THE GUARDIAN ANGEL.

"In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."-ST. MATT. xviii. 10.

I WANDERED through a forest lone,
I met a fair young child.
"My little one, art not afraid,

The wood is drear and wild?"
She shook her sunny waving curls,
And looked at me and smiled.

"Nay, but I am not all alone,"
Still reverent answered she,
An angel walketh by my side,
Though him I cannot see ;
And he would tell of it in heaven,
If aught should injure me.

"He's ever near, and tenderly
A loving watch doth keep;
And with his great white downy wings
He fanneth me to sleep."

"Nay, child, 'tis but the summer wind
That through the trees doth creep."

"When I am wearied out with play,
And sit me down to rest,

My guardian angel lets me lie
So gently on his breast."

"Nay, child, 'tis but the velvet moss
Thy little form hath pressed."

"And when the sunlight quivers fair
Upon each leafy spray,

My angel on his golden harp

But I shall never see his face

Until I come to die,

And then he'll bear me in his arms
Unto our God on high."

I turned me from that trusting child,
Who put my faith to shame,
And to my heart these ancient words
Of Holy Scripture came :

"The angel of the Lord encamps

Round those that fear his name."

JULIA GODDARD.

SNOW.

SNOW, snow everywhere!

On the ground and in the air,
In the fields and in the lane,
On the roof and window-pane.

Snow, snow everywhere!

Making common things look fair,
Stones beside the garden walks,
Broken sticks, and cabbage stalks.

Snow, snow everywhere!
Dressing up the trees so bare,
Resting on each fir-tree bough,
Till it bends, a plume of snow.

Snow, snow everywhere!
Covering up young roots with care,
Keeping them so safe and warm,
Jack Frost cannot do them harm.

Snow, snow everywhere!
We are glad to see it here;
Snowball-making will be fun

When to-morrow's work is done!

THE FOUNTAIN.

INTO the sunshine,
Full of the light,
Leaping and flashing
From morn till night!

Into the moonlight,

Whiter than snow, Waving so flower-like

When the winds blow!

Into the starlight,
Rushing in spray,
Happy at midnight,
Happy by day!

Ever in motion,

Blithesome and cheery,

Still climbing heavenward,

Never a-weary;

Glad of all weathers,
Still seeming best,
Upward or downward
Motion thy rest;

Full of a nature

Nothing can tame,
Changed every moment,
Ever the same;

Ceaseless aspiring,
Ceaseless content,
Darkness or sunshine
Thy element.

Glorious fountain!

Let my heart be

Fresh, changeful, constant,

Upward like thee!

THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS.

It was the schooner Hesperus,

That sailed the wintry sea;

And the skipper had ta'en his little daughter,
To bear him company.

Blue were her eyes as the fairy flax,

Her cheeks like the dawn of day,

And her bosom white as the hawthorn buds,
That ope in the month of May.

The skipper he stood beside the helm,

His pipe was in his mouth,

And he watched how the veering flaw did blow

The smoke now west, now south.