Library of the best American literature / Containing the lives of our authors in story form, their portraits, their homes, and their personal traits, how they worked and what they wrote; choice selections from eminent writers, embracing great American poets and novelists, foremost women in American letters, distinguished critics and essayists, our national humorists, noted journalists and magazine contributors, popular writers for young people, great orators and public lecturers

by Unknown

And twittering bears the moistened gift

A nest on the eaves to rear;

The twinkling feet of flock and herd

Have trodden a path to me,

And the fox and the squirrel come to drink

In the shade of the alder-tree.

“The sunburnt child, with its rounded foot,

Comes hither with me to play,

And I feel the thrill of his lightsome heart

As he dashes the merry spray.