Oh, when the room grows
       slowly dim,
    And life's last oil is
       nearly spent,
One gush of light these
       eyes will brim,
    Only to think she came
       and went.
                 J.R. Lowell.

XI.

EVENING SONG.

                Waking, I dream of thy life that shall be
                   Never by sorrow made weary;
                Earth shall be soft with love for thee,
                   Down-lined the nest of my dearie.
                Millions of flowers to gladden thy way,
                Springing from seeds that my heart sets to-day.
                                   Sleep, darling baby, baby!

                Sleeping, dream thou of the Spirit of Spring--
                   Of sweets and of scents she is bringing;
                Just for the flowers' sake thrushes will sing,
                   Flowers blow for love of the singing.
                In the world's harmony take thou thy part,
                So shall the springtide bloom in thy heart!
                                   Sleep, darling baby, baby!
                                                                    E. Nesbit.

XII. ow comes the first chill whisper of the       end

While yet the woods are green and skies are                              blue;                   While under loads of corn great waggons bend,                      And sunshine makes us glad the whole day through.                   The trees are full of leaf and of delight,                      Yet through them sighs the forecast of the time                   When the lean branches shall be wondrous, white                      With winter's lovely radiant frost and rime.                   The fallen leaves as yet are hardly missed,                      The rest will fade--until the woods are bare,                   And the dim glades where summer lovers kissed,                      Forget how leafy and divine they were.                   And in our souls come whispers of despair,

"Failure again--failure for evermore!                   Leaves only for one summer's space are fair,