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Currant bushes, black and red,
Are not bad, when all is said;
Tiny spiders here abound,

Have at them and waltz around.

Fly my love, come fly chi, chi!
To yon bloss'ming cherry tree,
Flit about, search here and there,
Groups of greenflies everywhere.

Whoop, like clowns we'll tumble, ho!
Through the flakes of cherry snow,
Show'ring petals o'er the clay,
All to welcome in the May.

Now we'll snatch a moment's rest
Just to dream about our nest;-
Yes, this year there's lots of food,
We must rear a record brood.

Through the Springtide, bright and gay,
All day long, we work and play,
Winter's over, Summer's near,
God is good, we've nought to fear.

Come my dearest dearie, O,

Round the garden we shall go,

'Tis the Springtime, heigh, high, ho,

Chir-up, chir-up, cheery O!

E. O'L.

BIRD LYRICS

I. THE SPARROW'S HYMN.

"Pause where apart the fallen sparrow lies,
And lightly tread;

For there the pity of a Father's eyes
Enshrines the dead."-T. B. Tabb.

Give us this day our daily bread :

The Father hears and grants our prayer,
He feeds the quick, He guards the dead,
And thus e'en sparrows prove
His care.

In hedgerow, field, or beaten track
What glee is ours, and fearless mind!
For well we know we shall nought lack
Beneath the wings of One so kind.

II.--A BLACK PIPER.

Who sings so early,

Who pipes so rarely

At peep of day,

Thrilling the dew-drop
Upon the spray?

Ha! merle, my brother

Thou, and no other,

Couldst pipe so gay:

Cease, ere for ever

With that keen lay

My heart thou stealest,

Bright ebon fay.

MICHAEL J. WATSON, S.J.

A SILVER SHRINE

By CONSTANCE E. BISHOP,

Author of

"The Seventh Wave and other Soul Stories."

CHAPTER XI.

What a comfort it was to be once more in the good graces of master, missus, and little Juli: to be once more on friendly terms with my fellow-servants. A new cook-matey appeared upon the scene, a lad whom Father Adrian highly recommended. The youth was a Catholic named Joseph, whountil quite recently-had been a heathen, same as myself. I made a companion of the boy, and we had frequent interesting talks together upon the hill-side beneath the Casuarina trees; yet I never confided in him about the locket which I now wore fearlessly, though hidden, of course, beneath my jacket. Daily I prayed to my dear imprisoned Friend for light and guidance: begging that I might some day understand a little of those solemn and sacred mysteries Joseph spoke about with an awed reticence when I besought him to do so. He was a devout boy, and his reserve greatly and favourably impressed me.

Yet, although this was a happy time, trouble stirred within me. I fully realised that, as I had purloined my treasure, I had no right to keep it; and yet I could not bear the thought of giving it to another. Whenever I saw Father Adrian who was a frequent visitor at our bungalow-I suffered for then my Friend would seem to plead with me, begging me to give Him to the holy man. I could almost feel Him beating upon the metal case which held Him captive imploring to be let out. I imagined that my Prisoner felt like a caged bird, and longed to be set free. Perhaps His destiny was at yet unfulfilled; maybe He longed to be

at work, and fretted because His labour of love was rendered impossible by His captivity. Alas! how covetous and obdurate I was.

Then, again, I often wondered whether Father Adrian guessed my secret; knew by some strange insight that I kept one of his holy mysteries about me. Sometimes I would catch his piercing blue eyes fixed upon me as though he suspected something, and longed to probe and penetrate the hidden depths of my troubled heart. How often I shrank and quailed beneath the subtle torture of his calm, enquiring

gaze.

Once or twice he spoke about Joseph, and asked me whether I would not like to come to the catechumen's class. I could only shake my head and grin a shy refusal. Dearly as I should have liked to come, I was too sorely afraid to do so.

Alas-poor ignorant, ungrateful child-had I but known it, I did but lose my Friend in keeping Him; for had I but confessed all and given the locket to the good monk, I should indeed have gained Him. Had I only understood things better, I should have realized that I was infinitely separated from the Beloved, although He reposed upon my bosom. I thought I possessed my Treasure: it was in truth far, far beyond my reach.

One morning ayah called:

"Come along Krishna and amuse missie! Our lady is very sick, and I must stop with her; and stay a moment chokra-tell peon to run quick for Dr. Marjoribanks: mistress is greatly fevered, and master is afraid."

I did as I was bidden; then went upstairs to have a game with little Juli. She was upon the wide, upstair, balcony, with her toys: I was surprised to see her statue of the Sacred Heart among her dolls and bears. Seeing me glance at it, she said:

“Ayah gave it me. I was a naughty girl this morning, but I promised to try and be very good again if only the Sacred Heart would come and help me. Look here, chokra, we'll stand It on this chair: that separates it from ordinary toys, and, up there, it can see me better. Now come along and build me a bungalow for Master Teddy Bear."

Presently the physician arrived. He told ayah that mistress was only feverish-not really ill: she could get up if she liked; rest in the lounge upon the verandah and watch us children at our play.

When she appeared we had built a brick house between us. It amused her to see it, but I thought she looked very, very ill. Poor little missus; she was never really strong: something or other generally ailed her.

Ayah sat cross-legged on the matting beside her lady's chair, and sewed. The tatties were down, for the day was hot, but every now and again a fragrant breeze was wafted across us from the flowering trees outside. The Casuarinas sighed I loved their plaintive aërial melody. A crowd of crows chattered angrily in a big jack-tree: their cries worried the mistress:

"Oh; what a dreadful clamour!" she exclaimed, "why are they so noisy, ayah?"

"One stole a chicken to-day," replied the woman, "Martin was plenty angry! However he caught the robber; corded its claws and tied it to a post. Its friends are sympathizing with the rogue: hence the big row, ma'am. They will thus learn not to steal."

Our lady smiled.

"Martin is a clever man," said she.

"A very cunning man," agreed ayah, and gave a contemptuous, half-angry sniff.

"His sagacity seems to put you out," went on missus. "I am sure you have a story to relate: tell it me at once. My head aches; my eyes are so weary that I cannot read. I will close them, and you shall talk quietly and fan me."

The servant laid down her embroidery, and, taking up a wide palm fan, gently stirred the atmosphere with a soothing, quiet action.

66

Ma'am," she said, "some years ago I had charge of little Harry Jackson whose mother died. Dr. Jackson commissioned me to take the child home to England. I did so, spent six months there, and managed to save forty rupees: the remainder of my pay I sent to Martin, who had stayed behind in Gobilamal with Dr. Jackson. When I rejoined him there, he asked me what cash I had stored by. I told

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