SENTIMENT AND STORY.

GOOD-MORNING.

ROBERT BROWNING. SONG FROM 66 PIPPA PASSES."

THE year's at the Spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;

The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;

God's in his heaven

All's right with the world.

A LEGEND.

R. H. STODDARD.

THE young child Jesus had a garden,
Full of roses rare and red:

And thrice a day he watered them
To make a garland for his head.

When they were full-blown in the garden,
He called the Jewish children there;

And each did pluck himself a rose,
Until they stripped the garden bare.

"And, now, how will you make your garland,
For not a rose your path adorns ?"
"But you forget," he answered them,
"That you have left me still the thorns."

They took the thorns and made a garland
And placed it on his shining head,
And where the roses should have shown,
Were little drops of blood instead.

POOR LITTLE CHILDREN.

VICTOR HUGO.

MOTHER birdie stiff and cold,

Puss has hushed the other's singing;
Winds go whistling o'er the wold,
Empty nest in sport a-flinging:
Poor little birdies!

Faithless shepherd strayed afar,
Playful dog the gadflies catching,
Wolves bound boldly o'er the bar,
Not a friend the fold is watching :
Poor little lambkins!

Father into prison fell,

Mother begging through the parish;

Baby's cot they too will sell,—

Who will now feed, clothe, and cherish?
Poor little children!