Which veils her charms and droops her head,
And shrines her in her leafy bed.

Fair flower! what bloom so true as thee
Can personate young modesty?—
One blossom more I dare entwine,
Among that garland bright of thine.
Hide thou within that leaf-veiled spot,
The peerless flower-" Forget me not!"
The lovely bud, I pray thee, take,
And prize it for the donor's sake.
Kindly then accept from me,

This flowery wreath I weave for thee

Thine the roses, red and pale;

Thine the lily of the vale;

Their leaves for thee the laurels twine

And that last, sweetest bud is thine!

HENRIETTA.

A NEW YEAR'S DAY SONG.

By Mrs. Fletcher.

THERE is wintry cold and snow
At home, on mount or lea;
With us, 'tis summer's glow,

As we sweep the Indian sea.
Last year, around some hearth,
Where now this place is filled,
Sat each, partaking mirth
That now to him is stilled.

The blazing Christmas fire

Is but a name of cheer, As from foe or demon dire

Should we shrink if it were here:

And robes defying cold,

Are but treasures in the north;

From the muslin's snowy fold
We languidly look forth.

Our Sun too fiercely bright,

When westward sink his rays,

How start we with delight!

How bless each breeze that plays!

Aye, every gusty air,

Though brined by spray and billow,

Is wooed, as never were

Sweet winds from rose and willow.

* G

Closed doors, and shutters fast,
The joys of winter eve,

They are numbered with the past;
Or, when the heart would weave
Some fond memorial spell,

(For some beloved one nigh,) Of all that distant dwell--

Are remembered with a sigh!

Do they think of us to day?
Amid their new year glee;
Will old wishes find their way
To their wanderers o'er the sea?
They know not where we are---
With the near ones do we share?---
Do they drink "The dear and far,"
With a fond and silent prayer?.--

They do! Our own, our own,
Where'er their homes may be ;
And their hearts are not alone,

We pledge them from the sea!
"Health, health, and double love
Wherever love we owe "---
Alas! none answer, but above

The clouds--the waves, below

AN EXTRAORDINARY LADY.

The principal building between those occupied by the troops and the city of Meerut, is the residence of the Begum Sumroo, a most celebrated and extraordinary lady. She is, I believe, eighty years of age, and in possession of more acuteness of intellect and readiness of action, than any woman ever enjoyed. She was in her youth a celebrated beauty, and a dancing girl at Patna, where she captivated a Swiss adventurer in the native service, whose name has been corrupted into Sumroo. She has been the principal actress in many a strange scene, and on more occasions than one has placed herself at the head of her troops, to lead them into action. Many of the stories told of her are so terrible, that I hope they may be, if not quite false, very greatly exaggerated. She obtained so great an influence over her husband, that he swore he would never survive her, and if any accident should cause death, the moment it was reported to him should be his last, for he would instantly put an end to himself. She determined to take advantage of the oath her fascinations had drawn from him, and being anxious to get rid of him, drove him to commit suicide. In the course of a march that they were making together at the head of their army, her palanquin being some distance behind his, she

She

desired some of her people to surround her and burst into loud lamentations, while she directed others to rush in a frantic manner towards her husband, waving a bloody scarf, and cry out. "The Begum is dead! she has killed herself! The Begum is dead!” The unfortunate husband no sooner heard it than he put his rash vow into execution. When the Begum learnt that he had killed himself, she rose from her palanquin, and mounting on horseback, galloped up to her troops, and desired them to obey her, for Sumroo was no more! She is a very diminutive figure, and does not bear much of her commanding disposition in her outward appearance. mixes a great deal in the society of the Europeans, and is indeed a Christian. She has built a handsome church at Sirdhana, the capital of her territory, and keeps a Roman Catholic Priest, an Italian, in her household. I do not think his situation likely to be very agreeable; for I understand she has not long ago discharged his predecessor for presuming to censure some crime that she had committed. On occasions of ceremony she is always present, and is handed down to dinner or to supper by the highest officer of the party and if one might venture to caricature so august a procession, it would afford no bad subject. A woman of little more than four feet high, considerably bent by age, with a plain white muslin scarf about her shoulders, and a pair of silk trowsers, leaning on a most splendidly dressed figure, surrounded by his brilliant staff, would form as humorous a contrast as can he imagined.

: