A FLAME went flitting through the wood;
The neighboring birds all understood

Here was a marvel of their kind;
And silent was each feathered throat
To catch the brilliant stranger's note,
And folded every songster's wing
To hide its sober coloring.

Against the tender green outlined,
He bore himself with splendid ease,
As though alone among the trees.

The glory passed from bough to bough -
The maple was in blossom now,
And then the oak, remembering
The crimson hint it gave in spring,
And every tree its branches swayed
And offered its inviting shade;
Where'er a bough detained him long,
A slender, silver thread of song
Was lightly, merrily unspun.
From early morn till day was done

The vision flitted to and fro.
At last the wood was all alone;
But, ere the restless flame had flown,
He left a secret with each bough,
And in the Fall, where one is now,

A thousand tanagers will glow.

MY LITTLE NEIGHBOR My little neighbor's table 's set, And slyly he comes down the tree, His feet firm in each tiny fret The bark has fashioned cunningly.

He pauses on a favorite knot;
Beneath the oak his feast is spread;
He asks no friend to share his lot,
Or dine with him on acorn bread.

He keeps his whiskers trim and neat,
His tail with care he brushes through;
He runs about on all four feet -
When dining he sits up on two.

He has the latest stripe in furs,
And wears them all the year around;
He does not mind the prick of burs

When there are chestnuts to be found.

I watch his home and guard his store, A cozy hollow in a tree;

He often sits within his door

And chatters wondrous things to me.

I MADE a song for my dear love's delight; I wrought with all sweet words my heart could lend

To longing lips, and thrilled with joy to send

The message only love could read aright. He came; and while I trembled in his sight,

He kissed my hands and said, "To what sweet end,

Unknowing, hast thou wrought, O gentle friend?

Singing thy song, I learned to woo, despite My loved one's frown; and now she is my own."

Blessing me then, he went his happy way. The whole world sings my song, and I alone Am silent; yet through tears I sometimes

Let me still dream the ships I gave to thee All golden-freighted in fair harbors rest; Let me believe each sparkling wave's white

Two shall be born the whole wide world apart;

And speak in different tongues, and have no thought

Each of the other's being, and no heed; And these o'er unknown seas to unknown

lands

Shall cross, escaping wreck, defying death,
And all unconsciously shape every act
And bend each wandering step to this one
end,

That, one day, out of darkness, they shall

meet

And read life's meaning in each other's

eyes.