“Then shall we dwell in Heaven’s clear day,
  Which knows nor night nor moon,
For, ever, from the Father’s throne
  Beams high and cloudless noon.”

[Illustration]

A SONG FOR MAY MORNING.

[Illustration]

Awake! awake! the dusky night
  Is fading from the sky;
Awake! and with the early light
  To pleasant fields we’ll hie. 
Come with me, and I will show
Where the fragrant wild-flowers grow;
We will weave a garland gay
For our smiling Queen of May.

The sun peeps up behind the hills,
  And hark! the morning song
Of little birds the fresh air fills,
  As now we skip along. 
By the brook-side cold and wet,
Blooms the pale, white violet;
There’s the purple blossom, too,
Nodding with its weight of dew.

The gentle wind just lifts the head
  Of many a columbine;
And, taken from their rocky bed,
  They in our wreaths shall twine. 
Saxifrage, so small and sweet,
Grows in plenty at our feet;
From the grass we gather up,
Golden bright, the buttercup.

Now for the trailing evergreen,
  That in the woodland springs,
And we will crown our May-day queen
  With buds this fair month brings. 
Merriest of all the year
Is the day we welcome here;
We will sing and dance away,
In our glee, this long May-day.

[Illustration]

THE CHILD AND THE FLOWER-ELF.

[Illustration:  Letter I.]

“I was walking, dearest mother,
  This morning, by the brook,
And tired at last I rested me
  Within a shady nook.

“There all was still and lonely,
  And suddenly I heard
A little voice,—­a sweeter one
  Than note of any bird.

“I looked above, around me,
  I saw not whence it came;
And yet that tone of music
  Was calling me by name.

“The violet beside me
  Bloomed with its purple cup,
And a tiny face, so lovely,
  Amidst its leaves peeped up.

“Again the silver music,—­
  The voice I loved to hear,—­
Upon its sweet breath floated,
  And bade me not to fear.

“‘I am the elf,’ it whispered,
  ’Who in the violet dwells,
And every blossom hides one
  Within its fragrant cells.

“’If you will list our teaching,
  And catch our faintest tone,
Your heart will be as spotless,
  As loving as our own.’

“And then, as I was gazing,
  It vanished from my sight;
Once more the violet nodded,
 And sought the sunshine bright.”

“My darling child, the elfins
  That live within the flowers
Sweet sounds are ever breathing,
  To glad this world of ours.

“Well may we weep and sorrow,
  If they are silent all;
Then are our souls too sinful
  To heed their spirit call.