The Wearing of the Shamrock and Rose 
bonnet S and many other curiosities of odd variety. I 
think as great a curiosity as any there were the basketsful 
of Snowdrops, which were gathered literally from under 
the snow, dried and made up in tiny bouquets, and sold by 
two dear little village maidens wearing wreaths of Ivy and 
Snowdrops. When every one in the audience was duly 
“ bunched ” the effect was really very pretty. The money 
raised we send to a poor little trio of tiny children — orphans 
by the war. 
THE STORY OF THE ORPHANS 
Good people, listen now, I pray— 
This is the orphans’ story, 
For whom we’re here to-day. 
My words are few — 
But mark them well — 
They are, alas ! too true. 
“ Yet we must tell ”... 
The neighbour women whispered, 
Round the bed whereon she lay, 
Sick unto death, a soldier’s wife, 
Her husband far away. 
“Where was’t he fell ? ” 
“ At Magersfontein,” some one sadly said ; 
Another added softly, “ Doing his duty.” 
* ' And he is dead ” — 
The new-born baby wailed, 
The mother stirred, 
“ What news ? ” she gasped, her lips were dry, 
There was a breath as of a general sigh, 
And some one told her. 
She did not speak, she turned and lay, 
Her face unto the wall and passed away. 
Those doubly orphaned children wail for bread. 
Ye cannot give them mother’s love, 
Or call their father from amid the dead, 
Where, in the far-off veldt they lie 
With Wauchope as they fell — face to the foe ; 
’Tis thus the Black Watch die. 
Think of the little children 
Who thus have lost their all — 
Remember every little helps, and give 
Somewhat, I pray, in answer to this call, 
And God, who bless’d the widow’s mite, 
Nor lets the sparrow fall, 
He will repay. 
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