60 AGEICULTUEE AND EUEAL-LIFE DAY. 



My heart-strings round thee cling, 



Close as thy bark, old friend ! 

 Here shall the wild-bird sing. 



And still thy branches bend. 

 Old tree ! the storm still brave ! 



And. woodman, leave the spot: 

 While I've a hand to save, 



Thy axe shall harm it not ! 



— George P. Morris. 



LITTLE BY LITTLE. 



"Little by little." an acorn said. 



As it slowly sank in its mossy bed ;■ 

 "I am improving every day. 



Hidden deep in the earth away." 



Little by little each day it grew. 



Little by little it sipped the dew : 



Downward it sent out a thread-like root. 



Up in the air sprung a tiny shoot. 



Day after day, and year after year. 



Little by little the leaves appear; 



And the slender branches spread far and wide. 



Till the mighty oak is the forest's pride. 

 " Little by little," said a thoughtful boy, 

 " Moment by moment I'll well employ, 



Learning a little every day. 



And not spending all my time in play ; 



And still this rule iu my mind shall dwell — 

 ' Whatever I do. I'll do it well.' 



Little by little I'll learn to know 



The treasured wisdom of long-ago; 



And one of these days, perhaps, we'll see 



That the world will- be the better for me." 



And do you not think that this simple plan 



Made him a wise and useful man? 



"HELP ONE ANOTHER." 



" Help one another." the snowflakes said. 



As they cuddled down in their fleecy bed; 

 " One of us here would not be felt. 



One of us here would quickly melt ; 



But I'll help you. and you help me. 



And then what a big white drift we'll see ! " 



" Help one another," the maple spray 

 Said to its fellow leaves one day; 



" The sun would wither me here alone, 

 Long enough ere the day is gone; 

 But I'll help you and you help me, 

  And then what a splendid shade there'll be ! 



