THE LITTLE PILGRIM. 325

“Oh, dearly, when I was a child,

I loved that Pilgrim Tale ;

But then mamma explained it well—
And if we can prevail

On your kind aunts to let you stay
Some time with us, my dear,

You shall read that book with my mamma,
And she will make it clear.”

Now we'll return to Marian’s home,
And see what’s passing there.
The servants all had company,

Anda merry group they were.
They had not missed our Pilgrim long,
For they knew she oft would play
In that old garden, with a book,

The whole of the livelong day.

“ Betty,” at last, said the housekeeper,

“Where can Miss Marian be?

Her dinner was in the basket packed,
But, sure, she’ll come into tea !”

They sought her here, they sought her there,
But they could not find the child;

And her poor old aunts, when they came home,
With grief were almost wild.

The coachman and the footman too,
In different ways were sent ;
But none thought of the narrow way
Tn which the Pilgrim went.
“ Perhaps she followed us to town,”
Poor Aunt Rebecca said,
“T wish we had not left our home ;
I fear the child is dead.”

And to the town the coachman went,
For they knew not what to do;

And night drew on, when a country boy
Brought Marian’s little shoe.

With the shoe in her hand, the housekeeper
Into the parlor ran,

«Oh, Mistress, here is all that’s left

Of poor Miss Marian.