8 



the wind among the pines and see the glories of morn and eve- 

 ning. All nature is frienrlly to the child. The brook is his play- 

 fellow, and he spends hours by its side, paddling in its water or 

 sailing his little boat on its rippled surface. The great elm in the 

 field bends down its mighty, benevolent arms to protect him — the 

 old elm, whose flickering shadows have fallen for a hundred years 

 on the venerable head of the old grandfather in his chair, and the 

 grandchildren rolling in the grass at his feet. These little chil- 

 dren may one day leave the ancestral home and wander far 

 away ; but, on the distant prairies of the West, on the coast of 

 California, in foreign cities, or amid the thunders of battle ; vis- 

 ions of the old farm will come to them, of the old elm with its 

 floating branches, the old oaken bucket which hung in the well, 

 and which they drew up in the hot day dripping with its icy lux- 

 ury, — and these images will soothe and strengthen the heart in 

 the midst of temptation or peril. 



For calm and patient, Nature keeps 



Her ancient promise well, 

 Though o'er her bloom and greenness sweep 



The battle-breath of Hell. 



And still she walks in golden bowers 



Through harvest-happy farms, 

 And still she wears her fi-uits and flowers 



Like jewels on her arms. 



Still in the cannon's pause we hear 



Her sweet thanksgiving psalm ; 

 Too near to God for doubt or fear 



She shares the eternal calm. 



The farmer has all these beauties of Nature around him, to 

 make a genuine home for himself and children. The song says, 

 " There's no place like Home." John Howard Payne once told 

 me that he owed his escape from the hands of some Georgia 

 banditti to that song. As they were dragging him along, one of 

 them began to hum this song ; and Payne said, " Do you know 

 who wrote thset song ?" The man said, " Yes ; John Howard 

 Payne wrote it." Then Payne took out one of his cards and 

 handed it to the man, who stared as if he saw a ghost, and called 



