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it to the ground, when a stern voice commanded them to desist, and a French officer hastily approached the spot where stood the widow, with her children clinging in terror to her knees.

A cry of joy burst from the lips of Antonia and Juan, as the sounds of that well-remembered voice reached their ears; and springing towards Philippe Marcet for it was indeed the French fugitive, whom they had sheltered and befriended—they implored him to save them from these cruel men.

"Soldiers!" he said, "touch not, I command, any thing belonging to this widow and her children. She saved the life of your captain, when he must have perished but for her generous aid. Take not a morsel of bread from her, nor let one single stone be removed from her hearth, as you would answer for it with your lives. Paula Sevilla," he added, turning towards her, "happy am I, that the life you once preserved, has proved the means of protecting you and your children from the lawless violence of these men; nor need you fear, for the name of Philippe Marcet will be sufficient to protect you from any further molestation. While he yet spoke, the cries of distress from the neighbouring hamlet smote on the ears of Paula, and blanched the cheeks of her children.

"You have saved the lives of your friends, generous Signor," said the widow, "add yet further to your goodness, by shielding from the vengeance of the soldiers, the inhabitants of yon village."

The French officer heard no more, but hastened to use his influence to save the hamlet from destruction, nor was his voice heard in vain; and the grateful peasants now acknowledged they had reason to bless the hour when Paula and her children gave shelter and succour to a distressed enemy!

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THE REED-SPARROW'S NEST.

BY THE AUTHOR OF SOLITARY HOURS.'

I.

"COME here, and I'll shew you a wonderful workI'll shew you the reed-sparrow's nest;

Only see, what a neat, warm, compact little thing! Mister Nash could not build such a house for the

King:

Not he, let him labour his best!

II.

""Tis hardly a house, though- —a cradle, methinks,

Slung up like an Indian's, between

Those six reedy pillars, so slender and tall,
Each topped, like a turret of Oberon's hall,
With its own fairy-banner of green.

III.

"And see! the green banners are waving aloft, And the cradle rocks gently below;

And the shafts that uphold it, so slender and tall”— They're bending !—they're breaking!—the cradle

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will fall,

For the breeze is beginning to blow!"

IV.

"Let it blow, let it blow: let them rock to and fro; Reeds, cradle, and all- -never fear :

'Twas an instinct unerring (God's gift to the weak)

Taught the poor little builder this covert to seek,
That the hurricane only comes near-

V.

"Only near enough (hark!) just to pipe in the shrowds,

The tall tree tops, with musical din :

And to rattle the hazles and hollies about,

And behind them to bluster and make a great rout,

Like a bully who cannot get in.

VI.

"And to puff here and there, through a chink in the

leaves,

At the reeds, and the reed-sparrow's nest;

Just enough to unfurl the green banners aloft,
And to balance the cradle, with motion so soft,
It but lulls the young nurslings to rest.

VII.

"And there sits the mother-bird, brooding in peace, And her mate is beginning to sing

Proud I warrant is he, of house, children, and wife; Of the house he helped build,—Mister Nash for

his life,

Could not build such a one for the King!

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