3.  “Come, John,” said I,
   “We’ll choose among them as they lie
   Asleep;” so, walking hand in hand,
   Dear John and I surveyed our band. 
   First to the cradle light we stepped,
   Where Lilian the baby slept,
   A glory ’gainst the pillow white. 
   Softly the father stooped to lay
   His rough hand down in loving way,
   When dream or whisper made her stir,
   And huskily he said:  “Not her!”

4.  We stooped beside the trundle-bed,
   And one long ray of lamplight shed
   Athwart the boyish faces there,
   In sleep so pitiful and fair;
   I saw on Jamie’s rough, red cheek,
   A tear undried.  Ere John could speak,
   “He’s but a baby, too,” said I,
   And kissed him as we hurried by.

5.  Pale, patient Robbie’s angel face
   Still in his sleep bore suffering’s trace: 
   “No, for a thousand crowns, not him,”
   He whispered, while our eyes were dim.

6.  Poor Dick! bad Dick! our wayward son,
   Turbulent, reckless, idle one—­
   Could he be spared?  “Nay, He who gave,
   Bade us befriend him to the grave;
   Only a mother’s heart can be
   Patient enough for such as he;
   And so,” said John, “I would not dare
   To send him from her bedside prayer.”

7.  Then stole we softly up above
   And knelt by Mary, child of love. 
   “Perhaps for her ’t would better be,”
   I said to John.  Quite silently
   He lifted up a curl that lay
   Across her cheek in willful way,
   And shook his head.  “Nay, love, not thee,”
   The while my heart beat audibly.

8.  Only one more, our eldest lad,
   Trusty and truthful, good and glad
   So like his father.  “No, John, no—­
   I can not, will not let him go.”

9.  And so we wrote in courteous way,
   We could not drive one child away. 
   And afterward, toil lighter seemed,
   Thinking of that of which we dreamed;
   Happy, in truth, that not one face
   We missed from its accustomed place;
   Thankful to work for all the seven,
   Trusting the rest to One in heaven!

Definitions.—­2.  Aye, always, 3.  Sur-veyed’, took a view of. 5.  Crown, an English silver coin worth about $1.20. 6.  Way-ward, willful.  Tur’bu-lent, disposed to disorder. 9.  Cour’te-ous, polite.  Ac-cus’tomed, usual.

LXIII.  THE PET FAWN. (172)

1.  A pretty little fawn had been brought in from the woods, when very young, and nursed and petted by a lady in the village until it had become as tame as possible.  It was graceful, as those little creatures always are, and so gentle and playful that it became a great favorite, following the different members of the family about, being caressed by the neighbors, and welcome everywhere.

2.  One morning, after playing about as usual until weary, it lay down in the sunshine, at the feet of one of its friends, upon the steps of a store.  There came along a countryman, who for several years had been a hunter by pursuit, and who still kept several hounds, one of which was now with him.