ng on the moor,
Birds singing in the trees;

That He who made both life and death,
He knoweth which is best:
We live to Him, we die to Him,
And leave Him all the rest.

BIRDS IN THE SNOW

CHILD

I WISH I were a little bird
When the sun shines
And the wind whispers low,
Through the tall pines,
I'd rock in the elm tops,
Rifle the pear-tree,
Hide in the cherry boughs,
O such a rare tree!

I wish I were a little bird;
All summer long
I'd fly so merrily
Sing such a song!
Song that should never cease
While daylight lasted,
Wings that should never tire
Howe'er they hasted.

MOTHER

But if you were a little bird--
My baby-blossom.
Nestling so cosily
In mother's bosom,--
A bird, as we see them now,
When the snows harden,
And the wind's blighting breath
Howls round the garden:

What would you do, poor bird,
In winter drear?
No nest to creep into,
No mother near:
Hungry and desolate,
Weary and woeful,
All the earth bound with frost,
All the sky snow-full?

CHILD (_thoughtfully_).

That would be sad, and yet
Hear what I'd do--
Mother, in winter time
I'd come to you!
If you can like the birds
Spite of their thieving,
Give them your trees to build,
Garden to live in,

I think if I were a bird
When winter comes
I'd trust you, mother dear,
For a few crumbs,
Whether I sang or not,
Were lark, thrush, or starling.--

MOTHER (_aside_).

Then--Father--I trust _Thee_
With this my darling.

THE LITTLE COMFORTER

"WHAT is wrong with my big brother?"
Says the child;
For they two had got no mother
And she loved him like no other:
If he smiled,
All the world seemed bright and gay
To this happy little May.

If to her he s