To serve their country should the need arise.
And now their rifles have been ta'en away,
Their side-arms are removed, and they themselves
Are mocked in obloquy and sunk in scorn.

* * * * *

THE LINGUIST.

Nancy is eleven and thinks I know everything. I never could resist or
contradict her.

"Now tell me about animals in Africa," she said. "Tell me lots."

This was better than usual, for I possess a heavily-mortgaged and
drought-stricken farm in some obscure corner of that continent and
have spent much time disputing with beasts who refused to acknowledge
my proprietary claims.

So I told Nancy tales of lions that roared till the stars tumbled
out of the sky with fright, and, when she crept very close to me, of
the blue monkeys with funny old faces who swung through the trees
and across the river-bed to steal my growing corn. I told her of the
old ones who led them in the advance and followed in the retreat,
chattering orders, and of the little babies who clung to their
mothers. I told her that monkeys elected not to talk lest they should
be made to work, but that there were a few men living who understood
their broken speech and could hold communion with them.

She led me on with little starts and questions and--well, I may all