XXIII. I cannot tell liow this may be, But plain it is, tħe thorn is bound With heavy tufts of moss, that strive To drag it to the ground. And this I know, full many a time, When she was on the mountain high, By day, and in the silent night, When all the stars shone clear and bright, That I have heard her cry, “Oh misery! oh misery! " O woe is.me ! oh misery!"

WE ARE SEVEN.

A simple child, dear brother Jim,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,.
What should it know of death?

I met a little cottage girl,
She was eight years old, she said ;
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That cluster'd round her head.

She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad;
Her eyes were fair, and very fair,
-Her beauty made me glad.

“ Sisters and brothers, little maid, ' “How many may you be ?" “ How many seven in all,” she said, And wondering looked at me.

“ And where are they, I pray you tell ?" She answered, “ Seven are we, “ And two of us at Conway dwell, “ And two are gone to sea.

"Two of us in the church-yard lie,
“ My sister and my brother,
'" And in the church-yard cottage, I
“ Dwell near them with my mother.”

“ You say that two at Conway dwell,
" And two are gone to sea,
" Yet you are seven ; I pray you tell
"Sweet Maid, how this may be ?"

Then did the little Maid reply,
“Seven boys and girls are we ;
“ Two of us in the church-yard lie,
“ Beneath the church-yard tree."

“You run about, my little maid,
“ Your limbs they are alive ;
“ If two are in the church-yard laid,
“ Then ye are only five."

“Their graves are green, they may be seen,"

The little Maid replied, “ Twelve steps or more from my mother's door, “ And they are side by side.

“My stockings there I often knit,
“ My ’kerchief there I hem;
" And there upon the ground I sit
“ I sit and sing to them.

“And often after sunset, Sir;
“ When it is light and fair,
"I take my little porringer,
“And eat my supper there.

“ The first, that died was little Jane ;
“ In bed she moaning lay,
“ Till God released her of her pain,
“ And then she went away.

“ So in the church-yard she was laid,
“ And all the summer dry,
“ Together round her grave we played,
“ My brother John and I.

“And when the ground was white with snow, “And I could run and slide, “My brother John was forced to go, " And he lies by her side."