SPRING.

Southland Times, Issue 998, 5 August 1868, Page 3

SPRING.

I Softly m Winter's place, Spring steals out on the earth, and stands with I half-frightened face"; \ ".' r ; :/j . > For the frost smell still is keen and the wind is coarse and loud, " " . , . And the eddying snow-flakes fell from the edge offp; tne full-filled cloud. ; \ ." " Lo, she is timid.and young. ? But nowhere in all the fields is heard one welcoming tongue. .' •'■■"■ -■•' Cold are the black marsh pools; ,ii the wood on a lonely beech ■ ; r • ■■-' ,T Matters the last of the leaves, red, ragged, and .-■ out of reach. . ■ . ...... . ;; Nearer and yet more near ■•■••■•. Every day does she come, and the low skies heighten and clear, .-.'■■■■■ ■ '••-•:'; - And change into fresh soft blue as when, in a glad surprise, Eyelids are lifted up from the azure of innocent ""' eyes. ■;-.■•> ■ ■■-■•.- -.-■:;'_"■- MX; !: "■■ -] Then with a throb in the thr0at,......... r Up gets a robin and sings a sharp, blithe,'twitter-: r ing note;'. : _: ; ... Sudden he stops in alarm and flies to a tree in the lane; -•■ .- " ?" Near to the house-door safe, and there he'carols. - again; ■■•■■ : ' .-■■■••••■ -:-" :■•• v :-; .■■•• All by himself at first j.;. -: .: But .; i a moment or two the thrush gives a wild outburst; '.'■.-• : Then join the ring-dove and finch, and the little hedge-wren chirps fast;... For Winter, black Winter is gone, and Bpring has come to them at lasti ■ « Straight to the thrill of the sound, Primroses push through the moss that cumbers the moistened ground, And the forget-me-nots spread for. through the thick wild brake, ..-.'..; With violets voicelessly glad —so glad for the dear Spring's sake. vT: .' - • '■ " '"*- '"r " Widely in Woodland's brown, Greaten the tiny buds, and the tender leaves hang down, Blossoms the guelder rose; and the l'Ws purples_ unfold, : \. \-i Mixed with the heavy drip of the yellow labur-v num's gold. '■■■-..- ' Early, with early sunrise, .. Eager with tremulous joy, flutter the butterflies, And to the twinkling stream the gnats and the midges come, .-..■■ :■'■:•'• • And the bee goes by on the wrnd with solemn approving hum. . Spring, no longer afraid, Walks with a soft low laugh on thro* the sun and the shade, .■•-,- ' • Colors the rose on the waF,- fills a' l, the flowers with scent, Then rl the eventide rests in a cahn. contents Oh, to he wise as Spring! Q-entleness conquers at last every stern dark thing; Faith with these three combined brings the world to our feet. Look then to one above: Gtod who, gives us the Spriag gives us also Hia ■ i ■ Love, .-' "'; .'......'"■'■...'■ Strong in its sunny warmth-—which, touching the cold dead soul, Calls it at once to life, and someday will perfect ' the whole. —' Leisure Hour.'