The day is chill, although 'tis sunny, Again came humming forth the bee, "It must be April," said the bee, Once more came out the waiting bee. The daffodil wore a yellow crown; “It is the May-time,” said the bee; TREE PLANTING. A boy strolled through a dusty road, The nursling was taken by mother earth, Drawn from her own wide reaching veins, Far spread its branches in affluent grace; The boy who planted the little tree, One desolate, dreadful winter day In the brother-war fell dead. But the gentle thought at the great elm's root Burst forth with the spring's warm breath, And softly the fluttering foliage sang, "Love cannot suffer death." The elm's vast shadow far and cool I often think if blessed eyes THE TREES AND THE MASTER. * Into the woods my Master came- But the olives they were not blind to Him; When into the woods He came. Out of the woods my Master went- Out of the woods my Master came― When Death and Shame would woo Him last, From under the trees they drew Him last, 'Twas on a tree they slew Him last, WAITING TO GROW. Little white snowdrop, just waking up, And think what hosts of queer little seeds- Think of the roots getting ready to sprout, *From Poems of Sidney Lanier, copyright 1884, 1891, by Mary D. Lanier, published by Charles Scribner's Sens Only a month or a few weeks more, Nothing so small, or hidden so well, That God will not find it, and very soon tell ORCHARD BLOSSOMS. Doth thy heart stir within thee at the sight Of orchard blooms upon the mossy bough? Doth their sweet household smile waft back the glow Of childhood's morn-the wondering, fresh delight In earth's new coloring, then all strangely bright, A joy of fairyland? Doth some old nook, Haunted by visions of thy first-loved book, Rise on thy soul, with faint-streaked blossoms white Showered o'er the turf, and the lone primrose knot, And robin's nest, still faithful to the spot, And the bee's dreary chime? O gentle friend! The world's cold breath, not time's, this life bereaves Of vernal gifts: Time hallows what he leaves, And will for us endear spring memories to the end. THE USE OF FLOWERS. God might have made the earth bring förth The oak tree and the cedar tree, He might have made enough, enough, For every want of ours; For luxury, medicine and toil And yet have made no flowers. The ore within the mountain mine, Nor doth it need the lotus flower The clouds might give abundant rain, And the herb that keepeth life in man Then wherefore, wherefore were they made, All dyed with rainbow light; All fashioned with supremest grace, Upspringing day and night? Springing in valleys green and low, Our outward life requires them not- To comfort man-to whisper hope, For who so careth for the flowers, IN PRAISE OF TREES. And forth they passe, with pleasure forward led, TONGUES IN TREES. Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile, Faerie Queen Hath not old custom made this life more sweet And this our life, exempt from public haunt, I would not change it. APRIL TIME. April is here! "As You Like It." There's a song in the maple, thrilling and new; FALL FASHIONS. The maple owned that she was tired of always wearing green, She knew that she had grown, of late, too shabby to be seen! The oak and beech and chestnut then deplored their shabbiness, And all except the hemlock sad, were wild to change their dress. "For fashion-plates we'll take the flowers," the rustling maple said; "And like the tulip I'll be clothed in splendid gold and red!" "The cheerful sunflower suits me best," the lightsome beech replied; "The marigold my choice shall be," the chestnut spoke with pride. The sturdy old oak took time to think, "I hate such glaring hues; The gillyflower, so dark and rich, I for my model choose.' So every tree in all the grove, except the hemlock sad, According to its wish ere long in brilliant dress was clad. And here they stand through all the soft and bright October days; They wish'd to be like flowers, indeed they look like huge bouquets. 133. THE VICTIM. ANONYMOUS. "Hand me the bowl, ye jovial band," He looked around, he blushed, he laughed, In it he read "who drinks this draught, He started up, like one from sleep, He gazed, and saw-his children weep, |