What Is Thine Age

"Fathor1" said a Persian monarch to 10 old man, who, according to Orintal custom, bowed before the sovcreign ironc, " pmy be seatod ; I cannot reeive homage frora 0110 bont with years, whoso head is white with the frosts of ge' " And now, fathor," said the monarch, when the old man had taken the profiored ■at, " teil me thinc age ; how many of ïesuu's revolutions hastthou counted? ' " Sire," answered the old man, " I am ut four ypars old." " What ' " interrupted &? king, "fcarst thou not to answer me falsely, or dost ion jest on tho very brink of the toiab T " " I speak not falscly, aire," feplied the lil man, "noither would I offer a foolish est on a subject so solemn. Eighty loag ears have I wasted in folly and sinful leasures, and in amassing wealth nono f which I can take with me when I eave this world. Four only have I spont n doing good to my fellow men ; and ïall I count those yoars which have been tterly wasted ? Are they not worse than )lank, and is not that portion only to be eckoned as a part of my life which has answered life's best end 't "