half, as we sail to the east where it brightens,
On waves of the gale.

White, dimpled, and winning,
The fairy sits spinning,
From her hair, floating fair, coils of cable beginning,
Her shallop to tether
In stress of bleak weather,
While the boatman and I, wrapped in ermine together,
Drift on through the sky.

Stay! the boat is upsetting!
My fairy, forgetting
Her coil and her toil, to escape from a wetting
Has now the one notion:
Below boils the ocean!
I scream,--I am heard,--up, in arrowy motion,
I'm borne by a bird,--

A gray eagle!--over
The seas flies the rover;
And I ride as his guide, a new world to discover.
He bears me on, steady,
Through whirlwind and eddy;
I cling to his neck, and he ever is ready
To pause at my beck.

White doves through the ether
Come flocking together.
How they crowd to me, proud if I smooth one soft feather!
O what is the matter?
They startle,--they scatter!
On the wet window-pane hear my eagle's claws clatter!--
The snow's turned to rain!

Tears, why will you glitter?
My sisters they titter,
And there from her chair mother calls, "What a knitter!"
My ball pussy twitches,--
I've dropped twenty stitches,--
My needles all rust,--they will earn me no riches;
Alas if they must!

_Lucy Larcom._

THE BABY OF THE REGIMENT.

[Illustration]

We were in our winter camp on Port Royal Island, South Carolina. It was
a lovely November morning, soft and spring-like; the mocking-birds were
singing, and the cotton-fields still white with fleecy pods. Morning
drill was over, the men were cleaning their guns and singing very
happily; the officers were in their tents, reading still more happily
their letters just arrived from home. Suddenly I heard a knock at my
tent-door, and the latch clicked. It was the only latch in camp, and I
was very proud of it, and the officers always clicked it as loudly as
possible, in order to gratify my feelings. The door opened, and the
Quartermaster thrust in the most beaming face I ever saw.

"Colonel," said he, "there are great news for the regiment. My wife and
baby are coming by the next steamer!"

"Baby!" said I