M. "Why, to be sure! I've seen from the land,

S.

M.

S.

Like a lover kissing his lady's hand,
The wild sea kissing her

A sight to remember, sir."

"But, my good mother, do you know
All this was twenty years ago?

I stood on the Gray Swan's deck,
And to that lad I saw you throw-
Taking it off, as it might be, so!—
The kerchief from your neck."

Aye, and he'll bring it back!"

"And did the little lawless lad,

That has made you sick and made you sad,

Sail with the Gray Swan's crew?" M. "Lawless! the man is going mad!

The best boy ever mother had!

Be sure, he sailed with the crew:
What would you have him do?"

S. "And has he never written line,
Nor sent you word, nor made you sign,
Το say he was alive?

M.

"Hold! if 'twas wrong, the wrong is mine; Besides, he may be in the brine.

And could he write from the grave?

Tut, man! what would you have ? ”

S.

"Gone twenty years a long, long cruise!
'Twas wicked thus your love to abuse;

M.

But if the lad still live,

And come back home, think you you can
Forgive him?"

"Miserable man,

You're mad as the sea, you rave!
What have I to forgive?"

The sailor twitched his shirt so blue,
And from within his bosom drew

The kerchief. She was wild.
M. "My God! my Father! is it true?
My little lad, my Elihu!

My blessed boy, my child!

My dead, my living child!"

ALICE CARY.

LXIII. SAYING AND DOING

1. One evening during the holidays, Frank, a tall schoolboy, amused his younger brother Harry by reading an essay which had gained him the first prize at school. The subject was Self-Denial. Frank was a clever lad, and had done his task very well.

2. He presented his subject in so striking a light that it made considerable impression on the mind of his young hearer; and as soon as he had finished, Harry thanked him for his good advice,

and expressed a determination of endeavoring to profit by it.

3. "I am afraid," said he, “ I have never learned to deny myself as I ought; but I hope, Frank, that I shall not forget this lesson of yours, and I wish you would give me some more good hints on the subject."

4. Now Frank felt disappointed that Harry should begin to moralize about the composition, instead of praising it; and it confirmed him in a favorite opinion of his, that his brother Harry had not a spark of genius.

5. Harry repeated his request; but finding his brother more inclined to talk of the merits of his essay than to draw any practical improvement from it, he contented himself with his own private resolutions. "To-morrow," said he to himself, " to-morrow morning I will begin. But why not begin to-night?"

6. The clock had just struck, and Harry remembered that his mother had desired them not to sit up a minute after the clock struck nine. He reminded his brother of this order.

7. "Never mind," said Frank; "here's a good fire, and I shall stay and enjoy it."

8. "Yes," said Harry, "here is a good fire, and I should like to stay and enjoy it; but that would not be self-denial, would it, Frank?"