ANNIE AND WILLIE'S PRAYER.

From the box full o' candy to the tiny gold ring.
Indeed, he kept adding so much to his store
That the various presents outnumbered a score.
Then homeward he turned with his holiday load,
And with Aunt Mary's help in the nursery 'twas stowed;
Miss Dolly was seated beneath a pine tree,

By the side of a table spread out for her tea;
A work-box well filled in the center was laid,
And on it the ring for which Annie had prayed;
A soldier in uniform stood by a sled,

With bright, shining runners, and all painted red.
There were balls, dogs and horses, all pleasing to see,
And birds of all colors were perched in the trees,
While Santa Claus laughing, stood up in the top,
As if getting ready more presents to drop.
And as the good father the picture surveyed
He thought for his trouble he had amply been paid.
And he said to himself, as he brushed off a tear;
"I'm happier to-night than I've been for a year.
I've enjoyed more true pleasure than ever before;
What care I if bank stock falls ten per cent. more?
Hereafter I'll make it a rule, I believe,

To have Santa Claus visit us each Christmas eve."
So thinking, he softly extinguished the light,
And tripped down stairs to retire for the night.

As soon as the beams of the bright morning sun
Put the darkness to flight, and the stars one by one,
Four little blue eyes out of sleep opened wide,
And at the same moment the presents espied.
Then out of their beds they sprang with a bound,
And the very gifts prayed for were all of them found.
They laughed and they cried in their innocent glee,

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And shouted for papa to come quick and see What presents old Santa Claus brought in the nightJust the things that they wanted-and left before light, And now added Annie, in a voice soft and low; "You'll believe there's a Santa Claus, papa, I know". While dear little Willie climbed up on his knee, Determined no secret between them should be, And told in soft whispers how Annie had said That their dear, blessed mamma, so long ago dead, Used to kneel down and pray by the side of her chair, And that God up in Heaven had answered her prayer. "Then we dot up and prayed dest as well as we tood, And Dod answered our prayers-now wasn't He dood?" "I should say that He was if He sent you all these, And knew just what presents my children would please, (Well, well, let him think so-the dear little elf, "Twould be cruel to tell him I did it myself.")

Blind father, who caused your stern heart to relent,
And the hasty words spoken so soon to repent?
'Twas the Being who bade you steal softly up stairs,
And made you His agent to answer their prayers.

WITH THE STREAM.

RIFTING along the river, all gleaming

With sun-jewels, that sparkled and played on its breast,

Down thro' the golden-cupped lillies, and dream

ing

Of love, as they floated on into the West;

On past the banks, where the tall grasses, waving
Kist the cool stream as they bended them low;
No sound to be heard in the deep stillness, saving
The water's monotonous, musical flow;

Past where the swan mid the sedges was sleeping,
Her head 'neath her feathers, unruffled and white,
And where thro' the brushwood the rabbit was peeping,
As if make to sure there was no one in sight;

Past where the deep blue forget-me-nots flooded

The space where they bloomed with a heavenly glow, Where daffodils stoopt from the banks which they studded,

Reflecting themselves in the water below.

Unconscious the two in the boat as it drifted

Of everything round them, and silent was each; For the youth, as he gazed in the sweet eyes uplifted, Discoursed in a language unfettered by speech!