O, pearly, waxen, lilly bells! Glad the tale your coming tells— Blithest time, of all the year, Happy, blooming spring is here With lillies-of-the-valley. Shining like the precious gem, Divers bring from ocean’s floor; God in blessing scattered them Blooming by the humblest door; Springing in some sheltered nook, Peeping by a mouldering wall, Nodding by a babbling brook, Purest, sweetest flowers of all, Are lillies-of-the-valley. Hidden from life’s cares and frets Is the loved embowered spot Sacred to our floral pets— Lillies and forget-me-not; Tho’ the poet’s fondest dream Wreaths about the violet, With the morning’s dew agleam, Lovlier and sweeter yet Are lillies-of-the-valley. Roses fade and fall apart— Lose their beauty with their bloom, In the lillies perfect heart Lingers long its sweet perfume; Mem’ries dear we’ll ne’er forget, With their tender thrills of bliss, Hover round the mignonette, Yet, a charm supreme to this, Have lillies-of-the-valley. Queens of color, tall and proud Bloom among the asphodels, But of all that lauded crowd None so loved as lilly bells! Pansy bright with dreamy eyes Seems acquaint with mystic lore, Whispers “hope” when sorrow sighs, Yet, we love the lillies more, Sweet lillies-of-the-valley. They will breathe the tender thought Sympathy would fain reveal, But, with love’s fond message fraught, Half their charm is to conceal. Lillies of the Valley. Rosebud boldly tells the tale Cupid sent it to confess— With the fragrance they exhale Lillies whisper,—“You may guess.” Pearly Shells. All the rainbow hues are hiding In the pearly shells of white, But their beauties are depending On the mystic powers of light;— Going, coming, like the blushes On a modest maiden’s cheek, As her heart-throb quick confesses What her lips would never speak. Husband, there’s a heart that’s loving With devotion pure and deep; If you’d know its fullest blessing, If the treasure you would keep, You must flash the light upon it, Beaming out from loving eyes; Then, as shell, reflecting sunlight, It will glow with lovely dyes. All within and all about it Soon will catch the won’drous charm, By reflection and absorption Home will aye be bright and warm; But if left alone in darkness, Through a life of gloom and night, Like the sea-shell, pure and pearly, It will be but cold and white. Courage. Now with zeal that will not falter Rally once again for Right, Trusting ever and believing God is all supreme in might. Let us work—give earnest effort, Ere the day in darkness set, Work with faith and love untiring— He will crown our labors yet. Though allies of rum are legion, Fear no evil may betray, For He’s given angels o’er us Charge to keep us in the way.