FLORA'S INTERPRETER. 166 



PRICKLY PEAR. Clast 12. Order 1. Native of South 



Cactus America, and the West Indies. There 



are many species, from creeping shrubs 



to trees of ten feet in height Flowers 



yellow, white, red, and pink color. 



SATIRE. 



And can young Beauty's tender heart 



Nurse thoughts of scorn, 

 As on the Cactus' greenest leaves 



Protrudes the thorn? 



SENTIMENT. 



Ay, curl that cherub lip in scorn, 



And give to wit the rein, 

 And barb that tongue with sarcasms born 



From thy proud heart's disdain, 

 In mockery of one who erst 

 Was ever foremost of the first 



To guard thy maiden fame 

 One who, with quick adventurous hand, 

 Had braved the proudest of the land 



That lightly named thy name. 



And yet if thou canst borrow, 



In beauty's mirthful pride, 

 Delight from friendship's sorrow, 



Smile on, I will not chide; 

 Yet, ah, methinks it were more kind, 

 More fraught with woman's feeling mind, 



To hide derision's fang 

 From one, who even now would dare 

 More than life's brittle thread would bear, 



Ere thou shouldst feel one pang. 



JV>u> York Mirror, 



