As when her fragile ivory uncurled,

A thousand years ago.

"Bravo, Wilks, if you are poaching on my preserves; but I wish that same purple dragon-fly would hover round here in thousands for a minute. It's a pleasure to see them sail along and gobble up the mosquitoes."

The dominie continued:—

To-day I saw the dragon-fly

Come from the wells where he did lie.

An inner impulse rent the veil

Of his old husk; from head to tail

Came out clear plates of sapphire mail.

He dried his wings: like gauze they grew,