An Episode.

Once upon a time many years ago, a day was set apart on which all good people were to offer up their prayers for the blessings which they had received. Now it happened that there were Three Important Persons whose blessings had been greater than usually fall to the lot of man. Knowing this they felt called upon to show their thanks in a more marked way than by the repetition of prayers, and so. like the pilgrims of old, they set out on a pilgrimage. Now those who were fortunate enough to behold these Three Important Persons saw a strange sight. First came the Chair Man (so called because he carried on his back a camp stool) wheeling and circling in graceful curves along the roadside upon a bicycle of wonderful make. Behind him came the second of this triumvirate, carefully measuring the above named circles, and reckoning the longitudinal distance between the size of one and the diameter of another. And this person rode upon a horse, and his body was like a tangent to the curve of the horse's back. Behind him in the rear came the last, a mighty man, bringing the records and provisions of the journey. Now when they had reached the middle point of their journey they became thirsty, and not having the where-withal to purchase drinks, remained thirsty. But at last a happy thought occurred to the last man, and laying aside his toga, he jumped into the air and performed such wonderful tricks that the people were amazed, and loud and long was the applause. Forthwith the other members of the band, seizing the opportunity, passed around their hats, and numerous shekels fell there-in from the delighted populace, wherewithal the thirsty were made refreshed. And so they marched along, and great crowds came out upon the walls of the cities as they passed by, until they came to a city called Nouvelle Yorkum, where a strange sight met their eyes. Here were twenty-two children caressing one another and rolling about on the soft grass. Greatly did they enjoy this sport, and their parents assembled in great multitudes to witness their play. Now some of the children were painted red (for such are the rules of the game) thereby adding greatly to the effectiveness of the exhibition. But the Three Important Persons very foolishly mistook their sportive play for angry earnestness, and were greatly troubled in mind. But when they saw the red paint (thinking it could only be human blood) they turned away in sorrow and left the field. The first, however, overcome by the horrible sight, remained a few days in the city, but the other two, whose names were Cosine and Hercules, hastened home to forbid their own little children from playing this naughty game.

The moral of this touching episode is the old saying that "It is better to have played and lost than never to have played at all."