you so!" For a moment they kissed and clung to one another, quite forgetting all the world; for, no matter how lost and soiled and worn-out wandering sons may be, mothers can forgive and forget everything as they fold them in their fostering arms. Happy the son whose faith in his mother remains unchanged, and who, through all his wanderings, has kept some filial token to repay her brave and tender love.

10. Dan meantime picked Nan out of the bush, and with a tenderness none but Teddy ever saw in him before, he soothed her first alarm at the sudden waking, and wiped away her tears; for Nan also began to cry for joy, it was so good to see a kind face and feel a strong arm round her after what seemed to her ages of loneliness and fear.

II. "My poor little girl, don't cry. You are all safe now, and no one shall say a word of blame tonight," said Mrs. Jo, taking Nan into her capacious embrace, and cuddling both children as a hen might gather her lost chickens under her motherly wings.

"It was my fault; but I am sorry. I tried to take care of him, and I covered him up and let him sleep, and didn't touch his berries, though I was so hungry; and I never will do it again—truly, never, never," sobbed Nan, quite lost in a sea of penitence and thankfulness.

"Call them now and let us go home," said Mrs. Jo; and Dan, getting upon the wall, sent the joyful word "Found!" ringing over the field.

12. How the wandering lights came dancing from all sides, and gathered round the little group among the sweet-fern bushes! Such a hugging and kissing and talking and crying as went on must have amazed the glow-worms, and evidently delighted the mosquitoes, for they hummed frantically, while the little moths came in flocks to the party, and the frogs croaked as if they could not express their satisfaction loudly enough.

Louisa M. Alcott.

BROTHERS QUARRELING.

1. Davie. "Father, settle Sandy!

2.

He's making mou's at me,
He's aye plague, plaguing,
And winna let me be;

And syne he looks so simple like
Whene'er he thinks he's seen,

But just as soon as you're out o' sight
He's making mou's again.

"Father, settle Sandy!

He's crying names to me,

He's aye tig, tigging,

And winna let me be;

But oh, sae sly he hauds his tongue

Whene'er he kens ye're near,

And says 't again below his breath,
That nane but me can hear."

3. Sandy. "Father, settle Davie!
It's him that winna gree,
He's aye jeer, jeering,

And lays the blame on me;
I daurna speak, I daurna look,
I daurna move a limb,

For if I give a wee bit laugh
He says I laugh at him."

4. Father. "Oh, learn to be loving and kindly

agree,

At home all as happy as brothers should

be,

Ere distance may part you, or death

may divide,

And leave you to sigh o'er a lonely fireside.

"The sweet look of kindness, the peacespeaking tongue,

So pleasant and lovely in old and in

young,

Will win the affection of all that you

see,

And make you still dearer to mother and me.

6. "But oh, if divided by distance or death,
How sore would it grieve you till life's latest
breath,

That anger or discord should ever have been,
Or aught but affection two brothers between."
Alexander Smart.

ANSWER TO A CHILD'S QUESTION.

Do you ask what the birds say? The sparrow, the dove,

The linnet and thrush say, "I love, and I love!"
In the winter they're silent, the wind is so strong;
What it says I don't know, but it sings a loud song.
But green leaves and blossoms, and sunny warm
weather,

And singing and loving, all come back together.
But the lark is so brimful of gladness and love,
The green fields below him, the blue sky above,
That he sings and he sings, and forever sings he,
"I love my Love, and my Love loves me."
S. T. Coleridge.

LITTLE BELL.

I. PIPED the blackbird on the beechwood

66

'Pretty maid, slow wandering this way,

What's your name?" quoth he

spray :

"What's your name? Oh, stop and straight

unfold,

Pretty maid, with showery curls of gold!"
"Little Bell," said she.

2. Little Bell sat down beneath the rocks, Tossed aside her gleaming golden locks: "Bonny bird," quoth she,

66

Sing me your best song before I go." "Here's the very finest song I know, Little Bell," said he.

3. And the blackbird piped; you never heard Half so gay a song from any bird;

Full of quips and wiles,

Now so round and rich, now soft and slow,
All for love of that sweet face below,

Dimpled o'er with smiles.

4. And the while the bonny bird did pour
His full heart out freely o'er and o'er,
'Neath the morning skies,

In the little childish heart below,

All the sweetness seemed to grow and
And shine forth in happy overflow

From the blue, bright eyes.

grow,

5. Down the dell she tripped, and through the

glade

Peeped the squirrel from the hazel shade,