We foster love, and kindle strife,-
The bitter and the sweet of life;

Piercing and sharp, we wound like steel;
Now, smooth as oil, those wounds we heal.

Not strings of pearl are valued more,
Nor gems enchased1 in golden ore;
Yet thousands of us every day,
Worthless and vile, are thrown away.

Ye wise, secure with bars of brass
The double doors through which we pass;
For, once escaped, back to our cell
No human art can us compel.

* 45 *

THE LADY WEAVER.

A LADY weaveth at her loom,

Hour after hour,

With thread so very clear and fine,
The web is like a flower.

Sometimes the lace she weaveth
Sparkles with diamonds bright;

Sometimes 'tis covered over
With tiny pearls so white.

1 enchased, adorned with engraved work.

And though she weaves so tastefully,

She is a murderess too,

Who is the lady weaver?

Can you tell me, children, who?

* 46 *

PRETTY IS THAT PRETTY DOES.

THE spider wears a plain brown dress,
And she is a steady spinner;

To see her, quiet as a mouse,
Going about her silver house,
You would never, never, never guess
The way she gets her dinner.

She looks as if no thought of ill
In all her life had stirred her;

But while she moves with careful tread,
And while she spins her silken thread,
She is planning, planning, planning still
The way to do some murder.

My child who reads this simple lay,
With eyes down-dropt and tender,
Remember the old proverb says
That pretty is that pretty does,
And that worth does not go or stay
For poverty or splendor.

UNIV. OF

* 49 *

DUTY.

WHENE'ER you know a thing is right,
Go and do it with main 1 and might,
Nor let one murmur fall;

For duty makes as strong a claim
As if an angel called your name,
And all men heard the call.

Keep all the day, and every day,
Within the strait and narrow way,

And all your life, in fine;

2

Be temperate in your moods and meats,
And in your sours and in your sweets,
And, lastly, don't drink wine!

* 50 *

BY-AND-BY.

THERE is a little mischief-making
Elfin who is ever nigh,

3

Thwarting every undertaking;
And his name is By-and-By.

What we ought to do this minute
"Will be better done," he'll cry,
"If to-morrow we begin it:

"Put it off," says By-and-By.

1 main, strength. Main and might' are twin synonyms.
2 in fine, to sum up all. 3 elfin, a fairy. 4 thwarting, frustrating.

Those who heed the treacherous wooing 1

Will his faithless guidance rue; 2

What we always put off doing
Clearly we shall never do.

We shall reach what we endeavor,
If on Now we more rely;
But unto the realms of Never
Leads the pilot By-and-By.

* 51 *

THE HONEST BIRD.

ONCE on a time a little bird
Within a wicker cage was heard,
In mournful tones, these words to sing:
"In vain I stretch my useless wing;
Still round and round I vainly fly,
And strive in vain for liberty.
Dear Liberty, how sweet thou art!
The prisoner sings with breaking heart:
"All other things I'd give for thee,
Nor ask one joy but liberty."

He sang so sweet, a little mouse,
That often ran about the house,
Came to his cage. Her cunning ear
She turns, the mournful bird to hear.
Soon as he ceased, "Suppose," said she,
"I could contrive to set you free,

Would you those pretty wings give me?"

1 wooing, soliciting.

2

rue,

be sorry for. 8 realm, kingdom.

The cage was in the window seat;

The sky was blue, the air was sweet.
The bird in eagerness replied,

"Oh, yes! my wings, and see, beside,

These seeds and apples, and sugar too!All, pretty mouse, I'll give to you,

If you will only set me free;

For, oh! I pant for liberty."

The mouse soon gnawed a hole. The bird, In ecstasy, forgot his word;

Swift as an arrow, see, he flies,

Far up, far up, towards the skies;
But see! he stops, now he descends,
Towards the cage his course he bends.

"Kind mouse," said he, "behold me now Returned to keep my foolish vow.

I only longed for freedom then,

Nor thought to want my wings again.
Better with life itself to part
Than living have a faithless heart:
Do with me, therefore, as you will,
An honest bird I will be still."

His heart seemed full, no more he said; He drooped his wing, and hung his head. The mouse, though very pert and smart, Had yet a very tender heart.

She minced a little, turned about,

Then thus her sentiments spoke out: