Balaam And The Ass Up To Date

The sun oi the golden May mornmg was streaming through the branches of the trees th;it lined the walk, and the sweet spring air, just touched with a fading memory of f rost, caused theblood to rush throagh the veins and rendcred my Scgia ly morning walk pleasant and invigoral n . I had jus! passed a stately church. from which i!ie bcLoui children were emer?ing, some ruiming and romping, some quiet and orderly and some clustered around their teachers. Aheadof me was a little group composed of a teacher and seven or eight scholars, amoug which was the reg-ilatiou bad boy. The subject of their conversation was "Balaam and the Ass," evidently the school lesson for the day. The teacher, a sweet faced young lady, was busy answeriug the questions of the children. Finally one of the youngest placed liimself in front of her, walking backward, andsaid: "Miss Anna, you said the ass spoke to Balaam. 5 hat did he sayí" "Why I am surprised that you dou't know," ancwei'ed the teacher. "Now, Jimmie," she said, turning to the bad boy, "you teil Frankie what the ass said to Balaam." "He said 'Come off,' " answered Jimmie as he tripped one of his companions up. "Why. James,'' said the horrified ir. structor. "What do you mean? What makes you think he said 'Come off?' " " 'Cause," answered the hopeful as 1 passed the group, "he knowed dat ' laam was or.to