I hear the Hairbird's slender trill, So fine and perfect it doth fill The whole sweet silence with its thrill. A rosy flush creeps up the sky, The Linnet sings like a magic flute, Is the trumpeter gay, The Kingfisher, sounding his rattle, he The Cock, saluting the sun's first ray, Is the bugler sounding a reveille. "Caw! Caw!" cries the crow, and his grating tone Completes the chord like a deep trombone. But, above them all, the Robin sings; Never fear! Day is near! My dear!" MISS HARRIET E. PAINE. EVENING SONGS. Gliding at sunset in my boat, Sounds the home-call to. his mate. Then the sun sinks low In the western glow, And the birds go to rest. But hush! Far off sings the sweet Wood-Thrush. He sings and waits - and sings again, The liquid notes of that holy strain. He ceases, and all the world is still : Tranquil, I lay me down to sleep, And I hear from the Sparrow a gentle trill, Which means, "Good Night; Peace and Good Will." MISS HARRIET E. PAINE. LITTTE BROWN BIRD. A little brown bird sat on a stone; "O pretty bird, do you not weary Of this gay summer so long and dreary?" The little bird opened his black bright eyes, Then his joyous song broke forth, to say, 66 Weary of what? I can sing all day." LIFE'S SIGN. Posies for Children. Wouldst thou the life of souls discern, KEBLE. A BIRD'S MINISTRY. From his home in an Eastern bungalow, Of the grand Himalayas, row on row, Thus wrote my friend : "I had travelled far From the Afghan towers of Candahar, Through the sand-white plains of Sinde-Sagar; "And once, when the daily march was o'er, As tired I sat in my tented door, Hope failed me, as never it failed before. "In swarming city, at wayside fane, By the Indus' bank, on the scorching plain, I had taught, and my teaching all seemed vain. - "No glimmer of light (I sighed) appears; The Moslem's Fate and the Buddhist's fears Have gloomed their worship this thousand years. 666 "For Christ and his truth I stand alone In the midst of millions: a sand-grain blown "As soon may level it!' Faith forsook My soul, as I turned on the pile to look; Then, rising, my saddened way I took To its lofty roof, for the cooler air: I gazed, and marvelled ; —how crumbled were The walls I had deemed so firm and fair! For, wedged in a rift of the massive stone, Whose gradual stress would still expand The temple, while o'er its wreck should stand The tree in its living verdure! Who Could compass the thought? The bird that flew Hitherward, dropping a seed that grew, Did more to shiver this ancient wall or all Then I knelt by the riven granite there, "The living seeds I have dropped remain In the cleft: Lord, quicken with dew and rain, MARGARET J. PRESTON. OF BIRDS. See, Christ makes the birds our masters and teachers! so that a feeble sparrow, to our great and perpetual shame, stands in the gospel as a doctor and preacher to the wisest of men. MARTIN LUTHER. Such a ceaseless croon and twitter Such a flash of wings that glitter Far away I hear a drumming, - Can the woodpecker be coming Butterflies are hovering over Yonder meadow-patch of clover, Like snow-storms. Through the vibrant air a-tingle Buzzingly, Throbs and o'er me sails a single Bumble-bee. |