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"You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,

Yet ye are seven !-I pray you tell,
Sweet maid, how this may be?

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"Their graves are green, they may be seen," The little maid replied;

"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door, And they are side by side.

"My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them.

"And often after sunset, sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,

And eat my supper there.

"The first that died was little Jane;
In bed she moaning lay.
Till God released her of her pain;
And then she went away.

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So in the church-yard she was laid;

And when the grass was dry,

Together round her grave we played
My brother John and I.

'And when the ground was white with snow,

And I could run and slide,

My brother John was forced to go,

And he lies by her side."

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"But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'Twas throwing words away: for still
The little maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven!"

VII.

1798.

ANECDOTE FOR FATHERS.

I HAVE a boy of five years old;
His face is fair and fresh to see:
His limbs are cast in beauty's mould,
And dearly he loves me.

One morn we strolled on our dry walk,
Our quiet home all full in view,

And held such intermitted talk
As we are wont to do.

My thoughts on former pleasures ran;
I thought of Kilve's delightful shore,
Our pleasant home when spring began,
A long, long year before.

A day it was when I could bear
Some fond regrets to entertain
With so much happiness to spare,
I could not feel a pain.

The green earth echoed to the feet

Of lambs that bounded through the glade, From shade to sunshine, and as fleet From sunshine back to shade.

Birds warbled round me- and each trace
Of inward sadness had its charm;
Kilve, thought I, was a favoured place,
And so is Liswyn farm.

My boy beside me tripped, so slim
And graceful in his rustic dress!
And as we talked, I questioned him
In very idleness.

"Now, tell me, had you rather be," I said, and took him by the arm, "On Kilve's smooth shore, by the green sea Or here at Liswyn farm?'

In careless mood he looked at me,

While still I held him by the arm, And said," At Kilve I'd rather be Than here at Liswyn farm."

"Now, little Edward, say why so: My little Edward, tell me why? "'— "I cannot tell, I do not know.".

“Why, this is strange,” said I;

"For here are woods, hills smooth and warm;
There surely must some reason be
Why you would change sweet Liswyn farm
For Kilve by the green sea."

At this my boy hung down his head,

He blushed with shame, nor made reply; And three times to the child I said, “Why, Edward, tell me why?”

His head he raised-there was in sight,
It caught his eye, he saw it plain,—
Upon the house-top, glittering bright,
A broad and gilded vane.

Then did the boy his tongue unlock;
And thus to me he made reply:
"At Kilve there was no weathercock;
And that's the reason why."

O dearest, dearest boy! my heart

For better lore would seldom yearn, Could I but teach the hundredth part Of what from thee I learn.

VIII.

LUCY GRAY;

OR, SOLITUDE.

OFT I had heard of Lucy Gray:
And when I crossed the wild,
I chanced to see at break of day
The solitary child.

No mate, no comrade, Lucy knew;
She dwelt on a wide moor,

-The sweetest thing that ever grew
Beside a human door!

You yet may spy the fawn at play
The hare upon the green;
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
Will never more be seen.

"To-night will be a stormy night—
You to the town must go;
And take a lantern, child, to light
Your mother through the snow."

"That, father! will I gladly do: 'Tis scarcely afternoonThe minster-clock has just struck two And yonder is the moon."

At this the father raised his hook
And snapped a faggot band;
He plied his work ;-and Lucy took
The lantern in her hand.

Not blither is the mountain roe:
With many a wanton stroke
Her feet disperse the powdery snow,
That rises up like smoke.

The storm came on before its time:
She wandered up and down:
And many a hill did Lucy climb;
But never reached the town.

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