and filled with the choicest exotics. Little did the noble lady imagine what our history had been. And yet little Mary is as well off as she is; for Mary possesses the gift of a happy spirit, that has obediently bowed to her Father's Will, and she labours cheerfully and humbly at her dainty work in the lowly latticed room, always feeling and showing forth in her life-" Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight."

And so she is content to forego the beauty and pleasure of the world, and dwell in a darkened existence, knowing that when her eyes are unclosed to see at last, it will be the new land she will gaze upon the new heaven and new earth-where there shall be no more tears, and where the earthly film shall be taken for ever from the eyes of the blind. And so she waits patiently for her last mortal sleep!

81

THE TRUE STORY OF "THE FROG THAT WENT A-WOOING."

In the golden days of "once upon a time," that delightful period of history when fairies came to the christenings of little princes and princesses, when birds spoke in human language, and pearls and diamonds were as plentiful as eggs, the events happened that I am going to narrate.

The little island of Bogswamp was situated at the confluence of the rivers Glide and Flowaway, and consisted mainly of a great marsh. There were no pleasant and luxuriant elms and oaks; nor were there any sunny green banks studded with flowers. Its chief productions were willows and rushes, which throve well in the damp soil. It was inhabited by numerous birds. The water-hen built her nest in the sedges, and

G

reared her thriving brood. There also might be found plenty of cray-fish, burrowing like rabbits in the holes made by the water rats.

The chief denizens, however, of Bogswamp were frogs, a large colony being peacefully and comfortably located there, making the evening air resound with their croaking conversation. Among the most distinguished members of this family was one large frog, who had long arrived at the age of maturity. He prided himself not a little on his rank and family, and laid claim to being descended from the "Grénouille" family of France. And he most of all gloried

in his own personal strength and beauty.

"No one," he thought, in a quiet croak to himself, "no one has such an elegant speckled back as I have, such lustrous eyes, much handsomer than those of the stupid old toad that people make such a fuss about! And then look at my strength, my grace, my agility! Dear me! no one can leap and spring as I do. And as for my voice, it is music itself! Only compare it to the wretched pipe of the silly birds

that come here. I have often thought it is a great pity that talents so highly gifted as mine, added to such charms of personal appearance, should be wasted and buried in this dull corner. I should like to see a little more of the world, I must confess, and not remain buried in a bushel like this."

He was murmuring in this way to himself, when all of a sudden, as he turned round the corner of a bulrush, he came upon a wonderful sight. Drawn up in a little creek close to the shore, lay a graceful gilded boat, in shape like a cockle, with elegant fluted and curved sides, all carved and painted most superbly. A light awning of rose-coloured velvet, supported on silver-wrought pillars, and fringed with rich lace, guarded one end of the vessel from the sun. Four snowy swans, linked together by chains of carved pink coral, were attached to the little boat, although they now lay motionless on the water, in obedience to the silken reins which a beautiful page, clad in green and silver, held tightly. On a throne of delicately-carved ivory

reclined a beautiful lady! So lovely was she, that our friend Speckleback quite winked his peculiarly strong eyes to look at her! And well he might do so, for her robes seemed as if woven of the glistening dew-drops that sparkle with a thousand hues the tender blades of grass among at early dawn. At every movement, however slight, each fold of her shining dress gleamed and glittered, while a flowing scarf, woven of the lovely purple cloud we see when the setting. sun goes down, encircled her slender waist.

She made a graceful bow to the Frog, who returned it with a hop and twirl on one leg, in a posture he had always considered an eminently graceful invention of his own.

"My lord!" said the fair creature, "I have chanced to overhear your soliloquy while on my way home to my river palace. Charmed with the varied graces of your person and mind, I am anxious to make your further acquaintance. I suppose I must introduce myself to you as the Fairy Queen Regnant of these realms."

Speckleback bowed to his very toes at this