Their airy heads with laughter, The daisies stared and blushed And the sun came up to the rescue, :6 My dears," he said, "this nonsense "Go each and attend to singing TH THE BIRDS' LAWN PARTY. HE birds of the woodland, in soft summer weather, Their neat invitations were written, you see, Then daintily tied with a fine silver thread, Who sped on her mission with a joyful glee, To flowers and insects and plants, one and all The night soon arrived, and the moon shone so bright, That the birds sang together in happy delight. The Bullfrogs and Tree-toads, who lived very near, Then followed musicians, a numerous band Who were led by Mosquitoes from Cedar Swamp Land. The Beetle came in with Miss Grasshopper Green; That the Wasp and the Spider, both stylishly dressed, Were the most graceful dancers, by all was confessed. There were Robin Redbreast and dear Jennie Wren; And the Nightingale, too, in a loving refrain, While lingering near, in a blackberry bush, Was the silver-tongued Linnet, and fair bride, the Thrush Now who do you think the chaperons there! The flowers and plants, though the last to appear, With just one exception — the Butterflies gay, The Daisies were peerless in robes of pure white, The Buttercups followed, of riches untold, For each was arrayed in a gown of pure gold; And the Clovers looked sweet in pale pink and white, The Rosebud, the fairest, and queen of them all, The music was charming, the feast was quite grand; There were sweetmeats enough for all guests in the land. For each little flower who daintily sups, The dancing continued, the merriment, too, The Fireflies said they would serve in her place, Then the three Mrs. Owls from guest to guest flew, The Fireflies came with their swift-flashing light, All the guests bade adieu, and their homeward way wended, From the nicest affair they had ever attended. -Child Garden. THE HAPPY BIRD. OH, H, if I were a little bird Perched all day on a leafy tree; Oh, down in the meadow Drinking in the dew, I'd be a merry bird, say, wouldn't you? Not a single grammar lesson, Not a word to spell, Funny old schoolhouse Without any bell! Oh, a cherry for a lunch. And a blossom for a book And a dinner with the honey bee, - Selected. H THE HIDDEN SONGSTER. ARK! Hear you not that long, shrill strain? I've looked, and looked, but all in vain. Where are you? "Katy-did," Comes back in answer to my call. But "Katy-did," and that is all Please tell me Katy's other name I really want to know; For should I find her much to blame, To whom does this strange Kate belong? And have you sung that noisy song And thus I question; but in vain, He utters not another strain - Selectea TOM TRUANT. OMMY thought there was nobody looking the hill; Stopping to hide in a thicket of willows, Tommy thought there was no one to see him, But all the willows, and all the grasses, And clouds and daisies could see where he stood. All the buttercups standing together, All the wild roses that stood by the way, Laughed and rustled, "See Tommy, see Tommy, Tommy played truant to-day.” |