shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

Now the queen, by reason of words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house, and she spake and said, "O king, live forever. Let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him. And the king, Nebuchadnezzar thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spake and said unto Daniel, "Art thou that Daniel which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing

and make known unto me the interpretation thereof : but they could not show the interpretation of the thing. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations and dissolve doubts. Now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed in purple and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom."

Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another. Nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

"O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he slew; and whom he would, he kept alive. And whom he would, he raised up; and whom he would, he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne. They took his glory from him: and he was driven from the sons of men and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven until he knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he setteth up over it whomsoever he will.

"And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; but hast

lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know. But the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.

"Then was the part of the hand sent and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

"This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom and brought it to an end. Tekel; thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting. Peres; thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

In that night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Abridged.

THE MOVING FINGER WRITES

BY EDWARD FITZGERALD

THE Moving Finger writes; and having writ,
Moves on; nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.

THE TROOP OF THE GUARD

BY HERMANN HAGEDORN

THERE'S a trampling of hoofs in the busy street,
There's clanking of sabres on floor and stair,
There's sound of restless, hurrying feet,

Of voices that whisper, of lips that entreat,

Will they live, will they die, will they strive, will they dare?

The houses are garlanded, flags flutter gay,

For a Troop of the Guard rides forth to-day.

Oh, the troopers will ride and their hearts will leap,
When it's shoulder to shoulder and friend to friend
But it's some to the pinnacle, some to the deep,
And some in the glow of their strength to sleep,

And for all it's a fight to the tale's far end.
And it's each to his goal, nor turn nor sway,
When the Troop of the Guard rides forth to-day.

The dawn is upon us, the pale light speeds

To the zenith with glamour and golden dart.
On, up! Boot and saddle! Give spurs to your steeds!
There's a city beleaguered that cries for men's deeds,
With the pain of the world in its cavernous heart.
Ours to the triumph! Humanity calls!

Life's not a dream in the clover!
On to the walls, on to the walls,

On to the walls, and over!

LYRIC OF ACTION

BY PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE

'Tis the part of a coward to brood

O'er the past that is withered and dead;
What though the heart's roses are ashes and dust?
What though the heart's music be fled?

Still shine the grand heavens o'erhead,

Whence the voice of an angel thrills clear on the soul, "Gird about thee thine armor, press on to the goal!"

If the faults or the crimes of thy youth

Are a burden too heavy to bear,

What hope can rebloom on the desolate waste
Of a jealous and craven despair?

Down, down with the fetters of fear!

In the strength of thy valor and manhood arise,
With the faith that illumes and the will that defies.

"Too late!" through God's infinite world,
From his throne to life's nethermost fires,
"Too late!" is a phantom that flies at the dawn
Of the soul that repents and aspires.
If pure thou hast made thy desires,

There's no height the strong wings of immortals may gain

Which in striving to reach thou shalt strive for in vain.