Thou art where billows foam, Thou art where music melts upon the air; Thou art around us in our peaceful home, And the world calls us forth—and thou art there! Thou art where friend meets friend, Beneath the shadow of the elm to rest Thou art where foe meets foe, and trumpets rend The skies, and swords beat down the princely crest. Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath, And stars to set; but all— Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death! MRS HEMANS, 1793-1835. 66 WHAT SAITH THE FOUNTAIN} WHAT saith the Fountain, Hid in the glade, Where the tall mountain Throweth its shade? Deep in my waters, reflected serene, All the soft beauty of heaven is seen; What saith the Streamlet, Flowing so bright, Clear as a beamlet Of heavenly light? "Morning and evening still floating along, What saith the River, Majestic in flow, Calmly and slow? "Over my surface the great vessels glide, What saith the Ocean, Boundless as night; Resistless in might? "Fountain to streamlet, streamlet to river, WILLIAM W. CALDWELL, 1823 —American. GOD PROVIDETH FOR THE MORROW! Lo, the lilies of the field, How their leaves instruction yield! By the blessed birds of heaven! "Say, with richer crimson glows Barns nor hoarded grain have we, Mortal, fly from doubt and sorrow! "One there lives whose guardian eye One there lives, who, Lord of all, Free from doubt and faithless sorrow God provideth for the morrow!" BISHOP HEBER, 1783-1826. C THE COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR. AND wherefore do the Poor complain? The Rich Man ask'd of me ;Come, walk abroad with me, I said, And I will answer thee. 'Twas evening, and the frozen streets And we were wrapt and coated well, We met an old bare-headed man, I ask'd him what he did abroad The cold was keen indeed, he said, We met a young bare-footed child, When the wind it blew so cold; She said her father was at home, And therefore was it she was sent We saw a woman sitting down She had a baby at her back I ask'd her why she loiter'd there Then told us that her husband served, A soldier, far away, And therefore to her parish she We met a girl, her dress was loose I ask'd her what there was in guilt To shame, disease, and late remorse; |