Even the heads of the corporation of 

 London, and the King, Queen and nobles 

 went a-Maying." 



"I do wish," interrupted Howard, 

 ''that all the legislatures would make the 

 day a legal holiday. I think, as a people, 

 we ought tO' do two things : Celebrate 

 the first of May and adopt a national 

 flower." 



"That's so," cried John, "and I'll vote 

 for the Indian turnip." 



"I," said Madge, ''for the crab apple 

 blossom, for there is no sweeter flower." 



"It is fortunate for the nation," 

 laughed Howard, "that two votes won't 

 elect the flower. Just think how the In- 

 dian turnip bites and what the crab 

 blossom produces. Don't you children 

 realize that a national flower should sym- 

 bolize some great, good or beautiful 

 idea ?" 



"Returning to the subject of May," 

 interrupted Aunt Jane, "do you remem- 

 ber how Longfellow describes May-day 

 in Sweden? He saw May poles fifty 

 feet high wreathed in flowers and rib- 

 bons, with the tops ornamented by 

 weather cocks to tell whence the wind 

 'cometh and goeth.' With us the day is 

 often observed. In some cities the school 

 children are allowed tO' fill the parks, and 

 the time may come, especially if our cli- 

 mate improves, when the day will be 

 more generally observed." 



"If only we had the English hawthorn, 

 which is the glory of May," said Edith, 



"and were sure of the yellow cowslip 

 and pale primrose." 



"The crab sometimes fails to be on 

 time," said Madge, "but when it does we 

 have the dear 'spring beauty.' I shall 

 always stand by the flower of my own 

 dear land." 



"What is it some poet says about 

 'Winter, lingering, chills the lap of 

 May?' I vote to celebrate June, in the 

 north at least, instead of May. Then we 

 shall have Lowell's 'perfect day,' " said 

 Alice. 



"Well," Aunt Jane said, "as the sea- 

 son is early this year, I shall take you to 

 the woods tomorrow when you will be 

 introduced to Miss Spring-beauty, Sir 

 Wildwood Violet, Madam Anemone and 

 the Bluebell family. You can only mani- 

 fest a proper interest in these spring ac- 

 quaintances by recalling the geneology 

 and other points of special interest in 

 their history. Upon our return we will 

 dance around a May pole, which, for 

 fear of storms, I have had erected in the 

 barn. It is trimmed, not with flowers, 

 but with ribbons of our national colors. 

 As we dance around, each holding a rib- 

 bon, one end of which is fastened to the 

 top of the pole, we shall braid the pole 

 all over with red, white and blue." 



"Good," said John, "and then we 



won't crown Bird who calls herself a 



beauty, but let us crown grandma, our 



dear grandma, our 'Queen of the May.' " 



Belle Paxson Drury. 



AISPRING LOVE STORY. 



Little Miss Tulip creeps out of her cradle, 



Green is the silk of her gown. 

 Little Miss Tulip puts on her red bonnet, - 



Prettiest bonnet in town. 

 Little Miss Tulip is happy and gay. 

 Whom is she smiling at over the way? 



Bold Mr. Robin comes back from the Southland, 



Orange and dun is his vest. 

 Bold Mr. Robin has bought a new long coat — 



Ah ! he is jauntily drest. 

 Bold Mr. Robin is cocking his head. 

 Somebody sees from her bonnet of red. 



— Carolyn S. Bailey. 



