XXII.

MY LADY WIND.

Y lady Wind, my lady Wind,

Went round about the house.to find

A chink to get her foot in;

She tried the key hole in the door,
She tried the crevice in the floor,
And drove the chimney soot in.

And there one night when it was dark,
She blew up such a tiny spark,

That all the house was pothered;
From it she raised up such a flame,
As flared away to Maiden Lane,

And down-town folks were smothered.

And thus when once, my little dears,
A whisper reaches itching cars,

The same will come, you'll find;
Take my advice, restrain the tongue,
Remember what your friend has sung
Of busy Lady Wind.

XXIII.

MADAME TARTINE.

HE mighty Lady Bread-and-Butter,
Dwelt in a tower of dainties made;

The walls of pudding crust were fashioned,
The floors with cracknels overlaid.

Sponge cake was her mattress,
Well softened with milk,
Her bed had for curtains
Spun sugar like silk.

Great Master Muffin did she marry,

Whose cloak was made of toasted cheese;
His hat was framed of nicest fritters,
In pie-crust coat he walked at ease.
His chocolate waistcoat

Looked very funny,
With stockings of candy

And slippers of honey.

The fair Angelica, their daughter

Ah me! what sweets the maid compose! In truth she was the choicest comfit;

Of toffy is her lovely nose.

I see her arraying

Her gown with such taste!
She decked it with flowers
Of best apple paste.

Young Lemonade, that stately sovereign,
Once came the lady to adore;

Large pendent wreaths of roasted pippins,
Twined in his marmalade locks he wore.
With diadem royal,

Of cakes he was decked,
And a circlet of raisins

Commanded respect.

A guard of cucumbers and capers
Accompanied the mighty lord;

Their muskets all were charged with pepper,
Of onion peel was every sword.
Upon a throne sublime of pancakes

The royal couple proudly sat;

Bonbons were flowing from their pockets,

From morn till eve and after that.

But wicked fairy Carabossa

Inspired no doubt by jealous spite, Just lifted up her ugly hump, and Upset this palace of delight.

MORAL by the children.

Some sugar pray give us,

Dear father and mother,

And we'll do our utmost

To build up another.

Household Words.

H

XXIV.

CHILD'S HYMN.

EAR my prayer, O! Heavenly Father,
Ere I lay me down to sleep;

Bid thy angels, pure and holy,
Round my bed Thy vigil keep.

My sins are heavy, but Thy mercy

Far outweighs them every one; Down before Thy cross I cast them, Trusting in Thy help alone.

Keep me through this night of peril,
Underneath its boundless shade;
Take me to Thy rest, I pray Thee,
When my pilgrimage is made.
None shall measure out Thy patience
By the span of human thought;
None shall bound the tender mercies
Which Thy Holy Son has bought.
Pardon all my past transgressions,

Give me strength for days to come;
Guide and guard me with Thy blessing,
Till thy angels bid me home.

XXV.

Household Words.

I

THE CHILD'S DESIRE.

THINK when I read that sweet story of old,

When Jesus was here among men,

How he called little children as lambs to his fold,
I should like to have been with them then.

I wish that his hands had been placed on my head,
That his arms had been thrown around me,
And that I might have seen his kind looks when he
said:

"Let the little ones come unto me."

But still, to his footstool in prayer I may go,
And ask for a share of his love;

And if I thus carnestly seek him below,
I shall see him and hear him above.

In that beautiful place he has gone to prepare
For all that are washed and forgiven;
And many dear children are gathering there,
"For of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Mrs. Luke.

XXVI.

GOOD-NIGHT.

OOD-NIGHT!" said the plough to the weary old horse;

And Dobbin responded, "Good-night!"

Then with Tom on his back, to the farm house he turned,

With a feeling of quiet delight.

"Good-night!" said the ox, with a comical

bow,

As he turned from the heavy old cart;

Which laughed till it shook a round wheel from

its side,

Then creaked out, "Good-night, from my heart!"

"Good-night!" said the hen, when her supper was done,

To Fanny, who stood in the door; "Good-night!" answered Fanny, "come back in

the morn,

And you and your chicks shall have more."