Sought she all along the wayside, 'Mong the ferns and waving palms, Where the tiniest flower might hide From her sweet protecting arms. "What fresh treasure are you seeking?" Asked I of the little one, For a myriad blooms were peeping Through the mosses to the sun. "Have you never heard, dear lady, Of the sweetest flower that blooms,-- It is neither proud nor stately, Like the lily and the rose; "But it brightens every pathway, Springing 'neath your careless tread. Till the sun, with quickening ray, Kisses soft its drooping head. "Then its petals quick unclosing, Freshly sweet with morning dew,-- It is left for our supposing That the story must be true,-- "How it shyly waits the coming Of the glorious King of Day, And that hence the pretty naming Of a Sun-Kiss, so they say?" ELIZABETH A. DAVIS. [Illustration: {A DRAGONFLY AND LEAVES.}] [Illustration: {TWO CALVES.}] THE COUNTRY WEEK. Mrs. Brown read a little article in the newspaper one evening, about "Country week for poor children." "Husband," said she, "I have an idea. We have such a good farm, and so many nice things, suppose we take some boarders this summer, who can't afford to pay anything." When she told him what she meant, Mr. Brown thought it a very good idea, indeed. "The currants and raspberries are ripe. I'll see if Mrs. Anderson knows of some nice children, who will have to stay in the hot streets of the city all summer. We will ask them to come here." Of course, Mrs. Anderson knew of some nice children. She belonged to a mission-school, and knew dozens of them. So, the next Wednesday, when Mr. Brown drove down to the station, there she was, and two little ones with her, Lina and Carl Schmidt. Carl was almost a baby, and went to sleep as soon as they were in the carriage; but Lina held her breath with delight as she rode to the farm. She was half afraid, too, and held on very tightly if old Billy went faster than a walk. As Mr. Brown watched the bright little face he began to think his wife's idea was a splendid one. "Well, little one," said Mrs. Brown to Lina, when they reached the house, "what do you think of the country?" "Oh, I do want to take such long breaths!" said Lina, "I wish my mamma could see it too." "The first thing for these small folks," added Mrs. Brown, "is some of Brindle's nice milk." [Illustration: {THE FAMILY WATCH THE COW BEING MILKED.}] Carl waked up long enough to drink some, and say, "Dood, dood." Then he grew sleepy again, and Mrs. Brown laid him on a shawl upon the grass, under the trees. The hens gathered around him, looked at each other and clucked, as much as to say, "What kind of a queer creature is this?" Young Mr. Bantie was about to peck him to find out, when they heard a little voice calling "Biddy, Biddy, Biddy!" from the barn. Off they went, half flying and half running.