FUNERAL RITES OF THE ROSE 89 



to damask roses, after having raised a good many 

 of the rarer varieties. I like to go to operas and 

 concerts, but there are queer little old homely 

 sounds, that are better than music to me. How- 

 ever, I suppose it's foolish to tell such things. 



OLIVEE WENDELL HOLMES. 



THE FUNERAL RITES OF THE ROSE 



THE rose was sick and smiling died ; 



And, being to be sanctified, 



About the bed there sighing stood 



The sweet and flowery sisterhood : 



Some hung the head, while some did bring, 



To wash her, water from the spring ; 



Some laid her forth, while others wept, 



But all a solemn fast there kept : 



The holy sisters, some among, 



The sacred dirge and trental x sung. 



But ah ! what sweets smelt everywhere, 



As Heaven had spent all perfumes there. 



At last, when prayers for the dead 



And rites were all accomplished, 



They, weeping, spread a lawny loom, 



And closed her up as in a tomb. 



ROBERT HEBRICK. 



1 Trental : services for the dead, of thirty masses. 



