THE GREEN CEDAR TREE. ONE day I was cutting my little Joe's hair, And the locks in the fire I threw from my chair; "O mother! don't burn them! don't burn them," said he, "Let me put them out under the green cedar-tree. And then, when the spring-time and flowers have come, And our sweet little birds have come back to their home, They won't have to hunt for a lining, you see, For their snug little nests in the green cedar-tree." As I clipped off the locks from his merry young head, I dropped them all down in his kerchief of red: He carried them out with a laugh of wild glee, And scattered them under the green cedar-tree. One bright sunny morning, quite early in spring, I was sweeping the house when I heard a bird sing: I looked out the window, and what should it be But our own little birds in the green cedar-tree? They picked out the branches that suited them best, And soon they were busily building a nest; They hunted the hair, and 'twas funny to see Them lining their nest in the green cedar-tree. The nest, quickly finished, was cosy and good, When about a week old, sad to tell, in the night There came up a storm which all hearts did affright; The thunder pealed loud and the lightning flashed free, And the wind shook the nest from the green ce dar-tree. Next morning the young ones were dead on the ground; The old ones went chirping and moaning around: Oh! 'twas sad for the father and mother to see Their home all destroyed in the green cedar-tree. My dear little children, I'm sure I don't know, But they thought a kind Providence dealt them the blow; So they wasted no time in their vain grief, you see, But commenced a new nest in the green cedar tree. And now they have built them the cosiest nest, Lined with little Joe's hair, all the softest and best, And are flying about as blithe as can be, Taking care of their young in the green cedartree. Be kind and be careful, my dear children, too; You cannot tell half of the good you may do: Be cheerful and patient whate'er your lot be, And work like the birds in the green cedartree. And then, if misfortunes encompass you round, And your hopes like the bird's nest are dashed to the ground, Your spirits may soar untrammelled and free, And as blithe as the birds in the green cedar tree. "I WISH I WAS A KITTEN." "I WISH I was a kitten," said little Mary E. to her mother, one day, "I do wish I was a kitten: then I could play all the time, jumping and running, and rolling a ball. Oh! how pretty she does look ! see, ma, only see her play." Mary E. was a very good girl, but excessively fond of play. Her mamma thought that all little girls should sew a part of the time; and she fitted her some nice work that day, and had seated her on a stool by her side. For a while she worked very well; but pretty soon she grew tired, and began to wish she was a kitten, as I told you. Her mamma thought she would teach her a lesson; so she said, "Well, Mary, you may be kitten a week, if you will finish that work first.". "Be a kitten!" said Mary laughing, "how can I be a kitten?" Why, I mean you may act just like one, play all the time, and not sew; and we will call you kitty." "O ma! I wish you would, it would be so nice and funny; but do let it be more than a week: a week is not half long enough." "Well, The next day She my dear, be a kitten a week; and then, if you like it, I may let you be longer." "You are very good," said Mary, and soon she finished her work and went to play. First she rolled her ball and marbles about the room; then she played in the garden, and chased butterflies, until she quite forgot it was tea-time. When she went in, she found her little sister Emily had gone to bed; and she had to go to Betsy, the domestic, to get her supper, as all "kitties" do. she frolicked as much as ever. At noon some ladies called, of whom she was very fond. heard them ask for her, and was very much disappointed, though she could hardly help laughing, when she heard her little sister tell them, that "she was a kitty that week, and her mamma could not let her come into the parlor." That night she went to bed so tired that she could. hardly rest. She began to wonder if kittens were always so tired, and why it was that her mamma did not hear her say her prayers, as she did Emily. Then she recollected that kittens and such things had no souls, and could not go to heaven when they died; and she almost wished that she had not chosen to be one. The next morning was very bright and sunny; and, when Mary awoke, she found her sisters almost ready to go to sabbath-school. She watched them |