and the Captains, and the Lieutenants, and the Sub-lieutenants, and the Quartermasters, and the non-commissioned officers, and the men; And the bands, and the colours, and the guns, and the horses and the wagons, and the gun-carriage they use for the funerals; and please I should like them all to come home safe again. (Don't, Mary! I haven't finished; it isn't time for you to say Amen.) I haven't prayed for the Chaplains, or the Doctors who help the poor men left groaning on the ground when the victories are won; And I want to pray particularly for the very poor ones who die of fever and miss all the fighting and fun. GOD bless the good soldiers, like Old Father, and Captain Powder, and the men with good-conduct medals; and please let the naughty ones all be forgiven; And if the black men kill our men, send down white angels to take their poor dear souls to Heaven! _Now_ you may both say Amen, and I shall give out hymn four hundred and thirty-seven." There are eight verses and eight Alleluias, and we can't sing very well, but we did our best, Only Mary would cry in the verse about "Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest!" But we're both very glad Dick has found out a Sunday game about fighting, for we never had one before; And now we can play at soldiers every day till Old Father comes home from the war. [Illustration] "TOUCH HIM IF YOU DARE." A TALE OF THE HEDGE. HEDGE-PLANTS. "Beware! We advise you to take care. He lodges with us, so we know him well, And can tell You all about him, And we strongly advise you not to flout him." DANDELION. "At my time of life," said the Dandelion, "I keep an eye on The slightest sign of disturbance and riot, For my one object is to keep quiet The reason I take such very great care," The old Dandy went on, "is because of my hair. It was very thick once, and as yellow as gold; But now I am old, It is snowy-white, And comes off with the slightest fright. As to using a brush-- My good dog! I beseech you, don't rush, Go quietly by me, if you please You're as bad as a breeze. I hope you'll attend to what we've said; And--whatever you do--don't touch my head, In this equinoctial, blustering weather You might knock it off with a feather." THISTLE. Said the Thistle, "I can tickle, But not as a Hedgehog can prickle; Even my tough old friend the Moke Would find our lodger no joke." DOG-ROSE. "I have thorns," sighed the Rose, "But they don't protect me like those; He can pull his thorns right over his nose."