From what did it separate his province? From his country. Was that country a desert? No; it was cultivated and fertile, rich and populous! Its sons were men of genius, spirit, and generosity! Its daughters were lovely, susceptible, and chaste! Friendship was its inhabitant! Love was its inhabitant! Domestic affection was its inhabitant! Liberty was its inhabitant! All bounded by the stream of the Rubicon! What was Cæsar, that stood upon the brink of that stream? A traitor, bringing war and pestilence into the heart of that country! No wonder that he paused,-no wonder if, his imagination wrought upon by his conscience, he had beheld blood instead of water, and heard groans. instead of murmurs! No wonder if some gorgon horror had turned him into stone upon the spot! But, no! he cried, "The die is cast!" He plunged he crossed! and Rome was free no more! J. Sheridan Knowles. "THE HEATHEN CHINEE'S" REPLY.* Which my name is Ah Sin; I don't want to call names, But I must, to begin, Say of this T. James: That I am convinced he is rather Well up in the sinfullest games. Yes, Ah Sin is my name, You will find, if you try, That its meaning is something Celestial, And how is Celestial for High? And about that small game I did not understand, So I made it my aim, With a smile that was bland, To keep my small eyes at their keenest *See "The Heathen Chinee," in No. 3, page 159. And the way that he dealt, "Mr. Ah Sin, from China, Because your smile is so child-like, But no slouch is Al Sin, And from the word" Go!" I did play for to win, And Nye-rather so ; And I played the new game as I learned him, Which showed level head, don't you know? On my nails there was wax, I was 'prenticed on shoes, And the wax that was found on my fingers And the packs up my sleeve, My oath I will take, Were not there to deceive, But got there by mistake; I bought them for Ah Sin, the younger, In my pockets they were When I sat down that day; But what with the stir And excitement of play, They worked up my sleeve from my pocket, And strange it was, too, I must say. Was it right in Bill Nye When the trump knave I led, To blacken my eye, And on me put a head" Had I known James held the right bower I'd have played something else in its stead But I don't play no more, For my lot now is cast On a euchreless shore, So I "stick" to my "last," And my smile, at North Adams, is pensive At my heathenish days that are past. MY WELCOME BEYOND. WHO will greet me first in heaven, Severed the last tender tie, And I know how sweet, how solemn, As my barque glides o'er the waters In the distance brightly gleam- From all blight and sorrow free, Who adown its golden portals First will haste to welcome me? Ah, whose eyes will watch my coming That shall teach me Heavenly lore? Who will greet me first in Heaven? Of that home beyond the skies; Myriads of that world of light? -- No, not these, for they have never Allie Wellington. KEEPING HIS WORD. "ONLY a penny a box," he said; "Oh, sir!" he stammered, "you cannot know" Hungry and cold at our garret-pane, And he hasn't a crumb of breakfast yet. "One penny, and then I can buy the bread !" "I promised our mother before she went- The gentleman paused at his open door, But he fumbled his purse in the twilight drear, "Oh, sir, if you'll only take the pack The gentleman lolled in his cozy chair, "And now it is nine by the clock,” he said, "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.' 30* Just then came a message-"A boy at the door, "- Half breathless, bewildered, and ragged and strange; "Mike's hurt, sir; 'twas dark; the snow made him blind, "Yet nothing would do him, sir-nothing would do When the garret they hastily entered, they saw THE SEVENTH PLAGUE OF EGYPT. 'Twas morn-the rising splendor rolled A dazzling ring round Pharaoh's throne. There came a man-the human tide Shrank backward from his stately stride: A shudder of instinctive fear Told the dark king what step was near; |