When you speak of drear November, Of its days of rain and gloom, You should also ere remember It’s the advent very soon Of the bright month of December, With its Christmas joys and cheer. That its family rejoicings, And its greetings of New Year, Eclipse all previous darkness, As the dark before the dawn; Ignoring all the dangers, That yet before us yawn. For happily so the future Is hidden from our gaze, We only blindly, step by step, Tread the ever-tangled maze That encircles all our future, And no one can design The pathway to be trodden By either yours or mine. So implicitly we’ll leave Our Heavenly Guide to say The road that we will travel And journey day by day, Assured He will truly guide us, If we will only follow, And land us safely on the shore, When some assured to-morrow Will join the past, and safe return All those for whom we sorrow. *TO THE OYSTER.* How I love you! toothsome oyster. Because at hunger’s call You are at all times ready To fill our empty maw. But still more do I love you For the odor that you waft Of seaside and sea-air you bring With memories of the past. The past whene’er your advent, In autumn’s wintry weather, Was grandly hailed on every side, And brought all friends together. When seated at a well-spread board, Full quite a score and more Of neighbors met to eat the food All must pronounce so very good. So whether hot, or whether cold, In stew, or soup, or pie, We sing your praise, for very few Your excellence can deny. *LIST OF NEW SUBSCRIBERS.* QUEBEC. Lady Stuart. Comte de Turenne. H. H. Sewell. Mrs. W. Rae. A. F. Hunt. James Fatton. J. Hamilton. J. V. Welch. H. G. Beemer. E. J. Price. Hon. Mr. Price. P. P. Hall. W. A. Russell, 2 copies. C. S. Parke, M.D. H. M. Michaels, Bk. B. N. A. Arch. Campbell. J. H. Burroughs. Louis G. Fiset. Hon. Judge F. Andrews. E. N. Chinic. George Vanfelsen. Henry Russell, M.D. Robert Mitchell. E. A. Panet, N. P., St. Raymond. Mrs. Astell Drayner. MONTREAL. Sir William Dawson. P. B. Casgrain. Somerville Weir. W. Grant Stuart, M.D. A. Primeau. Mrs. R. M. Harrison. Mrs. Trotter. John Fair. E. Pipon, Bk. of Montreal W. Weir. Alfred Thibaudeau. J. Cradock Simpson. Strachan Bethune. Benj. Hart. L. W. Marchand. P. H. M. Sommerville, Bk. B. N. A. W. Godfrey, Bk. B. N. A. Madame DesRivières, Malmaison. D. McCord. A. Sicotte. David Denne. W. G. LeMesurier. H. A. Hutchins. E. B. Greenshields. Judge Baby. B. D. McConnell. Norman S. Leslie. Chs. Alexander. Louis Barbeau, Hon. G. H. Drummond. Samuel I. Grant. Judge Dorion. Judge Bosse. OTTAWA.