RR We shall do so much in the years to come, But what have we done today? We shall give our gold in a princely sum, Bat what did we give today? We shall lift the heart and dry the tear, We shall plant a hope in the place of fear, We shall speak the words of love and cheer, But what did we speak today? We shall be kind in the after while, But what have we been today? We shall bring to each lonely life a smile, But what have we brought today? We shall give to truth a grander birth, And to steadfast faith a deeper worth, We shall feed the hungering souls of earth, But whom have we fed today? We shall reap such joys in the by-and-by, But what have we sown today? We shall build us mansions in the sky, But what have we built today? "Tis sweet in idle dreams to bask, Bat here, and now, do we do our task? Yes, this Is the thing oursouls must ask, “What have we done today? ~Nixon Waterman, THE ELEMENTAL. Billings sat in the snow and watched the freight train disappear around the bend. “Hell of a game,” be mustered, as he sorambled to his feet. ‘‘To take a man's last four cents and then call him off. I wonder where I am.” When discovered by the trainmen, Billings was asleep in an empty ; bis offer of four cents was acoept- ed, then he was bounced. The day was bitingly cold, and every snarling gust of wind searched a fresh hole in his clothing ; the snow chilled his feet ; his teeth ed against each other. Night was falling, and he bad no resting: place. “‘Got to get somewhere,”” he muttered. “Wish I bad some of that coin I blowed. Well, bere goes for luck.” He struck away down the railroad track, intent to find a farm-houee, the snow per- colating through she rents of his shoes up- on the dirty toes, and his feet slipping on she ties. Drawing the dilapidations of his garmeuts tight around him, he shuddered in their insufficiency, as his desponding figure sloucbed along. The jeering wind out in hetween the abortive collar and his neck, and Billings indulged in commensu- rate profanity. After a little he stopped and gazed around. The distance was hazy with hoar for it was too cold to snow. A thin ripple of smoke filtered up to the dismal skies. For a while he stood, then plunged into the snow toward it. A sunken fence wire caught his toe and pitched him headlong ; the barb lengthened the rip in his right shoe, and more chilly flakes insinoated themselves. He arose and struggled for- ward, falling into ditches and staggering wildly over stubble. Ouce, as he trod on deceptive ice, it broke and let bim down ; when he sorambled out, he was wet to mid- thigh, and the splintered ice had plowed a jagged furrow in his leg ; he bound his neckerchief around it, the blood staining bis dirty fingers. He whimpered as he dragged himsell along, cold and hungry, almost frozen; but the bouse was looming closer, and with it food and shelter. His feet were void of feeling, and Lis bands namb, as he rattled with his elbow on the door. A woman, thin and faded, of a colorless individuality, opened it. She carried a obild, about fifteen months old, in her arms, and Billivgs could see she was very near her trouble. **Well,”" she barshly queried, ‘‘what do you want ?"’ “I’m a honest man, lady,’ he answered, with bis professional whine, “ont of work; and cold and hungry. Could you belp we a bite to eat and let me sit by your fire to warm myself ?'’ ‘‘No,” replied the woman. “‘We don’t want no tramps around here.’”’ She said it more with indifference than animosity. “I ain’t got nothing for you,” and shat the door. Billings’ experience was catholic, and be should have been prepared, but the woman impressed him with sach a terrible forlorn- ness, that he had expected better things. When be beard the lock click as she torn- ed the key, despair obtained the mastery, and he sat on the steps, his head in his bands. He was aroused by a tapping on the win- dow and, with hope 1eawakened, raised his head. The woman was motioning to him, and he went close to understand. ‘‘Lady,” said he, “I'm starving, and I'll work for what you give me. Help a poor man to a little food, misais.”’ “Goaway,” she ordered. “I'll do the work,” said he desperately. “Christ, madam, do you want to murder me?’ ‘If you don’t leave, I'll set the dog on you,” was her avswer. The man gave up ; such flinty indiffer- ence staggered him, some way it assorted 80 ill with the decorous gravidity of the | Woman. With weighted footsteps he stood a mo- ment pondering, then directed bis course toward the barn. A dog came and looked wonderingly at bim as be examined the door; it was locked. The dog came closer and licked the bloody cloth around his leg; then, as the man bent for a stone to smash the staple, bit him. Billings cursed with horrible profanity avd forced his frozen limbs stumblingly away. The legs of his trousers were stiff with ice where the water had frozen upon them, and below the knees he had no feeling, save for a little tingle back of his wound. Some- times he would stagger runniogly, then, if his foot strnck an inequality, he stumbled; occasionally he fell. Automatically he biasphemed ; when he discovered himself, he intentionally continued. Presently, he knew not how, he found himself close to some snow-laden pines ; he crawled beneath in the hope of shelter, sit- ting honohed together in a bundle, his frozen bande within the ragged coat. Then he siried upright for some one bad laugh- ed. Exocitedly, he hunted ; no one was near. Then, in wild su he beard it again and koew it for himself. Was he going mad? He thought be would if he stayed there, so he got up and wandered away. It wasdark hy now, and he knew little of his direction, or whither he went ; times be hit against things, once he bum into a tree, twice fell over fences, and the barbs tore deeper gashes in his rags. Then he found ft ttle jenu