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66 Seth, we'll have a little warm Santa Cruz," said the Green Mountain grocer, as he opened the stove door, and stuffed in as many sticks as the space would admit.

"Without it, you'd freeze going home such a night as this."

Seth felt very uncertain; he had the butter, and was exceedingly anxious to be off, but the temptation of "something warm" sadly interfered with his resolution

to go. This hesitation, however, was soon settled by the right owner of the butter taking Seth by the shoulders, and planting him in a seat close to the stove, where he was in such a manner cornered in by barrels and boxes that, while the country grocer sat before him, there was no possibility of his getting out, and right in this very place, sure enough, the storekeeper sat down.

Seth already felt the butter settling down closer to his hair, and he declared he must go.

"Not till you have something warm, Seth: come, I've got a story to tell you, Seth; sit down now;" and Seth was again pushed into his seat by his cunning

tormentor.

"Oh! it's too hot here," said the petty thief, again attempting to rise.

"I say, Seth, sit down; I reckon now, on such a night as this, a little something warm wouldn't hurt a fellow; come, sit down.

"Sit down-don't be in such a plaguey hurry," repeated the grocer, pushing him back in his chair.

"But I've got the cows to fodder, and some wood to split, and I must be a-goin," continued the persecuted chap.

"But you mustn't tear yourself away, Seth, in this manner. Sit down; let the cows take care of themselves, and keep yourself cool; you appear to be fidgetty," said the roguish grocer, with a wicked leer.

The next thing was the production of two smoking glasses of hot rum toddy, the very sight of which in

Seth's present situation would have made the hair erect upon his head, had it not been oiled and kept down by the butter.

66

"Seth, I'll give you a toast now, and you can butter it yourself," said the grocer, yet with an air of such consummate simplicity, that poor Seth still believed himself unsuspected. Seth, here's-here's a Christmas goose, well roasted and basted, eh? I tell you, Seth, it's the greatest eating in creation. And, Seth, don't you use hog's fat or common cooking butter to baste a goose with. Come, take your butter-I mean, Seth, take your toddy."

Poor Seth now began to smoke as well as to melt, and his mouth was as hermetically sealed up as though he had been born dumb. Streak after streak of the butter came pouring from under his hat, and his handkerchief was already soaked with greasy overflow. Talking away as if nothing was the matter, the grocer kept stuffing the wood into the stove, while poor Seth sat bolt upright, with his back against the counter, and his knees almost touching the red-hot furnace before him.

"Very cold night this," said the grocer; "why, Seth, you seem to perspire as if you were warm! Why don't you take your hat off? Here, let me put your hat away."

"No!" exclaimed poor Seth at last, with a spasmodic effort to get his tongue loose, and clapping both hands upon his hat, "No!-I must go-let me out-I aint well-let me go!" A greasy cataract was now pouring down the poor fellow's face and neck, and soaking into his clothes, and trickling down his body into his very boots, so that he was literally in a perfect bath of oil.

"Well, good-night, Seth," said the humorous Vermonter, "if you will go;" adding, as Seth got out into the road, "Neighbour, I reckon the fun I've had out of you is worth sixpence; so I shan't charge you for that half-pound of butter."

THE CHAMPION'S BANNER.

J. M. BRINDLEY.

THERE was joy in merry England, in the cottage, and the hall,

From where blue Teviot rippling flows to Dover's seagirt wall;

When the high-soul'd Prince William came, the champion of our cause,

To defend our pure religion, our liberties, and laws. There was joy when into Exeter the champion's army passed,

And banners from the housetops were floating in the

blast;

The gazers throng'd the windows, and garlands deck'd the street,

The bells peal'd from the steeples, and the war drums wildly beat;

Whilst trumpets blared defiance, to all who dar'd gainsay

The good Prince William's right to wear old England's crown that day.

As thro' the densely-crowded street a goodly sight to

see,

In glittering helms and corselets rode the hero's chi

valry :

How shouted each bold Briton, as freely, widely

spread,

The good Prince William's banner came towering over

head,

Thrill'd at the bright words glowing, in rich embroidery

there,

Shouts from ten thousand manly throats pealed upward thro' the air;

For in the champion's motto, the old land lives again, Her pure faith and her "liberties" he sweareth to "maintain."

Lo! where the hero rideth, with lofty look and high: No marvel, that for such a prince true men should bravely die.

See his old foeman Schomberg, in peace rides with him

now,

O'er many a well-fought field hath beam'd his laurelwreathed brow.

There Bentinck, Solmes, and Mackey came, like brothers hand in hand,

And fill'd the rear, in warrior pride, lamented Ossory's band.

Gone is that glorious pageant, the sight is seen no

more,

Save in the misty dreamland of the vanished days of

yore.

Gone are those noble heroes to their last and holy rest, Quenched is the fiery zeal which glowed in every patriot's breast.

Their battle blades and helmets are coated thick with

rust,

And the strong right hands that grasped those swords have crumbled into dust.

And that bright and holy banner, hath that too passed away?

Or on its glorious motto doth still the sunlight play,
In some lofty Gothic minster, where many banners

wave,

In grandeur, o'er the last long home of the mighty and the brave?

Hath mildew dimm'd the fiery words, once brightly blazon'd there?

Or hath oblivion's dull cold hand effaced the motto rare?

No! though the silk has perished, the words shall never

die,

Still shall true voices ring them, like a pæan to the

sky;

Whilst hearts shall glow and pulses beat, Oh! daughter of the main,

Thy laws, thy liberties, thy creed, we nobly will maintain :

And the good champion's motto, a legacy shall be

To us the brave free children of the Island of the

Sea;

And if ever foreign foemen assail our sea-girt strand, We'll shout the champion's motto thro' all our native land;

O'er crag and dell we'll send it forth, in all its pristine might;

And with stout heart and mighty voice cry "God Defend the Right!"

(By permission of the Author.)

THE LOST HUNTER.

ALFRED B. STREET.

[Mr. Alfred B. Street takes rank among the foremost poets of America; he describes forest scenes with remarkable fidelity and minuteness, while his skill in narration is considerable, rendering his verses peculiarly adapted for reading aloud.

Mr. Street was born in 1811, was brought up to the law, and is now a member of the American bar. He resides in Albany.]

NUMB'D by the piercing, freezing air,
And burden'd by his game,

The hunter, struggling with despair,
Dragg'd on his shivering frame;
The rifle he had shoulder'd late
Was trail'd along, a weary weight;
His pouch was void of food;
The hours were speeding in their flight,
And soon the long, keen, winter night
Would wrap the solitude.

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