ROSE ROMANCE.
Two roses, freshly sweet and rare,
Bloomed in the dewy morning
On neighboring bushes green and fair,
One garden-bed adorning.
"Ah!" sighed the pair, "what joy, what pride.
If on one branch together
We two were growing side by side
Through all this golden weather!"
There came a youth who roughly tore
The roses from their bowers,
And to his sweetheart proudly bore
The two fair, fragrant flowers.
Upon her bosom with delight
They bloomed,—but not forever:
They faded—ah! but, rapture bright,
They faded there together.
ADA NICHOLS.
* * * * *