g--
Bright diamonds of night--
Send a matin greeting
To the rising god of day,
As he warms them gently
With his golden ray.

Buttercups and daisies
Are jewels to be worn
By all sons and daughters
Of Nature, truly born;
They speak a perfect language,
They lead to the divine,
They cheer the weak and weary
They strengthen and refine.

Buttercups and daisies
May softly o'er me bloom,
When I am sweetly sleeping
Within my restful tomb,
And when by mortal beings
I may forgotten be,
The buttercups and daisies
Shall be dear friends to me.

* * * * *

Modest, meek anemone,
Loved wind-flower of the spring,
You fill our hearts with gladness,
For with your smile you bring
The vitalizing sunshine,
The fruitful April shower,
The pipe of feathered songster,
And bud of sylvan bower.

THE FRINGED GENTIAN.

I remember well, in my boyhood's romp,
The beautiful flower that grew near the swamp,
With its spiral screw
Of cerulean hue,
While on the marge of its petals grew
A fringe, such as art never weaves.

I plucked it with zeal, for my heart was aglow,
Its color and form, my mother to show,
And gladden her eyes
With the exquisite prize
I had found when autumnal zephyr sighs
'Mong the faded flowers and leaves.

Fair emblem of maiden adorned as a bride,
The tintings of heaven within you abide;
You smilingly stand
In bridal robe grand,
For a lover who offers an ardent hand,
And a heart that never deceives.

When others have left us, we cherish the one
Who remains firm and faithful till vict'ry's won;
Though cold be the storm,
The heart is e'er warm
For the tried and true, who weave such a charm
Round the heart of him who receives.

THE DANDELION.

Meadows are dotted, far and wide,
With velvet stars that bring
A golden off'ring of delight,--
Flower-goslings of the spring.

Then gray-haired pappus, downy, soft,
Follows with pistils loose,
And the gosling of the early spring
Becomes a white-fledged goose.

Its feathers float on ev'ry breeze
That fans the verdant mead,
And children count the hours of day
By breaths that waft the seed.