Love and Hope and Youth, together-- Travelling once in stormy weather, Met a deep and gloomy tide, Flowing swift and dark and wide. 'Twas named the river of Despair,-- And many a wreck was floating there! The urchins paused, with faces grave, Debating how to cross the wave, When lo! the curtain of the storm Was severed, and the rainbow's form Stood against the parting cloud-- Emblem of peace on trouble's shroud! Hope pointed to the signal flying, And the three, their shoulders plying, O'er the stream the light arch threw-- A rainbow bridge of loveliest hue! Now, laughing as they tripped it o'er, They gayly sought the other shore: But soon the hills began to frown, And the bright sun went darkly down. Though their step was light and fleet, The rainbow vanished 'neath their feet,-- And down they went,--the giddy things! But Hope put forth his ready wings,-- And clinging Love and Youth he bore In triumph to the other shore. But ne'er I ween should mortals deem On rainbow bridge to cross a stream, Unless bright, buoyant Hope is nigh, And, light with Love and Youth, they fly! The Rival Bubbles. [Illustration: The Rival Bubbles] Two bubbles on a mountain stream, Began their race one shining morn, And lighted by the ruddy beam, Went dancing down 'mid shrub and thorn. The stream was narrow, wild and lone, But gayly dashed o'er mound and rock, And brighter still the bubbles shone, As if they loved the whirling shock. Each leaf, and flower, and sunny ray, Was pictured on them as they flew, And o'er their bosoms seemed to play In lovelier forms and colors new. Thus on they went, and side by side, They kept in sad and sunny weather, And rough or smooth the flowing tide, They brightest shone when close together. Nor did they deem that they could sever, That clouds could rise, or morning wane; They loved, and thought that love for ever Would bind them in its gentle chain. But soon the mountain slope was o'er, And 'mid new scenes the waters flowed, And the two bubbles now no more With their first morning beauty glowed. They parted, and the sunny ray That from each other's love they borrowed; That made their dancing bosoms gay, While other bubbles round them sorrowed: That ray was dimmed, and on the wind A shadow came, as if from Heaven; Yet on they flew, and sought to find From strife, the bliss that love had given. They parted, yet in sight they kept, And rivals now the friends became, And if, perchance, the eddies swept Them close, they flashed with flame. And fiercer forward seemed to bound, With the swift ripples toward the main; And all the lesser bubbles round, Each sought to gather in its train.