William Cowper.

Turn, turn thy hasty foot aside,
Nor crush that helpless worm! 
The frame thy wayward looks deride
Required a God to form.

The common Lord of all that move. 
From whom thy being flowed,
A portion of His boundless love
On that poor worm bestowed.

Let them enjoy their little day,
Their humble bliss receive;
Oh! do not lightly take away
The life thou canst not give!

Thomas Gisborne.

* * * * *

49

mar’ gin pitch’ er cup’ board breathed di’ a mond quiv’ er ing

JACK FROST.

Jack Frost looked forth one still, clear night,
And whispered, “Now I shall be out of sight;
So, through the valley, and over the height,
In silence I’ll take my way. 
I will not go on like that blustering train,
The wind and the snow, the hail and the rain,
Who make so much bustle and noise in vain;
But I’ll be as busy as they!”

Then he flew to the mountain, and powdered its crest;
He lit on the trees, and their boughs he dressed
In diamond beads; and over the breast
Of the quivering lake he spread
A coat of mail, that it need not fear
The glittering point of many a spear,
Which he hung on its margin, far and near,
Where a rock could rear its head.

He went to the windows of those who slept,
And over each pane, like a fairy, crept: 
Wherever he breathed, wherever he stepped,
By the morning light were seen
Most beautiful things!—­there were flowers and trees;
There were bevies of birds, and swarms of bees;
There were cities with temples and towers; and these
All pictured in silvery sheen!

But he did one thing that was hardly fair;
He peeped in the cupboard, and finding there
That all had forgotten for him to prepare.—­
“Now, just to set them a-thinking,
I’ll bite this basket of fruit,” said he;
“This costly pitcher I’ll burst in three;
And the glass of water they’ve left for me,
Shall ‘tchick,’ to tell them I’m drinking.”

Hannah F. Gould.

* * * * *

CREST, top or summit.

COAT OF MAIL, a garment of iron or steel worn by warriors in olden times.

BEVIES, flocks or companies.

SHEEN, brightness.

TCHICK a combination of letters whose pronunciation is supposed to resemble the sound of breaking glass.

What did Jack Frost do when he went to the mountain?

How did he dress the boughs of the trees?  What did he spread over the lake?  Why?

What could be seen after he had worked on “the windows of those who slept?”

What mischief did he do in the cupboard, and why?

Is Jack Frost an artist?  In what kind of weather does he work?  Why does he work generally at night?