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There scatter'd oft, the earliest of the year,
By hands unseen, are showers of violets found;
The Redbreast loves to build and warble
there,

And light footsteps lightly print the ground. b. GRAY-Elegy. Last St. (Early Edition.)

Bearing His cross, while Christ passed forth forlorn,

His God-like forehead by the mock crown torn,

A little bird took from that crown one thorn. To soothe the dear Redeemer's throbbing head,

That bird did what she could; His blood 'tis said,

Down dropping, dyed her tender bosom red. Since then no wanton boy disturbs her nest; Weasel nor wild cat will her young molest; All sacred deem the bird of ruddy breast.

C.

HOSKYNS-ABRAHALL-The Redbreast,
A Briton Legend. In English
Lyrics.

The sobered robin, hunger-silent now,
Seeks cedar-berries blue, his autumn cheer.
d. LOWELL-An Indian Summer Reverie.

Poor robin, driven in by rain-storms wild
To lie submissive under household hands
With beating heart that no love understands,
And scaréd eye, like a child

Who only knows that he is all alone
And summer's gone.

e.

D. M. MULOCK-Summer Gone. St. 2. On fair Brittannia's isle, bright bird, A legend strange is told of thee,-'Tis said thy blithesome song was hushed While Christ toiled up Mount Calvary, Bowed 'neath the sins of all mankind;

And humbled to the very dust By the vile cross, while viler man

Mocked with a crown of thorns the Just. Pierced by our sorrows, and weighed down By our transgressions,-faint, and weak, Crushed by an angry Judge's frown, And agonies no word can speak,'Twas then, dear bird, the legend says That thou, from out His crown, didst tear The thorns, to lighten the distress, And ease the pain that he must bear, While pendant from thy tiny beak

The gory points thy bosom pressed, And crimsoned with thy Saviour's blood The sober brownness of thy breast! Since which proud hour for thee and thine, As an especial sign of grace God pours like sacramental wine Bed signs of favor o'er thy race! f. DELLE W. NORTON-To the Robin

Redbreast.

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When Jesus hung upon the cross
The birds, 'tis said, bewailed the loss
Of Him who first to mortals taught,
Guiding with love the life of all,
And heeding e'en the sparrows' all.
But, as old Swedish legends say,
Of all the birds upon that day,
The swallow felt the deepest grief,
And longed to give her Lord relief,
And chirped when any near would come,
Hugswala swala swal honom!'
Meaning, as they who tell it deem,
Oh, cool, oh, cool and comfort Him!
LELAND-- The Swallow.

N.

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Look back swallow, turn back swallow, stop

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