Ꮲ Ꭺ Ꭱ Ꭲ Ꮩ .

OLDER CHILDREN.

THE summer comes with rosy wreaths,
To dance among the fragrant flowers,
While friendly autumn plenty breathes,
And blessings in abundant showers.
E'en winter with its frost and snow

Brings much the mind to calm and cheer,

But there's a season worth them all

And that's the spring-time of the year.

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SPRING-TIME OF LIFE.

In spring the farmer ploughs the field
That yet will wave with yellow corn,
In spring the birdie builds its nest
In foggy bank or budding thorn;
The bank and brae, the hill and dell,
A song of hope are heard to sing,
And summer, autumn, winter tell
With joy and grief the work of spring.

Now youth's the spring-time of your life,
When seed is sown with care and toil,
And hopes are high and fears are rife,

Lest weeds should rise the grain to spoil.
I've sown the seed, my bairnies dear,
By precept and example too,
And may the Hand that guides us here
Preserve us all the journey through.

But soon the time will come when you
May lose a mother's tender care,
A world with sorrows not a few,

With all its stormy strife to share :
Then as you pass through life along

Let fortune kind or frowning prove,
Ne'er let the Tempter lead you wrong,
But still be guided by His love.

GEORGE DONALD.