Intra, Mintra, Cutra, Corn

Ten small hands upon the pread, Flve forms kneellng beside the bed, Blue-eyes, Blaok-eyes, Curly-head; Blonde, brunette- In a glee and a glow, Waiting the magie word. Such a rowl Seven years, six years, flve, tour, twol Fifty fingers, all In a Une (Yours are thlrty, and twenty are mine), Ten sweet eyes that sparklo and shine, Motherly Mary, age oí ten, Evens the ftnger-tips again, Glauces along the Lue - and then- " Intra, mlntra. cutra, corn, Apple-seed and apple-thorn, Wire, orier, limber lock, Three geese in a flock, Buble, roble, rabble, and rout, Y, O, U, T, Out!" Sentence falls on Curly-head; One wee digit Is "gone and dead," Nine-and-iorty left on the spread. " Intra, mtntra," the flat goes, Wno'll be taken, nobody knows, Only God may the lot dispose. Is lt mora than a chlldish playT Still you slgh and turn away. Why What pain in the sight, I prayi Ah, too trae: "As the flngers f all, One by one, at the magie cali, TUI, at the last, chance reacties all; So in the fateful days to oome The lot shall (all in many a home That breaks a heart and filis a tomb; " Shall fall, and fall, and iall again, Líke a Law that counts our lore but vain, Ijke a Fute, unheeding our woe and pain. " One by one- and who shall say Whether the lot may (all this day That calleth oí these dear babes awayf " True, too true. Yet hold, dear friend; Evermore doth the lot depend On Him who loved, and loves, to the end; " Blin, to our eyes, the flat goes; Who'll be taken, no mortal knows, But on?y Love will the lot dispose- ■ Only Loye, wlth Hls wiser sight; Love alone, In His infinite might ; Love, who dwells In eternal light." Now are the ufty fingen gone To play some new play under the sun- The childish fancy is past and gone. Bo let our boding prophecies go, As chlldish, for do we not surely know The dear God holdeth our lot below?