138 POETICAL LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
men ted with bracelets of flowers, and the belt which 
circled her slender waist was covered with bunches of 
Hawthorn blossoms. She looked as if the Goddess of 
Flowers had newly alighted upon the earth, and as¬ 
cended that throne to preside over her worshipers. In 
her hand she held a sceptre, covered with the choicest 
flowers of spring; and as she raised or lowered it, so 
the dancers proceeded or halted, in a moment, in the 
midst of their merry measure. A handsome-looking 
young gentleman stood gazing upon the scene, with 
his horse’s bridle thrown negligently over his arm, 
while he timed the measure of the dance, with the 
butt-end of his riding-whip, upon the ground. The 
Queen of May lowered her flowery sceptre, and, stop¬ 
ping the dance, beckoned one of the village maidens 
to approach — when, whispering something in her ear, 
she took the band of rosebuds from her neck and 
placed it in the hands of the dancer, who exchanged a 
few words with five of her fair companions, and they 
went trippingly up to the young gentleman, and, 
throwing the wreath of roses around him, brought him 
prisoner before the Queen of May. Laughing, he 
knelt down and kissed the white hand which was 
extended toward him ; then took his seat beside her 
