Every night before I sleep,

When I kneel to say my prayer,

I ask my heavenly Father,

Of my brother to take care.

WALKING SONG.

COME, my children, come away,
For the sun shines bright to-day;
Little children, come with me,
Birds, and brooks, and posies see;
Get your hats and come away,
For it is a pleasant day.

See the lambkins sport and play,
On the meadows fresh and gay;
See the kitten full of fun,
Frisking in the shining sun;
Children too may run and play,

For it is a pleasant day.

Bring the hoop and bring the ball,

Come with happy faces all,

Let us make a merry ring,

Talk, and laugh, and dance, and sing;

Quickly, quickly come away,

For it is a pleasant day.

FAITHFUL ANNIE,

“WHY do you sit in the dull house, Annie?
See what a parcel of flowers I've found:
Columbines, violets, snowdrops, quakers,
And cowslips that grow in the meadow-ground.
The boys are flying their kites, or playing,
As merry as crickets, at bat-and-ball;
The girls are playing at 'jars of honey;'
But you, you are moping away from all.”

“I must stay here in the house,” said Annie,
"Till mother comes back from her work to-night;
Your voices sound through this open window,
And I see from here the skies are bright.
I wish that I were out playing with you,
I wish I were one of the 'honey jars.'
I wish; but I might as well be wishing
To play some game with the moon and stars.

"For here, in the bed, poor Jennie lies moaning,
And no friend or kin in the world has she;
So mother says, 'our Father in heaven'
Has given the care of poor Jennie to me.
All day, dear mother is out at washing,
To earn our rent and clothes and food;
So I can't go play at 'jars of honey,'
Or find sweet flowers, or hide in the wood."-

"Come! your mother is a mile from the village,
And no one will tell her," said Lizzie May;
"And as to Jane, she never will miss you,
If you take but an hour from this tedious day."

Though I very often feel tempted," said Annie, "I cast the wrong thoughts away from my mind; And, Lizzie, I could not deceive my mother, For neither pleasure nor peace should I find. "I have often thought of running, Lizzie, And have put on my bonnet and tied the string; Of running up the hill by the river,

Like a bird that flies with feathery wing;
But then I thought poor Jenny might suffer
For a cup of water while I was gone,
Or would ask about the time or weather,
And, getting no answer, would feel forlorn.
"And often when I'm tired, and longing
To steal away to the beautiful wood,
I think how glad it will make the Saviour
To see me sitting here patient and good.
I think were He to enter this chamber,
As he enter'd the house of Galilee,

How I should wish Him to smile with pleasure,
And say,
'Well done, faithful child!' unto me.'
And there she sat in the soft, spring weather,
Prison'd from treading the freshening earth :
Only ten years had the seasons number'd

Since the good watching angel recorded her birth,
Not as the rich grow to care and to pleasure,
She grows but to labour, hard to endure;

But Christ, who lovingly bless'd little children,
Blesses them still, both rich and poor.

INVITATION TO A ROBIN.

LITTLE bird with bosom red,
Welcome to my humble shed!
Daily near my table steal,
While I pick my scanty meal;
Doubt not, little though there be,
But I'll cast a crumb to thee,
Well rewarded if I spy
Pleasure in thy glancing eye,
See thee, when thou'st ate thy fill,
Plume thy breast, and wipe thy bill.
Come, my feather'd friend, again,
Well thou know'st the broken pane,
Ask of me thy daily store,
Ever welcome to my door.

IN the barn the tenant cock,
Close to Partlet perch'd on high,
Briskly crows, (the shepherd's clock !)
Jocund that the morning's nigh,

Swiftly from the mountain's brow,
Shadows, nursed by night, retire;
And the peeping sunbeam now

Paints with gold the village spire.