Ah, well to come with her autumn flowers, A tribute for the brave Who died to make our Erie Lake "We've met the enemy and they're ours!" MY GARDEN PLOT. The Master came to his garden 66 I come for your fairest flowers," And I turned to my little plot I knew there was no fair flower With trembling footsteps I wandered I searched with most eager eyes, but Weary, and troubled, and heart-sick, To and fro, through the garden paths, Joyfully bearing bright treasures Cheerily echoed the voices, Happy and gay; Bright were the beautiful faces, And all but myself were laden All but my empty hands carried Roses, and lilies, and violets, Fragrant and sweet To lay them with joy at The Master's feet. And I-I had nothing to bring; yet Not a single flower had I My love to show. Though to make my garden bloom Every plant that my hands had touched Still nearer the Master came, up Oh! would he turn sadly away Should I see on his lovely face Even hear the reproachful words, I stooped and gathered the rosebud, So colorless, withered, and pale- He stood at my side and waited; Holding my dull, hapless flower, "Master," I whispered, then quickly Master, dear Master!" I could but Never one word of my many Even the whisper died on my lips, He took from my hand my rosebud, Lifting my head I gazed at him, Tender and strong was my Master's As he drew me close to his heart My resting place. "Come unto me," he said. Sore needeth rest." "My child Then laid my poor wilted flower And lo, at his touch it brightened, And lay on his heart the loveliest SPOOPENDYKE'S BURGLARS. "Say, my dear," ejaculated Mr. Spoopendyke, sitting bolt upright in bed with a sudden jerk; "say, my dear, wake up! I hear burglars in the house." "Who? what burglar?" demanded Mrs. Spoopendyke, as she popped up beside her husband. "Who's in the house?" "Hush! Quiet, will ye? I don't know which burglar, but I hear some one moving around." "Oh, my! What shall we do?" inquired Mrs. Spoopendyke. Let's cover up our heads." "Why don't you get up and light the gas?" propounded Mr. Spoopendyke in a hoarse whisper. "S'pose you can see who it is in the dark? Strike a light, can't ye? If you had your way we'd both be murdered in bed. Going to light up before we're killed?" "I'm afraid," whispered Mrs. Spoopendyke, sticking one foot out of bed and hauling it in as if she had caught a fish with it. "Going to sit there like a shot-tower and have our throats cut?" interrogated Mr. Spoopendyke. "How'm I going to find a burglar without a light. Find a match and light that gas now, quick!" Mrs. Spoopendyke crawled out of bed and hunted around for a skirt. "What's the matter with you? Can't you find a match? Why don't you move?" hissed Mr. Spoopendyke. "I am, as fast as I can," replied his wife, her teeth chatter. ing. "I'm looking for a pin." "Oh! you're moving like a railroad, ain't ye? I never saw anything fly like you do. All you want is to be done up in TTTTT white and blue papers to be a sedlitz powder. What d'ye want of a pin? Going to stick a pin in the burglar? Why don't you light that gas?" Mrs. Spoopendyke broke half a dozen matches, and finally got a light. "That's something like it," continued Mr. Spoopendyke. "Now hand me my pantaloons." "You won't go down where they are, will you?" anxiously inquired Mrs. Spoopendyke, handing over the garment. Mr. Spoopendyke vouchsafed no reply, but donned the habiliments. "Now, you open the door," said he, "and go to the head of the stairs and ask who's there, while I find my stick. Hurry up, or they'll get away." Suppose they are there. What'll I do then?" "Tell 'em I'm coming. Go ask 'em, will ye? What's the matter with you?" Mrs. Spoopendyke opened the door about an inch, squealed "Who's there?" slammed the door again, and popped into bed. "What ails ye?" demanded her husband. "What d'ye think you are, anyway-a conical shot? Get up, can't ye, and look out. Where's my big stick? What have you done with it? Sent it to school, haven't ye? Go out and ask who's there, will ye, before they come up and slaughter us." Once more Mrs. Spoopendyke approached the door and tremulously demanded what was going on. There was no response, to her incalculable relief, and she went to the head of the stairs. "See anybody," whispered Mr. Spoopendyke, looking over her shoulder. "Who's there?" squealed Mrs. Spoopendyke. away, because my husband is here." "Go right "Oh, you've done it!" exclaimed Mr. Spoopendyke, as he hauled her back into the room. "Now, how d'ye s'pose I'm going to catch 'em? What do you want to scare 'em away for? What'd you say anything about me for? Think this is a nominating convention? What made you leave the house open? Come on down with me, and I'll show you how to lock up." Down they went, and a careful scrutiny demonstrated that everything was fast. "I don't believe there was anybody there," said Mrs. Spoopendyke, as they returned to their chamber. "It wasn't your fault," retorted Mr. Spoopendyke. “If you'd got up when I told you and kept your mouth shut, we'd have got 'em." "But you said for me "Didn't say anything of the sort!" dyke; "never mentioned your name. killed, the way you went to work." howled Mr. Spoopen We might have been "I think we'd caught them if they'd been there," said Mrs. Spoopendyke, taking down her hair and proceeding to put it up again. "You'd caught 'em," sneered Mr. Spoopendyke. "Another time a burglar gets into the house you stay abed, and don't you wake me up again. I won't have any cowardly, fussy woman routing me out this time of night, ye hear!" "Yes, dear," and Mrs. Spoopendyke wound her hand in the collar of her liege lord's shirt and went to sleep, secure in his protection. FATHER JOHN.--PELEG ARKWRIGHT. He warn't no long-faced man o' prayer, And causin' molls to swear immense. He didn't snivel worth a cent, Nor gush to any great extent, Amongst the drabs and owls and worse- |