An Appeal.

There was once a man with very powerful eyes, who could read by starlight and never even required a light in the greatest darkness. Now it happened that a party of wise men were passing through the country where the man with the powerful eyes lived. They heard of his great power, for his fame was spread through all the land, and searched him out and persuaded him to join them in their travels. They came to a country where there was no sun, and he was their guide; they descended into the deep dungeons of old castles, and he read the inscriptions on the walls, requiring no light. "It is wonderful," cried the wise men, "what power of sight this man has! With him we may venture into the darkest recesses of the earth." They traveled on and crossed the seas, and came finally to a large city, and in this city was a great university, and this university had a building famous for its darkness. Few men knew what was within its walls. The arrival of the wise men and their companion with the powerful eyes was celebrated with great rejoicing. "Surely," the people cried, "the mysteries of the wonderful Building are to be wholly disclosed to us at last." The wise men and the man with the powerful eyes, and the great men of the city, entered the building. The man with the powerful eyes led the way, but on entering a certain room he drew back and said, "Gentlemen, I have found darkness at last, I cannot help you, but give me but a mere candle, and I will disclose to you all the mysteries of this truly dark place." "Alas! We cannot afford it," cried the great men of the city, and for all I know the mysteries of that building are unsolved today.