276 ARBOR DAY 



TO THE DANDELION 



(Extract) 



BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL 



DEAR common flower, that grow'st beside the way, 

 Fringing the dusty road with harmless gold, 



First pledge of blithesome May, 



Which children pluck, and, full of pride uphold, 



High-hearted buccaneers, o'er joyed that they 

 An Eldorado in the grass have found, 

 Which not the rich earth's ample round 



May match in wealth, thou art more dear to me 



Than all the prouder summer-blooms may be. 



THE DANDELIONS 



BY HELEN GRAY CONE 



UPON a showery night and still, 



Without a sound of warning, 

 A trooper band surprised the hill, 



And held it in the morning. 

 We were not waked by bugle-notes, 



No cheer our dreams invaded, 

 And yet, at dawn, their yellow coats 



On the green slopes paraded. 



We careless folk the deed forgot; 

 Till one day, idly walking, 



