350 
ARBOR DA V MANUAL. 
A PARABLE. 
F AR in the wood I found a vine, so sweet 
Of flower and leaf that, loving it, I stayed 
To learn its secret. Thick around its feet 
Grew thorny briers, and tangled saplings made 
On every side of it too dark a shade. 
One tendril by a dead branch held. The rest 
Were folded like proud arms upon its breast. 
The rough wind beat it down; it did not break. 
But, lying low until the storm went by, 
Lifted its head again. Still it would take 
No help ; but shaking off with scornful eye 
The dust, rose slowly, looking to the sky, 
Borne up by hidden forces of its own, 
And stood again erect, a vine, alone. 
Far in the wood I whispered then, afraid 
The question showed not all my love, “O vine. 
Brave vine, so sweet and yet so strong, what made 
It easy unto thee? No sun can shine 
To warm thee in this cold, unwholesome shade. 
Why standcst thou apart from all the rest, 
Thy slender proud arms folded on thy breast?” 
Filling the wood, this subtile whisper then 
My reverent listening heard : “ My love, the oak, 
Has died. Never before his name to men 
Who, idly, questioning, passed by, I spoke. 
But thou,— thou lovest like me; thy secret woke 
My own. Thou know’st to a less lordlyThing 
The tendrils torn from oaks will never cling.” 
Helen Hunt Jackson. 
DEWDROPS. 
A MILLION little diamonds 
Twinkled in the trees, 
And all the little maidens said, 
“ A jewel, if you please ! ” 
But while they held their hands outstretched, 
To catch the diamonds gay, 
A million little sunbeams came, 
And stole them all away. 
