320

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

But Marian still went reading on,
And visions strange and wild
Began to fill the little head
Of the lonely, dreaming child ;
For she thought that Christian and his wife,
And all their children too,
Had left behind their pleasant home,
And done what she must do,

“ [ll take my Bible,” said the child,

‘“ And seek the road to heaven ;

T’ll try to find the Wicket Gate,
And hope to be forgiven.

I wish my aunts would go with me,
But ’tis in vain to ask ;

They are so deaf and rather lame,
They'd think it quite a task.

No! I must go alone, I see,
So Pl] not let them know ;

Or, like poor Christian’s friends, they’ll say,
‘My dear, you must not go.’

But I must wait till some grand scheme
Can all their thoughts engage ;

And then Pll leave my pleasant home,
And go on pilgrimage.”

She had not waited long, before,
One fine autumnal day,
She saw the large old coach arrive,
To take her aunts away.
“We're going out to spend the day,”
The two old ladies said ;
“ We mean to visit Mrs. Blair—
Poor soul !—she’s ill in bed.

“ But, Marian, you must stay at home,

For the lady’s ill, you see ;

You can have your dinner, if you like,
In the large old apple-tree,

And play in the garden all the day,
Quite happy and content.”

A few more parting words were said,
And off the ladies went.