and if by following Solomon's plan, I can get rid of that she Salmi, I shall read up the Proverbs again.'

"Oop, oop! avante, avante!" went Mosti, and then began to relate to me the story he had told the lawyer, thus:

"You may depend upon it," he began, "that a wise man always has a good cook; for what is the use of riches and wisdom, if you are to sit down and grub at what every poor fellow can afford to eat? the riches are of no use, and the wisdom drivels into folly. We are told, 'to eat, drink, and sleep,' and no man ever did the latter well, without great respect to the former. Now a good cook is requisite in order to feed well-and good feeding is good living-and 'who leads a good life is sure to live well.' Oop, oop, Leopoldo! non vedete la montagna, mettate la scarpa-(the hill magnified into a mountain, was of so gentle a descent, that a boy's hoop would not have run down it, without the stick to freshen its way).-Well, Solomon had a cook, and depend upon it he was a good cook!"

"But how do you know he was a mancook?" said I.

"Because he was a diligent man; and Solomon says, 'Seest thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.'

There was no arguing against this argument. So said I, "Well, we will take the reference to the business as a cook's occupation, and forthwith settle that Solomon had a man-cook; but I think I can prove that Solomon had not a man-cook, that is, if you declare he had a man-cook in order to live well."

"Gia, gia," said Mosti; which means, of course, of course."

"Why, Solomon particularly tells you, 'Be not desirous of his dainties;' now dainties mean, rich dishes."

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Yes," replied Mosti, "and you are told 'to eat honey, because it is good;' and therefore you are to eat what is good. I tell you, Signore Capitano mio, Solomon had a mancook, and a very good cook he was. Solomon

was the wisest man of his time, or any other time, and he was not such a fool as to have riches and eat grass!"

"Go on, Mosti," said I, as the good-natured fellow puffed out his last smoke of the finished

cigar; "we have agreed that it was a mancook."

"One day the cook went to Solomon and said, 'that he wanted to better himself; that he had saved three hundred piastres.""

Holloa!" said I, "how do you know that the cook's wages were paid in piastres?"

"Because Solomon always talks of silver and gold, and never mentions paper money."

Good," said I; " continue."

"I have saved,' said the cook, 'three hundred piastres, and I have not seen my wife for twenty-two years, neither have I heard from her, or of her, and when I left her she was gravida, gravidissima. I want to go home and see her, and then get another place; for allow me to say, Mr. Solomon, that yours is not a very profitable place, although you do say, 'in all labour there is profit.'

"Now look you, good cook,' said Solomon, 'he that is greedy of gain, troubleth his own house;' and I have told you not to hoard up riches you have been with me for twenty-two years-you have taken care, of course, to feed yourself well, or you are a greater fool than I thought you were-you have been well clothed, you were housed, had no taxes to

pay, and took no thought of the morrow. Now you propose to better yourself, to give up a positive certainty for a hypothetical possibility; to go back to your wife, who you know had not a good temper; and you should remember, that it is better to dwell in a wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman.'

"I dare say she has changed her temper now; but, changed or not, there is no place like home; and if you could look out for another cook, and allow me to go this day month, I shall consider it a great favour.'

By all means,' said Solomon; 'but remember, he who trusteth in his own heart is a fool!'

"The month was expired, the wages were paid, the cook counted three hundred piastres in good silver, and having packed up all appertaining to him, he turned his back on the palace of the wisest man in the world, and directed his steps onwards towards his own house.

"Leopoldo, la scarpa! scusi, signore, un momento!" and another cigar was lighted; the usual "oop, oop," was given, the drag had

been hooked, and Mosti, having ascertained. that the cigar drew well, continued:

"The cook had not gone a mile towards his home, when he reflected that he had lived years and years with the wisest man in the world and had never asked his advice, and that to return home without some counsel as to his future life, was to insure but a bad reception from his wife, who, when he left her, was rather addicted to passionate expressions. Pondering on this, he retraced his steps, and found Solomon walking in his garden; he advanced without hesitation, and no sooner had he approached the king, than his majesty said- Why, Salmi, are you returned already? -have you taken counsel of yourself, and learnt wisdom ?'

"I have,' said the cook, I have remembered that you are the wisest of men, that your sayings are engraven on every man's heart, and I know that those who follow the counsels of the wise shall never fail.' I have, therefore, returned, feeling, from my long service in your numerous family, that I have some claim upon your kindness, and venture to ask your advice as to my future conduct and guidance in life.'