Out from this realm of mist and rain,
Out from this realm of sleet and snow,
When the first Southern violets blow?
—Thomas Bailey Aldrich, “Spring in New England.”
POLLY.
Letty was out under the big elm tree watching the kitten playing with the autumn leaves that were on the ground.
Suddenly something struck Letty on the shoulder. She looked around quickly, thinking that somebody had thrown a stone at her. No one was in sight, though she looked all about and even up in the tree. Then she noticed that the kitten was rolling something with its paws. She stooped and picked up what looked like a little bunch of elm leaves. She thought it strange that they should be stuck together, and when she found that it was quite heavy she was still more surprised.
She carried it into the house to show to her mother. “What is it?” she asked. “It came down off the tree and hit me on my shoulder. Is there a stone inside of it?”
“No,” said her mother. “It is a chrysalis. Some worm that lived on the elm tree drew these leaves together and spun a little case inside, and when the leaves were ready to fall, the chrysalis came down with them.”
“What kind of a worm do you suppose it was?”