Why, husband, are you deaf? Go to the door: See who it is, I beg."

Our poor friend John

Trudged quickly on,

But first placed at the door an egg.

I will not, all his journey through,
The discontented traveler pursue;
Suffice it here to say,

That when his first day's task was nearly done,
He'd seen a hundred husbands, minus one,

And eggs just ninety-nine had given away.

"Ha! there's the house where he I seek must dwell; And now," cried John, "I'll go and ring the bell."

The servant came; John asked him, "Pray,

Friend, is your master in the way?"

"No," said the man, with smiling phiz,
"My master isn't, but my mis'ess is;
Walk in that parlor, sir: my lady's in it;
Master himself will be there in a minute."
The lady said her husband then was dressing,
And if his business was not very pressing,
She would prefer that he should wait until
His toilet was completed;

Adding, "Pray, sir, be seated."

"Madam, I will,"

Said John, with great politeness; "but I own

That you alone

Can tell me all I wish to know;

Will you do so?

Pardon my rudeness

And just have the goodness

To tell me-do

Who governs in this house, your spouse or you?”

"Sir," said the lady, with a doubting nod,

"Your question's very odd;

But as I think none ought to be

Ashamed to own fidelity,

On that account I scruple not to say

It always is my pleasure to obey.

But here's my husband (always sad without me);

Take not my word, but ask him, if you doubt me."

"Sir," said the husband, “"Tis most true;

I promise you,

Said John, "and as the case is something more than

common,

Allow me to present you with a beast

Worth fifty guineas at the very least.

"There's Similis, sir, a beauty, you must own;
There's Prince, that handsome black;

Ball, the gray mare, and Saladin, the roan,
Besides old Dun;

Come, sir, choose one,

But take advice from me,

Let Prince be he;

Why, sir, you'll look the hero on his back."

"I'll take the black, and thank you, too!"
"Nay, husband, that will never do;
You know you've heard me say
How much I long to have a gray;
And this one will exactly do for me.”
"No, no!" said he;

"Friend, take the four others back,
And only leave the black."
"Nay, husband, I declare

I must have the gray mare

Adding (with gentle force),

"

"The gray mare is, I'm sure, the better horse."

"Well, if it must be so, good sir,

The gray horse we prefer;

So we accept your gift." John made a feg;

"Allow me to present you with an egg;

"Tis my last egg remaining,

The cause of my regaining,

I trust, the fond affection of my wife,

Whom I will love the better all my life."

SCANDAL-MARY E. C. JOHNSON.

A woman to the holy father went;
Confession of her sin was her intent;
And so her misdemeanors, great and small,
She faithfully rehearsed them one and all;

And, chiefest in her catalogue of sin,
She owned that she a tale-bearer had been,
And bore a bit of scandal up and down
To all the long-tongued gossips in the town.
The holy father, for her other sin,
Granted the absolution asked of him;
But while for all the rest he pardon gave,
He told her this offence was very grave.
And that to do fit penance she must go
Out by the wayside where the thistles grow,
And gathering the largest, ripest one,
Scatter its seeds, and that when this was done,
She must come back again another day
To tell him his commands she did obey.
The woman, thinking this was penance light,
Hastened to do his will that very night,
Feeling right glad she had escaped so well.
Next day but one she went the priest to tell;
The priest sat still and heard her story through,
Then said, "There's something still for you to do;
Those little thistle-seeds which you have sown,
I bid you go re-gather every one."

The woman said: "But, father, 'twould be vain
To try to gather up those seeds again;
The winds have scattered them both far and wide,
Over the meadowed vale and mountain-side."
The father answered, "Now I hope from this
The lesson I have taught you will not miss;
You cannot gather back the scattered seeds,
Which far and wide will grow to noxious weeds,
Nor can the mischief once by scandal sown
By any penance be again undone."

THE REASON WHY.

A Boston master said, one day:

Boys, tell me if you can, I pray,

Why Washington's birthday should shine

In to-day's history, more than mine?"

At once such stillness in the hall
You might have heard a feather fall;
Exclaims a boy not three feet high,
"Because he never told a lie!"

ELSIE'S CHILD.*-JULIA C. R. DORR.

A LEGEND OF SWITZERLAND.

I.

"Come and sit beside me, Elsie-put your little wheel awayHave you quite forgotten, darling wife, this is our wedding

day?"

Elsie turned her bright face towards him, fairer now than when a bride;

But she did not cease her spinning while to Ulric she replied: "No, I have not quite forgotten; all day long my happy brain Has been living o'er the moments of that blessed day again. "I will come and sit beside you when the twilight shadows fall;

You shall sing me some old love-song, while the darkness covers all.

"But while the golden sunbeams linger in the vale and on

the hill,

Ask me not to bid the music of my merry wheel be still."

"If its humdrum notes are sweeter than thy husband's voice to thee,

Mind thy spinning, Madam Elsie;-do not come to sit with me!"

"Don't be angry with me, Ulric; see the sun is almost down, And its last red rays are gilding the far steeples of the town. "I will come to you directly, and will kiss that frown away; You must not be angry, Ulric, for this is our wedding day.” "If it were not, I should care not that you will not come to me;

But this evening, prithee, Elsie, let that tiresome spinning be!"

"Why, to-morrow is the fair-day, do you not remember, dear?

I must spin a little longer; 'tis the last skein I have here.

*On the wall are others hanging, very fine and soft are they, And for them old Father Maurice will his money gladly pay."

"You can buy a silken bodice, and a ribbon for your hair, Or a hooded crimson mantle, they will make you very fair! *By permission of Harper & Brothers.

"Or a necklace sparkling grandly, or a kerchief bright and

gay

Yonder Henri drives the cows home, I will join him on the

way."

"Oh, no, Ulric, do not leave me!" cried she, springing to his side,

"I have done my weary spinning, and the last knot I have tied.

"Come with me within the cottage, where our Hugo lies

asleep,

Fever saw you rest so placid as his slumber soft and deep.

"How the flaxen ringlets cluster round his forehead broad and white!

Saw you ever, dearest Ulric, half so beautiful a sight?

"Now if you will smile upon me, just as you were wont to do, While we sit here in the moonlight, I'll a secret tell to you.

"I shall buy no silken bodice, and no necklace grand and

gay;

I'm a wife and mother, darling, and I've put such things away.

"But a coat for little Hugo,—of bright scarlet it shall be, Trimmed with braid, and shining buttons, and the richest broidery.

"Lady Alice, at the castle, soon will give her birthday fête, And last night I chanced to meet her as I passed the west

ern gate.

"She was walking with her maidens, but she bent her stately head,

Kissed our little Hugo's forehead, as she sweetly smiled, and said:

Bring him to the castle, Elsie, lovelier boy was never seen; Bring him with you, on my fête-day, to the dance upon the green.'

"So to-morrow, dearest Ulric, you must surely go with me, And I'll buy, for little Hugo, just the prettiest coat I see!"

II.

There, my Hugo, you are ready; run out now before the door,

And I'll come to join my little one, in just five minutes more.