L X.-FIELD LILIES. I. ILY bells! lily bells! swinging and ringing Sweet golden bells on the still summer air, Are ye calling the birds to their matins of singing, II. Lily bells! lily bells! daintily swaying, Poising your petals like butterflies' wings, As the breeze murmurs round you, pray what is he saying! Is he whispering love-words and soft, pretty things? III. Lily bells! lily bells! 'mid the long grasses Gleaming like sunbeams in still shady bower, Have you stolen your gold from the sun as he passes? IV. Lily bells! lily bells! bowing and bending, Are ye nodding a welcome to me as I go? Do ye know that my heart bears a love never-ending V. Lily bells! lily bells! down in the meadows, As I see your fair forms 'mid the mosses and brake, My heart wanders back to the past, with its shadows, To Christ, and the wise, loving words that he spake. VI. Consider the lilies "-yes, this was his teaching— Yet even to them is my loving care reaching, VII. Lily bells! lily bells! waving and swinging, VIII. Lily bells! lily bells! bending and swaying, Ring out your sweet peals on the still summer air; I would ye might lure all to trusting and praying, And teach them sweet lessons of God's loving care. XI. THE MERRY AUTUMN DAYS. ID you ever see the chestnut trees? They grow in our woods, and on the shores of some ponds. In the spring they are covered with long yellowish blossoms; and all through the hot summer those blossoms are at work turning into the chestnuts, wrapped safely in round, thorny balls, which will prick your fingers sadly if you don't take care. 2. But when the frost of the autumn nights comes, it cracks open the prickly ball, and shows a shining brown nut inside. Then, if we are careful, we may pull off the covering and take out the nut. Sometimes, indeed, there are two, three or four nuts in one shell. 3. Now, in the autumn it is merry sport to gather these chestnuts and store them away; some to be eaten, boiled or roasted, by the bright fire in the cold winter days that are coming; and some to be nicely packed in great bags, and carried on the donkey down to the town and be sold. 4. So when father says one night at supper-time, "It is growing cold; I think there will be a frost to-night," Mabel knows very well what to do; and she dances away right early in the evening to her little bed. She falls asleep to dream about the chestnut-wood, and the squirrels, and the little brook that leaps and springs from rock to rock, down under the tall, dark trees. 5. She has gone to bed early that she may wake with the first daylight, and she is out of bed in a minute when she hears her father's cheerful call in the morning: "Come, children, it is time to be off." THE MERRY AUTUMN DAYS. 49 6. Their dinner is packed in a large basket. The donkey stands ready before the door, with great empty bags hanging at each side; and they go merrily over the crisp frost to the chestnut trees. 7. How the frost has opened the burrs! He has done Inore than half their work for them already. How they laugh, and sing, and shout to each other, as they gather the smooth brown nuts, filling their baskets and running to pour them into the great bags! 8. The sun looks down upon them through the yellow leaves, and the rocks give them mossy seats; while here and there comes a bird or a squirrel to see what these strange people are doing in the wood. 9. Mabel declares that the chestnut days are the best in the year. Perhaps she is right. I am sure I should enjoy them; should n't you? 10. She really helps, although she is but a little girl, and her father says at night that his little Mabel is a dear, good child. It makes her very happy. 11. She thinks of what he has said while she undresses at night, and she goes peacefully to sleep, to dream again of the merry autumn days. When prayer was done, her eldest child- A boy of eight years old Said softly, "In the Holy Book, Dear mother, we are told How God, with food by ravens brought, Supplied the prophet's need." "Yes," answered she, "but that, my son, III. "But, mother, God may do again What he has done before; THE OPEN DOOR. IV. Ere long the burgomaster passed, Paused to inquire why the door "My little Dirk has done it, sir,” V. "Indeed!" the burgomaster cried, Come to my home, and you shall see He quickly led the boy, And sent him back with food that filled His humble home with joy. VI. The supper ended, little Dirk Went to the open door, Looked up, said, "Many thanks, good Lord;" Then shut it fast once more. For, though no bird had entered in, He knew that God on high Had hearkened to his mother's prayer, 51 EXERCISE. 1. A widow lived in a town of Holland. 2. Her little ones asked without avail for bread. 3. The light of their lamp fell on the road. 6. He sent the boy back with something to eat. 7. He knew that his heavenly Father has listened to his mother's petition. |