Ah! why do the ships waft no token Of grace to this sorrowful realm? Must suns shine in vain, while their broken Rays clouds overwhelm? Tender Breeze, if some sail bear a message, Rule thou at the helm! But if haply the ruler be coming, Drug the sea-sirens each with a kiss: Stroke the waves into calmest of humming Over ocean's abyss: Speed him soft from the shore of the stranger To the haven of this. And the soul-bells in joyous revival Shall peal all the carols of spring; The roses and ruby wine rival Each other to bring, In the crimson and fragrance of welcome, Delight to the king. MARY B. DODGE. QUEEN VICTORIA AS A MILLIONAIRE. Queen Victoria either is or ought to be a very wealthy woman. Her income was at the beginning of her reign fixed at L385,000 a year. This sum, it was understood, would, with the exception of L96,000 a year, be divided between the lord steward, the lord chamberlain and the master of the horse, the three great functionaries of the royal household. Of the residue L60,000 were to be paid over to the queen for her personal expenses, and the remaining L36,000 were for "contingencies." It is probable, however, that the above arrangements have been much modified, as time has worked changes. The prince-consort had an allowance of L30,000 a year. The queen originally wished him to have L100,000, and Lord Melbourne, then prime minister, who had immense influence over her, had much difficulty in persuading her that this sum was out of the question, and gaining her consent to the government's proposing L50,000 a year to the House of Commons, which, to Her Majesty's infinite chagrin, cut the sum down nearly one-half. During the happy days of her married life the expenditure of the court was very much greater than it has been since the prince's death. Emperors and kings were entertained with utmost splendor at Windsor. During the emperor of Russia's visit, for instance, and that of Louis Philippe, one or two hundred extra mouths were in one way or another fed at Her Majesty's expense. The stables, too, were formerly filled with horses--and very fine ones they were--whereas now the number is greatly reduced, and many of those in the royal mews are "jobbed"--_i.e._ hired by the week or month, as occasion requires, from livery stables. This poverty of the master of the horse's department excited much angry comment on the occasion of the princess Alexandra's state entry into London.