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a psalm; and, several times every day, he read aloud to her from the Scriptures. She made him a paper-book, and set him copies in writing; and she hunted up an old slate, and taught him something of figures.

This was not all. She called him up at an early hour every morning, and put him in the way of working. She put an axe into his hands, and showed him how to split the wood for her stove and oven. Then he would attend to the cow and the fowls, bring water, clean the knives, set the table, run upon errands, and, in a variety of ways suited to his age and strength, make himself useful.

At a proper time Ann Forbes conducted Donald to the Sunday-school, and put him under the charge of a faithful and judicious teacher. She also took him with her whenever she went to the house of God. She had became attached to him, as if he had been her own son, and he very properly looked up to her as the best friend he had in the world.

I do not intend to pursue the story. It is enough to say, that the Christian kindness of this young woman to a poor, motherless boy, was the occasion of his becoming a useful citizen, and a good man. He often used to say that the old pump at Tiverton was dear to him, because it had made him acquainted with his best earthly friend. And when,

a few months after, Ann Forbes's father came over from Scotland, and took a little farm in the neighbourhood, Donald went to help him, and, under his care, grew up to be a thrifty and successful farmer.

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

I.

TRANSFORMED as in a twinkling, he became
All lustre, a serene celestial flame,

And in oppressive majesty stood high,
Between two heaven-descended forms, less bright,
But fair and sunlike, and resembling quite
What dreams reveal of such as cannot die.

II.

'Twas the meek Legislator, meek yet stern, At whose illumined visage men did turn

To hide them from the radiance of his brow, When from the holy mountain coming down He wore reflected glory as a crown,

And veil'd the beams that did too fiercely glow.

III.

And with him stood the prophet son of fire,
Who mocked at Baal, and his minion's ire,
And, deathless, rode to God in flaming car:
A saintly pair, fit retinue for one

Who came not as a servant, but a SON-
His bloody death foreseeing from afar.

IV.

'Tis of that death that Exodus they speak
High words, and mystic, but the sufferer meek
Doth not reveal the message of the hour,
And the thrice-honour'd servants may not keep
Th' unbroken vigil, but in helpless sleep
Sink, over-master'd by unearthly power.

V.

They would have watch'd, they would have tented

there,

With their Immanuel and the heavenly pair ;

They did but babble, and were in amaze.

The cloud of light becomes their only tent,
And, when the brief relapse to dreams is spent,

The Master only meets their ardent gaze.

VI.

But had no voices burst upon their ear?
Yea, they had listen'd with delight and fear,
And caught the sentence of th' eternal Sire,
Breathing from out the tabernacle dim,
THIS IS MY SON BELOVED, HEAR YE HIM:
'Twas writ for aye upon their hearts in fire.

VII.

Such as our Jesus seem'd, they see him now, Thus cloth'd in light, where martyrs round him

bow;

Such shall we see him, when he comes in might, With trump angelic, with his cloudy train

Of countless spirits ;—for he comes again,
Blest apparition, to our longing sight!

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