I tread as lightly as silent puss,
While a' the household sleep;
And gird me to clean and redd the house
Before the bairnies cheep.

I like to dress and mak me clean
As ony winsome bride;
And think na shame, though my face be seen,
At morn or eventide.

I like to handle, before I rin,
The word o' truth and love;
And seek, or the daily wark begin,
Gude counsel from above.

Then skipping wi' lichtsome heart, I hie
To earn my bit o' bread;
The wark spins on, and the time rins by,
Wi' pleasant, blessed speed.

JEWEL OF A LAD.

AIR--_"Fye, gae rub her owre wi' strae."_

As sunshine to the flowers in May,
As wild flowers to the hinny bee,
As fragrant scent o' new mown hay,
So my true love is sweet to me.

As costly jewels to the bride,
As beauty to the bridegroom's e'e--
To sailors, as fair wind and tide,
So my true love is dear to me.

As rain-draps to the thirsty earth,
As waters to the willow-tree,
As mother's joy at baby's birth,
So my true love is dear to me.

Though owning neither wealth nor lan',
He 's ane o' Heaven's pedigree;
His love to God, his love to man,
His goodness makes him dear to me.

The lass that weds a warly fool
May laugh, and sing, and dance a wee;
But earthly love soon waxes cool,
And foolish fancies turn ajee.

My laddie's heart is fu' o' grace,
His loving e'e blinks bonnily,
A heavenly licht illumes his face;
Nae wonder though he 's dear to me.

TWILIGHT JOYS.

Musing, we sat in our garden bower,
In the balmy month of June,
Enjoying the pensive gloamin' hour
When our daily task was done.

We spake of the friends of our early days,
Some living, some dead and gane,
And fancy skimm'd o'er the flow'ry braes
Of our morning life again.

A bless'd, a lightsome hour was that,
And joyful were we to see
The sunny face of ilk bonnie brat,
So full of frolicsome glee.

They ran, they row'd, they warsl'd, they fell,
Whiles whirl'd in a fairy ring--
Our hearts ran o'er like a gushing well,
And we bless'd each happy thing.

In our wee dwelling the lamp of love,
Trimm'd daily by faith and prayer,
Flings light on earth, on heaven above,
Sheds glory everywhere.