510 NATURE STUDY. 



Helpful literature, parts of which even little folks in the 

 first grade enjoy, can be found in 



"Shower and Flower." Lucy Larcom. 

 "Rain in Summer." Longfellow. 

 " A Rain Dream." Bryant. 



The following poems are added, as they are excellent 

 summaries of the work done : 



A RHYME FOB A KAINY DAY. 



" With pitter-patter, pitter-patter, on my window-pane, 

 Tapped clipper little visitors, the tiny drops of rain ; 

 They did not ask to enter, but in liquid tones I heard 

 This story, which, as told to me, I tell you, word for word : 



4 Within a cool, deep well we lived, quite happy, side by side, 

 Until an empty bucket came, and asked us out to ride ; 

 Then springing in, away we went, drawn up into the air, 

 And a pretty china pitcher stood waiting for us there. 



Beneath that pitcher's brim we thought much happiness to see ; 

 But soon a lump of ice popped in, with whom we can't agree ; 

 For though Ice claimed relationship before it married Frost, 

 With such a hard, cold-hearted thing all sympathy was lost. 



Ice tried to steal our heart away ; but Air was on our side, 

 And when it felt how cold we were, it just sat down and cried. 

 You might have seen the tears upon the pitcher where they 



pressed, 

 Till Ice itself was forced to melt, and mingle with the rest. 



But next I have to tell you of a most amazing thing, 

 Above a blazing fire we were made to sit and sing, 

 Till Bubbles brought the message up, that Heat would set us free ; 

 When, boiling hard, we just steamed oft', and gained our liberty ! 



We bounded off with motion swift, but met a colder wind, 

 Which blew so fast that everything grew cloudy to our mind. 

 We cared not to go higher then, we felt a heavy chill, 

 And down we came quite suddenly upon your window-sill.' " 



JULIA M. COLTON, 



