The mother wept as she answered low, "'Twas a strange, strange dream thou wert given; But ah, my child, I would bid thee know 'Twill only be finished in heaven.” III. CHRISTMAS. LORD JOHN MANNERS. LD Christmas comes about again, The blessed day draws near, Albeit our faith and love do wax More faint and cold each year. Oh! but it was a goodly sound, In th' unenlighten'd days, To hear our fathers raise their song Oh! but it was a goodly sight, Red berries bright, and holly green. O'er wrekin wide, from side to side, And now, of all our customs rare, Glancing with high-born dames and men, This one, of keeping Christmas-time, And hinds of low degree. To holy Church's dearest sons, With morris-dance, and carol-song, Were mingled in their glee. Tw Alone has reach'd our days. Still, though our hearty glee has gone, Still round the old paternal hearth And brothers parted through the year Oh! may we aye, whate'er betide, Sing welcome to the blessed day IV. THE SQUIRREL'S LESSON. WO little squirrels, out in the sun, One gathered nuts, and the other had none; "Time enough yet," his constant refrain; "Summer is still only just on the wane." Listen, my child, while I tell you his fate : He roused him at last, but he roused him too late; Down fell the snow from a pitiless cloud, And gave little squirrel a spotless white shroud. Two little boys in a school-room were placed, One always perfect, the other disgraced; "Time enough yet for my learning," he said; "I will climb, by and by, from the foot to the head." Listen, my darling; their locks are turned gray; The other, a pauper, looks out at the door Of the almshouse, and idles his days as of yore. Two kinds of people we meet every day; V. BESSIE'S CHRISTMAS DREAM. WAS a beautiful Christmas morning, From mansion, and cottage, and hovel Then, peeping in at the window, The sires, and grandsires, and children But I sighed as I hastened onward, Climbing up the rickety stairways, "O, mother, I feel so sorry, For I know you are weeping now. "Now I know that you are thinking "We watched and waited-waited, "Then, too, it was Christmas morning, When I slipped on the icy pavement, "Never since that dreadful morning Have I left this little bed, When they brought me home to you fainting, And you thought poor Bessie was dead. "O, I know I've been so much trouble, Beside, all the time, my poor mother, "And I know you have no money, "I'm going to sleep, for I'm easy, I hope I shall see, when I'm sleeping, "Tell me, what shall I do, dear mother, If Jesus should call me again? I will stay with him, if you're willing, 'Twould not be so hard for you then. She slept, and I heard the low moaning "My treasure, my last and my only, The dark room was radiant with glory; Then I knew, as I entered half fearful, VI. BRUCE AND THE SPIDER. ELIZA COOK. KIN ING BRUCE of Scotland flung himself down in a lonely mood to think! For he had been trying to do a great deed to make his people glad; And the king, in the midst of his thinking stopped-to see what the spider would do! Till up and down, now fast, now slow, nine brave attempts were counted. And a bold little run at the very last pinch, put him into his native spot. The spider up there defied despair; he conquered—and why should'nt I?" Again King Robert roused his soul; and history tells the tale, That he tried once more,―'twas at Bannockburn,—and that time he did not fail! |