We often stand facing some danger, and seen to take root to the place;

So I stood with this demon before me, its heated breath scorching my face;

Its headlight made day of the darkness, and glared like the eyes of some witch,-

The train was almost upon me before I remembered the switch.

I sprang to it, seizing it wildly, the train dashing fast down the track;

The switch resisted my efforts, some devil seemed holding it back;

On, on came the fiery-eyed monster, and shot by my face like a flash;

I swooned to the earth the next moment, and knew nothing after the crash.

How long I lay there unconscious 'twas impossible for me t tell;

My stupor was almost a heaven, my waking almost a hell,-For I then heard the piteous moaning and shrieking of hus. bands and wives,

And I thought of the day we all shrink from, when I must account for their lives;

Mothers rushed by me like maniacs, their eyes glaring madly and wild;

Fathers, losing their courage, gave way to their grief like & child;

Children searching for parents, I noticed, as by me they sped, And lips, that could form naught but "Mamma," were calling for one perhaps dead.

My mind was made up in a moment, the river should hide

me away,

When, under the still burning rafters I suddenly noticed there lay

A little white hand: she who owned it was doubtless an object of love

To one whom her loss would drive frantic, tho' she guarded him now from above;

I tenderly lifted the rafters and quietly laid them one side; How little she thought of her journey when she left for this dark fatal ride!

I lifted the last log from off her, and while searching for some spark of life,

Turned her little face up in the starlight, and recognized— Maggie, my wife!

O Lord! thy scourge is a hard one, at a blow thou hast shat

tered my pride;

My life will be one endless nightmare, with Maggie away from my side.

How often I'd sat down and pictured the scenes in our long, happy life;

How I'd strive through all my life time, to build up a home for my wife;

How people would envy us always in our cozy and neat little nest;

How I should do all of the labor, and Maggie should all the day rest;

How one of God's blessings might cheer us, how some day I p'raps should be rich;

But all of my dreams have been shattered, while I laid there asleep at the switch!

I fancied I stood on my trial, the jury and judge I could see; And every eye in the court room was steadily fixed upon me; And fingers were pointed in scorn, till I felt my face blushing blood-red,

And the next thing I heard were the words," Hanged by the neck until dead."

Then I felt myself pulled once again, and my hand caught tight hold of a dress,

And I heard," What's the matter, dear Jim? You've had a bad nightmare, I guess!"

And there stood Maggie, my wife, with never a scar from the ditch.

I'd been taking a nap in my bed, and had not been "Asleep at the switch."

BEFORE SEDAN.-AUSTIN DOBSON.

Here, in this leafy place,

Quiet he lies,

Cold, with his sightless face

Turned to the skies;

'Tis but another dead;
All you can say is said.

Carry his body hence,-
Kings must have slaves;
Kings climb to eminence
Over men's graves:

So this man's eye is dim;-
Throw the earth over him.

What was the white you touched,

There, at his side?

Paper his hand had clutched

Tight e'er he died;-

Message or wish, may be ;-
Smooth the folds out and see.
Hardly the worst of us

Here could have smiled!-
Only the tremulous

Words of a child;—

Prattle, that has for stops
Just a few ruddy drops.

Look. She is sad to miss,
Morning and night,
His-her dead father's-kiss;
Tries to be bright,
Good to mamma, and sweet.
That is all. "Marguerite."

Ah, if beside the dead
Slumbered the pain!

Ah, if the hearts that bled
Slept with the slain!

If the grief died;-But no;-
Death will not have it so.

THE GAME KNUT PLAYED.-THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.

A page who seemed of low degree,
And bore the name of Knut, was he;
The high-born Princess Hilga she.
And that the youth had served her long,
Being quick at errands, skilled in song,
To jest with him she thought no wrong.
And so it chanced one summer day,
At chess, to while the time away,
The page and princess sat at play.
At length she said, " To play for naught
Is only sport to labor brought,

So let a wager guerdon thought."

He answered, "Lady, naught have I

Whose worth might tempt a princess hign

Her uttermost of skill to try."

"And yet this ruby ring," she said,

"I'll risk against the bonnet red

With snow-white plume that crowns thy head.
"And should I win, do not forget,
Or should I lose, whichever yet,
I'll take my due, or pay my debt."

And so they played, as sank the sun;
But when the game they played was done
The page's cap the princess won.

"My diamond necklace," then she cried,
"I'll match against thy greatest pride,
The brand held pendent at thy side."
"Not so," he said—“ that tempered glaive,
Borne oft by noble hands and brave,
To me my dying father gave.

"Fit only for a true man's touch,
I hold it dear and prize it much-
No diamond necklace mates with such.

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"But, though my father's ghost be wroth,
I'll risk the weapon, nothing loth,
Against thy love and virgin troth."

Reddened her cheeks at this in ire,
This daughter of a royal sire,

And flashed those eyes of hers like fire.
"Thy words, bold youth, shall work thee ill:
Thou canst not win against my skill,

But I can punish at my will.

"Begin the game; that hilt so fine
Shall nevermore kiss hand of thine,
Nor thou again be page of mine!"
Answered the page: Do not forget,
Or win or lose, whichever yet,
I'll take my due, or pay my debt.
"And let this truth the end record:
I risk to-day my father's sword
To be no more thy page, but lord."
Down sat the pair to play once more,
Hope in his bosom brimming o'er,
And hers with pride and anger sore.
From square to square the bishops crept,
The agile knights eccentric leapt,
The castles onward stately swept.

Pawns fell in combat one by one;

Knights, rooks and bishops could not shun

Their fate before that game was done.

Well fought the battle was, I

Until two castles and a queen

ween,

Guarding the kings alone were seen.

"Check!" cried the princess, all elate;

"Check!" cried the page, and sealed the fate Of her beleaguered king with "mate!"

The princess smiled, and said: “I lose,
Nor can I well to pay refuse—
From my possessions pick and choose.
"Or diamonds bright, or chests of gold,
Or strings of pearls of worth untold,
These may be thine to have and hold:
"Or costly robes to feed thy pride,
Or coursers such as monarchs ride,
Or castles tall, or manors wide-
"Any or all of such be thine;
But, save he spring from royal line,
No husband ever can be mine."
"Nor jewels rich, nor lands in fee,
Steeds, robes, nor castles pleasure me;
Thy love and troth be mine," said he.
"Nor shalt thou lack of state and pride
When seated crowned thy lord beside,
As Knut, the King of Denmark's bride!"
Ring marriage-bells from sun to sun,
And tell the gossips, as they run,
How Sweden's princess has been won.

BURDOCK'S GOAT.

Last Monday afternoon the eleven Boblink boys surrounded and caught an enormous, shaggy, strong-smelling goat of the masculine gender, turned him loose in Burdock's garden, nailed up the gate, and then went home and flattened their eleven little noses against the back windows to watch for coming events.

Before his goatship had spent three minutes in the garden, he had managed to make himself perfectly at home, pulled down the clothes-line, and devoured two lace collars, a pair of undersleeves, and a striped stocking, belonging to Mrs. Burdock, and was busily engaged sampling one of Burdock's shirts, when the servant girl came rushing out with a basket of clothes to hang up.

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'The saints preserve us!" she exclaimed, coming to a dead halt, and gazing open-mouthed at the goat, who was calmly munching away at the shirt.