"You have heard," said a youth to his sweetheart, who stood While he sat on a corn-sheaf, at daylight's decline,-- "You have heard of the Danish boy's whistle of wood: I wish that the Danish boy's whistle were mine." "And what would you do with it? Tell me," she said, While an arch smile played over her beautiful face. "I would blow it," he answered, "and then my fair maid Would fly to my side and would there take her place." "Is that all you wish for? Why, that may be yours Without any magic," the fair maiden cried: "A favor so slight one's good nature secures;" And she playfully seated herself by his side. "I would blow it again," said the youth; "and the charm Would work so that not even modesty's check Would be able to keep from my neck your white arm." She smiled, and she laid her white arm round his neck. "Yet once more I would blow; and the music divine Would bring me a third time an exquisite bliss,-- You would lay your fair cheek to this brown one of mine And your lips stealing past it would give me a kiss." The maiden laughed out in her innocent glee,-- "What a fool of yourself with the whistle you'd make! For only consider how silly 'twould be To sit there and whistle for what you might take." AGNES STRICKLAND STRICKLAND, AGNES, an English historical writer; born in London, August, 1796, and died at Southwold, July, 1874. Her best and most celebrated work is _Lives of the Queens of England_, from which the following biographical account is taken. THE STORY OF HENRIETTA MARIA, WIFE OF CHARLES I. OF ENGLAND Henrietta Maria was the sixth child and youngest daughter of Henry IV. of France, by his second wife, Marie de Medicis. She was born at the Louvre, November 25, 1609. Great as Henry was, he suffered his mind to be swayed by predictions. He had been told that he should die the day after his queen was crowned. To her great mortification, he would not permit that ceremony to be performed until after the birth of his youngest daughter. The queen prevailed on him to give orders for her coronation at St. Denis, where it took place, when Henriette, who was only five months old, was present, held in her nurse's arms, on one side of her mother's throne, surrounded by her brothers and sisters--a group of very beautiful children--the dauphin, too soon to be Louis XIII., Gaston, Elizabeth, and Christine. The next day Henry IV. was assassinated by Ravillac in the streets of Paris, May 13, 1610.