She stood there as dainty, and looke

back at me,

In a little white ulster and hood.

"Good morning,' I whispered, for all i a flash

I knew it was Jack's sister Nell; Delighted to have her come visitin

me,

I reached up quite softly and kisse

her.

"There!

can you believe it? the dar

ling was gone —

Killed dead in that one little minute I never once dreamed that a kiss woul do that,

Nor could there be any harm in it.

“But I am so sorry! for though I hav looked

Fifty times at that window since then Half hoping to see her once more, ye I know

She can never come back here again

I have felt, and I knew that I should, Just as if I had killed her, that dear baby girl,

In a little white ulster and hood."

We stood within the window

And watched the clouds float by;
We saw the pretty pictures
They made against the sky.
We tried our best to name them
As, hastening one by one,
They cast their grateful shadows.
Across the glaring sun.

That came from out the west;
It glided quickly 'cross the sky
And never stopped to rest.
Its little silvery lining shed
A brightness on the way,
And everybody smiled and said,
Oh, what a pleasant day!

Then did you watch the pretty cloud
To see what shape it took?
Oh, yes; it was a shepherdess,
And in her hand a crook.

We watched her stray across the sky,
Her robe so silvery bright;

Until a great black cloud arose
And hid her from our sight.

We watched the black cloud in the west,
A fierce black bear it seemed,
And not one ray of silver light
Upon his pathway gleamed.

And very soon 'twas dark as night;
The wind began to blow,

The lightning streaked the blackened sky, The thunder loudly roared,

And then with all their might and main The rain-drops quickly poured.

But soon the wind was lulled to rest, And streaks of light shot through the

west;

The patter stopped upon the pane,

And then the sun came out again. The great black clouds rose in the sky Like giant mountains, grand and high; And all about was a silvery glow,

As if their tops were crowned with

snow.

Then as the sun sent forth his light
Away they drifted out of sight.
The sun in all his splendor dressed,
Sank slowly in the rosy west;
The sunset clouds with golden light,

Rose up to please our wandering sight.

We watched them sail into the blue,
We wonder where they drifted to.
They sailed away far o'er the sea

To bring cool showers to you and me Oh, yes; the clouds hold all the rain

That cools the air and wets the plain And when the cold north winds do blow They bring us plenty hail and snow.

The rain and snow soak through the ground,

And little streams beneath are found. Below the earth they wind about

Till soon a little stream flows out.

Then down the hill the spring doth flow To reach a little brook below.

- Adapted from AMERICAN TEACHER.