—and here it is, come sudden on me like a shot!"

"The first of March!-why, my good fellow, you have a day to spare then,—the first of March will not be here till to-morrow. It is Leap Year, and February has twentynine days."

The soldier was thunder-struck. "Twentynine days is it?—You're sartin of that same! -Oh, Mother, Mother!-the Divil fly away wid yere ould Almanack—a base cratur of a book, to be deceaven one, afther living so long in the family of us !"

His first impulse was to cut a caper on the

roof of the coach, and throw his up

cap,

with a loud Hurrah!-His second, was to throw himself into the arms of his Kathleen, and the third, was to wring my hand off in acknowledgment.

for

"It's a happy man I am, your Honour,

my word's saved, all by your Honour's manes. Long life to your Honour for the same! May ye live a long hundred-and lape-years every one of them!

(52)

WE ARE SEVEN.

BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH.

A SIMPLE Child,

That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,

What should it know of death?

I met a little cottage Girl:

She was eight years old, she said; Her hair was thick with many a curl

That clustered round her head.

She had a rustic, woodland air,

And she was wildly clad :

Her eyes were fair, and very fair;
-Her beauty made me glad.

"Sisters and brothers, little Maid,

How many may you be?"

"How many? Seven in all," she said, And wondering looked at me.

"And where are they? I

pray you tell."

She answered, "Seven are we;

And two of us at Conway dwell,

And two are gone to sea.

"Two of us in the churchyard lie,
My sister and my brother;

And in the church-yard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother."

"You say that two at Conway dwell,

And two are gone to sea,

Yet ye are seven !--I pray you tell,

Sweet Maid, how this

may be."

Then did the little Maid reply,
"Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree."

"You run about, my little Maid, Your limbs they are alive;

If two are in the church-yard laid, ye are only five."

Then

Their graves are green, they may be seen," The little Maid replied,

"Twelve steps or more from mother's

door,

And they are side by side.

"My stockings there I often knit,

My kerchief there I hem ;

And there upon the ground I sit,

And sing a song to them.