Oh! come by telegraph from Maine, Or by a junk from China, By steamboat from the shores of Spain, Or cars from Carolina! But _come_—at all events—without Another doubt or fear; Fly, fly to this devoted heart, And be—“my own Idea!” * * * * * A SUMMER EVENING THOUGHT. BY COUSIN MARY. See the fire-flies brightly sparkling, While the night around is darkling; See, above, the star-light streaming, Part of Heaven’s own radiance seeming. Brighter than the stars’ far beaming Is the nearer fire-flies’ gleaming; This, a moment shall endure, That, forever, calm and pure. To our world-bound hearts are given Joys of earth and hopes of Heaven— Flitting in the path before us, Star-like, beaming calmly o’er us. Shame such choice to deathless spirits, Who _some_ god-like traits inherit! Groveling still, we turn our eyes Earthward from the distant skies, And to our benighted vision Brighter earth than “fields Elysian;” Dearer are the joys here given Than the promised joys of Heaven! * * * * * THE NAVAL OFFICER. BY WM. F. LYNCH. (_Continued from page 230._) CHAPTER IV. It was the morning of the fifth day after the escape of Talbot and his companion. The land breeze, like the breath of expiring humanity, had become more and yet more faint, until it ceased entirely, and the flag that was wont to wave over the ramparts of the Moro Castle hung listless beside the staff which supported it. Into the cavernous recesses worn by the friction of the water, in the foundations of the massive structure, the sluggish waves tumbled with a dull and deafening sound. In the near offing lay the frigate, rolling slowly on the unbroken surface of a light ground swell, while the sails flapped against the masts, as if impatient for the breeze. In various directions, a number of vessels, differing in size and appearance, like the frigate awaited a wind to waft them to their various destinations. Beyond them, and until it blended with the distant horizon, save here and there a sea-gull noiselessly skimming its surface, there was nothing visible on the far-stretching and pellucid sea. Like a slumbering giant, the very heavings of that sea told of the latent power that dwelt within it, and conveyed a forcible idea of the might and majesty of the Great Being that made it.