Ah! where is the sweet-pretty head
That do nod till he's gone out o' sight?
And where be the white arms a-spread

To show him he's welcome at night?
Dine alone! pine alone! whine alone!
Oh, what a life!

I'll have a friend in a wife.

And when, from a meeting o' mirth,
Each husband do lead home his bride,
Then he do slink home to his hearth,
With his arm hanging down his cold side.
Slinking on! blinking on! thinking on!
Gloomy and glum !

Nothing but dulness to come.

And when he do unlock his door,
Do rumble as hollow's a drum;
And the fairies, a-hid round the floor,
Do grin for to see him so glum.

Keep alone! sleep alone! weep alone!
There let him bide:

I'll have a wife at my side.

But when he's a-laid on his bed
In a sickness, oh! what will he do

For the hands that would lift up his head,
And shake up his pillow anew?

Ills to come! pills to come! bills to come!
No soul to share

The trials the poor wretch must bear.

William Barnes.

JENNY KISSED ME.

ENNY kissed me when we met,

JENNY

Jumping from the chair she sat in :

Time, you thief, who love to get

Sweets into your list, put that in! Say I'm weary; say I'm sad;

Say that health and wealth have missed me; Say I'm growing old; but add,

Jenny kissed me!

vi.

THE AGAT E.

HEALTH AND LONG LIFE.

The agate on the wearer strength bestows;
With ruddy health his fresh complexion glows;
Both eloquence and grace are by it given;
He gains the favor both of earth and heaven.

THE AGATE.

BE

art fair.

appear

came up

A LOVER'S PICTURE.

EHOLD, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou Thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks. Thy hair is as a flock of goats that from Mount Gilead. Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely. Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks. Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armory, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

The Scriptures.

WIFE AND CHILDREN.

HE that hath a wife and children hath given

hostages to fortune.

Lord Bacon.