MY HEID IS LIKE

TO REND, WILLIE.

MY

Y heid is like to rend, Willie-
My heart is like to break;
I'm wearin' aff my feet, Willie-
I'm dyin' for your sake!

O, lay your cheek to mine, Willie,
Your hand on my briest-bane,-
O, say ye'll think on me, Willie,
When I am deid and gane!

It's vain to comfort me, Willie-
Sair grief maun ha'e its will;
But let me rest upon your briest
To sab and greet my fill.
Let me sit on your knee, Willie-
Let me shed by your hair,
And look into the face, Willie,
I never sall see mair!

I'm sittin' on your knee, Willie,
For the last time in my life,—
A puir heart-broken thing, Willie,
A mither, yet nae wife.
Ay, press your hand upon my heart,

And press it mair and mair,——
Or it will burst the silken twine,
Sae strang is its despair.

O, wae's me for the hour, Willie,
When we thegither met,—
O, wae's me for the time, Willie,
That our first tryst was set!

O, wae's me for the loanin' green
Where we were wont to gae,-
And wae's me for the destinie

That gart me luve thee sae!

O, dinna mind my words, Willie—
I downa seek to blame;

But O, it's hard to live, Willie,
And dree a warld's shame!

Het tears are hailin' ower your cheek,
And hailin' ower your chin;
Why weep ye sae for worthlessness,
For sorrow, and for sin ?

I'm weary o' this warld, Willie,
And sick wi' a' I see;

I canna live as I ha’e lived,
Or be as I should be.

But fauld unto your heart, Willie,
The heart that still is thine,—

And kiss ance mair the white, white cheek Ye said was red langsyne.

A stoun' gaes through my heid, Willie— A sair stoun' through my heart;

O, haud me up and let me kiss

Thy brow ere we twa pairt. Anither, and anither yet!

How fast my life-strings break!Fareweel! fareweel! through yon kirkyard Step lichtly for my sake!

The lav'rock in the lift, Willie,
That lilts far ower our heid,

Will sing the morn as merrilie
Abune the clay-cauld deid;
And this green turf we're sittin' on,
Wi' dew-draps shimmerin' sheen,
Will hap the heart that luvit thee

As warld has seldom seen.

But (), remember me, Willie,

On land where'er ye be

And O, think on the leal, leal heart,
That ne'er luvit ane but thee!

And O, think on the cauld, cauld mools

That file my yellow hair,

That kiss the cheek and kiss the chin
Ye never sall kiss mair!

Mrs. Caroline Anne Southey.

THE MARINER'S HYMN.

LAUNCH thy bark, mariner!

Christian, God speed thee!
Let loose the rudder-bands-
Good angels lead thee!
Set thy sails warily,

Tempests will come;
Steer thy course steadily,
Christian, steer home!

Look to the weather-bow,
Breakers are round thee;

Let fall the plummet now,
Shallows may ground thee.
Reef in the foresail there!

Hold the helm fast!
So-let the vessel wear-
There swept the blast.

"What of the night, watchman? What of the night ?" "Cloudy-all quiet—

No land yet-all's right!"
Be wakeful, be vigilant―
Danger may be

At an hour when all seemeth
Securest to thee.

How! gains the leak so fast?
Clear out the hold-
Hoist up thy merchandise,
Heave out thy gold ;-
There—let the ingots go—

Now the ship rights;
Hurra! the harbour's near—
Lo, the red lights!

Slacken not sail yet
At inlet or island;
Straight for the beacon steer,
Straight for the highland;

Crowd all thy canvas on,
Cut through the foam—
Christian

cast anchor now—
Heaven is thy home!

THE PAUPER'S DEATH-BED

TREAD softly-bow the head—

In reverent silence bow

No passing bell doth toll-
Yet an immortal soul
Is passing now.

Stranger! however great,

With lowly reverence bow; There's one in that poor shedOne by that paltry bedGreater than thou.

Beneath that beggar's roof,

Lo! Death does keep his state;
Enter-no crowds attend-

Enter- -no guards defend
This palace gate.

That pavement, damp and cold,
No smiling courtiers tread;
One silent woman stands,
Lifting with meagre hands
A dying head.

No mingling voices sound-
An infant wail alone;
A sob suppressed—again
That short, deep gap, and then
The parting groan.

O change!-O wondrous change!Burst are the prison bars