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88 HOW THE LEAVES CAME DOWN

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Come, children, all to bed," he cried;

And ere the leaves could urge their prayer,
He shook his head, and far and wide,

Fluttering and rustling everywhere,
Down sped the leaflets through the air.

I saw them; on the ground they lay,
Golden and red, a huddled swarm,
Waiting till one from far away,

White bedclothes heaped upon her arm,
Should come to wrap them safe and warm.

The great bare tree looked down and smiled,
"Good-night, dear little leaves," he said.
And from below each sleepy child
Replied, "Good-night," and murmured,
"It is so nice to go to bed!"

SUSAN COOLIDGE.

HUSH, MY DEAR, LIE STILL AND

SLUMBER

HUSH, my dear, lie still and slumber,

Holy angels guard thy bed;

Heavenly blessings without number
Gently falling on thy head.

How much better thou'rt attended
Than the Son of God could be,
When from heaven He descended,
And became a child like thee!

Soft and easy is thy cradle;

Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
When His birthplace was a stable,
And His softest bed was hay.

I could give thee thousand kisses,
Hoping what I most desire;
Not a mother's fondest wishes
Can to greater joys aspire.

Mayst thou live to know and fear Him,
Trust and love Him all thy days;
Then go dwell forever near Him,

See His face, and sing His praise!

ISAAC WATTS.

IF I WERE A SUNBEAM

IF I were a sunbeam,

I know what I'd do:
I would seek white lilies

Rainy woodlands through:
I would steal among them,
Softest light I'd shed,
Until every lily

Raised its drooping head.

If I were a sunbeam,

I know where I'd go:
Into lowliest hovels,

Dark with want and woe:
Till sad hearts looked upward,
I would shine and shine;
Then they'd think of heaven,
Their sweet home and mine.

Art thou not a sunbeam,
Child whose life is glad
With an inner radiance

Sunshine never had?

Oh, as God has blessed thee,

Scatter rays divine!

For there is no sunbeam

But must die, or shine.

LUCY LARCOM.

JAPANESE LULLABY

SLEEP, little pigeon, and fold your wings,-
Little blue pigeon with velvet eyes;

Sleep to the singing of mother-bird swinging—
Swinging the nest where her little one lies.

Away out yonder I see a star,—

Silvery star with a tinkling song;
To the soft dew falling I hear it calling-
Calling and tinkling the night along.

-

In through the window a moonbeam comes,-
Little gold moonbeam with misty wings;
All silently creeping, it asks, “Is he sleeping-
Sleeping and dreaming while mother sings?"

Up from the sea there floats the sob

Of the waves that are breaking upon the shore, As though they were groaning in anguish, and moaning— Bemoaning the ship that shall come no more.

But sleep, little pigeon, and fold your wings,
Little blue pigeon with mournful eyes;
Am I not singing?-see, I am swinging-
Swinging the nest where my darling lies.
EUGENE FIeld.

LADY MOON

I see the Moon and the Moon sees me;
God bless the Moon and God bless me!

-Old Rhyme.

LADY MOON, Lady Moon, where are you roving?

Over the sea.

Lady Moon, Lady Moon, whom are you loving?
All that love me.

Are you not tired with rolling, and never
Resting to sleep?

Why look so pale and so sad, as forever
Wishing to weep?

Ask me not this, little child, if you love me;
You are too bold:

I must obey my dear Father above me,

And do as I'm told.

Lady Moon, Lady Moon, where are you roving?
Over the sea.

Lady Moon, Lady Moon, whom are you loving?
All that love me.

LORD HOUGHTON,

(Richard Monckton Milnes).

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