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To him who a hole or a palace in habits,

To all sorts of beings, to men and to rabbits,
Ah! dear to us all is sweet Liberty,

Especially, Mary, to you and to me.

So I hope you'll forgive me for sending this letter,
To tell you I'm safe, and feel so much better,
Cut all sorts of capers, and act very silly,

And am your devoted affectionate

aim pain

finger

cradle

linger

tickle

BILLY.

through snatch

THE BABY'S COMPLAINT.

Now, I suppose you think, because you never see me do anything but feed and sleep, that I have a very nice time of it. Let me tell you that you are in a great mistake.

How should you like every morning to have your nose wash'd up, instead of down? How should you like to have a pin put through your dress into your skin; then to have to bear it all day till your clothes were taken off at night? How should you like to have a great fly light on your nose, and not know how to take aim at him, with your little, fat, useless fingers?

How should you like to be left alone in the room to take a nap, and have a great pussy jump into your cradle, and sit staring at you with her great green eyes, till you were all of a tremble? How should you like to tire yourself out, crawling away across the carpet, to pick up a pretty button or pin, and have it snatch'd away as soon as you begin to enjoy it? I tell you it is enough to spoil any baby's temper.

How should you like to have your toes tickled

by all the little children who must see the baby's feet?

How should you like to have a dreadful pain in your side, and have every body call you "a little cross thing" when you could not tell what was the matter with you? How should you like to crawl to the top stair, just to look about a little, and tumble heels over head from the top to the bottom? Oh, I can tell you it is no joke to be a baby!*

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His mother soon ran

To her dear little man,

Holding out to him both of her hands;

And now on the ground,

All safe, and all sound,

By the side of his mother he stands.
"Never mind," said his mother,
And they kissed one another;

"Never mind, though you cut such a figure;
For Jemmie shall play

With the boys some day,

When he has grown older and bigger."

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We

I SET sail for India on the 7th day of June. had a fair passage until about half-way, when the wind began to blow so fiercely, that the captain could no longer manage the ship; so she floated about at the mercy of the storm. I need say little or nothing of our terror, or of the dis mal night we passed.

About day-break, some of the crew and a good many of the passengers got into the boats in the hope of reaching land. A few others, with myself and two children, waited to see what would become of the vessel.

We had a fearful time, for the ship broke in pieces, and we could do nothing but hold to the scatter'd bits of wood that lay floating round. As soon as the wind had gone down, I set to work, with the help of all those near me, and we made a pretty strong raft. This cheered us a little, and we found some wet bis cuit, and some small barrels of water and some of butter, which we lifted on to the raft. We felt very sad, for we were without hope of ever seeing land

again. In short, after a few days, little Alfred and his sister Julia, with myself, were the only living persons on the raft.

After tossing about on the sea for several days, I spied a blue line far off, which I fancied might be land; and so it proved to be.

The land grew clearer, and we seemed drawing closer to it every hour. When we reached it, we care fully drew the frail raft along, until it came to a smooth place between two large dark rocks, and thus we safely set our feet on land, We had glad and thankful hearts, though our new abode was a bare stony place. I then, with the help of the children, carried on shore all the biscuit and the barrels that were left.

We slept that night in a cave among the rocks. The next day we went out after break fast to look for birds' eggs, or for the turtles which sometimes are found on the shore. We brought home several; and after a good dinner I gave the children some work to do. This was to un twist the larger pieces of cord from the raft, which I thought might be of use for fishing with. Leaving my little ones busy and happy, I looked round for a fit place to build a hut upon.

I fixed at last, upon a flat piece of land, which seemed shelter'd from the sea air; so I drove in some rough stakes, which I cut from pieces of the raft, as a beginning of the work. This went on quickly, and, as my fishing answered well, we did not fear for food or for shelter. I brought more wood to my hut, and wove between the stakes the long grass which grew in plenty on the island. Julia soon became very clever in helping me, while Alfred chased birds and turtles, or cut down as many branches as he could with his pocket knife.

One day, Alfred and Julia, as they wander'd through a little wood, came to a hollow tree, which was almost

full of wild honey. Our baskets of grass were brought to the place, and all the sweet treasure that did not run through, was carried to our hut. It was then placed in a hollow stone which I had fixed in the floor as a kind of basin You will wonder how we managed to keep our clothes as we did. To save our dress, I made for the children and myself large thick a prons of the island grass, plaited very finely, and then sewn together.

Of fish we had many kinds, and all good; besides some wild fruits, and some roots, which, when cooked, tasted well. I believe we all felt very thankful for the abundance of good food which seemed sent us here on so lonely an island. Wild goats were often to be seen among the mountains. Sometimes we caught one or two. We tamed some of them, so that we had quite a little farm-yard, and plenty of milk to drink. Besides eating the flesh of those we killed, their skin was most useful to us in many ways; especially for warm caps, gloves, and mats.

Alfred, his sister, and I, were standing together one evening on the rocky shore. Julia was feeding her pet kid, when I caught sight of something like a vessel. I called Alfred, and we all began to make a large fire, which those in the vessel saw, and accordingly they came straight towards us. I need not say any more, except that I shall feel, I hope all the rest of my life, the gratitude I owe to God for our protection during our stay of five years in that lonely island.

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