Soldier, thy heroic strife Thus has added, still is giving Something more to human life, To the dignity of living. 5. Peace may now pervade thy breast, Pain and anxious thought are ended; Lay thy weary head to rest In the land thy arm defended. 6. Sleep the sleep at last that comes 7. Stars above and men below Will the faithful watch be keeping, While the breezes come and go Round the tent where thou art sleeping. U. S. GRANT. All's over now; here let our Captain rest,- As brave as he he on whose iron arm Our greatest leaned, our glentlest and most wise,- ULYSSES GRANT. R. W. Gilder. The city sleeps, the mighty pageant's done; ARBOR AND BIRD DAY FOR WISCONSIN, MAY 5 The observance of Arbor and Bird Day in all the schools of Wisconsin should take place on Friday, May 5, as per the proclamation of Governor McGovern naming that day for the children to give special attention to the planting of trees and the protection of birds. Teachers are referred to the Annuals issued every year by the state superintendent for valuable material and aids. The conservation of our forests is a live question today which should receive special attention in connection with the celebration of this event. WHAT THE SPARROW CHIRPS. I am only a little sparrow, A bird of low degree; My life's of little value, But the dear Lord careth for me. He gave me a coat of feathers, But it keeps me warm in winter, And it shields me from the rain; Were it 'broidered with gold or purple Perhaps it would make one vain. By and by when it is springtime, And He will give me wisdom To build it of leaves most brown; 'Warm and soft for my birdies, I have no barn or storehouse, I know there are many sparrows, When one of us falls to the ground. I fly through the thickest forests, I light on the smallest spray: I have no chart or compass, And I fold my wings at twilight I am only a little sparrow, A bird of low degree; But I know the dear Lord loves me- THE BLUEBIRD. I know the song that the bluebird is singing Listen a while and you'll hear what he's saying, "Dear little snow-drop! I pray you arise; WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST. (An Exercise for Six Pupils) First Pupil "To-whit, to-whit, to-whee Second Pupil "Not I," said the cow, "moo-oo! Such a thing I'd never do. I gave you a wisp of hay Third Pupil "Not I," said the dog; "bow-wow! I wouldn't be so mean anyhow. I gave hairs the nest to make I USED TO KILL BIRDS. I used to kill birds in my boyhood, I hunted them up in the mountains, And I had rare sport in the forest With the poor little birds and my gun. One beautiful day in the springtime As happy as bird could be; I followed it quickly and softly, And there to my sorrow I found, Right close to its nest full of young ones, For the kind mother-bird who had loved them I picked up the bird in my anguish, That could never more feed its dear young ones, Nor dart through the air on swift wing. And I made a firm vow in that moment, When my heart with such sorrow was stirred That never again in my lifetime, Would I shoot a poor innocent bird! They give balms to vagrant breezes, For their lives we plead. Giant oaks in sunny pastures Cast their pleasant shade. Lofty firs and murmuring pine trees Heralded in leafy banners, ARBOR DAY ANTHEM. Joy for the sturdy trees! The song birds o'er them thrill, Plant they by stream or way, In every verdant vale, God knoweth best. Select the strong, the fair, Plant in a fitter place, -Dr. S. F. Smith. FAMOUS TREES. Washington elm. Under the shade of this grand old elm, General Washington first took command of the colonial army in 1775. The "Burgoyne elm" at Albany, N. Y. This tree was planted on the day the British general, Burgoyne, was brought a prisoner to Albany, the day after he surrendered to our army in the Revolutionary War. The weeping willow in Copp's burying ground near Bunker Hill. This willow was grown from a branch that was taken from the grave of Napoleon Bonaparte, at St. Helena. The ash trees planted by Gen. Washington at Mt. Vernon, Va. This is a beautiful row of im mense trees, which everybody admires who visits. the home of the Father of his Country. The Cary tree. This tree was planted by Alice and Phoebe Cary, the poet sisters, who have written so many beautiful poems for children. a beautiful sycamore in Ohio. It is Old "Liberty elm." This famous tree used to stand on Boston Common, but was blown down in a storm. It was planted by a schoolmaster long before the Revolutionary War, and dedicated to the liberty of the colonies. The William Penn tree in Philadelphia. In that city stands a monument which marks the spot where once stood a tree under which William Penn made his famous treaty with the Indians. The Charter Oak. It was in an old hollow oak that the early colonists hid their charter to prevent its being taken from them by the British governor, Andros. THE RAINBOW. "A rainbow in the morning What does this mean? What is a sailor? Did you ever see a rainbow? Where? When? Where was the sun? What colors are in the rainbow? Can you make a rainbow picture with the colored crayon? Where will you put the red? The blue? The orange? The yellow? The green? The violet? Have you ever seen these colors arranged in the same order? Where? What makes the rainbow? Mix red and yellow. What color do you have? Mix blue and red. What color now? Mix blue and yellow. What color now? "Hiawatha saw the rainbow, In the eastern sky the rainbow, 'Tis the heaven of flowers you see there. ..Longfellow. "The little flowers come through the ground, At Easter time, at Easter time." "The gay, green grass comes creeping, So soft beneath our feet, The frogs begin to ripple A music clear and sweet." |