36 ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 



THE RETURN OF MAY. 



HAIL! fair queen, adorned with flow 

 Attended by the smiling hours ! 

 Tis thine to dress the rosy bowers, 



In colors gay. 



We love to wander in thy train, 

 To meet thee on the fertile plain, 

 To bless thy soft propitious reign, 

 O lovely May ! 



Tis thine to dress the vale anew 

 In fairest verdure bright with dew ; 

 And harebells of the mildest blue 



Smile on thy way. 



Then let us welcome pleasant spring, 

 And still the flowery tribute bring, 

 And still to thee our carol sing, 



O lovely May. 



Now, by the genial zephyr fanned. 

 The blossoms of the rose expand ; 

 And, reared by thee with gentle hand, 



Their charms display. 

 The air is balm)^ and serene, 

 And all the sweet, luxuriant scene 

 By thee is clad in tender green, 



O lovely May ! 



MRS. HEMANS. 



ROBIN AND CHICKEN. 



A PLUMP little robin flew down from the tree, 

 To hunt for a worm which he happened to see. 

 A frisky young chicken came scampering by 

 And gazed at the robin with wondering eye. 



Said the chicken : " What a queer-looking chicken is that: 

 Its wings are so long and its body so fat ! " 

 While the robin remarked loud enough to be heard : 

 " Dear me ! an exceedingly strange-looking bird ! " 



"Can you sing? " robin asked, and the chicken said ; 'No, " 

 But asked in its turn if the robin could crow. 

 So the bird sought a tree and the chicken a wall, 

 And each thought the other knew nothing at all. 



