The squirrel in the greenwood hides,

His haunts I know full well;

Along the meadows flower-bestrewn,

I hear the humming-bee;

I cannot live apart from these,—

A country life for me!

“’Twas there I roved in years gone by

With careless step and fleet,

And scarcely deigned to pluck the flowers

That blossomed at my feet.