THREE KINGDOMS. 



And Nature, the old nurse, took 

 The child upon her knee, 



Saying : " Here is a story-book 

 Thy Father has written for thee." 



" Come, wander with me," she said, 

 " Into regions yet untrod, 



And read what is still unread 

 In the manuscripts of God. 



" 



And he wandered away and away 

 With Nature,' the dear old nurse, 



Who sang to him night and day 

 The rhymes of the universe. 



And whenever the way seemed long, 



Or his heart began to fail, 

 She would sing a more wonderful song, 



Or tell a more marvelous tale. 



So she keeps him still a child, 



And will not let him go, 

 Though at times his heart beats wild 



For the beautiful Pays de Vaud ; 



Though at times he hears in his dreams 

 The Ranz des Vaches of old, 



And the rush of mountain streams 

 From glaciers clear and cold ; 



And the mother at home says, " Hark ! 



For his voice I listen and yearn ; 

 It is growing late and dark, 



And my boy does not return." 



