THE CHERRY. 



in our dining-room ; and therefore we can fully enter into 

 the spirit of Barry Cornwall (by which mm de plume he 

 is best known), in his address to the wild Cherry-tree :— 



" Oh, — there never was yet so fair a thing, 

 By racing river or bubbhng spring, — 

 Nothing that ever so gaily grew 

 Up from the ground when the skies were blue, 

 Nothing so brave — nothing so free. 

 As thou — my wild, wild Cherry-tree ! 



Jove ! how it danced in the gusty breeze ! 

 Jove ! how it frolicked amongst the trees ! 

 Dashing the pride of the poplar down. 

 Stripping the thorn of his hoary crown ! 

 Oak or ash — what matter to theef 

 'Twas the same to my wild, wild Cherry-tree ! 



Never at rest, like one that's young, 

 Abroad to the winds its arms it flung, 

 Shaking its bright and crownfed head. 

 Whilst I stole up for its berries red — 

 Beautiful berries ! beautiful tree ! 

 Hurrah ! for the wild, wild Cherry-tree ! 



Back I fly to the days gone by, 



And I see thy branches against the sky, 



I see in the grass thy blossoms shed, 



I see (nay, I taste) thy berries red. 



And I shout — like the tempest loud and free, — 



Hurrah! for the wild, wild Cherry-tree !" 



Cherry blossoms may be prettier on the cultivated tree, 

 on account of the roseate tinge upon the petals. Both 

 trees are, when blooming, very pleasing, but when the season 

 for gathering fruit arrives there is a vast difference. Then 



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