went in their houses, an' the water came in, an' they went up stairs, an' the water came up there, an' they got on the tops of the houses, an' up in big trees, an' up in mountains, an' the water went after 'em everywhere an' drownded everybody, only just except Noah and the people in the ark. An' it rained forty days an' nights, an' then it stopped; an' Noah got out of the ark, an' he an' his little boys an' girls went wherever they wanted to, and every thing in the world was all theirs; there wasn't anybody to tell 'em to go home, nor no Kindergarten schools to go to, nor no bad boys to fight 'em, nor nothin'. Now tell us 'nother story."

KATIE LEE AND WILLIE GREY.
MISS JOSIE R. HUNT.

Two brown heads with tossing curls,
Red lips shutting over pearls.

Bare feet, white and wet with dew,
Two eyes black, and two eyes blue;
Little girl and boy were they,
Katie Lee and Willie Grey.

They were standing where a brook,
Bending like a shepherd's crook,
Flash'd its silver, and thick ranks
Of willow fringed its mossy banks;
Half in thought, and half in play,
Katie Lee and Willie Grey.

They had cheeks like cherries red;
He was taller, - 'most a head;
She, with arms like wreaths of snow,
Swung a basket to and fro

As she loiter'd, half in play,
Chattering to Willie Grey.

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Through the brownness of his cheek, -
Boys are strong and girls are weak,
And I'll carry, so I will,
Katie's basket up the hill.”

Katie answer'd with a laugh,
"You shall carry only half";
And then, tossing back her curls,
"Boys are weak as well as girls.”
Do you think that Katie guess'd
Half the wisdom she express'd?

Men are only boys grown tall; Hearts don't change much after all; And when, long years from that day, Katie Lee and Willie Grey

Stood again beside the brook, Bending like a shepherd's crook,—

Late and early at the sands,
Is a cottage, where to-day
Katie lives with Willie Grey.

In a porch she sits, and, lo!
Swings a basket to and fro, -
Vastly different from the one
That she swung in years agone;
This is long and deep and wide,
And has rockers at the side.

KEEPING HIS WORD.

"ONLY a penny a box," he said;
But the gentleman turn'd away his head,
As if he shrank from the squalid sight
Of the boy who stood in the failing light.

"O sir!" he stammer'd, "you cannot know,"
(And he brush'd from his matches the flakes of snow,
That the sudden tear might have chance to fall,)
“Or I think, — I think you would take them all.

Hungry and cold at our garret-pane,

Ruby will watch till I come again,

Bringing the loaf. The Sun has set,
And he hasn't a crumb of breakfast yet.

One penny, and then I can buy the bread!"
The gentleman stopp'd: "And you?" he said;
“I— I can put up with them,

But Ruby is only five years old.

hunger and cold,

I promised our mother before she went,
She knew I would do it, and died content,

I promised her, sir, through best, through worst,
I always would think of Ruby first."

The gentleman paused at his open door,
Such tales he had often heard before;

But he fumbled his purse in the twilight drear,
"I have nothing less than a shilling here."

"O sir! if you'll only take the pack

I'll bring you the change in a moment back;
Indeed you may trust me!" "Trust you?— no!
But here is the shilling; take it and go.”

The gentleman loll'd in his cozy chair,
And watch'd his cigar-wreath melt in air,
And smiled on his children, and rose to see
The baby asleep on its mother's knee.

"And now it is nine by the clock," he said,

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Time that my darlings were all a-bed;

Kiss me 'good-night,' and each be sure,

When you're saying your prayers, remember the poor."

Just then came a message, "A boy at the door,”

-

But ere it was utter'd he stood on the floor
Half-breathless, bewilder'd, and ragged and strange;
"I'm Ruby, -Mike's brother, -I've brought you the change
Mike's hurt, sir; 'twas dark; the snow made him blind,
And he didn't take notice the train was behind

Till he slipp'd on the track; and then it whizz'd by:
And he's home in the garret; I think he will die.

Yet nothing would do him, sir,—nothing would do,
But out through the snow I must hurry to you:
Of his hurt he was certain you wouldn't have heard,
And so you might think he had broken his word.”

When the garret they hastily enter'd, they saw
Two arms mangled, shapeless, outstretch'd from the straw.
You did it, dear Ruby, God bless you!" he said,
And the boy, gladly smiling, sank back, — and was
dead.

A LEAP FOR LIFE.

WALTER COLTON.

OLD IRONSIDES at anchor lay

In the harbour of Mahon;

A dead calm rested on the bay, –
The waves to sleep had gone;
When little Hal, the Captain's son,
A lad both brave and good,

In sport up shroud and rigging ran,
And on the main truck stood!

A shudder shot through every vein,
All eyes were turn'd on high!
There stood the boy, with dizzy brain,
Between the sea and sky;

No hold had he above, below;

Alone he stood in air:

To that far height none dared to go,
No aid could reach him there.

We gazed, but not a man could speak!
With horror all aghast;

In groups, with pallid brow and cheek,
We watch'd the quivering mast:
The atmosphere grew thick and hot,
And of a lurid hue;

As riveted unto the spot,

Stood officers and crew.

The father came on deck: he gasp'd, “O, God! thy will be done!" Then suddenly a rifle grasp'd,

And aim'd it at his son.

"Jump, far out, boy, into the wave!

Jump, or I fire,” he said,

"That only chance your life can save ;

Jump, jump!" The boy obey'd.