And Japheth did as his father commanded, but sorrowfully, for it chanced that in close companionship, lo, these many days, with these innocent children of nature, Japheth had come to acquire a tender love and care for both beast and bird.
"Go, thou mourning dove," he said, unconsciously bestowing a fitting name upon the gentle bird. "Go!" And, spreading his beautiful wings, off the dove joyfully flew, following with unerring instinct the path in the air yesterday taken by his mate.
And yet a few days and Noah removed the covering from the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry.
THE MAYFLOWERS.
(The trailing arbutus, or Mayflower, grows abundantly in the vicinity of Plymouth, and was the first flower that greeted the Pilgrims after their fearful winter.)
Sad Mayflower! watched by winter stars
And nursed by winter gales,
With petals of the sleeted spars
And leaves of frozen sails!