" She comes, the first, the fairest thing 

 That Heaven upon the earth doth fling, 



Ere Winter's star is set; 

 She dwells behind her leafy screen, 

 And gives, as angels give, unseen. 

 So love — the violet! 



•' What modest thoughts the violet teaches, 

 What gracious boons the violet preaches, 



Bright maiden ne'er forget ! 

 But learn, and love, and so depart. 

 And sing thou with thy wiser heart, 

 ' Long live the violet.' " 



Our wild violets are of many colours 

 and varieties and all of beauty. New 

 Englanders love their " crowfoot " 

 violets, — so called on account of the 

 shape of the many-parted leaf. It is 

 a lovely flower, large, lavender in 

 colour, and with an attractive habit 

 of running up a hillside and covering 

 it with a mantle of bloom. The 

 "crowfoot "thrives particularly where 

 there is a " second growth," and the 

 sight of it as it " strews the green lap 

 of the new-come spring," while the 

 bluebird whistles from the white-birch 

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