"What good child is this," the angel said,
"That, with happy heart, beside her bed
Prays so lovingly?"
Low and soft, oh! very low and soft,
Crooned the blackbird in the orchard croft,
"Bell, _dear_ Bell!" crooned he.

"Whom God's creatures love," the angel fair
Whispered, "God doth bless with angels' care;
Child, thy bed shall be
Folded safe from harm. Love, deep and kind,
Shall watch around, and leave good gifts behind,
Little Bell, for thee."

_Thomas Westwood_.

[Illustration:]

A STUDY OF LITTLE BELL

croft, a small inclosed field, near a house.

croon, to sing in a low tone.

quips, quick, smart turns.

piping, making a shrill sound like that of a pipe or flute.

In the first stanza what are the marks called that enclose _Little
Bell?_ Why are these marks used here?

Name the words of the poem in which the apostrophe is used. Tell what it
denotes in each case.

Where does the poem first take us? What do we see there?

In what words does the blackbird address the "pretty maid, slowly
wandering" his way? Who is she?

Seated beneath the rocks, what does Little Bell ask the blackbird to do?

Read the lines that describe the blackbird's song. Why did the bird sing
so sweetly? What were the effects of his song on "the little childish
heart below?"

Seated amid the fern, what did Little Bell ask the squirrel to do? Read
the lines that tell what the squirrel did. What invitation did the
squirrel receive from Little Bell?

Where does the poem bring us "at the close of day?" Tell what you see
there.

Read the lines that tell what the angel asked.

Read the angel's words in the first two lines of the last stanza. What
is their meaning?

What promises did the angel make to this good child? Why did he make
such beautiful promises?

Tell what the following words and expressions of the poem mean: quoth
he; straight unfold; dell; glade; hies; showery curls of gold; bonny
bird; hazel shade; void of fear; golden woodlights; adown the tree;
playmates twain; with folded palms; an angel shape; with angels' care;
the bird did pour his full heart out freely; the sweetness did shine
forth in happy overflow.

Select a stanza of the poem, and express in your own words the thought
it contains.

Describe some of the pictures the poem brings to mind.

What is the lesson the poet wishes us to learn from