lo Twelve Months With 



the old earth takes on her new livery of green. 

 At this season one feels the impulse of the little 

 mediaeval page, in Alexander William Percy's 

 "A Page's Road Song:" 



"If Thou wilt make Thy peach trees bloom for me 

 And fringe my bridle path both sides 



With tulips red and free, 

 If Thou wilt make Thy skies as blue 



As ours in Sicily 

 And wake the little leaves that sleep 



On every bending tree — 



I promise not to vexen Thee 



That Thou shouldst make eternally 



Heaven my home ; 

 But right contentedly 

 A singing page I'll be 



Here in Thy Springtime." 



It is commonly supposed that the origin of the 

 word "April" is the Latin aperio, meaning "I 

 open." To me this is a happier and more appro- 

 priate explanation of the genesis of the name than 

 the other tradition that April was Aprilis, 

 founded on the Greek name of Venus (Aphrodite) . 

 True, April might justly be called the Queen of 

 months, and as it is also the month of love making 

 for many animals and birds, it therefore may be 

 said to have some of the characteristics of the 

 Grecian Goddess. 



