"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 entered, they saw Two arms mangled, shapeless, outstretched from the straw,

"You did it-dear Ruby-God bless you!" he said. And the boy, gladly smiling, sank back-and was dead.

THE CHRISTIAN MAIDEN AND THE LION. "GIVE the Christians to the lions !" was the sav age Roman's cry,

And the vestal virgins added their voices shrill and high;

And the Cæsar gave the order, "Loose the lions from their den!

For Rome must have a spectacle worthy of gods and men!"

Forth to the broad arena a little band was led, But words forbear to utter how the sinless blood was shed.

No sigh the victims proffered, but now and then a prayer

From lips of age and lips of youth rose upward on the air;

And the savage Cæsar muttered, "By Hercules, I

swear,

Braver than gladiators these dogs of Christians are."

Then a lictor bending slavishly, saluting with his

axe,

Said, "Mighty Imperator! the sport one feature

lacks:

'We have an Afric lion, savage, and great of limb, Fasting since yester-eve; is the Grecian maid for him ?"

The Emperor assented. With a frantic roar and bound

The monster, bursting from his den, gazed terribly around.

And toward him moved a maiden, slowly, but yet

serene;

"By Venus!" cried the Emperor, "she walketh like a queen."

Unconscious of the myriad eyes she crossed the blood-soaked sand,

Till face to face the maid and beast in opposition stand;

The daughter of Athene, in white arrayed, and

fair,

Gazed on the monster's lowered brow, and breathed

a silent

prayer.

Then forth she drew a crucifix and held it high in

air.

Lo, and behold! a miracle! the lion's fury fled, And at the Christian maiden's feet he laid his lordly head;

While as she fearlessly caressed, he slowly rose, and then,

With one soft, backward look at her, retreated to his den.

One shout rose from the multitude, tossed like a stormy sea:

"The Gods have so decreed it; let the Grecian maid go free!"

Within the catacombs that night a saint with snowy hair

Folded upon his aged breast his daughter young and fair;

And the gathered brethren lift a chant of praise and prayer;

From the monster of the desert, from the heathen fierce and wild,

God has restored to love and life his sinless, trust

ing child.

Francis A. Durivage.

THE PRIEST'S LEAP.

THE priest is out upon the hill before the dawn of day;

Through shadows deep, o'er rugged ground, he treads his painful way;

A peasant's homely garb he wears, that none but friendly eyes

May know who dares to walk abroad, beneath that rough disguise.

Inside his coat and near his heart lies what he treasures most,

For there a tiny silver shrine contains the Sacred Host.

Adoring as he goes, he seeks a cabin low and rude, To nourish there a fainting soul with God's appointed food.

For so it is, within that land whose brave and faithful race

In other days made all the isle a bright and holy place:

Its temples are in ruins now; its altars overthrown; Its hermits' cells in cliff and cave are tenantless and lone.

The ancient race are broken down, their power

passed away,

Poor helots, plundered and despised, they tread the soil to-day;

But yet, though fallen their fortunes be, through

want, and woe, and ill,

Close hid, and fondly loved, they keep their priests amongst them still.

Their faithful priests, who, though by law con demned, denounced, and banned,

Will not forsake their suffering flocks, or quit their stricken land.

The morning brightens as he goes, the little hut is

near,

When runs a peasant to his side, and speaks into

his ear:

"Fly, Father, fly! the spies are out; they've watched you on your way,

They've brought the soldiers on your track to seize you or to slay.

Quick, Father, dear! here stands your horse; no whip or spur he'll need;

Mount you at once upon his speed.

his back and put him to

"And there, what course you'd better take; 'tis God alone that knows.

Before you spreads a stormy sea; behind you come your foes;

But mount at once and dash away; take chance for field or flood,

And God may raise His hands to-day to foil the men of blood."