THE TURTLE-DOVE'S NEST.

I. VERY high in the pine-tree,
The little turtle-dove

Made a pretty little nursery,
To please her little love.
She was gentle, she was soft,
And her large dark eye
Often turned to her mate,

Who was sitting close by.

2. "Coo," said the turtle-dove; "Coo," said she.

"Oh, I love thee," said the turtle. dove;

"And I love thee."

In the long shady branches

Of the dark pine-tree,
How happy were the doves
In their little nursery!

3. The young turtle-doves

Never quarreled in the nest;

For they dearly loved each other,

Though they loved their mother best.

"Coo," said the little doves;

"Coo," said she.

And they played together kindly

In the dark pine-tree.

4. Is this nursery of yours,

Little sister, little brother,
Like the turtle-dove's nest-

Do you love one another?
Are you kind, are you gentle,
As children ought to be?
Then the happiest of nests

1. MRS. JO looked very sober when she heard of the division of the party, and sent Franz back with Toby to find and bring the little ones home. Supper was over, and the family sitting about in the cool hall as usual, when Franz came trotting back, hot, dusty, and anxious.

"Have they come?" he called out when halfway up the avenue.

"No;" and Mrs. Jo flew out of her chair, looking so alarmed and anxious that every one jumped up and gathered round Franz.

"I can't find them anywhere," he began; but the words were hardly spoken when a loud "Hullo!" startled them all, and the next minute Jack and Emil came around the house.

2. Where are Nan and Rob?" cried Mrs. Jo, clutching Emil in a way that caused him to think his aunt had suddenly lost her wits.

"I don't know. They came home with the others, didn't they?" he answered quickly.

"No; George and Tommy said they went with you."

"Well, they didn't; haven't seen them. We took a swim in the pond, and came by the wood," said Jack, looking alarmed, as well he might.

"Call Mr. Bhaer, get the lanterns, and tell Silas I want him.”

3. That was all Mrs. Jo said, but they knew what she meant, and flew to obey orders. In ten minutes Mr. Bhaer and Silas were off to the woods, and Franz tearing down the road on old Andy to search the great pasture. Mrs. Jo caught up some food from the table, a little bottle of brandy from the medicine-closet, took a lantern, and bidding Jack and Emil come with her, and the rest not to stir, she trotted away on Toby, never stopping for hat or shawl.

4. When they came to the great pasture, other lights were already flitting to and fro like will-o'the-wisps, and Mr. Bhaer's voice was heard shouting, "Nan! Rob! Rob! Nan!" in every part of the field. Silas whistled and roared, Dan plunged here and there on Toby, who seemed to understand the case and went over the roughest places with unusual docility. Often Mrs. Jo hushed them all, saying, with a sob in her throat, "The noise may frighten them, let me call; Robby will know my voice." And then she would cry out the beloved

little name in every tone of tenderness, till the very echo whispered it softly, and the winds seemed to waft it willingly; but still no answer came.

5. The sky was overcast now, and only brief glimpses of the moon were seen; heat-lightning darted out of the clouds now and then, and a faint far-off rumble as of thunder told that a summer storm was brewing.

"Oh, my Robby! my Robby!" mourned poor Mrs. Jo, wandering up and down like a pale ghost, while Dan kept beside her like a faithful firefly. "What shall I say to Nan's father if she comes to harm? Why did I ever trust my darling so far away? Fritz, do you hear anything?" And when a mournful "No" came back, she wrung her hands so despairingly that Dan sprung down from Toby's back, tied the bridle to the bars, and said in his decided way:

"They may have gone down to the spring-I'm going to look."

6. He was over the wall and away so fast she could hardly follow him; but when she reached the spot, he lowered the lantern and showed her with joy the marks of little feet in the soft ground about the spring. She fell on her knees to examine the tracks, and then sprung up eagerly, saying: "Yes, that is the mark of Robby's little boots! Come this way, they must have gone on."

7. Such a weary search! But now some inexplicable instinct seemed to lead the anxious mother,

for presently Dan uttered a cry, and caught up a little shining object lying in the path.

It was the cover of the new tin pail, dropped in the first alarm of being lost. Mrs. Jo hugged and kissed it as if it were a living thing; and when Dan was about to utter a glad shout to bring the others to the spot, she stopped him, saying, as she hurried on, "No, let me find them; I let Rob go, and I want to bring him back to his father myself."

8. A little farther on Nan's hat appeared, and after passing the place more than once, they came at last upon the babes in the wood, both fast asleep. Dan never forgot the little picture on which the light of his lantern shone that night. He thought Mrs. Jo would cry out, but she only whispered, "Hush!" as she softly lifted away the apron, and saw the little ruddy face below. The berry-stained lips were half open as the breath came and went, the yellow hair lay damp on the hot forehead, and both the chubby hands held fast the pail, still full.

9. The sight of the childish harvest, treasured through all the troubles of that night for her, seemed to touch Mrs. Jo to the heart, for suddenly she gathered up her boy, and began to cry over him, so tenderly, yet so heartily, that he woke up and at first seemed bewildered. Then he remembered, and hugged her close, saying, with a laugh of triumph:

"I knew you'd come! O Marmar! I did want