Gleamed the red sun athwart the misty haze Which veiled the cold earth from its loving gaze, Feeble and sad as hope in sorrow's hour-- But for thy soul it still hath warmth and power; Not to its cheerless beauty wert thou blind; To the keen eye of thy poetic mind Beauty still lives, though nature's flowrets die, And wintry sunsets fade along the sky! And naught escaped thee as we strolled along, Nor changeful ray, nor bird's faint chirping song. Blessed with a fancy easily inspired, All was beheld, and nothing unadmired; From the dim city to the clouded plain, Not one of all God's blessings given in vain. --_Hon. Mrs. Norton._ THE SILK-WORM. The Caterpillar, or Silkworm, is at first of a dark color, but soon becomes light, and in its tints much resembles the perfect insect--a circumstance common in Caterpillars. Its proper food is the Mulberry, though it will likewise eat the Lettuce, and some few other plants, on which, however, it does not thrive equally well, and the silk yielded is of a poor quality. The Silkworm is about eight weeks in arriving at maturity, during which period it changes its skin four or five times. When about to cast its skin it ceases to eat, raises the forepart of the body slightly, and remains in perfect repose. In this state it necessarily continues for a time, in order that the new skin, which is at this time forming, may become sufficiently mature to enable the Caterpillar to burst through the old one. This operation is performed thus: The forepart of the old skin is burst; the Silkworm then, by continually writhing its body, contrives to thrust the skin back to the tail and disengage itself; this is difficult, however, since it is no uncommon occurrence for them to die from not being able to free themselves.