For they know what is hurrying after, The clovers are rosy with saying The blushing pimpernel closes; And down in the garden, the roses Smile out from their lattice of leaves! Such gladness has stirred the flowers! "Oh, what is the use of showers?' - Margaret Deland. A THE LITTLE LAZY CLOUD. PRETTY little cloud away up in the sky, So the pretty little lilies hung their aching heads, The cherries couldn't grow a bit, you would have pitied them; They'd hardly strength to hold to the little slender stem. By and by the little cloud felt a dreadful shock, Something ran all through it, burning like a flame, Then old Grandpa Thunder, as he growled away, And old Grandma Lightning, flitting to and fro, Then lilies dear and pansies all began to bloom, And the cherries grew and grew till they took up all the room. Then by and by the little cloud, with all its duty done, CH FOREST TREES. HILDREN, have you seen the budding Have you watched it creeping, creeping Weaving there a plush-like mantle, D Have you watched the shades so varied, Have you seen the autumn frostings Red and yellow, dark and light? Have you seen the foliage, dropping, Is a symbol of our rising In a higher, holier sphere? Make your autumn rich and grand, - Mother Truth's Melodies. HIDE-AND-SEEK. OW hide the flowers beneath the snow, Now And Winter shall not find them; Their safety nooks he cannot know; They left no tracks behind them. The little brooks keep very still, Gone are the birds; they're hiding where Safe in the balmy Southern air, But comes the Spring at last to look And one by one flower, bird, and brook Shall from its place be bidden. Then shall the world be glad and gay, The brooks sing, too, along their way, Frank Dempster Sherman. OH A LAUGHING CHORUS. H, such a commotion under the ground When March called, "Ho, there! ho!" Such spreading of rootlets far and wide, Such whispering to and fro; And, "Are you ready?" the Snowdrop asked, "Tis time to start, you know.” 66 Almost, my dear," the Scilla replied; "I'll follow as soon as you go." Then, "Ha! ha! ha!" a chorus came Of laughter soft and low, From the millions of flowers under the ground- "I'll promise my blossoms," the Crocus said, "The Hyacinth bells shall ring." And the Violet only murmured, "I'm here," Then, "Ha! ha! ha!" a chorus came Of laughter soft and low, From the millions of flowers under the ground — Yes millions-beginning to grow. Oh, the pretty, brave things! through the coldest days, Imprisoned in walls of brown, They never lost heart though the blast shrieked loud, And the sleet and the hail came down, |