IN THE ROSE GARDEN 



;TEP lightly; it is enchanted 

 ground the one realm left to 

 fairies and their queen. Do 

 you not see them at hide-and- 

 seek among the leaves? The 

 moon, low in the east, has one white star 

 for company. Over and beyond it steals the 

 pale luminance of new-coming day. In the 

 rare, tremulous, tender light, mark what jew- 

 els gleam on fairy robes of pink and pearl, of 

 yellow and crimson, and scarlet and creamy 

 white ! No diamond has such fire, no pearl 

 such roundness ; the most cunning work- 

 man cannot set them so daintily about. All 

 night long there has been high revel here, 

 with honey for the banquet and wine of 

 perfume. The noise of it, elfin music and 

 singing and laughter, stole into your sleep, 

 and awoke you, with wet eyelids, from a 

 dream of youth and love. As the horned 

 moon climbed over the sky's rim the chant 

 grew madder, merrier.; dancers flew quick- 



