so full of 
almonds, that it could not be enjoyed alone; the author and the 
Editor must share it with the publisher; and we all were the 
happier for it all the week. 
Do not spare the taffy. The world will be brighter, and life 
less wearisome if it be passed around in abundance. Make the ° 
sheets large when you spread them out to cool, and do not stint 
the almonds. 
HE experiment of calling the attention of the boys and girls 
to the microscope is one that can neyer do harm, and may 
do great good. The tendency of the majority seems to be toward 
obliquity of some kind, and to incline them toward the straight 
