And the children laugh loud as they troop to his call,
And the dear ones that know him laugh loudest of all.

Yes, we're boys, always playing with tongue or with pen,
And I sometimes have asked, Shall we ever be men?
Shall we always be laughing and joyful and gay,
Till the last dear companion drops smiling away?

Then here's to "Our Boys," its gold and its gray,
The stars of its winters and the dews of its May,
And when we have done with our life-lasting toys,
Dear Father, take care of thy children, "The Boys."
OLIVER WENdell Holmes.

TOPICAL SUGGESTIONS:

1. The great appeals of literature-love, mercy, justice and altruistic service.

2. Outstanding incidents-Grant, Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Lord Nelson.

3. Coleridge, Tennyson, David, Homer's Iliad.

4. The pictures of the home. Temple of fame. Queen Esther, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Shakespeare's Winter Tales, Merchant of Venice.

5. Poems-Hoffman, Scott, Moore, Whittier, Holmes, Tenny

son.

6. Dickens, Burns, Meredith, James Russell Lowell.

7. "Over the Hills from the Poor-house." Will Carleton. 8. "Moon-Light Musings," by B. S. Smiser; "The Boys," by Oliver W. Holmes.

U

XVIII

COLOUR, NATURE'S ART

·NDER individuality and form, we have seen how

nature, the handmaid of our Great Creator, has wrought out as with a sculptor's chisel the various forms of life and has performed the functions of the Supreme Sculptor. And as the Supreme Architect has laid the foundations of the mountains, hills and valleys with their outstanding grandeur, with all their appeals of utility and pleasure, so we may now consider and muse upon His wonderful creative genius in the field

of colour.

In considering the goodness of God we must see how colour contributes to the welfare of mankind. We may call it Nature's Art.

As the notes of music are to the ear, with the range of seven keys or notes within the octave called the scale, so the colours of the spectrum ranging from the red through the spectral series: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, may be to the eye as the impressions are received. And, as there are many variations of tone and pitch in music, so in colour there may be many corresponding shades and variations within the spectral

zone.

Colour appears to be one of the great gifts of God contributing to man's welfare. It may be considered from the point of felicity or joys, also from the standpoint of utility or usefulness, and a combination of these two view-points.

The beautiful flower, as it may grow in the field or garden which appeals to the eye and calls forth many expressions of delight, may also be useful in the propagation of the species. As we consider colour from the standpoint of utility we find it filling a large place. One may conceive that colour, with its appeal to the eye, in early times might have drawn man to the blossoms of the fruit trees for the purpose of noting the fruit and arousing his curiosity in watching its development. The blossom fades but the fruit continues to grow with practically the same colour as the leaves until the time of harvest is near. Then the fruit puts on another colour which again attracts man to the tree. Lo, and behold! the fruit has matured, it is mellow and with sweet odour, together with appetizing flavour, so he regards it as good for food. After seeing that it is good for food, he begins to cultivate the tree. The blossom has also an attraction for the bee and insects which carry the pollen for fertilization.

All nature appears to be provided with colour to suit the vision of mankind. The green grass and verdure of the forest are the soft shades most suitable to the more constant vision and exposure of the eye, as also the blues of ocean, sky, and many shades in all nature. They are restful and non-exciting in their reflections of light. When nature wishes to warn of danger in the common experiences of life the flash of lightning or bright lights of fire running through the spectral colours, red, orange or yellow, are called into play, and from these colours. we note the dangers of fire and electrical disturbances.

There is also a function of colour in the scheme of natural selection in the propagation of animal life as well as in vegetable life. The bright colours arouse the more vivacious emotions of the opposite sex. Chanticleer,

with his flaming comb, attracts and excites the subdued and demure hen. The turkey gobbler with his exuberance of red likewise has the same appeal.

In vegetation colour plays a very important part in propagation. The bee is attracted to the beautiful blossom and sips the honey, carries the pollen away. The next blossom is fertilized by the pollen thus carried. In this way nature provides for fertilization through the beautiful flower as the insects, drawn by colour and odour, carry the pollen to blossoms remote. Other insects, birds and animals are influenced by colour or odour, and in this way fertilize vegetation. The Smyrna fig is propagated by the insect life known as the Blastophaga. It is first attracted to the blossom of the Capri or wild fig of Arabia, then carries the juices or pollen to the Smyrna, commonly called in California the Calismyrna fig. The blossom, in the case of the fig, lies within the fig, but accessible to the insect.

Not only in the botanical and agricultural world does colour fill a very useful place in contributing to the welfare of man, but in the picturesque scenery of landscape, in the charm of the mountain fastnesses, amid the colouring of tree, vine or forest leaves, as they change their shades and don the dress of autumnal hues, as if in preparation for the coming adieu to the friends of mountain kin.

Again in the green verdure of the meadow with the lowing herd, striped with nature's coat of many colours, and amid the fleecy flock with rich white coat with warmth destined to clothe the nations for winter's blast. It may be as we watch the birds of bright plumage or darker hues which assimilate from nature's bountiful supply, all colours of the rainbow in preparation for adornment of milady or for man's charm and wonder.

The coloured rocks may mark the wealth in gold or silver ore, or it may be in the black strata of coal, the white sand of ocean beach, or among the many shades of rock and shale as our eyes feast upon the painted forest of Arizona, or the shales of Yellowstone mingled with the phantom-like arms of the great geysers. It may be the beauty of the clouds when the morning sun or evening glow changes the mist and cloud to rainbow beauty. Or it may be the running stream prancing and leaping over rock with splashing spray, now a rainbow effect as seen under the Vernal, or Bridal Veil Falls, of Yosemite, then the white, rolling mist as it settles down to the dark hues of the common stream.

It may be among the beautiful animals of God's creation in the stripes of tiger or zebra, the leopard spots, the brownish coat of the lion or darker and sombre hue of the elephant.

Again it may be among the domestic animals with colours mingled in dainty stripes or solid coat as we note the Holstein or Jersey, or the horse (man's load lifter), whose colours range from pure white and stripes to the jet black with raven mane.

In the dress of all nations colour plays a large part in life's chapter. In army and navy regalia and uniform colour schemes, wrought out in many designs, mark grades, rank, power and authority; or it may be in the rank and file of the common soldier, the shoulder markings, the chevron stripes, and lines upon the wristbands, all speak of authority and service. The insignia of military or navy uniform marked by colour or colour dress may speak of the department and the branch of the department.

The flags of various nations, with their colours, stripings and designs, shades and hues, are an interesting