94

DISAPPOINTMENT.

The sleighs drop far apart,

Her words are soft and low;

Now, if you love her, love her, love h 'Tis safe to tell her so.

EDMUND CLARENCI

DISAPPOINTMENT.

Down from the hills divine the waters glid From the white snow-wreaths down the

side,

And in the salt sea-foam their sweetness hi

Day after day the steady cliffs and steep Silently crumble like the shapes of sleep, And on their broken basement dreams the

The clouds come sailing from the windy W
Over the limitless blue ocean's breast,
But in the bitter East they find no rest.

Foam-flakes of snow across the fields are b Where, underneath, the sleeping grain is st And on the wold the winds of winter moan.

I left the highland of my hopes for thee, Downward I hurried full of love and glee, But in thy bosom found the barren sea.

TO A STARVED HARE.

95

My heart that seemed so strong to bear the blows
Of chance and change, false friends and fated foes,
Melts downward daily wasting with fresh woes.

Weeping I bear the freight of holy tears,
And loving words, and hopes, and idle fears,
And whispered sighs to thy unheeding ears.

Now hath the winter of my life begun;
Thy blinding drifts are tossed against the sun,
And o'er my frozen soul thy whirlwinds run.

JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS.

TO A STARVED HARE IN THE GARDEN IN
WINTER.

SOFT-FOOTED stroller from the herbless wood,
Stealing so mutely through my garden ground,
I will not balk thine eager quest for food,
Nor take thy life, nor startle thee with sound.
I spared the wanton squirrel, though I saw
His autumn raid upon my nuts and cones;
I spared his frisky brush and bushy jaw;

And shall I wound the poor disheartened ones? Come freely in my heart thy charter lies;

Feed boldly, what thou gain'st I cannot lose. When robin shuffles on the snow-white sill,

We serve his winsome hunger; who would choose To daunt his ruddy breast and wistful eyes?

But, hare or robin, it is hunger still.

CHARLES TENNYSON-TURNER.

96

LOVE IN WINTER.

LOVE IN WINTER.

BETWEEN the berried holly-bush
The Blackbird whistled to the Thrush:
"Which way did bright-eyed Bella go?
Look, Speckled-breast, across the snow,
Are those her dainty tracks I see,
That wind toward the shrubbery?"

The Throstle pecked the berries still.
"No need for looking, Yellow-bill;
Young Frank was there an hour ago,
Half frozen, waiting in the snow;
His callow beard was white with rime, -
Tchuck, 't is a merry pairing-time!"

"What would you?" twittered in the Wren;
"These are the reckless ways of men.
I watched them bill and coo as though
They thought the sign of spring was snow;
If men but timed their loves as we,
'Twould save this inconsistency."

"Nay, Gossip," chirped the Robin, “nay;
I like their unreflective way.

Besides, I heard enough to show
Their love is proof against the snow;
'Why wait,' he said, 'why wait for May,
When love can warm a winter's day?

HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON.

PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED.

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CALM AND COLD.

(JANUARY, 1867.)

BREAK into spray, and fly and fill the air
With ghostly mist that freezes ere it falls,
O struggling waves! whom not the wind appals,
Nor all the wrestling tempests overbear,
But secret fear, lest, pausing weary there,
Instead of peace, renewing whom it calls,
The subtle cold, that levels and enthralls,
Should creep and find and bind you unaware:
And what were worse than, smoothly calm and cold,
Wrapt in false peace, to fancy strife is o'er,
Forget the woes that all the winds deplore,
Forget the cares that all the clouds enfold,
Watch not nor wait for changes as of old,

And feel the movement of the world no more!

ROBERT KELLEY WEEKS.

PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED.

Ir chanced upon a winter's day,

But warm, and bright, and calm as May,
The birds, conceiving a design

To forestall sweet Saint Valentine,

In many an orchard, copse, and grove,
Assembled on affairs of love,

NEW

CIRCULATIN
LIBRARY

98

PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED.

And with much twitter and much chatter
Began to agitate the matter.

At length a Bulfinch, who could boast
More years and wisdom than the most,
Entreated, opening wide his beak,
A moment's liberty to speak;
And, silence publicly enjoined,
Delivered briefly thus his mind:
"My friends! be cautious how ye treat
The subject upon which we meet;
I fear we shall have winter yet."

A finch, whose tongue knew no control,
With golden wing and satin poll,
A last year's bird, who ne'er had tried
What pairing means, thus pert replied:
"Methinks the gentleman," quoth she,
"Opposite, in the apple-tree,

By his good will would keep us single
Till yonder heaven and earth shall mingle,
Or, (which is likelier to befall,)

Till death exterminate us all.
I couple without more ado;

My dear Dick Redcap, what say you?"

Dick heard, and tweedling, ogling, bridling, Turning short round, strutting, and sidling, Attested glad his approbation

Of an immediate conjugation.
Their sentiments so well expressed
Influenced mightily the rest;

All paired, and each pair built a nest.

But though the birds were thus in haste,