harply spoke,
This big brother--
Then her tender heart nigh broke;
But the cruel pain that woke,
She would smother--
As a little woman can;--
Was he not almost a man?

But when trouble or disgrace
Smote the boy,
She would lift her gentle face--
Surely 'twas her own right place.
To bring joy?
For she loved him--loved him so!
Whether he was good or no

May be he will never feel
Half her love;
Wound her, and forget to heal:
Idle words are sharp as steel:
But above,
I know what the angels say
Of this silent little May.

DON'T BE AFRAID.

DON'T be afraid of the dark,
My daughter, dear as my soul!
You see but a part of the gloomy world,
But I--I have seen the whole,
And I know each step of the fearsome way,
Till the shadows brighten to open day.

Don't be afraid of pain,
My tender little child:
When its smart is worst there comes strength to bear,
And it seems as if angels smiled,--
As I smile, dear, when I hurt you now.
In binding up that wound on your brow.

Don't be afraid of grief,
'Twill come--as night follows day,
But the bleakest sky has tiny rifts
When the stars shine through--as to say
Wait, wait a little--till night is o'er
And beautiful day come back once more.

O child, be afraid of sin,
But have no other fear,
For God's in the dark, as well as the light;
And while we can feel Him near,
His hand that He gives, His love that He gave,
Lead safely, even to the dark of the grave.

GIRL AND BOY

ALFRED is gentle as a girl,
But Judith longs to be a boy!
Would cut off every pretty curl
With eager joy!

Hates to be called "my dear"--or kissed:
For dollies does not care one fig:
Goes, sticking hands up to the wrist
In jackets big.

Would like to do whate'er boy can;
Play cricket--even to go school:
It is so grand to be a man!
A girl's a fool!

But Alfred smiles superior love
On all these innocent vagaries.
He'd hate a goose! but y