Over him many a dark face bent,
And through it all he was well content--
Well content as a soldier should
Who had fought his fight and the foe withstood.
Slowly these stern beleaguered men
Nursed him back to his strength again,
Till one fair day his glad eyes saw
A sight that filled him with pride and awe,
For there, as he looked on the stronghold down,
The flag was hoisted over the town,
And none in that host felt a sweeter joy
Than "Apples Finkey," the water-boy.
--JOHN JEROME ROONEY, in New York Sun.
Down at the pond in zero weather,
To have a fine skate
the girls and boys gather.
Even the Baby thinks it a treat,
But somehow cannot stay upon his feet.
Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
Stole a pig and away he run!
The pig was eat,
And Tom was beat,
And Tom went roaring down the street.
THE SOLDIER'S REPRIEVE.
"I thought, Mr. Allen, when I gave my Bennie to his country, that
not a father in all this broad land made so precious a gift--no,
not one. The dear boy only slept a minute, just one little
minute at his post; I know that was all, for Bennie never dozed
over a duty. How prompt and reliable he was! I know he only
fell asleep one little second--he was so young and not strong,
that boy of mine. Why, he was as tall as I, and only eighteen!
And now they shoot him because he was found asleep when doing
sentinel duty. "Twenty-four hours,' the telegram said, only
twenty-fours hours.
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