[A SUMMER SHOWER.]
BY GEORGE COOPER.
"Hush!" sighed the leaves;
"Hurry, birds, hurry!
See yonder sheaves
All in a flurry."
"Come under quick,
Grasshopper, cricket!"
Whispered the vines
Down in the thicket.
"Hide," lisped the grass,
"Lady-bug, spider;
Ant, here's a place;
Fly, sit beside her."
"Rest, katydid,
Here in my bushes;
Butterfly, too;
How the rain rushes!"
Why, there's the sun!
Hark the birds singing,
"Good-by, dear leaves,
Off we'll be winging."
"Bee," smiled the rose,
"Thank you for calling;
Drop in again
When the rain's falling."
[Begun in Harper's Young People No. 80, May 10.]
SUSIE KINGMAN'S DECISION.
BY KATE R. McDOWELL.
Chapter IV.
"May-party day at last!" cried Susie, dancing gayly about her room. "School ended, and now for a splendid time to-day!" As she went toward the window the sweet June air was coming softly in, the birds, too, were singing, and unconsciously she found herself chanting, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." Then, stopping suddenly, "Why, that reminds me, I forgot to turn over to a new leaf in my Silent Comforter before breakfast. Oh, surely it's the 20th, and I've come round again to that verse with 'In honor preferring one another' in it, which perplexed me so. How this month has flown! It seems at once the longest and shortest I remember. To think Florence is so changed a girl! Why, she really seems like one of the family, rushing in and out at all times, bringing or sending mamma flowers every day; and the girls all like her so well, and wouldn't need any urging now to vote for her. Why, there she is this minute!" as a pretty phaeton stopped at the gate.
"Could the day be finer?" called Florence, as she tied the gray pony. "I thought I saw you drinking in this air, when I was at the turn in the road about half a mile off. Come, bring your hat and take a drive with me. I've something very important to tell you," and she opened the gate to take some rare flowers to Mrs. Kingman, who was sewing on the piazza, with the baby playing near her chair. Florence took the little one in her arms, begging it to say her name. "She can not get any farther than 'Flo,'" said Mrs. Kingman, putting aside her work to go and arrange her flowers.