SPRING NATURE STUDY. 571 



Have children watch, from day to day, the seeds in the 

 tumblers, arid later those in the window boxes, giving them 

 questions to direct their observations. When they have 

 something to tell, have a lesson. 



APRIL LITERATURE. 

 AN APRIL WELCOME. 



" Come up April, through the valley, 



In your robes of beauty drest, 

 Come and wake your flowery children 



From their wintry beds of rest ; 

 Come and overblow them softly, 



With the sweet breath of the south ; 

 Drop upon them, warm and loving, 



Tenderest kisses of your mouth. 



Touch them with your rosy fingers, 



Wake them with your pleasant tread, 

 Push away the leaf-brown covers 



Over all their faces spread ; 

 Tell them how the sun is waiting 



Longer daily in the skies, 

 Looking for the bright uplifting 

 Of their softly-fringed eyes." 



PHCEBE CART. 



THE SEED. 



" As wonderful things are hidden away 



In the heart of a little brown seed, 

 As ever were found in the fairy net 



Of which children sometimes read. 

 Over the pretty shining coat 



We sprinkle the earth so brown, 

 And the sunshine warms its lowly bed, 



And the rain comes dropping down. 

 Patter, patter, the soft, warm rain, 



Knocks at the tiny door ; 

 And two little heads come peeping out, 



Like a story in fairy lore." 



