WHY YE BLOSSOME COMETH in 



Carrying him back to the days of his childish sports, 

 and conjuring up before him the old green field with 

 its gently waving trees, where the birds sang as he 

 has never heard them since, where the butterfly 

 fluttered far more gaily than he ever sees him now 

 in all his ramblings, where the sky seemed bluer, 

 and the sun shone more brightly, where the air blew 

 more freshly over greener grass and sweeter-smelling 

 flowers, where everything wore a richer and more 

 brilliant hue than it is ever dressed in now ! Such are 

 the deep feelings of childhood, and such are the 

 impressions which every lovely object stamps upon 

 its heart! 



WHY YE BLOSSOME COMETH BEFORE 

 YE LEAFE* 



BY OLIVER HERFORD 



ONCE Hoary Winter chanced alas! 



Alas! hys waye mistaking 



A leafless apple-tree to pass 



Where Spring lay dreaming. " Fie, ye lass ! 



Ye lass had best be waking," 



Quoth he, and shook hys robe, and, lo! 



Lo! forth didde flye a cloud of snowe. 



*From "The Bashful Earthquake and other Fables," copy- 

 right 1898, by Oliver Herford; published by Charles Scribner's 

 Sons. 



