A TALK AMONG THE FLOWERS.

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matis clung round the Elder in a close embrace; and they blessed themselves that they lived amid the lights and shades of the forest.

Then spoke the "Lilies of the field" to the little Blue-eyed grass, that was looking up into the sky: "How merry are we in the meadows, where grows all that is greenest and freshest. Happiness pervades and fills the universe. It is above us with the birds and the clouds, around us with every flower and green leaf and blade of grass. Let man take a lesson from our kingdom and be wise; for all here are happiest, in the place allotted to them by their Creator."

10

TO HELEN JOSEPHINE,

FROM A LITTLE FRIEND, ILL WITH WHOOPING COUGH.

HELEN, my blue-eyed dove,
With this I send, my love,
A Christmas gift to thee,
Wishing that this bright day,
In frolic and in play,

To you may happy be.

The sunshine of thy face,
Thy pretty ways of grace,

I'm fated not to see;

So delicate and fair,

You must not breathe the air,

That now is breathed by me.

TO HELEN JOSEPHINE.

Yet when the soft winds fling
Round us the buds of spring,

And the sweet birds have come,
Then, surely, we shall meet,
And kindly I shall greet

My Helen at my home.

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TO ARIANA.

I LOVED you when a little child,

You looked on me and sweetly smiled,

Ariana;

Ariana,

When you were but a baby mild;

Now you are grown up tall and wild,

This life of yours; nor woe, nor care,

Nor wicked spirits ever dare

Ariana,

To give to you a saddened air,

Ariana,

And your sweet face or heart impair,

Ariana.

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