Thou lead'st me over beds of moss;--

And by the busy runnel's side,
Whose waters, like a bird afraid,
Dart from their fount, and, flashing, glide
Athwart the sunshine and the shade.

Or larger streams our steps beguile;--
We see the cascade, broad and fair,
Dashed headlong down to foam, the while
Its iris-spirit leaps to air!

Alas! as by a loud alarm,
The fancied turmoil of the falls
Hath driven me back and broke the charm
Which led me from these alien walls:--

Yes, alien, dearest child, are these
Close city walls to thee and me:
My homestead was embowered with trees,
And such thy heritage should be:--

And shall be;--I will make for thee
A home within my native vale
Where every brook and ancient tree
Shall whisper some ancestral tale.

Now once again I see thee stand,
As down the future years I gaze,
The fairest maiden of the land--
The spirit of those sylvan ways.

And in thy looks again I trace
The light of her who gave thee birth;
She who endowed thy form and face
With glory which is not of Earth.

And as I gaze upon her now,
My heart sends up a prayer for thee,
That thou may'st wear upon thy brow
The light which now she beams on me.

And thou wilt wear that love and light
For thou'rt the bud to such a flower:--
Oh fair the day, how blest and bright,
Which finds thee in thy native bower!

AN INDIAN-SUMMER RAMBLE.

BY ALFRED B. STREET.

It was now the middle of October. White frosts had for some time been
spreading their sheets of pearl over the gardens and fields, but the
autumn rainbows in the forests were wanting. At last, however, the
stern black frost came and wrought its customary magic. For about a
week there was a gorgeous pageantry exhibited, "beautiful,
exceedingly." But one morning I awoke, and found that the mist had
made a common domain both of earth and sky. Every thing was merged
into a gray dimness. I could just discern the tops of trees a few feet
off, and here and there a chimney. There was a small bit of fence
visible, bordering "our lane," and I could with difficulty see a
glimmering portion of the village street. Some gigantic cloud appeared
to have run against something in the heavens and dropped down amongst
us. There were various outlines a few rods off, belonging to object