There was an old fellow much famed for discerning, In a hole in the dunghill was Dr. Drake's shop, "Dear Sir," said the duck with a delicate quack,— "I feel so distended with wind, and oppressed,- To suffer with patience these pains in my gizzard!" "Give me leave," said the Doctor, with medical look, As her cold flabby paw in his fingers he took ; 66 By the feel of your pulse, your complaint, I am thinking, Must surely be owing to eating and drinking !" "Oh no, Sir! believe me!" the lady replied, Quite alarmed for her stomach, as well as her pride; I have only been picking a bit in the gutter, Where cook had been pouring some cold melted butter, The doctor was then to his business proceeding, Her remains were interred in a neigbouring swamp, And all the young ducklings are brought by their friends THE QUARREL. ever 66 HUSH, Joanna! 'tis quite certain that the coffee was not strong-own your error,-I'll forgive you !-why so stubborn in the wrong?" "You'll forgive me? Sir, I hate you! you have used me like a churl: have my senses ceased to guide me? do you think I am a girl?" "Oh, no! you're a girl no longer, but a woman formed to please, and it's time you should abandon childish follies such as these." "Oh, I hate you! but why vex me? if I'm old, you're older still: I'll no longer be your victim, and the creature of your will." " But, Joanna, why this pother? it might happen I was wrong: but, if common sense inspire me, still, that coffee was not strong." "Common sense! you never had it! Oh! that I was born to be wedded to a MONSTER who repays my love with scorn." 66 Well, Joanna, we'll not quarrel: what's the use of bitter strife? but I'm sorry I'm married :—I was mad to take a wife !" "Mad indeed! I'm glad you know it; but if law can break the chain, I'LL BE TIED TO YOU NO LONGER in this misery and pain." "Hush, Joanna! shall the servants hear you argue ever wrong can you have not done with folly? own the coffee was not strong." 'Oh, you goad me past endurance, trifling with my woman's heart; but I loathe you and detest you! villain! monster! let us part." Long this foolish quarrel lasted; till Joanna, half afraid that her empire was in peril, summoned never-failing aid,-summoned tears in copious torrents, tears, and sobs, and piteous sighs: well she knew the potent practice, the artillery of the eyes. And it chanced as she imagined: beautiful in grief was she, beautiful to best advantage, and a tender heart had he. Kneeling at her side he soothed her,-"Dear Joanna! I was wrong! never more I'll contradict you,-but, ОH, MAKE MY COFFEE STRONG.”Charles Mackay. 66 THE WELL OF ST. KEYNE. A WELL there is in the west country, and a clearer one never was seen; there is not a wife in the west country, but has heard of the Well of St. Keyne. An oak and an elm-tree stand beside, and behind does an ash-tree grow, and a willow from the bank above droops to the water below. A traveller came to the Well of St. Keyne; joyfully he drew nigh, for from cock-crow he had been travelling, and there was not a cloud in the sky. He drank of the water so cool and clear, for thirsty and hot was he; and he sat him down upon the bank, under the willow tree. There came a man from the neighbouring town, at the Well to fill his pail; on the Well-side he rested it, and he bade the stranger hail. Now, art thou a bachelor, stranger?" quoth he; for an' if thou hast a wife, the happiest draught thou hast drunk this day that ever thou didst in thy life or has thy good woman-if one thou hast-ever here in Cornwall been? for, an' if she have, I'll venture my life she has drunk of the Well of St. Keyne." "I have left a good woman who never was here," the stranger he made reply; "but that my draught should be better for that, I pray you answer me why." "St. Keyne," quoth the Cornish-man, " many a time drank of this crystal Well, and before the angel summoned her, she laid on the water a spell :-if the husband, of this gifted Well shall drink before his wife, a happy man henceforth is he, for he shall be master for life; but if the wife should drink of it first,- heaven help the husband then !"The stranger stooped to the Well of St. Keyne, and drank of the water again. "You drank of the Well, I warrant, betimes?" he to the Cornish-man said: but the Cornish-man smiled as the stranger spake, and sheepishly shook his head: "I hastened as soon as the wedding was done, and left my wife in the porch; but i'faith! she had been wiser than I, for SHE TOOK A BOTTLE TO CHURCH.-Southey. THE GLOVE AND THE LIONS. KING FRANCIS was a hearty king, and loved a royal sport; And one day, as his lions fought, sat looking on the Court; The nobles filled the benches round, the ladies by their side, And 'mongst them sat the Count de Lorge, with one for whom he sighed; And truly 'twas a gallant thing to see that crowning show-Valour and love, and a king above, and the royal beasts below. Ramped and roared the lions; with horrid laughing jaws; They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams—a wind went with their paws; With wallowing might and stiffled roar, they rolled on one another, Till all the pit, with sand and mane, was in a thunderous smother; The bloody foam above the bars came whizzing through the air; Said Francis then, "Faith! Gentlemen, we're better here than there!" De Lorge's love o'erheard the king,-a beauteous lively dame, With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes, which always seemed the same; She thought," the Count my lover is brave as brave can be— He surely would do wondrous things to shew his love of me : King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine! I'll drop my glove, to prove his love; great glory will be mine!" She dropped her glove to prove his love, then looked at him and smiled; He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild. place, Then threw the glove-but not with love-right in the lady's face. "In truth," cried Francis, "rightly done!" and he rose from where he set: "No love," quoth he, "BUT VANITY, SETS LOVE A TASK LIKE THAT!" -Leigh Hunt. MARY'S DREAM. 'Tis evening, all is calm and still, all nature seems at rest, Each happy child is in its home, each bird is in its nest. And Mary, dear, and Willie, too, have lisped their evening prayer; I saw them at their mother's side, they were a lovely pair. "Dear mother," little Mary said, when the good-night kiss was given, The angels will be near me now, and I shall dream of Heaven. "For, mother, I have tried to be a very good girl to day; My teacher called me good in school, and I was kind at play. "When brother Willie tore my book, a tear came in my eye; But I was not naughty then, I think, I did not fret nor cry. "And father says that when we try all day to do what's right, The Lord will send the angels kind, to guard us through the night." Next morning, to my side I called the little girl, and said, “Dear Mary, while you slept last night, I stood beside your bed; "And ever and anon a smile, upon your face would gleam; Now, Mary, tell me, if you can, about your happy dream. "I thought that we had gone to heaven, myself and Willie dear: And all things were so beautiful! far lovelier than here. "And children, far more beautiful than any child on earth, Were sporting there among the flowers, all full of joy and mirth, "The angels, with their looks of love, seemed watching o'er each child; And not an angry word was heard, but all seemed kind and mild. "The sun shone far more brightly there, than on a summer's day, And all seemed good and beautiful, I wished that we could stay. "Dear mother says, if I am good, the Lord will always keep The angels near me, through the day, and let them guard my sleep. "I love to have the angels near, to teach me what is right: And I think that I shall not forget, my happy dream last night. "The children whom I saw in heaven, were better far than I; But mother says that I can grow more like them, if I try." --S. P. D., Children's Magazine. THE MIND. YOUR youthful mind is like a garden Where seeds are sown and leaves spring forth; |