HE DOETH HIS ALMS TO BE SEEN 301

"Then have you learned a lesson, princess mine; 'Tis not the vessel's beauty makes the wine; Neither doth knowledge find a resting-place Behind a fair more than an ugly face."

W. L. CARDINER

140

HE DOETH HIS ALMS TO BE SEEN OF
MEN

A poor little girl in a tattered gown,
Wandering alone through the crowded town,
All weary and worn, on the curb sat down,

By the side of the way to rest;

Bedimmed with tears were her eyes of brown,
Her hands on her bosom pressed.

The night was approaching-the winter's chill blast
That fell on the child as it hurried past,
Congealed the tears that were falling fast
From the poor little maiden's eyes;
The blinding snow on her pale cheek cast,
Unheeded her plaintive cry.

Now hurriedly passing along the street,
She catches the sound of approaching feet;
And wearily rises, as if to entreat

Some aid from the passer-by;

But slowly and sadly resumes her seat,
Repelled by the glance of his eye.

He saw the wind tempest resistlessly hurl
The gathering snow-flakes with many a whirl,
Upon her bare head, where each soft-shining curl
Was swept by the breath of the storm;
But what did he care for the little girl,-
His raiment was ample and warm!

He went to a charity meeting that night,
And spoke, to the listeners' great delight,
Of how 'twas the duty of all to unite
The suffering poor to relieve;

And held up a check for a thousand at sight,
So all of the crowd could perceive.

He handed the check to the treasurer, when
The audience applauded again and again,
But the angel who holds the recording pen

This sentence, methinks, did record: "He doeth his alms to be seen of men; Their praise is his only reward."

The paper next morning had much to say
Of how the "good gentleman" did display
His generous spirit in giving away

So much for the poor man's cause.
He smiled as he read his own praise that day,
And thought of the night's applause.

Near by the same paper went on to repeat
A story they'd heard, of how, out on the street,
A watchman, at dawning of morn, on his beat,
A poor little child had found,—

With only the snow for a winding-sheet,—
Frozen to death on the ground!

THE MORNING PSALM

303

Ah! who can declare that when God shall unfold Eternity's records, he will not hold

Him guilty of murder, who seeks with his gold,

In charity's name, to buy

The praises of men, while out in the cold

He leaves a poor child to die!

ANONYMOUS

141

THE MORNING PSALM

"Read us a Psalm, my little one."
An untried day had just begun,
And, ere the city's rush and roar
Came passing through the closed home door,
The family was hushed to hear
The youngest child, in accents clear,
Read from the Book. A moment's space-
The morning look died from each face,—
The sharp, keen look, that goes to meet
Opposing force, nor brooks defeat.

"I will lift up mine eyes," she read,
"Unto the hills." Who was afraid?
What had the Psalm of pilgrim life
To do with all our modern strife?
"Behold, He that doth Israel keep
Shall neither slumber, nor shall sleep;
The Lord thy keeper is, and He

Thy shade on thy right hand shall be;
The sun by day shall not thee smite,
The moon shall hurt thee not by night."

And the child finished the old Psalm,

And those who heard grew strong and calm;
The music of the Hebrew words

Thrilled them like sweet remembered chords,
And brought the heights of yesterday
Down to the lowlands of to-day,
And seemed to lend to common things
A mystery as of light and wings;
And each one felt in gladsome mood,
And life was beautiful and good.

Then forth, where duty's clarion call
Was heard, the household hastened all,
In crowded haunts of busy men
To toil with book, or speech, or pen;
To meet the day's demand with skill,
And bear, and do, and dare, and will,
As they must who are in the strife
And strain and stress of modern life,
And would succeed, but who yet hold
Honor of higher worth than gold.

These are the days of peace we say,
Yet fiercest fights are fought to-day;

And those who formed that household band
Had need of strength, that they might stand
In firmness and unruffled calm;—

But sweetly did their morning Psalm
Amid the clamor, loud and long,
Like echo of a once-loved song,

Rise in their hearts and make them strong.

SPEECH OF JACOB HENRY

At close of day they met again,

And each had known some touch of pain,
Some disappointment, loss, or care,

Some place of stumbling, or some snare.

66

And yet the Psalm is true," said they,
"The Lord preserveth us alway.

His own were safe in days of yore,
And from this time, and evermore,
If skies be bright or skies be dim,
He keepeth all who trust in Him."

305

MARIANNE FARNINGHAM

142

SPEECH OF JACOB HENRY

[Delivered about 1812, in the Legislature of North Carolina, on a motion to vacate his seat, he being a Jew.]

Mr. Speaker:-Though I will not conceal the surprise I felt that the gentleman should have thought proper yesterday to have moved my expulsion from this House, on the alleged grounds that I "disbelieve in the Divine authority of the New Testament," without considering himself bound by those rules of politeness, which, according to my sense of propriety, should have led him to give me some previous intimation of his design, yet since I am brought to the discussion, I feel prepared to meet the object of his resolution.

I certainly, Mr. Speaker, know not the design of the Declaration of Rights made by the people of this