St. Valentine's Day.

hopeful friend , in an age of much want of faith and loyalty ; but may you prove yourself what Diana Harford says she is " Avaiting for" — " a man ! " Have nothing to do with the young " Smalltork ' s " of the day , or those enlightened

youths who sneer at everything except " Absinthe , " and " Nips , " in which they greatly indulge , and apparently believe , —if they believe anything at all—and above all , do not be ashamed of it if you really are in love with a " suitable

female . " Our ancestors kept up Valentine ' s Day , the . great mass of our honest English folk keep it still ; and , believing as I do , that say what we will , and write as we may , Ave ought to be very proud of our old English " lot , " and of

our insular if antiquated ways , I am glad to express , even in the failing and tottering horn's of old age , my unaltered sympathy with the hopes aud fears , and genial fun , and kindly associations , which flow to many a youthful heart from St . Valentine ' s well-observed anniversary . CALEBS .

Lo \ E i _ r SAVBDBN . —Courtship and marriage in Sweden are peculiar institutions . Du Chaillu says : ' " I saAv one match made . He met her at the gate , poked _ his finger in her ribs , and said : " ' I want to get married ; don't you ?'

"' Oh , I don't know . Go away . ' "' Yes , you do . Let's get married . ' " ' Well , ask papa . ' '" No ; never mind him . We'll get married anyhow . ' " And he Aveut around telling everybody he saw :

" ' I ' m going to marry that girl . ' " The preparations continued during the three Aveeks required by laAV to have the banns published in the churches . Fishes Avere caught , stores for the feast laid in , beer brewed , and Avhisky purchased . Wedding jollifications are indulged in for a Aveek . This couple were

married . They went from the church to the house , and the bridesmaids locked the bride in the room . The groom knocked at the door . "' IIOAV much Avill you give to come iu V '" TAVO cows and five dollars . ' " ' That ' s not enough . ' '" Three cows and ten dollars . '

" ' Oh , you are rich . You must give more than that . ' "Five COAVS and twenty-five dollars was the final offer , AA'hich Avas accepted , "

On Change Toujours Ici.

ON CHANGE TOUJOURS ICI .

I grieve to think how all is chang'd Since we were plucking glad May-flowr ' s , lily thoughts have often backwards ranged To other days and olden hours ; But now , alas ! have fled apace Those pleasant moments free from care , The merry laughthe winning grace

, , The loA'ing presence blithe and fair . How things and persons change to-day ; How Times' spell leaves its token here , How all we cherish fleets away , How vanishes all Ave hold most dear ; And as the onward march of age

In failing strength and dimmer sight , Proclaims to all the closing page , How oft have we to bid " Good Night , " To the sweet . twilight hours of eve , To the sun ' s fading roseate ray , Which gilds the memories which grieve

With the halo of a brighter day . Ah yes ! how one by one in turn The tiopes which move , the dreams which bless Quit us , to make us only yearn For their dear forms in nothingness .

For vain is all the strife of years , Vainer the diary of our life , Vain are our smiles and vain our tears , Vainest our friendship and our strife ; For all we have , and all Ave seek , The pride , the pomp Ave love so well , We find both vanishing and weak , A dream to dream , a tale to tell .

If some warm fancies still belong To this poor mortal state below , If Providence may oft prolong Our lot ' mid scenes of joy or woe ; Alas ! hoAV valueless to keep , Alas ! how impotent to save , Are all those treasures we so weep From the destroyer and the grave .

No , change alas ! is still the lot Of mortals here as journeying on , They greet the tilings ivhich bless them not , The idols they ' ve set their hearts upon ; Gone in a moment , swiftly past , Are all the joys Ave count the best , So happiness on earth can last , Nor man below find perfect rest .

Yet one day in a happier meeting Where change is now no longer known , When ours shall be a gladsome greeting Of those Ave softly call "our own , " Nothing shall alter old affection , Nothing shall chill the trusting heart

, No shadoiv cast its dark reflexion On those Avho ' ve met no more to part . A . l ' . A . W .