The little birds-how fond they play;
Do not disturb their sport;

But let them warble forth their songs,
Till winter cuts them short.

Don't kill the birds—the happy birds,
That cheer the field and grove;
Such harmless things to look upon,
They claim our warmest love.

When

WHEN FATHER COMES HOME.

my father comes home in the evening from work,

Then I will get up on his knee,

And tell him how many nice lessons I learn, And show him how good I can be.

He shall hear what number I know how to count,

I'll tell him what words I can spell;

And if I can learn something new every day, I hope soon to read very well.

I'll repeat to him all the good verses I know, And tell him how kind we must be,

That we never must hurt little creatures at all; And he will be glad, and love me.

I'll tell him we always must try to please God,

And never be cruel nor rude,

For God is the Father of all living things,
He cares for and blesses the good.

When little Samuel woke,

And heard his Maker's voice,

At every word He spoke,

How much did he rejoice.

O blessed, happy child, to find
The God of heaven so near and kind.

If God would speak to me,
And say he was my friend,
How happy I should be,

Oh how should I attend.

The smallest sin I then should fear,
If God Almighty were so near.

And does he never speak?
O yes; for in his word

He bids me come and seek
The God that Samuel heard.
In almost every page I see,
The God of Samuel calls to me.

THE POOR FAMILY.

I saw an old cottage of clay,
And only of mud was the floor,
'T was all falling into decay,
And snow drifted in at the door.
Yet there a poo family dwelt

In a cottage so dismal and rude; And though keenest hunger they felt, They'd scarcely a morsel of food. The children were crying for bread, And to their poor mother would run"O give us some breakfast," they said; Alas, their poor mother had none.

O then let the wealthy and gay
But see such a hovel as this;
And in a poor cottage of clay,
Learn what real misery is.
The little that I have to spare,
I never will squander away,
While thousands of people there are
As poor and as wretched as they. Taylor.

MARY'S LITTLE LAMB.

Mary had a little lamb,

Its fleece was white as snow;
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school one day— That was against the rule;

It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.

So the teacher turned him out,
But still he lingered near,
And waited patiently about,
Till Mary did appear.

Then he ran to her, and laid
His head upon her arm,
As if he said, I'm not afraid,
You'll keep me from all harm.

"What makes the lamb love Mary so?" The eager children cry.

"O, Mary loves the lamb, you know," The teacher did reply.

And you each gentle animal

In confidence may bind,

And make them follow at your will,

If you are only kind.

Songs for Children.