The bee, I dare say, has been long on the wing, To get honey from every flower of the spring; For the bee never idles, but labours all day,

And thinks (wise little insect!) work better than play.

The lark's singing gaily; it loves the bright sun, And rejoices that now the gay spring has begun ; For the spring is so cheerful, I think 'twould be wrong

If we did not feel happy to hear the lark's song.

Get up, for when all things are merry and glad
Good children should never be lazy and sad;
For God gives us daylight, dear sister, that we
May rejoice like the lark, and may work like the

bee.

LADY FLORA HASTINGS.

WHITHER are these people walking?

Dear mamma, I want to know;
Some are with each other talking,
Some alone and silent go:
Through the wood and down the hill,
Many more are coming still.

Hark, my dear, the bells are ringing,
'Tis to church the people turn;
Soon sweet psalms they will be singing,
Soon of Jesus' love they'll learn.

Each with bible in his hand,

Goes to pray at God's command.

When to God we join in praying,
Oh, my child, we'll pray for thee!
Oh! how kind was Christ in saying,
"Little children, come to me."
Will you come and be his own,
Give your heart to him alone?

MARY L. DUNCAN.

ROBIN REDBREAST'S NEST.

"OH! come, my dear mother; come, come to the tree;

There are three little eggs; see-one, two, and three!

See how nice they all lie in the little snug nest, And there, perch'd on a bush, is the little redbreast."

"Yes, my dear, that's the mother; you hear her sad cry;

She fears for her nest where her pretty eggs lie; So now come away, for you see she's distress'd; There, Robin, we'll leave you, now fly to your nest."

"Oh! how pretty t'will be to see the young brood And to watch their kind mother, who brings them their food!

And then, too, to see them just learning to fly; Oh mother! we'll watch them! Now, Robin, good

bye."

YOUTH'S FRIEND.

THE LITTLE BIRDS AND THE CRUEL BOYS.

A LITTLE bird built a warm nest in a tree,
And laid some blue eggs in it-one, two, and three,
And then very glad and delighted was she.

So after a while, but how long I can't tell,

The little ones crept, one by one, from the shell; And their mother was pleased, and she loved them well.

She spread her soft wings on them all the day long, To warm and to guard them, her love was so strong; And her mate sat beside her, and sung her a song.

One day the young birds were all crying for food,
So off flew the mother, away from her brood;
And up came some boys who were wicked and rude.

So they pull'd the warm nest down away from the tree;

And the little ones cried, but they could not get

free;

So at last they all died away-one, two, and three.

But when back again the poor mother did fly,
Oh, then she set up a most pitiful cry!

So she mourn'd a long time, and then lay down

to die!

HYMNS AND RHYMES.