3. O, Water clear! as you flow along, Come close to my feet, and sing me a song; But pause for a moment and with me stay: 4. Little Bluebird on the high tree-top, But the Bird said, No. say, No. 5. Sun, Water, and Wind, and Bird But when my work's done, can I come and play? 1. THERE was once upon a time a bundle of Matches, and they were very proud of their high descent. Their genealogical' tree-that is to say, the great fir tree, of which each of them was a chip- had been once a very stately old tree in the forest. But now these Matches lay on the shelf between a Flint and Steel and an old Iron Saucepan, and to them they told most wonderful stories about their younger days. 2. "Ah, while we were still on the green bough, then were we indeed in our glory!" said they. "Pearl tea morning and evening, that was the dew: the sun shone on us the whole day, when he did shine; and all the little birds were obliged to amuse us with many songs or touching stories. We could easily see that we were rich; for the other trees were dressed in green only in summer, whilst our family possessed the means of wearing green both winter and summer. But the wood-cutters came. That was the great revolution.3 3. "Then our family was divided. He whom we looked upon as our chief support got a place as a mainmast in a large ship, that could sail round the world if it liked. The other branches were placed in various situations. Now our vocation is to give light, and therefore we, people of high pedigree as we are, have come here into the kitchen." 4 5 4. "Ah! my fate has been very different," said the Iron Saucepan, near which the Matches lay. "From the very moment that I came into the world I've been scoured and boiled, O, how often! I always side with the respectable and conservative, and belong, in reality, to the very first in the house. 6 5. "My sole pleasure is to lie down, nice and clean, after dinner, and to have a little rational' talk with my comrades; but if I except the Bucket, that now and then goes into the yard, we live here in a very retired and quiet life. Our only newsmonger is the Coal Scuttle; but he talks so absurdly about the people' and "the government,' that a short time ago an old Earthen Pot was so shocked at his conversation, that it dropped down and broke into a thousand pieces. O, he belongs to the radicals,' let me tell you!" 6. "Now you are talking too much," said the Flint; and it struck against the Steel so that the sparks flew out. 7. "Shall we not have a merry evening?" 8. "Yes; let us talk about who is of highest rank and most genteel," said the Matches. 9. "No; I have no wish to talk about myself," said the Earthenware Dish; "let us have a social and sentimental evening. We will all tell things we have seen and gone through. I will begin. I will relate a tale of every-day life: one can fancy one's self so well in similar situations, and that is so interesting. 10. "On the shores of the Baltic, beneath the Danish beeches 11. "That is a splendid beginning," said all the Plates; "that will certainly be a very interesting story!" 12. "There, in a quiet family, I passed my youth: the furniture was polished, the floor washed, and clean muslin curtains were put up every fortnight." 13. "What an interesting story you are telling us!" said the Duster. "It is easy to perceive that it is a young lady who speaks, such an air of purity breathes in every word." 14. "Yes, that one does feel, indeed," said the Water Pail, much moved, and in such broken accents" that there was quite a splash on the floor. 15. And the Dish went on with the story; and the end was as good as the beginning. 16. All the Plates rattled with delight; and the Duster took some green parsley off the dresser, and crowned the Dish, for he knew this would annoy the others; and, thought he, if I crown her to-day, she will crown me to-morrow. 17. "Now let us dance!" said the Tongs, beginning immediately to throw her feet up in the air. The old Arm Chair Covering in the corner burst at the sight. 18. "Am I not to be crowned now?" said the Tongs; and so forthwith she got a laurel wreath too. 19. "What a low set!" said the Matches to themselves. 20. It was now the Tea Urn's turn to sing something; but she said she had taken cold; indeed, she could only sing when excited; but that was nothing but pride, for she would only sing when standing on the drawing-room table among ladies and gentlemen. 12 13 21. Behind, in the window, sat an old Pen, that the maid used to write with. There was nothing remarkable about it, except that it was too deeply immersed 13 in ink; but that was just what it was proud of, and made much ado about. "If the Tea Urn will not sing," it said, "why, she may leave it alone: but there is a nightingale" in a cage; she can sing. It is true she has been taught nothing. However, this evening we will speak ill of nobody." 15 22. "I find it most improper," said the Tea Kettle, who was kitchen chorus-singer, and step-brother to the Tea Urn,—“I find it most improper that such a foreign' bird should be patronized.16 Is that patriotic? I will ask the Coal Scuttle, and let him decide the matter.” 23. "As to me, I am vexed," said the latter; "thoroughly vexed! Is this the way to spend the evening? Would it not be far better to turn the whole house upside down, and to establish" a new and natural order of things? In this way each one would find his proper place, and I would undertake to direct the change. That would be something like fun for us." 24. "Yes, let us upset things!" cried all at once. 25. At the same moment the door opened: it was the house-maid! All were silent; not one dared to utter a word. 26. The maid took the Matches to get a light. Bless us, how they sputtered, and then stood all in a blaze! 27. "Now may every body see," thought they, "that we are first in rank. How we shine! What lustre ! What light!"— and so saying, they went out. 1 GENEALOGICAL. Relating to ancestors, or the descent of families. 2 TOUCHING. Pathetic. 2 REVOLUTION. Great or entire change. 4 VOCATION. Calling, business. 5 PEDIGREE. Line or list of ancestors. • CONSERVATIVE. Adhering to existing institutions. 7 RATIONAL. Agreeable to reason, sensible. extreme measures in political reform. 10 SENTIMENTAL. Relating to senti- 11 ACCENT. Manner of speaking. 14 NIGHTINGALE. A small European 8 NEWSMONGER. One who busies 16 PATRONIZED. Favored with one's himself in telling news. • RADICALS. custom, aided. People who advocate 17 ESTABLISH. To set up, to create. 1. OLD Santa Claus sat all alone in his den, With his leg crossed over his knee, While a comical' look peeped out at his eyes; |