52 THE GOLD MINE 



$5, I found, if well cultivated in rich ground, mul- 

 tiplied fast. And now, my dear reader, if I can only 

 ^^stir up the gift that is in you" and have your hand 

 know its cunning and your brain its power and re- 

 sources, I shall feel that I have done a good work. 

 We talk of waste and there is too much of it. For 

 two years the farmers of ISTebraska lost wheat enough 

 to easily feed the whole state, by just waiting for a 

 threshing machine so they could thresh out of the 

 shock. But the greatest waste is in our unused and 

 undeveloped powers and uneducated hands. 



DOGS AND FLOWERS. 



I sometimes think our boasted civilization lies along 

 the borders of barbarism, — a worthless dog preferred 

 to a winsome child. 



^^E'us," said a little felloAV who was taking an air- 

 ing in his little carriage, 'Vho yas dat lady wid a 

 little dog dat tissed me?" 



"Why, that was your mamma." 



There are thousands of childless people who center 

 their affections on a contemptible cur. 



A friend of mine was taking a ride on the cars. 

 Near Kansas City a girl got in bringing a little pug 

 in her arms. She coddled him and petted him and 

 then said: "Does the little darling want a drink of 

 water?" She took a beautiful gold lined cup, got it 

 full of water and gave the beast a drink. He took 

 half of it, slobbering all over the cup, and she drank 

 the rest of it. Miss Dilletante, living down east, said 



