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THE DEAD CANARIES.
" for the bird that we nurse is the bird that we love ;" and in this far distant land, away from all my kith and kin, with the exception of one for whom we are taught to forsake all other earthly ties, they were my constant companions. Months rolled on, and the fervour of a tropical sun fevered my blood, and parched my lips. I sighed for the pure breeze of my own dear land ; and as my little birds warbled their sweet, clear song, memory carried me back to those pleasant fields, where, in my early days, I gathered the fragrant hawthorn, and listened to each “ wood-note wild." But, alas ! a wide, wide ocean rolled between me and them, which may be very easily crossed in imagination, but not so in reality; and consequently, I had to content myself with leaving the crowded town, and trying the country air. I left my little birds to the care of a domestic, with particular injunctions to give them daily fresh seed and wrater. From time to time, when I saw her, I inquired after her little charge; they were quite well, was always the answer, until at length, when I returned, I found my poor little favourites dead—dead from starvation ; and when I spoke about it, and asked why such stories were told me, all the satisfaction I got was—“ I forgot dem." It has been remarked, in black workmen, that if they promise to come and complete a particular job on a certain day, and they conclude with “ Please God, me come,"* they seldom keep to their word, for if they can procure another job which they think will pay them better, they consider it of no importance disappointing their first employer. In the same manner, they will engage to build a house, or indeed any other work, for a certain sum ; if, after going partly through it, and drawing all the money they can, they find it will not pay them as well as they at first supposed, instead of representing it to the parties, and resting upon their generosity to enlarge the sum, or else putting up with the result, they immediately leave it, and you may get it done * A by-word with the negroes when making appointments.