How He'd Do It

Sevenil men wcre gathercd at the door of a blacksmith shop, when a sctaool-boy, not over nine years of age, came along with tear8 in his eyes, and oneof thp VV iskod "VV'Kat's the matter boy - falldown?" "N-no, hut I've got a hard 'rithmetic lossoo, and I expect to get l-licked !" was the answer. "Let me see ; I used to be a king-bee on fractions." The man took the book, turned to the page , and read : "Kulk 1. - Find the least common multiple of the denominators of the fractions for the least cotnuion denominator. Divide the least coniinon denominatnr by each denomii)ktor, and multiply both terms of the fractions by the quotiënt obtained by eaeh denominator." He rea 1 the rule aloud an 1 asked if any one could understand it. All shook their hcaK and he then oontinued : "Well, now, I think 1 should go to work and disover the least uncommon afiitatnr. I would then evolve a parallel aecording to the intrinsic deviator and pun 'tuaie the thermometer." 'Su would [ !" answered every man in chorus, and one of them addud : "I've worked 'etn out tliat way a thousand times I " Not one of the men, all of whom were in business and had made tnoney, could even understand the working of the rule, much leM work ezamplea by it, and yet it was expected that a nine year-old boy houlr go to the blaakboard and doevory sum nffband. .___